Most difficult shmups you've ever played?

Fuckwit1200

NAM-75 Vet
Joined
Jan 29, 2018
Posts
1,017
i suppose not! :D
uridium 2 and super stadrust 1 & 2 on the amiga.
really unforgiving, a truly reflexive pair of shmups.
completed U2 witha single life recently, can't seem to replicate the results.
not done the stardust pair on a single life yet, done em within the confines of the started game and life count. (second or last life including extends.) :(
 

JohnnyFever

Mr. Big's Thug
Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Posts
195
Hellfire on the Genesis was crazy hard. I struggle quite a bit with Eliminate Down too.
 

Gaston

Mature's Make-up Artist
Joined
Jan 15, 2003
Posts
1,352
Salamandersucks.jpg
Did I mention Salamander for the MSX already? Fuck Level 2 - hard as shit.
 

Gaston

Mature's Make-up Artist
Joined
Jan 15, 2003
Posts
1,352
Wow, played through r-type 3 on snes again yesterday. Never realized it was that difficult. Too many random deaths all the time. I cheted my way through, can't imagine anyone actually finishing this on a couple of credits on the original hardware. Nevertheless a fantastic game, one of the best ones in the franchise.
O and the advanced mode (after you clear regular) is insanity.
 

Psygnosis8

Sieger's Squire
Joined
Oct 30, 2012
Posts
820
Wow, played through r-type 3 on snes again yesterday. Never realized it was that difficult. Too many random deaths all the time. I cheted my way through, can't imagine anyone actually finishing this on a couple of credits on the original hardware. Nevertheless a fantastic game, one of the best ones in the franchise.
O and the advanced mode (after you clear regular) is insanity.

All the r-type games are difficult. That’s why I like it, though. It uses a checkpoint system and forces you to figure out each section, instead of dying and skipping difficult parts while you’re invincible. Pulstar and gradius do that as well.
 

oliverclaude

General Morden's Aide
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Posts
7,688
It uses a checkpoint system and forces you to figure out each section, instead of dying and skipping difficult parts while you’re invincible.

But that system's flawed, since each section demands a different approach, depending on your power status. If you are fully armed, your approach needs to be different, than when you have just what the section gives you. You only learn how to survive, when you're under-equipped, and subsequently lack this knowledge for when your ship is max-powered.

Of course, from the perspective of a arcade owner, this system is anything but flawed ;).
 
Top