Racketboy Top 10 All Time SHMUP List - 2016 Edition

[mjmjr25]

I think i'm just going to let it all be. Most people are going to have a similar view of what a shmup is. No offense to Brad or Collin, but i'm not really "worried" that Geometry or Galaga are going to crack the top 25 point getters, so it's fine to leave them where they are and if nothing else - it creates some good discussion.

Now, if someone puts Mario 64 as their #8 shmup, then that is just getting straight up alt-control-deleted.

[Kidpanda]

I need to change my #8 to columns please [FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY][FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]

[o.pwuaioc]

Member Name's top 10 List

(Changed this up just a tad to remove Centipede and Galaga, not properly scrolling shooters, down to honorable mentions. I feel this is better this way, though I do love them a lot more than many on this list, and all shooters not on it.)

1. Strikers 1945 II

This is the very epitome of what I want in a manic shooter. People give it grief over not being pretty, but I enjoy what bellicose-mechanical imagery it does have.

2. Gradius III

This is a tough entry, but ultimately it comes down nostalgia and atmosphere. It's probably not as good as Gradius or Gradius II on the PC Engine, but I dunno, there's something that just makes me love everything about it. Even the slowdown! Haters gonna hate, but it's a solid game regardless.

3. Thunder Force III

Just a beautiful game. I'm always tempted to rank TFIV higher than TFIII, and in many ways IV is the superior game, but there's a natural charm to TFIII that just makes me put it higher.

4. Gleylancer

Great graphics, excellent atmosphere, unique weapons, Gleylancer has it all. If I had played this first before Gradius III, I'm sure it would be in the top 3 instead. I originally had Gleylancer and Battle Garegga switched, but then I realized I wanted to apologize for that order. Perhaps I just didn't want to horis next to each other like that, but outside of a top 10 list, if you were to ask me which I like better, Gleylancer or Battle Garegga, ultimately, I'd have to go with Gleylancer. But only by a little.

5. Battle Garegga

I love Battle Garegga for all the reasons I love Strikers 1945 II.

6. Sonic Wings

And speaking of Strikers, Sonic Wings was their earlier work (though when they were still Video System instead of Psykio). It's an earlier, rougher version of the extremely polished version of Strikers, but it's still a great game in its own right.

7. Sturmwind

Maybe I'm still in love with this new game, but I think it's the best thing on the Dreamcast, and that alone puts it way up. Just a gorgeous, atmospheric game that is simply a delight to play.

8. Soldier Blade

There's an amazing amount of depth and strategy to this game that really makes it shine. I love the music, the graphics, the spritework, I love the high speed/low speed that's critical in certain spots, and I really love the planning that goes into the special attacks. Phenomenal game.

9. Thunder Force IV

I almost kept this off because there's already a Thunder Force game on this list, but let's be honest, but deserve the spot, though for a final hori, it was a bit tough giving it to this instead of Gate of Thunder.

10. Layer Section

Of all the shooters that utilize lock-on and dual layers, Layer Section does it the best. So well, in fact, that whenever I play a game (like Soukyugurentai), I find myself just wanting to play Layer Section instead. I still need to play its sequels!

Honorable Mentions:

Gate of Thunder:

I can't understand why anyone prefers Lords of Thunder to this. This game is just that epic in scope, bad-ass, blow up everything kind of game. It's not so difficult, so it just narrowly misses the top 10 spot.

Varth:

I haven't played Varth in a while, but fond memories make me a bit sad it didn't make it to the top 10. Quality game.

Galaga:

What's to say about Galaga that hasn't already been said? This is simply the best of the old style, infinitely replayable. I'm thinking of the NES version in particular here, but the arcade version is of course superb and even the 7800 port manages to be pretty decent.

Centipede:

2 player Centipede on the 7800 is the best 2 player experience of any game, bar none. The game is just so fun, and always keeps you hooked and ready to start again when inevitably that damn spider will crawl out and kill you.

[mjmjr25]

Member Name's top 10 List

See! This guy gets it!

[prfsnl_gmr]

I think i'm just going to let it all be.

Good call. Both Galaga and Space Invaders are listed in this site's "defining shmups" article.

[foxhound1022]

Member Name's Top 10 List

Wow, this is difficult.

1. Battle Garegga - one of the 1st shmups that I really ground out and spent lots of hours with. So many secrets and scoring mechanics.

2. Strikers 1945 Plus - I love the Strikers series and it was hard to choose one, but Plus stands out as my favorite one to go to when I feel like playing a Psikyo shooter. The difficulty and pacing are what I enjoy most.

3. DoDonPachi Resurrection - My favorite Cave shmup to date. I was never a huge fan of bullet hells until I dug into this game. A neat blend of what made the 2nd ' Pachi great with some newer Cave elements blended in.

4. Raiden Fighters 2 - Large character selection, neat scoring, and typical Raiden difficulty.

5. Batsugun - Besides the game breaking boss milking, this is a solid shooter. I love the ridiculous amount of fire your ships produce, and pacing of the game is spot on.

6. Salamander 2 - The Gradius/ Life Force/ Salamander series are probably the 1st shmups I can remember playing, before I got into them semi-seriously. The option system is cool, plus being able to change weapon types on the fly was a new idea when it was 1st introduced.

7. Mars Matrix - My current favorite DC shmup. This falls in with shooters that playing for score and playing for survival usually yield very different results. This game is a tough nut to crack; one I'll hopefully learn to play better.

8. Soukyugourentai - It was very close between this and Layer Section for me, but Souky edges it out. The lock on mechanic is a neat change, and it just clicked with me.

9. Shikigami No Shiro 2 - Tight controls, neat mechanics (bullet-grazing), and neat characters made this one stick with me.

10. TBD - so many shmups that are still in my head that I like. I'll have to think a little more, and may make some changes. My top 5 are set, though.

[o.pwuaioc]

You and I got some significant overlap there, foxhound. Even where we differ, we still agree on premise, i.e. you on Souky, me on Layer Section.

[foxhound1022]

Yeah, it seems as if we are in the same wheelhouse on choices. I've always liked "old-school" shooter difficulty, over the challenge produced by bullet hells.

[noiseredux]

I think i'm just going to let it all be.

lame. Needs more drama.

@anyone including a Gradius game on their lists:

Parodius series > Gradius series


@Donny:

I love you, man. But shutting off the TV > Salamander 2.


@o.p:

I think Sturmwind is probably (probably!) the best INDIE shmup on DC. But to say it's the best thing on DC is forgetting about Mars Matrix, Gunbird 2, Triggerheart, Shikigami 2, Chaos Field, Ikaruga... all games I'd say are better.


@Mike:

You crush your wife when you have sex and your heart sucks. Boom, roasted.

[dsheinem]

@anyone including a Gradius game on their lists:

Parodius series > Gradius series

Show me a Parodius game that approaches Gradius V and I'll concede. I think you are right for previous entries (Parodius 1-5 >Gradius I-IV)...but Gradius V is just a whole other thing. Have you played it?