Daily Check: What shooters are you guys playing ATM?

[Digmac]

Played some DoDonPachi Daioujou yesterday. Had a sliver of life left on the 3rd stage boss then my nerves got me and I choked lol. Stage 4 on DOJ is my current limit.

 

[prof]

I played through Ghost Pilots last night for possibly the first time. Although, I probably played it years ago and forgot about it. I was surprised by how long it was, as it took me over an hour to finish. It's not a particularly innovative shooter, but it does what it does well. There are lots of swarming planes and homing missiles coming at you throughout the levels which forces you to keep your head on a swivel. You can't just cruise around in spite of the slow pace due to the sheer amount of crap they throw at you. And some of the bosses were pretty good, not crazy memorable, but fun and with multiple levels or tiers that you have to chip away at which I liked.
Not a great game or anything, but a solid old school shooter that I enjoyed, and will probably revisit down the road.

 

[roker]

Gun Frontier - Old school Taito game circa 1990. I went in knowing nothing and it felt like a Battle Garegga beta release. I mean that in the most sincerest way. I can definitely see where Battle Garegga got its influence. From the bombing to the design of the tanks. Even some of the enemies were obviously lifted from this game.

I looked it up on wikipedia and read this tidbit:

Battle Garegga and Recca programmer Shinobu Yagawa has since referred it as one of his favorite titles

Makes complete and total sense. Crazy I always thought BG was the first shmup to do the whole blow-up-shit-to-build-up-your-bombs mechanic.

Anyway, the game is one of those old school fast bullet quick reflexes type game. Not sure I can recommend it, but I had fun playing it for what it's worth.

 

[fake]

GG Aleste 2
Got moments away from the clear. Much frustrate. The first form of the boss is brutal.

 

[oliverclaude]

I played Thunder Force VI a lot recently. First thing I noticed was that leisure flow, which makes the game feel even shorter than it already is. There's also nothing epic about it, like in the previous parts. No surprises either, especially if you know V well. Six is kind of minimalist in everything it does, but that seems to hold the perfect statement for a final TF entry. One can easily see how carefully those developers studied every single Thunder Force game from the past and how they decided, after their punctiliously anal analysis, that there's nothing to add to what already is perfect in every way. Since that is how I remember this series, too, VI nails it for me: it's like a perfectly suited obituary.

 

[fake]

Turned on the Japanese 360 for the first time in over a year. I though Mushihimesama was in there but it was actually Deathsmiles IIX. I was too lazy to swap the discs, and I'm glad I didn't. I cleared the X version of the game on the first try, all stages at level 2, though I skipped the optional Stage F. I had only played the arcade mode up until now, and always died on the last boss, so I think X mode is a lot easier. Gonna take a shot at arcade mode next weekend.

 

[roker]

I didn't realize Harmful Park was on Easy Mode and 1cc'd it.

I guess the only sensible thing to do is to increase the difficulty.

Great game if you haven't played it run it on ePSX/Xstation/burns/etc. (actual game prices are redic)

 

[Chempop]

Still playing Progear on Switch. The 1-All is still a few weeks out.
Unlike most CAVE, the bosses can be unpredictable which patterns they spew.

I just learned the gunpods function differently depending on what button you press to select the gunner.

 

[roker]

Still playing Progear on Switch. The 1-All is still a few weeks out.
Unlike most CAVE, the bosses can be unpredictable which patterns they spew.

I just learned the gunpods function differently depending on what button you press to select the gunner.

Beautiful game, never got into it.

Was happy to hear they ported it finally.

 

[skate323k137]

I can count the number of hori shooters I actually enjoy on one hand, and Progear is definitely one of them.

 

[roker]

I can count the number of hori shooters I actually enjoy on one hand, and Progear is definitely one of them.

I take it you never got into PC Engine shmups then.

 

[skate323k137]

I take it you never got into PC Engine shmups then.

There are a lot I haven't played on PCE. Open to suggestions, but I'd have to emulate :/ also as much as I grew up on 8 / 16 bit gaming, most of the shmups I enjoy are 32 bit era or newer (at least console wise).

Hori wise, I enjoy Progear, Border Down, Akai Katana, and Gradius V (shame it never had arcade release, it's a gorgeous game).

 

[roker]

There are a lot I haven't played on PCE. Open to suggestions, but I'd have to emulate :/ also as much as I grew up on 8 / 16 bit gaming, most of the shmups I enjoy are 32 bit era or newer (at least console wise).

Hori wise, I enjoy Progear, Border Down, Akai Katana, and Gradius V (shame it never had arcade release, it's a gorgeous game).

Start with these, I'd say they're the top tier:

Gate of Thunder
Lords of Thunder
Air Zonk

Then when you're done, move on to the mid tier:

Download 2
Coryoon
Aldynes (Supergrafx)
Hana Taaka Daka

For Verts:

Soldier series (Super Star Soldier, Final Soldier, Soldier Blade)
Blazing Lazers
Sylphia
Seirei Senshi Spriggan 1
Sapphire

There's a lot more and I'm sure someone will add to this. But those first 3 horis should be on your list.

 

[oliverclaude]

Hori wise, I enjoy Progear, Border Down, Akai Katana, and Gradius V (shame it never had arcade release, it's a gorgeous game).

Then chances are you'd like Thunder Force V & VI, Hyper Duel, Gradius Gaiden and most definitely G-Darius, which inspired Border Down. Maybe Einhänder, too. Darius Gaiden and Metal Black could be worth a try. Then there's roker's recent successful pick up (pun intended) Harmful Park. If you play it on higher difficulties, there's a bullet hell to enjoy. Last but not least a very odd but interesting title called BioMetal on the Super Famicom. Kind of a danmaku blueprint ahead of its time.

 

[roker]

If you play it on higher difficulties, there's a bullet hell to enjoy.

The game plays like Parodius but without the convoluted power-up system. I've never been a fan of the Gradius/Twinbee power up system. But yeah, once you bump it up in difficulty it get pretty redic. It's not Cave levels of bullets on screen type stuff, but more and more fast bullets. Great game. Probably in my top 10 or even top 5. Been playing it for years, but I think now that I have a ps1 hooked up at my desk, I think I'll actually give it a 1cc shot proper.

 

[oliverclaude]

...I think I'll actually give it a 1cc shot proper.

Good luck with it! Playing on higher difficulty (IIRC at least 'hard') gives the girly boss in the 4th stage (Coaster World) a different face. One of those little surprises the game has to offer. You nailed it btw, Parodius w/o the annoying power-up bar.

 

[skate323k137]

Then chances are you'd like Thunder Force V & VI, Hyper Duel, Gradius Gaiden and most definitely G-Darius, which inspired Border Down. Maybe Einhänder, too. Darius Gaiden and Metal Black could be worth a try. Then there's roker's recent successful pick up (pun intended) Harmful Park. If you play it on higher difficulties, there's a bullet hell to enjoy. Last but not least a very odd but interesting title called BioMetal on the Super Famicom. Kind of a danmaku blueprint ahead of its time.

Ah yes, Thunder Force VI is a great one, forgot about that.

Thanks for the suggestions fellas.

 

[Chempop]

Got the 1-All in Progear, will try with some different character combos soon. I had 2 really bad deaths in stage4, but pulled it together and had many clutch dodges in stage5, especially the boss who only clipped me once.

 

[oliverclaude]

ATM it's Einhänder. Years ago (eons maybe) I did a one credit run with the Endymion Mk. III, the beginners ship, and it cost me a lot of nerves - I forgot why, though, so I tried it again and now I remember. Goddamn, this game is so un-shooter like with its nebulous hit-detection, wobbling bullets intersections, explosions and debris obstructing visibility or the tricky boss AI holding myriads of surprise attacks before you figure out a pattern, which will be insecure anyway. Fascinating, too, how those bosses, despite their rich killer-weapons arsenal, prefer to crush you instead. Another break with expectations.

For me personally, this game plays more like a Contra with a jetpack and not an STG, maybe kind like Side Arms Hyper Dyne dressed in polygons. But surprisingly, these differences and breaks with the rigid tradition of shoot'em-ups are the reason, which makes this game so exiting to someone, who knows this genre well. This time I'm using the Astraea and try to go w/o any superplay videos. It's tough, but very rewarding. Fuck a 1cc, though. This is plain survival. Got to get my Volksgasmaske on, folks.

 

[Chempop]

Got another 1-All in Progear, but JPN region this time. Didn't want to be a total scrub just playing the US ver.
Very solid port on the Switch, glad they addressed and fixed the issues it had on release.

 

[fake]

Got the clear for GG Aleste II. I really love both of the GG games. I don't think I have a chance at clearing 3, though.

 

[Jeneki]

Was showing off the CPS2 Mister Core to a friend who is into GigaWing, and ended up getting a 2-player clear. You can really rolfstomp this game when both players know what's coming up, and alternate reflects to cover the other player.

 

[sylvie]

ATM it's Einhänder. Years ago (eons maybe) I did a one credit run with the Endymion Mk. III, the beginners ship, and it cost me a lot of nerves - I forgot why, though, so I tried it again and now I remember. Goddamn, this game is so un-shooter like with its nebulous hit-detection, wobbling bullets intersections, explosions and debris obstructing visibility or the tricky boss AI holding myriads of surprise attacks before you figure out a pattern, which will be insecure anyway. Fascinating, too, how those bosses, despite their rich killer-weapons arsenal, prefer to crush you instead. Another break with expectations.

For me personally, this game plays more like a Contra with a jetpack and not an STG, maybe kind like Side Arms Hyper Dyne dressed in polygons. But surprisingly, these differences and breaks with the rigid tradition of shoot'em-ups are the reason, which makes this game so exiting to someone, who knows this genre well. This time I'm using the Astraea and try to go w/o any superplay videos. It's tough, but very rewarding. Fuck a 1cc, though. This is plain survival. Got to get my Volksgasmaske on, folks.

Einhander is really exciting, I was pleasantly surprised to pick it up again briefly in the past year. Really holds my attention despite not being very good at it

 

[roker]

ATM it's Einhänder. Years ago (eons maybe) I did a one credit run with the Endymion Mk. III, the beginners ship, and it cost me a lot of nerves - I forgot why, though, so I tried it again and now I remember. Goddamn, this game is so un-shooter like with its nebulous hit-detection, wobbling bullets intersections, explosions and debris obstructing visibility or the tricky boss AI holding myriads of surprise attacks before you figure out a pattern, which will be insecure anyway. Fascinating, too, how those bosses, despite their rich killer-weapons arsenal, prefer to crush you instead. Another break with expectations.

For me personally, this game plays more like a Contra with a jetpack and not an STG, maybe kind like Side Arms Hyper Dyne dressed in polygons. But surprisingly, these differences and breaks with the rigid tradition of shoot'em-ups are the reason, which makes this game so exiting to someone, who knows this genre well. This time I'm using the Astraea and try to go w/o any superplay videos. It's tough, but very rewarding. Fuck a 1cc, though. This is plain survival. Got to get my Volksgasmaske on, folks.

I've never tried to do a 1cc, but I've enjoyed the fuck out of this game. It doesn't play like most shooters.

I haven't been playing much lately, just Batsugun Special.

 

[wataru330]

PCE•CD= DownLoad2. One of the only sidescrollers I truly enjoy. Cut scenes, control, weapons system, and T’s Music…this game is my favorite yoko pew.

SNES= Flying Hero. Slept on tate cute ‘em up, that has such nice fit and finish, it could’ve been a 1st party game…if Hero was palette swapped for Toad w/ a jet pack.