Mw Space Shooter Thread

[Phalanx]

I decided to start this thread after I just got through playing Raystorm for my PSX.

So to get things started off, Heres' a list of space shooters that I actaully have (No ROMS)

Gigawing-Dreamcast

Gekioh(Shienryu)-PSX

Strikers 1945 2-PSX

Raystrom-PSX

I look forward to all of you guy's posts about space shooters and can have a good time with this topic of mine.

[zeo-mare]

Raystorm is nice, i love alot of classics and have gotten a chance to play some of the best shooters available, including Radiant Silvergun and Sapphire for the PC engine. most of the newest shooters have been very bland in my veiw and lack the true playabiltiy and balance as the shooters of yester year. my favorites are however

Spriggan Pc Engine

Blazing Lazers Pc Engine

Soldier Blade Pc Engine

Lords of Thunder Pc engine

Guardian legend Nes

Zanac Nes

Zanac X Zanac PS1

Raystorm PS1

Radiant Silvergun Sega

Raiden Fighters series arcade

Brave Blade arcade

Great Sorcerer Striker Dimahoo arcade

Salamander 2 arcade

Guwunage arcade

there are so many others I like Ikaruga (see my avatar) Gradius V the Strikers 1945 series. this has always been my favorite genre of games and i always keep a eye out for the next batch, right now i am looking forward to playing Raiden III for the PC.

chris

Edited March 24, 2006 by zeo-mare

[yellowlightman]

I picked up Radirugy for the Dreamcast when it came out, so that's the most recent shooter I've played. It's a great game, takes a while to figure out but it's very reqarding and a ton of fun.

[zeo-mare]

Radirugy? is that a sort of hybrid name for Radiant Silvergun 2 Ikaruga? yea it is a cool game, i found it kind of easy and not much like the original. but still very cool non-the less

chris

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

I have too many shooters buried in closet, but the ones I still play include Zero Wing 2, Einhander, and Ikaruga. Raystorm was pretty good too (love Zuntata's music), and for a quick fix, the DonPachi games never fail to satisfy. But heck I still play 1942 and 1943...

[Phalanx]

Man I remember about three years ago when I had my old computer I had games like Raiden 2 and Raycrisis. I downloaded this one unique game called Idinaloq, which had anime style girls and rather odd looking space ships but other than that it was a good game. There's lots of shooters I still haven't played but I am going for a goal to download and play all shooters there ever was.

[yellowlightman]

Radirugy? is that a sort of hybrid name for Radiant Silvergun 2 Ikaruga? yea it is a cool game, i found it kind of easy and not much like the original. but still very cool non-the less

chris

383555[/snapback]

Er, no.

[zeo-mare]

neat i have missed this game, is it any good? i will have to get a copy of it if i can asap.

chris

[yellowlightman]

neat i have missed this game, is it any good? i will have to get a copy of it if i can asap.

chris

383565[/snapback]

It's coming out for the PS2 and Gamecube within the next year, the DC version was limited to 4000 units. Definately worth picking up though.

[myk]

Einhander, Gradius Gaiden, Raystorm, Scrambled Valkyrie, DRYL? and 19XX although, that's a ROM...

[yellowlightman]

I should also mention I love the Macross II arcade game, just about my favorite Macross game too.

[zeo-mare]

the best macross game for me has always been 2036 for the PC engine, the rest just do not do it for me.

[JB0]

Heres' a list of space shooters that I actaully have (No ROMS)

Whadda ya have against silicon?

And is it just me or is this the worst starter post ever?

Anyways...

I've got a fair bit of shooters, single-screen, scrolling, and 3D.

I prefer games that are more skill-based and less memorization, and fast > slow.

Some of my favored games...

Parsec on the 99/4a. Not a GREAT game, but it IS good.

Was one of my first, and has a remarkably ahead-of-it's-time feature in the form of variable "lift", which is similar to the speed controls found in MUCH later shooters such as Image Fight, Aleste, Einhander,and the PS* RTypes.

RType series. I'm really love/hate with this one.

irem is VERY good at making games that suck me in and then make me want to hurt someone. The later levels of the series pull out everything I hate about the genre, but the early stages are just too much fun.

Salamander(arcade) and Salamander 2. Gradius done right.

I want to like Gradius, but I just can't. Salamander fixes it, and is the orphaned bastard child because of it. Sadly, most home Salamander games revert to Gradius.

Defender. The first scrolling shooter.

It's fast, it's responsive, it's not pattern-based, it's a mean son of a daughter that eats you alive... What's not to love?

I DO prefer ports with non-faithful controls over the original game, though. This may have to do with not having access to an arcade cabinet to practice on, but I can't get the hang of the arcade control style.

Asteroids. Enough said.

Again, it's random. Starts slow, but picks up after a few levels. It's more of a thinking-man's game than a lot of others, since you have to keep track of ship velocity and figure out what shot angles will do what to the titular space rocks. Yes, I realize that everyone else in here is looking for scrolling games, but I don't care.

Mars Matrix. Slowdown on a Dreamcast.

I repeat: Slowdown on a Dreamcast. In a SPRITE-BASED game. HOLY CRAP THAT'S A LOT OF BULLETS. And yet, it does it without making me think it's being "unfair." With the number of shots on screen at any given time, that takes a LOT of skill as a developer.

Sinistar. BEWARE, I LIVE!

This one's hard to explain if you haven't played it. IT's one of those games that just comes together. Mining crystals to make bombs, blasting workers to delay the Sinistar's construction, frying warriors to keep your ship alinve, and the verbal abuse from the Sinistar itself all blend together to make one of the most impressive games of the first era.

Some stuff I missed. Kick-ass, but overlooked.

This is a great game. And I'll kick myself later for not including it in the list, especially as it's better than some stuff I DID remember. I just know too many games to keep 'em all straight in my head.

Robotech: Battlecry. Flamebait.

Okay, this one doesn't really deserve a spot on the list. It's here because I think cel-shading works really well for the license, and having full control over the VF-1's transformation isn't done often enough in the games.

Macross: 2036. Fanboy nomination.

It's pretty. It's fun. It has Komillia in it. If only you could transform on-the-fly. While not really the best of the scrolling Macross games, it IS my favorite for the moment.

[myk]

Robotech: Battlecry. Flamebait.

Okay, this one doesn't really deserve a spot on the list. It's here because I think cel-shading works really well for the license, and having full control over the VF-1's transformation isn't done often enough in the games.

This is the best "Valkyrie" game behind the Macross title on the PS2. The VF-X series could only dream of being half as good as BattleCry...

[bandit29]

Robotech: Battlecry. Flamebait.

Okay, this one doesn't really deserve a spot on the list. It's here because I think cel-shading works really well for the license, and having full control over the VF-1's transformation isn't done often enough in the games.

This is the best "Valkyrie" game behind the Macross title on the PS2. The VF-X series could only dream of being half as good as BattleCry...

383698[/snapback]

The import PS2 Macross game is really good...for a Macross game. Battle Cry was alright. The VFX series and Macross Plus for PSOne are just awful. Horrible controls, terrible graphics etc. M3 for the Dreamcast was garbage too.

I haven't played any 2-D shooters in awhile. Einhander and Raystorm for the PSOne were cool. Defender and Sinistar were my favs back in the day. Does Tempest count as a shooter?

[Twoducks]

Always had a great time with Axelay for the SNES. Konami made a great shooter with some very epic music. I love to see the little details like the space colony in the background (I died more than once while admiring the bosses)

Good thing I have the ROM of this game to remember the good old days.

The arcade Macross game was one of my favourites. I almost beat it once from start to finish but an idiot had to block the quarter slot when I was about to kick Bodolza's head

[Sdf-1]

dejr8bud, cool avatar...

[JB0]

Robotech: Battlecry. Flamebait.

Okay, this one doesn't really deserve a spot on the list. It's here because I think cel-shading works really well for the license, and having full control over the VF-1's transformation isn't done often enough in the games.

This is the best "Valkyrie" game behind the Macross title on the PS2. The VF-X series could only dream of being half as good as BattleCry...

383698[/snapback]

*nods*

It was a great game the first time through, but I tried replaying it and all the faults show through.

It's just not really that fun anymore, with the possible exception of VS mode(I don't know anyone that wants to play with me, so that goes unused).

I haven't played any 2-D shooters in awhile. Einhander and Raystorm for the PSOne were cool. Defender and Sinistar were my favs back in the day. Does Tempest count as a shooter?

383711[/snapback]

Tempest definitely counts. And it's definitely something I meant to include.

[one_klump]

Mars Matrix. Slowdown on a Dreamcast.

I repeat: Slowdown on a Dreamcast. In a SPRITE-BASED game. HOLY CRAP THAT'S A LOT OF BULLETS. And yet, it does it without making me think it's being "unfair." With the number of shots on screen at any given time, that takes a LOT of skill as a developer.

OMG yes! Mars Matrix had sprite based slowdown. that was a great game, and hard as hell in the later missions. I loved the "Mosquito Attack" or whatever it was called where you absorbed the enemies bullets and unleashed a mega attack. That game was more like a puzzle shooter, you had to be in the right places at the right times to make it through. You even had to let some enemies live in order to absorb their bullets.

[gerwalk25]

I just got back into shooters. I recently bought Capcom Classics (PS2) and Taito Legends (Xbox) and the games take me back to a simpler time. Faves are 1941, Forgotten Realms and Space Invaders.

[JB0]

Mars Matrix. Slowdown on a Dreamcast.

I repeat: Slowdown on a Dreamcast. In a SPRITE-BASED game. HOLY CRAP THAT'S A LOT OF BULLETS. And yet, it does it without making me think it's being "unfair." With the number of shots on screen at any given time, that takes a LOT of skill as a developer.

OMG yes! Mars Matrix had sprite based slowdown. that was a great game, and hard as hell in the later missions. I loved the "Mosquito Attack" or whatever it was called where you absorbed the enemies bullets and unleashed a mega attack. That game was more like a puzzle shooter, you had to be in the right places at the right times to make it through. You even had to let some enemies live in order to absorb their bullets.

383810[/snapback]

I always called the mosquito device a shield.

The bomb isn't really worth using. It's weak compared to throwing all the shots back.

And Ikaruga is a puzzle-shooter. It's all pattern memorization and color-matching.

MM CAN be done purely on reflex. I play that way all the time(I despise pattern-based gameplay, and refuse to memorize the enemy patterns).

In a run unparalleled to this day, I zoned out and ran through to stage... 6 I think... just dodging and shooting. No shield usage at all.

Then got distracted, realized what I'd actually been doing, and was immediatly eviscerated.

Never been able to even come CLOSE to that performance again, and I REALLY wish I had it on video tape, just so I could say "See? You don't need shields!"

One more nomination:

Metal Storm. AKA "You can't do that on the nes!"

Another irem game. While it's a platform shooter, everything I said about RType applies.

What sets it apart from everything else, gameplay-wise, is gravity reversal. Up + jump reverses gravity in the level. Down + jump sets it back to normal. While this could easily have been done VERY badly, or even just uselessly, irem pulled it off flawlessly. It's required from stage 1, and the reversals get REALLY elaborate later on. But the motion to do it is so intuitive that it becomes second nature immediatly, and it's a VERY easy skill to get a good grasp on.

Technology-wise? Nothing much, really. It's just THE most animated NES game ever. Everything is amazingly fluid, from your walking animation to the gravity flip to the mines that just sit there and do nothing to your character's explosion.

And it has THREE background layers. That's more than the Genesis' 2, and only one less than the maximum 4 on the SNES(the actual # usable varied with graphics mode). All rendered in software on the NES, which isn't exactly known for it's fast processor.

The game puts early SNES titles to shame.

[one_klump]

yeah, I "zoned out" one time while I was playing Einhander. only time I was able to beat it. Sad part is, I don't remember a whole lot of the last stage. I do remember that my ship had some sort of FAST packs on it, and the last boss was some space station thing, but thats it. It was pure reflexes, and no thinking.

[JB0]

yeah, I "zoned out" one time while I was playing Einhander. only time I was able to beat it. Sad part is, I don't remember a whole lot of the last stage. I do remember that my ship had some sort of FAST packs on it, and the last boss was some space station thing, but thats it. It was pure reflexes, and no thinking.

383868[/snapback]

That's about it. Your ship has boosters, the boss is some oversized Gundam with a cannon that can fill the entire screen, and there's liberal quantities of weapon-carriers to ensure you're ready for the fight.

[Phalanx]

Has anybody played this game called Vanguard Ace for the PC? It's a pretty good shooter despite the fact that I played the one level demo. The graphics were a little fuzzy but other than that, it's pretty good. I also have been dying to play Psyvariar, can anybody tell me more about it?

[JB0]

I also have been dying to play Psyvariar, can anybody tell me more about it?

383870[/snapback]

Yup. I can tell you that it sucks.

[Phalanx]

Really? I just saw a few screenshots of it on google and it looked pretty tight to me but if you say so JB0. I need to play it for myself if the game is ever emulated to see if it really sucks.

Edited March 25, 2006 by Phalanx

[JB0]

Really? I just saw a few screenshots of it on google and it looked pretty tight to me but if you say so JB0. I need to play it for myself if the game is ever emulated to see if it really sucks.

383891[/snapback]

I pulled a reet warez disk image down and tried it on my Dreamcast.

[myk]

I forgot the Contra games on the PS2...

[zeo-mare]

I also have been dying to play Psyvariar, can anybody tell me more about it?

383870[/snapback]

Yup. I can tell you that it sucks.

383889[/snapback]

yes Psyvariar 1 sucks, i have yet to play part 2 but part 1 is horrible there are so many better shooters on the market then that one. the graphics are very weak and the game is short and very easy.

chris

[CoryHolmes]

Robotech: Battlecry. Flamebait.

Okay, this one doesn't really deserve a spot on the list. It's here because I think cel-shading works really well for the license, and having full control over the VF-1's transformation isn't done often enough in the games.

This is the best "Valkyrie" game behind the Macross title on the PS2. The VF-X series could only dream of being half as good as BattleCry...

383698[/snapback]

*nods*

It was a great game the first time through, but I tried replaying it and all the faults show through.

It's just not really that fun anymore, with the possible exception of VS mode(I don't know anyone that wants to play with me, so that goes unused).

I loved Battlecry, from start to finish. It might have a few problems technically with it (low ceiling heights, no air-to-ground stages, etc.) but it got the style and feel of the show spot-on. I too was wary of the cell-shading, until I saw the first few trailers. After that cautious optimisim came the desire to own the game. Picking it up from my reservation as soon as I could, I came home, plugged it in to my machine... and forgot all about playing the game as I sat there, bopping along to the remixed starting theme for the next ten minutes.

I haven't played it since I sold my PS2, but I keep an eye out on my Xbox and occasionally think winsomly of getting it again. The special features for the game (cast and crew interviews) were a real treat to me, and the medal system was an alright gimmick for replay value.

I used to play versus mode with my brother all the time, and our battles usually went a little something like this:

Start game. Launch all missles! Run like a coward when the other guy doesn't die! Repeat as needed, then start again

[Flaming Guantlet]

Ah yes shooters. My favorite passtime as a kid. The ones that stole my heart was Lightening Force (Thunder Force 4) and Axelay. A can remeber those sweet weekend nights trying to beat down a boss that I had been working on for days until finally sweet sweet victory came upon me.

The arcades also had good shmups too. The Aerofighters series was sweet and Raiden gobbled up all my change. I also enjoyed 19XX a lot (capcom needs to release a 1942 compilation game like they did megaman) and Blazing Star rocked(it has an awesome soundtrack). There are so many good shmups on the arcades but the one that took most of my quarters was Strikers 1945.

I use too live near a Jaspers hamberger joint here in sacramento and it was there i enjoys such good games like Metal Slug, Mortal Kombat 3 and of course Strikers. Me and my younger brother would always walk to Japsers with a dollar in hand to play those arcades during those summers long ago. I was Shinden kinda guy until found out how good the P-38 was. It wasnt until the day I guaduated for junior high that I finally beat strikers(with a little help of course). That day I felt pretty damned good anf felt could take on the game again, but the feeling didn't last as soon as i ran out of quarters .

Sadly Japsers is no more and a Blockbuster Video has since took its place and that was 5 years ago. Good times they were. I will post what shmups I have later. Now if you exuce me, I'm gonna play my roms.

PS: Taito needs to get off their collective asses and make a new updated Darius sequel! I WANT MY SILVER HAWK DAMNIT!

Edited March 25, 2006 by Flaming Guantlet

[myk]

19XX. "100% LOCK ON" baby, yeah!

[JB0]

Robotech: Battlecry. Flamebait.

Okay, this one doesn't really deserve a spot on the list. It's here because I think cel-shading works really well for the license, and having full control over the VF-1's transformation isn't done often enough in the games.

This is the best "Valkyrie" game behind the Macross title on the PS2. The VF-X series could only dream of being half as good as BattleCry...

383698[/snapback]

*nods*

It was a great game the first time through, but I tried replaying it and all the faults show through.

It's just not really that fun anymore, with the possible exception of VS mode(I don't know anyone that wants to play with me, so that goes unused).

I loved Battlecry, from start to finish. It might have a few problems technically with it (low ceiling heights, no air-to-ground stages, etc.) but it got the style and feel of the show spot-on. I too was wary of the cell-shading, until I saw the first few trailers. After that cautious optimisim came the desire to own the game. Picking it up from my reservation as soon as I could, I came home, plugged it in to my machine... and forgot all about playing the game as I sat there, bopping along to the remixed starting theme for the next ten minutes.

I haven't played it since I sold my PS2, but I keep an eye out on my Xbox and occasionally think winsomly of getting it again. The special features for the game (cast and crew interviews) were a real treat to me, and the medal system was an alright gimmick for replay value.

I used to play versus mode with my brother all the time, and our battles usually went a little something like this:

Start game. Launch all missles! Run like a coward when the other guy doesn't die! Repeat as needed, then start again

383960[/snapback]

I've got the 'Cube version. And if I could use the GBP-1 in single player mode, I'd be ripping through it again just for kicks. It took up more or less permanent residence in my 'Cube until I beat it. It's just hard to go back to, IMO.

...

Flying the Millia 1J is great though.

As is dropping a stadium on Robotech Minmay's head.

I generally like cel-shading. I was one of the few praising "Celda" when the trailers came out. Too bad it was forced out unfinished, and the director was triying to emulate Miyamoto without understanding his logic.

[yellowlightman]

Uh, slowdown on shooter isn't anything too special. The PS2 version of Shikigami no Shiro 2 allows you to turn the slowdown off or on (for that authentic arcade experience). Not to mention slowdown generally makes it a lot easier to navigate through bullet hell games.

In a lot of ways I prefer Battlecry to the SDF Macross game for PS2. I thought Battlecry did a really good job of capturing the "feel" of the Robotech series, to an extent I haven't seen in any other licensed game. It just felt like you were playing an episode. Of course the game had it's fair share of faults, but it was a fun experience for nostalgic reasons.

The SDF Macross game while being technically good left me feling a little bored.

[JB0]

Uh, slowdown on shooter isn't anything too special. The PS2 version of Shikigami no Shiro 2 allows you to turn the slowdown off or on (for that authentic arcade experience). Not to mention slowdown generally makes it a lot easier to navigate through bullet hell games.

Note that the PS2 version has it disable-able.

That means that it's not a fault of the hardware, but rather a feature coded into the game for amusement, nostalgia, or wusses.

Possibly a fault of the hardware on the arcade version, though I'd be rather surprised given it's a NAOMI game and the screenshots I'm seeing are a lot less crowded than Mars Matrix.

(I need to pick up a copy of Shikigami still, on a related node. Saw one cheap recently...)

In Mars Matrix's case it IS a fault of overloaded hardware.

Slowdown on a sprite-based game on a current-gen system IS notable. This isn't the NES era anymore. We aren't running on a 2MHz 6502. Or an 8MHz 68000. Or even a 33MHz R3000.

We're taliking about processors with clockspeeds in the hundreds of MHz and cache RAM to help speed things up further. Getting enough sprite action on the screen to cause slowdown is pretty impressive.

...

Getting it onscreen without making me mad at the game is even more impressive.