Yes, i agree with some of the above posters in regards to the genesis. It's an amazing console for shooters. Even in north america! Some great recommendations so far. If you're a 16 bit and shmup fan, you shouldn't overlook the genesis. Alot of them are reasonably priced too(sans musha), unlike the much weaker snes shmups. A handful of them are on the Virtual Console, including Musha and Alien Soldier.
Btw; you should also add Trouble Shooter to the genesis list.
I've got Gradius 3+4 and 5, I honestly can't recommend 3+4 having put a little time on them again as they're just overwhelmingly too damn hard to be enjoyable unless you're a sadist who enjoys being punished because after that first stage it's just pure nasty, Gradius III far more then 4. 4 isn't so bad, 5 isn't either, but the G3 on the PS2 isn't worth it unless you need an excuse to break an aging system or controller.
I've got Gradius 3+4 and 5, I honestly can't recommend 3+4 having put a little time on them again as they're just overwhelmingly too damn hard to be enjoyable unless you're a sadist who enjoys being punished because after that first stage it's just pure nasty, Gradius III far more then 4. 4 isn't so bad, 5 isn't either, but the G3 on the PS2 isn't worth it unless you need an excuse to break an aging system or controller.
Gradius III is literally one of the hardest games I've ever played, on default settings the game is an absolute nightmare. I'd recommed setting the difficulty down to the "easiest" setting and giving you more lives. That said, at least with G3, you can continue from any checkpoint you've reached. You can also use the konami code and get fully powered up at the start of the checkpoint. It seems like cheating, but honestly with a game that rediculous I'd hardly fault someone. Even beating it using those conditions isn't easy at all. It's really a rediculous game, but the music and graphics are quite awesome, and the stages are far more epic compared to the (much more fair) SNES version.
Gradius IV has parts that rival 3 in terms of sadism but recovery on death is far easier than in G3, and there is nothing as assinine as the cube stage in G4. A far better balanced and play tested game, but there are still several spots that have rediculous difficulty spikes (Stage 6 in particular).
Gradius V pretty much fixes all the issues with the series, since it allows you to retain your options on death (ala Life Force). You also get more continues the longer you play the game (I think after 18 hours you get infinite continues). It's also the only Gradius game with a 2-player mode, which is awesome. The only real drawback of G5 is probably it's length, which is quite insane for a shooter (upwards of 75 minutes to beat).
I still haven't beaten G4 or G5 on 1 credit since I've spent some much damn time to beat 3 and kind of needed a break.
pegboy - most of the prior Gradius games had a two-player mode, although it was alternating. If I'm not mistaken, Gradius Gaiden was the first Gradius to have a simultaneous two-player mode.
Heh I had it on easiest and I couldn't even get out of the first stage because they still throw so much crap and bullets at you. I don't even remember when using MAME over a decade ago G3 being that damn hard in the arcade as I know I got out of stage one.
G4 I did on normal and easiest, not too much nastier which is fine and all, and I cracked a couple of stages or so on that. I got mauled on that rocky stage leading into the volcano and the fire area after, never made the fire it just scrolled there on reset. I set 9lives to play and lost all them in the same f'n spot in under a minute. I about flipped my shit and turned it off, popped in Gitaroo Man and had an insane run, despite C ranking them I cleared the last 4 stages without dying which blew me away as I hadn't done that since a dozen years ago.
pegboy - most of the prior Gradius games had a two-player mode, although it was alternating. If I'm not mistaken, Gradius Gaiden was the first Gradius to have a simultaneous two-player mode.
Indeed you are correct. Gaiden is the first game to have a 2-player simultaneous mode. I totally spaced that one, been a while since I played it.
The Genesis is the king of shooters. I noticed Vapor Trail and Grind Stormer aren't on your Genesis list and for Dreamcast, Gigawing and Gigawing 2 aren't listed but are incredible games.
The TurboGrafx would easily dethrone it if the PC Engine stuff got released over here....
For the Genesis/Mega Drive there's also a series called Battle Mania (known as Trouble Shooter in North America). I call it the 2-girls,1-SCAT-clone. Puns aside, it does indeed have similar gameplay to S.C.A.T on NES, however that game can probably be traced even further to an earlier game called Forgotten Worlds. I just think it's funnier with the S.C.A.T pun...
Battle Mania 2 is supposedly even better, but it was only released in Japan in limited quantities.
Its good to see this thread again. In my travels I have come across a ton of other Shmups (other consoles too) that I will update the first post with when i have time.
good thread MrWunderful! Will definately have to reference this list more often when looking. Ive been trying to play more and more shooters as well. I love the genre, and they fit my current life style quite well as of late. Just picked up Axelay not too long ago, and at first I was a little put off after playing space megaforce and UN squadron, but gave it a fair chance, and liking it a lot more!
This is a well put together and organized list. Good work!
good thread MrWunderful! Will definately have to reference this list more often when looking. Ive been trying to play more and more shooters as well. I love the genre, and they fit my current life style quite well as of late. Just picked up Axelay not too long ago, and at first I was a little put off after playing space megaforce and UN squadron, but gave it a fair chance, and liking it a lot more!
This is a well put together and organized list. Good work!
This is already proving to be helpful. I didn't realize Captain Skyhawk was good, and you reminded me about Terra Cresta and Burai Fighter. Thanks! Also, happy birthday!
Here's some more that deserve to be in the list.
Genesis
Grind Stormer
Trouble Shooter
Whip Rush
Sol-Deace (Also released on the Sega CD as Sol-Feace, which is much cheaper)
Viewpoint
Master System
Power Strike
Power Strike II
Submarine Attack
Scramble Spirits
Saturn
In the Hunt - This one is awful compared to the PS1 version. It has awful slowdown and they had to greatly reduce the size (vertically) of the levels.
Sega CD
Lords of Thunder
Android Assault
Sol Feace
Keio Flying Squadron
Robo Aleste
Dreamcast
Cannon Spike
Gunbird 2
Giga Wing 1
Giga Wing 2
PS1
Mobile Light Force (this is a port of Gunbird)
PS2
Mobile Light Force 2 (This is a port of the first Castle of Shikigami Game)
Comments
Almost perfect arcade port.
Originally posted by: Thunderblaze16
Lightening Force IV alone is the reason I'll take the genesis any day.
It's just PERFECT.
EDIT: Actually it's Alien Solider, TFIV goes second.
I've wanted to play Alien Soldier forever. You got a repro cart? Can you recommend one?
Also, are we talking space shooters, or shoot 'em ups in general? Has nobody mentioned Gunstar Heroes?
As for recommended repros, the only one I can think of in getting one is JRedmond3 from SEGA-16.
Very nicely made and it's $45 for a CIB copy.
http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?22680-Mega-Man-Wily-Wars-Repros-(Complete-with-Box-and-Manual)-FS&highlight=alien+soldier
Btw; you should also add Trouble Shooter to the genesis list.
Originally posted by: Tanooki
I've got Gradius 3+4 and 5, I honestly can't recommend 3+4 having put a little time on them again as they're just overwhelmingly too damn hard to be enjoyable unless you're a sadist who enjoys being punished because after that first stage it's just pure nasty, Gradius III far more then 4. 4 isn't so bad, 5 isn't either, but the G3 on the PS2 isn't worth it unless you need an excuse to break an aging system or controller.
Gradius III is literally one of the hardest games I've ever played, on default settings the game is an absolute nightmare. I'd recommed setting the difficulty down to the "easiest" setting and giving you more lives. That said, at least with G3, you can continue from any checkpoint you've reached. You can also use the konami code and get fully powered up at the start of the checkpoint. It seems like cheating, but honestly with a game that rediculous I'd hardly fault someone. Even beating it using those conditions isn't easy at all. It's really a rediculous game, but the music and graphics are quite awesome, and the stages are far more epic compared to the (much more fair) SNES version.
Gradius IV has parts that rival 3 in terms of sadism but recovery on death is far easier than in G3, and there is nothing as assinine as the cube stage in G4. A far better balanced and play tested game, but there are still several spots that have rediculous difficulty spikes (Stage 6 in particular).
Gradius V pretty much fixes all the issues with the series, since it allows you to retain your options on death (ala Life Force). You also get more continues the longer you play the game (I think after 18 hours you get infinite continues). It's also the only Gradius game with a 2-player mode, which is awesome. The only real drawback of G5 is probably it's length, which is quite insane for a shooter (upwards of 75 minutes to beat).
I still haven't beaten G4 or G5 on 1 credit since I've spent some much damn time to beat 3 and kind of needed a break.
G4 I did on normal and easiest, not too much nastier which is fine and all, and I cracked a couple of stages or so on that. I got mauled on that rocky stage leading into the volcano and the fire area after, never made the fire it just scrolled there on reset. I set 9lives to play and lost all them in the same f'n spot in under a minute. I about flipped my shit and turned it off, popped in Gitaroo Man and had an insane run, despite C ranking them I cleared the last 4 stages without dying which blew me away as I hadn't done that since a dozen years ago.
Originally posted by: dire51
pegboy - most of the prior Gradius games had a two-player mode, although it was alternating. If I'm not mistaken, Gradius Gaiden was the first Gradius to have a simultaneous two-player mode.
Indeed you are correct. Gaiden is the first game to have a 2-player simultaneous mode. I totally spaced that one, been a while since I played it.
I forgot to mention
Strikers: 1945 for the PS1.
Game is like 1943 on steroids.
Awesome and cheap.
Thats a great list of recommended games listed
UN Squadron
Raiden Trad
Super Nova- truly awesome
R Type and III
Definitely my favourites on SNES
Gradius 1 nes and III snes and V ps2
Any Raiden game for ps1,snes ps2 xbox 360 and genesis- just awesome
Gunbird 2 ps2 and Dreamcast
Musha genesis
Tatsujin genesis/MD
Sqoon - nes
1942-1943 NES
Zombie nation NES
And BAN2 coming someday
Originally posted by: Count Dracura
The Genesis is the king of shooters. I noticed Vapor Trail and Grind Stormer aren't on your Genesis list and for Dreamcast, Gigawing and Gigawing 2 aren't listed but are incredible games.
The TurboGrafx would easily dethrone it if the PC Engine stuff got released over here....
Originally posted by: nes_pimp
Is Ikaruga the only shoot on GC?
If there are others, Ikaruga is the only one that matters
Battle Mania 2 is supposedly even better, but it was only released in Japan in limited quantities.
Its good to see this thread again. In my travels I have come across a ton of other Shmups (other consoles too) that I will update the first post with when i have time.
Originally posted by: Thunderblaze16
Lightening Force IV alone is the reason I'll take the genesis any day.
It's just PERFECT.
EDIT: Actually it's Alien Solider, TFIV goes second.
Lightning Force IV on the Genesis is far and away my favorite shmup for the conole. Fast gameplay, tight controls, amazing soundtrack...perfect!
This is a well put together and organized list. Good work!
Originally posted by: TriHart
good thread MrWunderful! Will definately have to reference this list more often when looking. Ive been trying to play more and more shooters as well. I love the genre, and they fit my current life style quite well as of late. Just picked up Axelay not too long ago, and at first I was a little put off after playing space megaforce and UN squadron, but gave it a fair chance, and liking it a lot more!
This is a well put together and organized list. Good work!
Thanks dude!
Updated and cleaned up the OP.
Originally posted by: Majesty ZX
You should add Elemental Master to the genesis list. It's just a fun little game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W...
Done!
Also do you plan on adding 360, Wii, and PS3 games?
Here's some more that deserve to be in the list.
Genesis
Grind Stormer
Trouble Shooter
Whip Rush
Sol-Deace (Also released on the Sega CD as Sol-Feace, which is much cheaper)
Viewpoint
Master System
Power Strike
Power Strike II
Submarine Attack
Scramble Spirits
Saturn
In the Hunt - This one is awful compared to the PS1 version. It has awful slowdown and they had to greatly reduce the size (vertically) of the levels.
Sega CD
Lords of Thunder
Android Assault
Sol Feace
Keio Flying Squadron
Robo Aleste
Dreamcast
Cannon Spike
Gunbird 2
Giga Wing 1
Giga Wing 2
PS1
Mobile Light Force (this is a port of Gunbird)
PS2
Mobile Light Force 2 (This is a port of the first Castle of Shikigami Game)
Castle of Shikigami 2
Wii
Ultimate Shooting Collection
Castle of Shikigami III
I know the PSP has a Parodius collection and a Salamander collection in Japan. Those work fine on NTSC PSPs.
Also do you plan on adding 360, Wii, and PS3 games?
Yeah I can add whatever you guys want. When I have some time I might even make a spreadsheet with type of shooter, and whoever the game is by.
the NES/famicom list in the first post is all mixed together?
Is Ikaruga the only shoot on GC?
If there are others, Ikaruga is the only one that matters
Chaos Field
http://nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=22&threadid=39792