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The only Shmup I've sunk any time into lately has been the Summer Carnival '92 Recca 3DS VC re-release. It swings with the best TG-16/Megadrive genre entries.
Jamestown is nutty, I should revisit that.
I was interested in Nano Assault EX, but the demo revealed it to be naptime. One of the best uses of 3D, slooooow game.
Strania had its moments. I really need to check out Jamestown.
Nice thread Will!
Top shelf on the rocks: Deathsmiles 2X (for slowdown bullet hell it was my favorite), Bug Princess (really wish I could play it on a console, the iOS version is simply awesome), Espgaluda 2 (really dig the mechanics in this one).
Top shelf mixers: Mushihimesama Futari (Arrange mode is the BUSINESS, normal modes are pretty good, and the iOS version was great too), Akai Katana (agreed with dog$, still not sure I understand it all but damn is it smooth and pretty), Muchi Muchi Pork (great in Arrange, alright in normal), Deathsmiles (all modes are good with this one, it was also one of the first I tried this gen).
Mid shelf: Guwange (Arrange is solid, normal is not) Dodonpachi Resurrection/Blissful Death (visually awesome, great patterns, just something about it doesn't sit right with me, probably the bees, fuck the bees), Pink Sweets (I need to put some more time in, but I definitely dig on Arrange more in this one, interesting bullet cancelling mechanics that I kinda/mostly understand), Trouble Witches Neo (really like the card system, game is kinda fugly but fun), Galaga Legions (fun and refreshingly different, and tough), Radiant Silvergun (XBLA was the first time I ever tried it so it's this gen to me, good stuff).
Well/draft: Trigger Heart Excellica (just doesn't feel like fun), Shoot 1UP (decent indie romp with a really cool idea/mechanic, but I didn't feel much incentive to go back), 1942 Joint Strike (pretty decent, and I liked the co-op when I tried it), Raiden Fighter Aces (obviously not my cup of tea, I have a hard time seeing the bullets and therefore don't have much fun with these), Sine Mora (finally bought it and... well, it's pretty. I should have just watched Youtube videos) Strania (cool ideas, but I'm really bad at it and that makes me like it less).
Swill: Otomedius Excellent (I hate even typing it's name and allowing it to be on the same list as the greats above).
We don't carry that: Jamestown (really wanted to try this, haven't upgraded my PC since 2007ish so I've just avoided playing anything on it), Ikaruga (have always thought it looked "too hard" and so I never gave it a shot, Will has been trying to convince me to get it for the co-op), any of the newer DDPs, Ketsui, tons of others I'm sure.
Rank Space Giraffe: Space Giraffe
Rank A: Mushihimesama Futari (So good. Maybe Cave's best game), Raiden IV (classical Toaplan gameplay with a nice candy shell), Pink Sweets (YGW is insane and I love it), Gradius Rebirth (did everyone else forget about this gem?), Raiden Fighters Aces (first home port of those three excellent games, so it counts)
Rank B: Soldner X2 (give it a try, it's easy to complete but can be surprisingly difficult to score well in), Jamestown, Satazius , Gridrunner Revolution, Sine Mora (I like it more than most, I think), Triggerheart Exelica (way better than I really expected), Deathsmiles 2X (ugly polygons aside, this plays great), Espgaluda II (almost too complex for its own good, but lots of fun to take apart), eXceed 2nd (Ikaruga-esque gameplay without more of the puzzle-esque stage design), Gundemonium Recollection (Simple but fun bullet hell)
Rank C: Fast Striker (decent enough), Under Defeat HD (felt like it lost something in its conversion but is still well worth playing), Deathsmiles (mostly obsoleted by its sequel, though I do think it looks better), eXceed 3rd (not quite as clever as the second game but still enjoyable), GundeadliGne (Gundemonium didn't need Deathsmiles-esque controls), Hitogata Happa (it has a clever gimmick but that doesn't really translate into deep gameplay)
Rank F: Soldner X (total garbage on PC, only slightly less awful on PS3), Akai Katana (just feels completely uninspired), 1942 Joint Strike (ugly trash), Star Soldier R (WiiWare is not where you should put a caravan shmup if you want people to compete!), eXceed (barely functional trash), Mamorukun Curse (I really don't like push scrollers)
What reason would exclude these from the shmup/shoot 'em up/shooter genre?Quote:
Originally Posted by dog$
Twin sticks?
Robotron/Smash TV are not shmups.
Generally, the containment of the environment on a single screen and the ability to independently control the direction of the ship and the weapons which it fires.
Genre arguments aren't what I'm after - nobody wins that battle. I just know that if someone asks me which shooters I like, games such as those and Robotron simply do not enter into my mind for consideration.
Damn WiiWare.Quote:
Originally Posted by bVork
Well, they're ports, but the PSP got nice collections for Gradius, Parodius, Twinbee, and Salamander. The Salamander one has the only home port of Xexex, so that one should probably count on that criteria.Quote:
Originally Posted by MechDeus
There was also Cho Aniki Zero, lol.