January 2024 SOTM Voting

[Ralfakick]

Happy New Year all! Hats off to @Ajax for hosting the December 2023 SOTM and getting a great turnout for Gun Frontier. Here are the January options for SOTM for the new year. I've tried to make a list of old and new (many on sale!) shooters that have never been done before in SOTM. I'm also going to take the opportunity to gently rib some of the Phatal Philly crew as they all deserve it. Lastly, I have not had an XBOX whatever since the I went through about four 360s, so if any of these are available on those, they will be included in the leaderboards. The poll will close on January 3rd.

 

[Ralfakick]

Raging Blasters - Switch $7.35, Steam $7.49 Vertical Shooter

This plays like an updated version of PC Engine Shooters, specifically the Star Soldier Series. I've heard normal mode is regarded as fairly easy, so we will do leaderboards for Normal Mode, Expert Mode (skip Hard), and Caravan Mode if this is chosen, so all you experts can still have a challenge and the novices like myself can also give it a go. I've heard in college teh ladies said @gusmoney had a raging blaster.

 

[Ralfakick]

Crisis Force - Famicom Vertical Shooter

I'm surprised I'm more of a goob for this game than @daskrabs. The words "Famicom Exclusive" or "Konami Shooter" are generally enough to give him a raging blaster by themselves, let alone the fact this is both. Keep in mind this does have scoring, but you do not see your score until you've exhausted all of your ships, which kind of makes that interesting. Probably my favorite shooter on the NES.

 

[Ralfakick]

Hacha Mecha Fighter - Arcade, Arcade Archives $3.99 Horizontal Shooter
USAAF Mustang - Arcade, Arcade Archives $7.99 aka Fire Mustang - Megadrive Horizontal Shooter

Speaking of goobs, here are two for Phatal Philly's resident NMK (and Final Fight Revenge) goob - @wataru330.

I've never played Hacha Mecha Fighter, but I did watch some of one of the Electric Underground's shooter fests on Youtube and saw this game can be milked for lots of points. I wasn't going to list it, but figured I will throw it in as an NMK 2fer since it's on sale with separate contests for anyone that is interested.

As far as USAAF Mustang/ Fire Mustang, P-47 The Phantom Fighters is kind of one of my guilty PC Engine pleasures. It's a game that if I want to chill out a bit and am playing the PCE I'll give it a go. I kinda think that choice is a little too pedestrian for SOTM so I'm going with this title instead. This got a Megadrive port as Fire Mustang.

 

[Ralfakick]

Andro Dunos 2 - Steam $3.59, Switch $3.99, 3DS, PS4/ 5 $17.99 Horizontal Shooter

To say Andro Dunos is probably my least played NEO*GEO shooter would probably be an understatement. I liked this game so much I tried playing the OG one again, and that one will remain as my least played NEO*GEO shooter. This however is a joy to play, and I would say my favorite shooter in recent memory, and I would recommend everyone to pick this up if you haven't at its current price. @Jon gave me the 3DS version, and if any of you can get the highest score on that, you get my vote for the king of all SOTMs. Don't believe me, please see a recent post below from a member on here:


PS5 - Andro Dunos 2, RE2 Remake - AD2 is oldschool great, really fun hori, must have missed the praise when it came out coz I don't hear anything about it.

 

[Ralfakick]

Varth - Steam $1.25, PS4 and Switch $1.99, PS2, XBOX, PSP - Vertical Shooter

Varth never seems to get any love, unlike the Quarth cab on a crisp November evening @white castle's house during his annual get togethers.

Anyway it's $1.99 or less on the Capcom Arcade Stadium, so pick it up ya cheap bastards if this wins SOTM.

 

[Ralfakick]

Crisis Wing - Steam $3.99, PS4 and Switch $7.99 Vertical Shooter

Crisis Wing plays like an updated version of the Toaplan Truxton series by an Indie Developer, enough said.

 

[Ralfakick]

Harmful Park - PS1, PS3 PSN Horizontal Shooter

I believe this came in second place last month, so I'm going to throw this in again. I'm going to play this on Japanese PSN, but If you have the PS1 physical version then Big Tymer status achieved indeed.

 

[Ralfakick]

Anyway here are the January SOTM choices. Hopefully they are as fun as hanging out with a drunk @majors, almost as tough as trying to get to the SNES games on an Analogue NT Mini, and last longer than my cell phone battery does when @Stefan is explaining to me all of the family dynamics within the Power Instinct series.

 

[Ajax]

Thanks for the kind words

Heads up that Varth has like 40 something levels

 

[The Chief]

I voted for Varth since it’s awesome and seldom talked about. It’s also one of the only games on this months list I can play on the cocktail cab.

 

[Ralfakick]

I voted for Varth since it’s awesome and seldom talked about. It’s also one of the only games on this months list I can play on the cocktail cab.

Sounds good! It certainly has the most options to play on in general I’d say of all of the choices I’ve presented.

I’d like to see some of the newer shooters get some love as well sometime, and all the ones I’ve listed I think are pretty good and have some old school appeal to OG Shooter fans.

 

[Ralfakick]

Happy New Years Fellas! Get your votes in before the 4th!

 

[Ralfakick]

Looks like a month of Varth, but last couple days to get in your January votes!

Last I looked it was $.99 on PSN currently.

 

[wataru330]

If someone sends me a burn of harmful park, I’ll change my vote. ^_^

 

[Ralfakick]

If someone sends me a burn of harmful park, I’ll change my vote. ^_^

It’s on Japanese PSN that’s how I have it if you don’t have a PS3 I will get it going for you on my end since we’re close.

 

[wataru330]

I’d be much obliged!!

 

[BerryTogart]

Seems like we are looking at Varth, I voted Crisis Force nonetheless.

 

[Ralfakick]

Crisis Force has got some late votes!

 

[mjmjr25]

andro 2, but varth is cool too

 

[Ralfakick]

Last day for voting, then I’ll list the game tomorrow!

 

[roker]

I can’t believe only I voted for Harmful Park. In my top 10. You guys are missing out if you’ve never played it.

I think when it’s my turn, I’ll make harmful park the only choice. Jk.

 

[Tarma]

I can’t believe only I voted for Harmful Park. In my top 10. You guys are missing out if you’ve never played it.

I think when it’s my turn, I’ll make harmful park the only choice. Jk.

Late to the party here, but I'm with you - Harmful Park is frickin' awesome. Hope it is one of the legit choices for the 2024.

I'll give Varth a hard pass as I'm shit at it and don't have the time nor inclination to get any better.