Your favorite shmup stages?

[jalvarez82]

Let's discuss stage designs. What are your favorites? What do like about them?

I'll start with this beautiful stage 4 from Giga Wing 2, which I was playing this morning. I love the moon's reflection in the water underneath your ship. So beautiful. The orchestrated music is a major plus. They go together in perfect harmony.

[Original_Name]

If rail-shooters count then it's this one, without a doubt:





Area 5 of Rez chronicles the creation of life based on Wasilly Kandinsky's theory that all animate objects are composed of the very same thing that makes music: vibration. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in a video game, and defeating the final boss reveals a beautiful message about the human condition. Actually, this is probably my favorite stage in any game ever.

[jalvarez82]

Damn. That's deep, Original_Name. I played REZ a few times on my PS2, but I never actually beat it. What you have stated makes me want to hunt down and spend some loot on the DC version just to experience it.

[DrCirno]

The final level of Rez is really quite something. My favorite Shmup level would have to be the Strite stage from Thunder Force IV. The music was great and the visual were amazing considering that it was on the genesis.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

The final level of Rez is really quite something. My favorite Shmup level would have to be the Strite stage from Thunder Force IV. The music was great and the visual were amazing considering that it was on the genesis.

That song rocked.

This is the mind killer!


As for TF:IV I have to agree it features some excellent sprite manipulation as well as excellent use of the 256 color trick and false scaling and rotation via software; plus it has a dizzying amount of parallax scrolling as well.

[Bootaaay]

My current favourite stage would be the final level of DeathSmiles - it never really lets up on the pressure, and there are some really hectic moments (like during the waltz scene, or when scaling the staircase) topped off by two fairly challenging bosses;



Also, I really like the design & music on level 4.1 - The Ice Palace from the DeathSmiles MegaBlackLabel DLC;



Pity I can't currently beat the level without credit feeding :p

[DrCirno]

My current favourite stage would be the final level of DeathSmiles - it never really lets up on the pressure, and there are some really hectic moments (like during the waltz scene, or when scaling the staircase) topped off by two fairly challenging bosses;



Also, I really like the design & music on level 4.1 - The Ice Palace from the DeathSmiles MegaBlackLabel DLC;



Pity I can't currently beat the level without credit feeding :p

I envy you, I really really want this game.

[jalvarez82]

Border Down - stage 1 (sunset)

[Peynor]

Soukyugurentai Level 4:


Check out 3:30, thats when it starts.

[Original_Name]

Border Down - stage 1 (sunset)

Seconded in two ways. I agree, and that's my second favorite shmup stage! I only played Border Down for the first time a month ago and it hasn't been since Half-Life 2 that a game has shocked me visually as much as that one did. I mean, that game is just so smooth, clean, and complex all at once; I honestly don't think the PlayStation 2 could have managed it and have it look as clean and smooth as it did on the Dreamcast. It looks like a late-generation Gamecube game. And that level is a joy to play as well; I'm not a massive shmup fan (I love them, but I'm so bad at them it seems like a waste of effort to actively seek them out), but I memorized that level like the back of my hand, which is a rarity for me in shmups.