What would you consider to be the top 5 hardest shmups ever?

CrossCounter

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I'm still very new to the shmups genre, but I totally dig it. Just out of curiousity, I was wondering what some of you would consider to be the hardest ones you have come across...
 
Dinodoedoe

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Ikaruga

And every Cave bullet hell (besides Death Smiles.)
 
Kiken

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According to a poll taken by a Japanese magazine (I can't remember if it was Arcadia or something else) a couple of years back, the single most difficult example of the genre is Irem's Image Fight (by way of penalty area). I do remember that Raiden III was quite high on the list. Also mentioned were Dodonpachi Daioujou, R-Type II, Gradius III and Ketsui (Ura Loop).
 
ReplicaX

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I definitely wouldn't say Cave Bullet Hell Shmups are the hardest. There are plenty of difficult shooters out there from other companies. Seibu, Irem, and Raizing make some pretty hard old style shmups and are what I consider nowadays "Cave Fan Killers".

It just seems the newer Shmup fans out there just become CaveBoys and don't appreciate the Genre at all. They play all Cave games and yet don't even bother with other games out there. If they attempt other games out there they play them like a Cave game and get destroyed in secs.

I know there are alot of Caveboys out there that hate Ibara with a passion. All because it was designed by Shinobu Yagawa or it doesn't fit the "Cave formula". It sickens me alot. Playing this Genre is about trial and error and overcome and adapt.

Honestly I rather have seen this thread be something like, Hardest Title from each Developer. Guess my point of all this is simple, respect and play the old and new from the genre to appreciate it and get more out of it, most of the shmup developers have a challenging game out there to try...
 
alec

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Ibara had me pulling my hair out man.

Truxton is shit-balls hard and for me, dying once basically means I have no chance. Memorize or GTFO. One of my all time favorites, but don't think I've ever seen past stage 4.
 
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BigTinz

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For me....

1. Ibara
2. Battle Garegga
3. Gradius
4. R-Type
5. Truxton 2



I actually find most of cave's recent offerings to be much easier than most other shooters, due to the forgiving death pixel.
 
ratson

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Most are already named but for me #1 is: Vieuwpoint
 
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Battlesmurf

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It just seems the newer Shmup fans out there just become CaveBoys and don't appreciate the Genre at all. They play all Cave games and yet don't even bother with other games out there. If they attempt other games out there they play them like a Cave game and get destroyed in secs.

I know there are alot of Caveboys out there that hate Ibara with a passion. All because it was designed by Shinobu Yagawa or it doesn't fit the "Cave formula". It sickens me alot. Playing this Genre is about trial and error and overcome and adapt.
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This has bugged the living boo boo out of me. I love Cave games to death- but there are TONS of classics out there that really shouldn't be forgotten.

I like Ibara BL more than Ketsui, for the record. Always found it a shame that more people have not given Ibara(s) a chance.
 
twalden

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Viper Phase 1 is brutal. It would be more tolerable if your ship moved a little faster. Dimahoo is crazy hard also.

Older games with speed up power ups are a pain like Konami and Toaplan made because your ship is useless after one death.
 
cannonball

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for me...

Gunbird 2
Dimahoo
Ibara
Sky Shark (NES) - haven't played this in almost 20 years but I could never beat it as a kid
Batsugun
 
J. Max

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Mars Matrix 2. I think one review said that it was the "revenge of the developers".
 
fake

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J. Max said:
Mars Matrix 2. I think one review said that it was the "revenge of the developers".
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There's a Mars Matrix 2?

Yeah, not to get off topic, but Cave games seem to give an illusion of extreme difficulty, but are really not as hard as a lot of other shmups.

I haven't played a whole lot of it, but I though Radiant Silvergun was very hard (if you're not just continuing after every credit), especially the Ultra Man part. Ikaruga took the longest time for me to master.
 
ilazul

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Out of the ones I've played I always found Ikaruga, Viewpoint and Radiant Silvergun to be the hardest. Ibara BL still kicks my ass as well.

It sucks going from something more laid back like progear to Ibara where you have to keep bombing (or even dying :tickled:) to lower rank in some stages.
 
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TonK

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ilazul said:
Out of the ones I've played I always found Ikaruga, Viewpoint and Radiant Silvergun to be the hardest. Ibara BL still kicks my ass as well.

It sucks going from something more laid back like progear to Ibara where you have to keep bombing (or even dying :tickled:) to lower rank in some stages.
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Progear? Laid back?

Yeah right.

But I agree with Ikaruga - after all these years, I still can't do fuck of anything in it.
 
ilazul

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Really? I think progear is pretty laid back.

Outside of stage 4? (the vertical stage) and the final boss I find the game pretty easy.

I definately don't think "difficult" when I think of progear. I mean, go from that to galuda II or Ibara. goddamn. I think out of my cave shooters I find guwnage and progear to be the least "fuck this part". They're also my favorite, so maybe it's just that I have the most time and practice with them.

But yeah, after years of Ikaruga... I still can't get past stage 2 without getting hit all the time. That game requires so much concentration, fuck scoring.
 
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TonK

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ilazul said:
Really? I think progear is pretty laid back.

Outside of stage 4? (the vertical stage) and the final boss I find the game pretty easy.

I definately don't think "difficult" when I think of progear. I mean, go from that to galuda II or Ibara. goddamn. I think out of my cave shooters I find guwnage and progear to be the least "fuck this part". They're also my favorite, so maybe it's just that I have the most time and practice with them.

But yeah, after years of Ikaruga... I still can't get past stage 2 without getting hit all the time. That game requires so much concentration, fuck scoring.
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Whats your score in Progear?

I mean, I honestly have the most trouble in stages 2 and 3 than 4 and 5.

Who do you use? (plane/gunner)

Now, Galuda 2 - I've gotten more frustrated on that game than Ibara - and had to pull it for a while... topped out at 52 million, about 10 hours spent on it...

I "get" the game - but have a difficult time finding a good place to score in stage 2 and 3 - I just expect to be awesome at a game in less than a week - which isn't the way to enjoy things. I wear myself out on them.

I'm gonna wait for Futari (PCB) to show up and see if I like that better than Mushihimesama - and hopefully cycle between that and Galuda 2... I want 100 million in Galuda 2 soon.
 
ilazul

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Oh I'm sure my score in progear is nothing amazing, I don't know how some of the vids I've seen make that many jewels appear at the bosses. I feel like I'm doing great, then I see some vid that makes me feel like I'm wasting my time.

I'm actually close to 1cc-ing progear though. I'm trying to get the second loop.

I use bolt and nail. I do better with the faster, stronger shot and both are high damage.

With Galuda II, I just have trouble with some of the stages. I really, really enjoy playing it. Game is gorgeous and fun, but I can't seem to do the first three stages flawlessly at all. I can get like 17 mil on stage 1, OR close to the second extend by stage 2, OR pretty decently on stage 3... but never all at once.

I also swear I want to throw the cab out the fucking window at the goddamn 5 part tank boss. fuck him.

I seem to do a lot better at Galuda II when I'm not playing for score... I know that's kind of a "duh" statement, but damn do I fuck up when I've got the screen covered with bukake mode bullets.
 
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TonK

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ilazul said:
Oh I'm sure my score in progear is nothing amazing, I don't know how some of the vids I've seen make that many jewels appear at the bosses. I feel like I'm doing great, then I see some vid that makes me feel like I'm wasting my time.

I'm actually close to 1cc-ing progear though. I'm trying to get the second loop.

I use bolt and nail. I do better with the faster, stronger shot and both are high damage.

With Galuda II, I just have trouble with some of the stages. I really, really enjoy playing it. Game is gorgeous and fun, but I can't seem to do the first three stages flawlessly at all. I can get like 17 mil on stage 1, OR close to the second extend by stage 2, OR pretty decently on stage 3... but never all at once.

I also swear I want to throw the cab out the fucking window at the goddamn 5 part tank boss. fuck him.

I seem to do a lot better at Galuda II when I'm not playing for score... I know that's kind of a "duh" statement, but damn do I fuck up when I've got the screen covered with bukake mode bullets.
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Dude, I'll get like 21 million on Stage 1 then get hit by some bullshit on the FIRST STAGE BOSS!

Then I just let myself die - no point in even trying after that.

So I end up leaving with 10 million or less - I'm just not consistent enough.

Listen to me talk like I've played this game for 100 hours...

My problem is that I want to be too good too fast...

I enjoy the games, then burn myself out on trying so hard to score...

As for the second loop in Progear - good luck with getting that - I 1cc'd the first loop not too long ago and didn't get it - I don't think you can bomb or something on the last stage...

Thats not happening, for me at least.
 
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pepharytheworm said:
Now I need a top easiest shmups list 'cause even though I like them I suck at them.:(
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Deathsmiles is one of the easiest...

When I first got it I still can't believe I was excited when I got 1 million points...

Also, unless its on a 360 - Mega Black Label isnt worth the exclusivity.

I actually like the scoring better in the original.
 
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