The defination of Shmups

[Swirly]

Another issue I'm having is Bangai-O sytle game. You are basically free to move around the level shooting tons of bullets and dodging them. I would consider this a shmup, but another game that I consider to have the same free roaming around the level, shooting, and dodging bullets is Soldier of Fortune on the Genesis. Sure you see the top of the guy's head instead of of the side, but I don't think that makes a difference in how both of them are basically played.

[Mode7]

If you have to make some sort of argument for a game being a shooter, it isn't.

[bakayaro]

I think softs like Contra are Action-shooting game ; An action game with a lot of shooting.

[OmegaFlareX]

In my own personal opinion, the key to putting games in the shmups category boils down to just one thing: forced scrolling. If a game doesn't contain a pre-programmed scroll environment (or set 3D path like in Star Fox), it's not a shmup. At least not in the "traditional" sense. That's just the way I see it.

[Swirly]

Originally posted by OmegaFlareX
In my own personal opinion, the key to putting games in the shmups category boils down to just one thing: forced scrolling. If a game doesn't contain a pre-programmed scroll environment (or set 3D path like in Star Fox), it's not a shmup. At least not in the "traditional" sense. That's just the way I see it.

What about Space Invaders? I don't remember that as a scrolling game. Unless your ship and sheilds are scrolling with a black background.

[OmegaFlareX]

Space Invaders and few others from the pre-NES era (Seaquest, Megamania, etc.) are the only exceptions I can think of.

[Frogacuda]

I dunno. I kinda consider Bangai-O a shmup.

[gameoverDude]

Contra is what I call a "Run'N Gun" title.

Now something like Juudan Arashi Gundhara, Commando & Mercs, or Shock Troopers (non-forced scrolling overhead)... hmmm, Shmups.com does have Commando in their reviews section.

In The Hunt is definitely a shmup. It's just not a typical one- you have non-forced scrolling there.

[sleeve]

Originally posted by Mode7
If you have to make some sort of argument for a game being a shooter, it isn't.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

"Man, if you gotta ask..."

[Kinopio]

I'd say games like Panzer Dragoon and Star Fox are shmups. They play just like traditional shmups. They are just in a non traditional perspective.
On the other hand, putting everything into a set category is pointless. If all games fitted into a genre, that would be pretty boring.