Neo Geo Shooting Special

[Kiken]

Recently, I've been very inspired by Yakumo's Retro-Core show, especially the Sega Saturn Shooting Special.

I figured, why not do one for the Neo-Geo? There are several shmups on the system, and most people are only familiar with a handful of them.

I plan to cover all 15 of the "accepted" Neo Shmups:

Aero Fighters/Sonic Wings 2
Aero Fighters/Sonic Wings 3
Andro Dunos
ASO II/Alpha Mission 2
Blazing Star
Captain Tomaday
Choutetsu Brikin'ger
Ghost Pilots
Last Resort
Prehistoric Isle 2
Pulstar
Strikers 1945 Plus
Twinkle Star Sprites
Viewpoint
Zed Blade/Operation Ragnarok

I also thought about throwing in Ninja Commando... I'm still not sure about that one though.

At any rate, I figured I would spend 3 to 4 minutes on each game, displaying footage and discussing my thoughts on each.

By making this post, I guess I'm trying to guage interest in such a project. If/when it's finished, I'll post it Archive.org... seeing as the server that housed my website crashed.

Let me know what you guys think.

[moonwhistle]

Sounds like a great idea. :D

I reckon Ninja Commando should be included as it is a shooter IMO.

[Mad Mage]

Great idea. Retro core is excellent!

I'll be sure to watch it even though I've already played most all those games. And yeah, I'd include Ninja Commando too, even though it's not very fun imo.

[SNKJorge]

Sounds like a great idea, would love to see your work.

[Takumaji]

A Neo shmup special sounds like a cool idea. Most Neo games like ASO II and Twinkle Star Sprites are way too good to be forgotten, specially TSS, it's one of the most unique shmups I've ever played.

About Ninja Commando, if you'd take away the character sprites and throw in some space ships and tanks, you'd get a standard vertical shmup with all basic elements such as normal/special shot, bombs, powerups, bonus items, etc., so yeah, I would definitely cover it.

[MNK]

Sounds great Kiken. Just don't put too many spoilers in there, like showing what the last bosses looks like or something ;)

[Blaine]

I'd watch. I'd say extend to include the Metal Slugs. I've always considered platform shooters to be shooters.

Usually I figure it as-

Horizontal, Vertical, On-Rails, Platform and variations there-of (such as a 3/4 perspective shooter).

First Person Shooters don't figure in my mix, since they really are their own beast.

I dig Retro Core a lot more than I'd care to openly admit.

[Mad Mage]

We've all seen the Metal Slug series. I play it all the time, and would find watching more footage of it quite boring. What I'd like to see are some of the later levels in Kiken's list. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is about exposing fading games, so I think the video should concentrate on the obscure.

[SNKJorge]

Metal Slug & Shock Troopers do not belong into the 'shmups' category,
Nor do FPS.

[SamuraiShodownSensei]

Metal Slug & Shock Troopers do not belong into the 'shmups' category,
Nor do FPS.

Metal Slug 5 maybe. I think it's the second(?) boss. Where you are flying and the big plane shoots basic bullet patterns at you. Surprised the hell out of me.

[Blaine]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is about exposing fading games, so I think the video should concentrate on the obscure.

He's listed every horizontal/vertical shooter. He even said all "accepted" Neo Shooters.

There are games on that list are far from obscure and need 0 exposure, particularly if you consider Metal Slug already over exposed.

I was suggesting he open up his definition of "accepted", not changing his intent (which, personally, I don't think adding MS would do).

[Blaine]

Metal Slug & Shock Troopers do not belong into the 'shmups'

Then what are they? Platformers? Platformers, the challenge usually degrades to jumping puzzles.

Any game where your goal is to dodge a hail of bullets, while firing your own, relying mostly on reflexes/pattern memorization...to me...is a shooter.

If you wanna pull the "Shmups are only vertical/horizontal/and the occasional 3/4"...fine. Then what the hell are games like Contra and Alien Hominid?

I say, platform shooters, are a hybrid game. Equal parts shooter and platformer and could be considered either one.

And I never said FPS were shooters, I actually said they weren't. They're their own class of games now.

[SNKJorge]

I would call them Run & Gun games.

See, these are all accepted shmups:

Aero Fighters/Sonic Wings 2
Aero Fighters/Sonic Wings 3
Andro Dunos
ASO II/Alpha Mission 2
Blazing Star
Captain Tomaday
Choutetsu Brikin'ger
Ghost Pilots
Last Resort
Prehistoric Isle 2
Pulstar
Strikers 1945 Plus
Twinkle Star Sprites
Viewpoint
Zed Blade/Operation Ragnarok

IMO, MS and ST belong into a different category.

[Kiken]

Then what are they? Platformers? Platformers, the challenge usually degrades to jumping puzzles.

Any game where your goal is to dodge a hail of bullets, while firing your own, relying mostly on reflexes/pattern memorization...to me...is a shooter.

If you wanna pull the "Shmups are only vertical/horizontal/and the occasional 3/4"...fine. Then what the hell are games like Contra and Alien Hominid?

I say, platform shooters, are a hybrid game. Equal parts shooter and platformer and could be considered either one.


Platforming shooters are classed as "borderliners" by the shmupping community. They're close to the definition of shmup, but not quite.

Also, I wanted to avoid borderliners becuase I'd be adding another 9 games to the list (which is already at 16): all 6 Metal Slugs, both Shock Troopers and Cyber Lip (and there might be one or two more than I'm not thinking of).

Granted, I could always save these for another special.... but for the time being, I think 16 games covered in roughly one hour divides up better (about 4 minutes per game) and gives me a fair chance to speak my mind about each one.

[Blaine]

*shrug*

Personally, I think when you mix two game mechanics that normally are seen in seperate game types, you get a game that is both.

TSS is a puzzle shooter. You can call it a puzzler. You can call it a shooter.

If you were to put a jet pack on Alien Hominid, and remove his ability to stop, by many people's opinion, it's now a shmup.

I know I'm, for the most part, in the minority on this.

But, hey, whatever. The video still sounds like a good idea.

[Mad Mage]

I agree, it's a techinicallity. If you try to narrowly define games into classes, you end up with a bunch of games that just don't fit in anywhere. Call it a shmup, don't call it a shmup, whatever, just don't include it because most of of have played the Slugs to death and have no real need to see video footage of them.