What's your favourite platform for Shmups?

NeoGeoNinja

Athena's Wardrobe Manager
Joined
Dec 4, 2011
Posts
2,287
It's a mix of Genny, DC, PS2 and PSX for me
For me, it's similar; just swap out the MD/GEN with the Saturn instead (plus DC, PS2 and, by extension, PS1).

PS1 is completely overlooked in the Shmup department vs the Saturn. Certainly, Saturn has titles like Battle Garegga, Batsugun, RSG, HyperDuel and more that the PS1 doesn't have, but conversely...

Saturn doesn't have Raiden 1, 2 & DX (especially DX!), R-Types 1 & 2 and R-Type Delta, Neo ZanacxZanac, Einhander, Gradius Gaiden, (arguably the BEST Gradius to date), Gaia Seed, G-Darius, Night Raid (by Takumi), superior versions of Donpachi & Dodonpachi (> Saturn versions), Raystorm (much superior to Saturn's Layer Section II) not to mention full overlap with the Konami Games Collections (Twinbee, Parodius, Salamander, Gradius) plus Image Fight / X-Multiply, both Strikers games (Strikers 1945 II has less lowdown > Saturn version) plus better versions of the Capcom generations games (I've compared them myself. PS1 versions run better overall). Plus a load of cutesy shmups that aren't really my thing.

Not to mention a more polished version of TFV ;)

Also, PS2 has loads of shmups as well, but never gets a mention (DDP:DOJ, EspGaluda, Ibara, SNShiro1&2, Dragon Blaze, Raiden III, Chaos Field and many more without thinking too hard about it).

Combined shmups library across PS2 & PS1 on one console is pretty mighty. Saturn is obviously awesome, but somewhat unfairly and over biasedly overshadows the PS1 as PS1 'couldn't do 2D'... apparently. Maybe not the fighters...
 

oliverclaude

General Morden's Aide
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Posts
7,688
...HyperDuel is the best Technosoft Shooter I've played to date.

I see your point NGN, for you personally, it is great, hell, it could be even the bestest shooter evar... and this opinion of yours would't be anymore sillier, than my harsh devaluation of TS' Saturn output. It's just individual point of views, the rest is academic ;).

Still, imagine this... let's erase the whole Mega Drive TS-releases. Things wouldn't be the same, now would they? They could not possibly gain their respect with Hyper Duel only. Nor could they do it with TFV, if TFV would have been the first and only entry in the series. Ergo, TS would not exist, just as Sky Think Systems, despite their HP glory. One title is not enough... Besides, Duel was released in the arcades back in '93 already, still, nobody was talking about it. The year-old TFIV was the talk of the town and not much changed since that time...
 

Takumaji

Master Enabler
Staff member
Joined
Jul 24, 2001
Posts
19,029
Combined shmups library across PS2 & PS1 on one console is pretty mighty. Saturn is obviously awesome, but somewhat unfairly and over biasedly overshadows the PS1 as PS1 'couldn't do 2D'... apparently. Maybe not the fighters...

Agreed.

There are some great fighter ports on PSX as well, though. For example, SF Zero 2 is very good.

I know that some people like to put the SAT on a pedestal for being the ultimate ports and shmups machine. While that isn't completely wrong, ignoring the vast library of ports and system-exclusive goodness the PSX and PS2 have to offer seems crazy to me. Specially the PSX got some really cool ports in the last phase of its existence.
 

ECZangief

The Real Al Bundy
Joined
Dec 20, 2009
Posts
772
I'm pretty boring/conservative like everyone else and put them on a shelf usually.

Sometimes, if I plan on playing more than one I might leave some in a staging area on a table.
 

Chempop

BESTEST Buttrider in chat.Officially No.10 at Schm
Joined
Oct 12, 2010
Posts
3,024
oliver is a dork.
She’s got some nice Buffalo Platforms
Buffalo-Platform-Shoes-Acid-Wash-Harajuku-2013-03-30-DSC4536.jpg

Junnyan-Kyouka-Harajuku-2013-02-10-DSC9811.jpg
 

NeoGeoNinja

Athena's Wardrobe Manager
Joined
Dec 4, 2011
Posts
2,287
Agreed.

There are some great fighter ports on PSX as well, though. For example, SF Zero 2 is very good.

I did a personal comparison between SFA2 Dash on both SAT & PS1 and the the differences were negligible. No water reflections on Gen's stage and a different walking animation for Zangief on PS1. Can't remember if Strider did his teddy bear throw on Ken's stage though. Which, as we all know... is a pretty BIG deal.

Truth be told, the animation itself in the first two Alpha games isn't that intense (re: amount of frames per move executed) and the PS1 versions of Alpha 1 and Alpha 2 Gold are solid ports if the games. Alpha 1 especially. Alpha 3 is a different story re: 4MB RAM (loading times, frames of animation etc) but, even so, with the cuts and so on... PS1 Alpha 3 was still fun.

Also, KOF 95 on PS1 was decent. No obvious cuts, not unlike 96 onwards. They even fixed the input reading AI from the Neo/Saturn versions of '95 too...
 

Kef9

Crossed Swords Squire
Joined
Nov 27, 2011
Posts
183
but not for racing games. There are better consoles for 3D-effects. But you are right, everything in 2D, Beat´em ups and Shoot´em ups rule on the Saturn.

A bit off topic but I still believe Sega Rally on the Saturn to be the best driving game ever. No game I have played has such a fine level of control and precision. In fact Retro Gamer magazine agrees with me.

Okay 100% for the Saturn to be best in everything is maybe going a bit too far lol but there are still games on that system in certain genres that have not been surpassed IMHO.


This.

Plus, HyperDuel is the best Technosoft Shooter I've played to date. Not because it's rare (etc). I wish it wasn't. No one ever WANTS to pay exorbitant prices for videogames. But HyperDuel is really rather good - low print run or not.

I am lucky enough to own this game and can testify to its quality. This and TF3 are for me as good as it gets.
 
Last edited:

powerflower

Banned
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Posts
1,034
A bit off topic but I still believe Sega Rally on the Saturn to be the best driving game ever. No game I have played has such a fine level of control and precision. In fact Retro Gamer magazine agrees with me.

Okay 100% for the Saturn to be best in everything is maybe going a bit too far lol but there are still games on that system in certain genres that have not been surpassed IMHO.

I agree. Sega Rally is without a doubt the best Saturn racer and one of the best arcade racer all time. We played the shit out of this thing. It was more a beat 'em up on streets. The physics especially when you bump into you opponent was perfectly spot on. Very polished this game is.

Next procect will be SR Arcade on emu with max 8P link hosted by one PC with several monitors. This will be so much fun, haha!

Sorry for OT.
 
Last edited:

Kid Panda

The Chinese Kid
Joined
Jun 13, 2010
Posts
12,514
I did a personal comparison between SFA2 Dash on both SAT & PS1 and the the differences were negligible. No water reflections on Gen's stage and a different walking animation for Zangief on PS1. Can't remember if Strider did his teddy bear throw on Ken's stage though. Which, as we all know... is a pretty BIG deal.

Truth be told, the animation itself in the first two Alpha games isn't that intense (re: amount of frames per move executed) and the PS1 versions of Alpha 1 and Alpha 2 Gold are solid ports if the games. Alpha 1 especially....

I'm sure Nick Rox would disagree with you.
 

FilthyRear

Neo-Geo.com's, Top Rated Bully.,
15 Year Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2007
Posts
8,152
Truth be told, the animation itself in the first two Alpha games isn't that intense (re: amount of frames per move executed) and the PS1 versions of Alpha 1 and Alpha 2 Gold are solid ports if the games. Alpha 1 especially. Alpha 3 is a different story re: 4MB RAM (loading times, frames of animation etc) but, even so, with the cuts and so on... PS1 Alpha 3 was still fun.

Also, KOF 95 on PS1 was decent. No obvious cuts, not unlike 96 onwards. They even fixed the input reading AI from the Neo/Saturn versions of '95 too...

PS1 Alpha 3 got a LOT of playtime from the World Tour mode. Great port.

KOF 95 was the first "soundtrack" I had from a game, and all I did was rip the tracks off of the disc.


Back OT:

PCE > Genesis > Saturn > PS1 > NES
 
Last edited:

powerflower

Banned
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Posts
1,034
MD, PCE, DC, 360...all of them have awesome (original) shooters. In terms of quantity and quality PCE easily wins.
 
Last edited:

Voultar

I give zero fucks about my customers
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Posts
126
It's really a toss-up between the PC-E and Saturn, for me.

I'd probably lean in more on the PC-E, though. Just due to the insane shooter library.
 

Jreach

n00b
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Posts
22
A bit off topic but I still believe Sega Rally on the Saturn to be the best driving game ever. No game I have played has such a fine level of control and precision. In fact Retro Gamer magazine agrees with me.

Okay 100% for the Saturn to be best in everything is maybe going a bit too far lol but there are still games on that system in certain genres that have not been surpassed IMHO.




I am lucky enough to own this game and can testify to its quality. This and TF3 are for me as good as it gets.

Sega Rally is awesome, haven't played a better arcade racer yet. I still come back to this multiple times throughout the year to try and top best times. I can't believe Sega hasn't made an HD remake like they did for Daytona on the 360.
 

moreorless

n00b
Joined
Jan 1, 2014
Posts
4
The SNES isn't terrible for shumps either, but it lags so far behind the Genesis/Mega Drive in that department.
Dreamcast

This was the last generation where I played enough shoot em ups on both systems to really have an opinion on them overall(rather than just the odd game) but honestly I preffered the SNES.

True there weren't tons of great shooters on the SNES but I would take the best few(say Axelay, R-type 3, Super Aleste, UN Squadron and Parodious) over the best from from the Genesis/MD, partly down to taste in shoot em ups I spose as I'v always been more of a tactical Gradius/R-type fan.
 

AlexKidd86

Overtop Pathfinder
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Posts
105
Shmups are some of my favorite games and my favorite system for them would have to be the Turbo/Pc engine. Blazing Lazers, Lords of Thunder, Gates of Thunder, Galaga '90...so many good ones.
 

Chempop

BESTEST Buttrider in chat.Officially No.10 at Schm
Joined
Oct 12, 2010
Posts
3,024
A fellow western-MASS-hole :vik::vik:
If only you’d said genesis, saturn, or 360, I’d have invited you to my house of shmups.
 

wataru330

Mr. Wrestling IV
20 Year Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2003
Posts
9,608
Shmups are some of my favorite games and my favorite system for them would have to be the Turbo/Pc engine. Blazing Lazers, Lords of Thunder, Gates of Thunder, Galaga '90...so many good ones.


All of these, plus Hu Air Zonk, DownLoad2, and Star Parodia. Sooooo much fun.
 

AlexKidd86

Overtop Pathfinder
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Posts
105
Hey, yeah it's cool to see there are quite a few of us Mass holes on here. I didn't know there were so many retro gamers in the area. I'm from Springfield.

I happen to be a big Genesis fan as well. There is a 360 in my living room but the only games I regularly play on it are the Geometry Wars ones. Mostly into the 8 and 16 bit eras.
 

AlexKidd86

Overtop Pathfinder
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Posts
105
A fellow western-MASS-hole :vik::vik:
If only you’d said genesis, saturn, or 360, I’d have invited you to my house of shmups.

Ah sorry, I meant to quote your post in the above one but hit the wrong button.
 

cat

It's Time Us Welsh, Stood on our own 2 feet, WEL_S
Joined
Jul 19, 2015
Posts
1,351
My favourite genre of game as well, it's nice to see that i've got so much company, i was afraid we were a bit of a dying breed. I love at least a few shooters on all systems (barring 3DO, because i've never seen one on there).
But my favouite systems would be eiher PCE, saturn or megadrive/genesis, some of my favourite games though aren't on those systems ie, i love super aleste, earth defence force, axelay on snes also einhander, harmful park, gradius, r-type delta on ps1.
 

omegasit

Crossed Swords Squire
Joined
May 15, 2014
Posts
181
I would have to say the Saturn for me. It has a good mix of bullet hell and old style shooters. So many compilations on the system as well. Good shit.
 
Top