Most difficult shmups you've ever played?

oliverclaude

General Morden's Aide
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Another for Tatsujin/Truxton. Personally, I slightly prefer the MD version to the the PCE, ...

That's interesting. Usually I am a fan of the index-bar concept, which Mega drive programmers developed in order to port tate arcade STGs with more accurate proportions to a yoko home display. Dangerous Seed, Master of Weapon, V-V and Mercs work great this way, but in my opinion Tatsujin is not and the PCE version benefits from the full 4:3 support, looks better, too.
 

J-P

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I tried Dragon Blaze again the other day - jeez that's a tough game. I always found those Psikyo style 'speedy exploding shrapnel bullets' to be a bit of a mindfuck while dodging other shit. Switched to Dimahoo with more success.
 

suicidekiller

Host for Orochi,
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I was about to write the same. Dragon Blaze is one tough nut. Barely can make it to stage four with one credit. It's great though as are all Psikyo games.
 

Tripredacus

Three 6 Mafia
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I recall Abadox was pretty tough. I had it when I was a kid and I think maybe I only got to the 2nd level a handful of times. In recent years I had played it on an emulator using a cheat code and was suprised that game is only 3 levels! No wonder they had to make the game so hard.
 

oliverclaude

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I recall Abadox was pretty tough. I had it when I was a kid and I think maybe I only got to the 2nd level a handful of times. In recent years I had played it on an emulator using a cheat code and was suprised that game is only 3 levels! No wonder they had to make the game so hard.

Seems that it has at least double that, i.e. 6 levels, if you count bosses. Plus the last escape sequence. I used this video to count:


It's definitely very tough and at 22 minutes, very short for a NES game. Thanks for mentioning it, I will definitely have a look (probably with that cheat code ;).
 

bello

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Battle garegga on Saturn,I find it difficult even with the coloured bullets turned on!
 

Tarma

Old Man
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Image Fight & Image Fight 2 on PCE... Really do not enjoy playing those at all.
 

oliverclaude

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Image Fight & Image Fight 2 on PCE... Really do not enjoy playing those at all.

Image Fight is still playable. You just have to learn through credit feeding, before you can enjoy it. Like learning how to read... again, with all inferiority complexes implied. That's certainly most difficult, though.
 

GutsDozer

Robot Master., Master Tasuke, Eat Your, Heart Out
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Maybe not the hardest but been playing Pro Gear over at Craig's house and It's not easy at all. He found out yesterday that to get to the second loop you have to 1CC and use less than two bombs. That's craziness.
 

Tarma

Old Man
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Maybe not the hardest but been playing Pro Gear over at Craig's house and It's not easy at all. He found out yesterday that to get to the second loop you have to 1CC and use less than two bombs. That's craziness.

Progear is ace... although I'm very guilty of not giving it the time it deserves... but that's life I guess. Anyhoo, is any Cave game "easy"?

Raizing's Great Mahou Daisakusen... that's a toughie I gave up on as well. I think the game mechanic just didn't click with me.
 
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I just recently got into Bullet Hell Shooters, Jamestown was great to get me curious.
At the moment i really enjoy Mushihimesama on Steam and Progear no Arashi.
The Nintendo Switch is getting a really good Console for Shumps (Strikers 1945 1&2, Gunbird, Blazing Star...)

I'm really impressed with Ikaruga, but it really kicks my ass.
 

Spycee

Cheng's Errand Boy
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Ikaruga. I never was able to do the color swapping correctly, my eyes have cramps each time I try.
 

Gaston

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Too many to list but the shitlist is topped by Battle Garegga. Hate that fucking game, don't know why.
I suck at most shooters and mostly don't have the time to learn all the intricacies UNLESS I fall in love with the title in the first couple of tries.
 

Fuckwit1200

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great subject, missed this! (won't ever subscribe, BIG BROTHER is ALWAYS watching and ready to implicate, the evidence is all around us.)
at first, was I/O for the commjodre 64, really had to keep trying at that game to beat it.
then x-out for commodre amiga500, didn't quite understand the game and upgrade mechanics for some time.
once it was sussed, never lost a life, was a case of recalling the levels and what weapons worked best on.
the raiden series.
was a slag when shot down, and it restarted at last checkpoint with all upgrades stripped and the enemy just as violent...like the gradius series.
(a real test of skill was beating the game with default starting weapon array/config)
r-type.
along the lines of GFUS if dying in the middle of a bout, lose all weapon upgrades in the face of the same aggrewssive difficulty.
einhander.
just, not going there.....
 

Kid Panda

The Chinese Kid
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Einhander is easy once you load up on missile pods. Don't know what your problem was.
 

GohanX

Horrible Goose
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I would just like to take a moment to say something.

Fuck Ibara.
 

jeffkun34

Science will find a way!,
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I'm with Panda, a 1CC on Einhander is easy once you know what to do; it's probably one of the few shmups I can 1CC. Ibara is a bitch which is why I love Black Label so much more.
 

Fuckwit1200

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Spoiler:
Einhander is easy once you load up on missile pods. Don't know what your problem was.
same here! :D
please try to look outside the box, more than one shmup, and failed just as bad on them, like the donpachi series. :p
 
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