Dreamcast SHMUPS

[retrofuture]

Zero Gunner 2 notches above Under Defeat? whhaaa

[crux]

I realized while looking at the original list that I really don't think of Bangai O as a shmup. It has very little in common with any other game in the list or any other shmup in general. In fact, other than the fact that tons of bullets and explosions are present, I can't think of a single reason to even consider it a shmup. I own the original N64 version, the DC release, and the DS sequel, and a whole lot of shmups, and I really can't think of another reason.

More to the point of the topic, I'm not really sure what the list order is going for. Popularity, critical reception, originality, developer notoriety (which I can't imagine with Gunbird being so low on the list), what? Ikaruga clearly deserves the top spot no matter what the case, but otherwise I'd need more direction to make a list. All I really know is that popularity or favoritism is easily the worst way to sort them. Sort them alphabetically and we end up with the problem of mediocre titles getting near the top of the list and great games being near the bottom (Chaos Field and Zero Gunner 2). By release dates isn't a terrible idea, but that also puts a number of great shmups (including Ikaruga) further down the list. There's certainly an objective way to go about categorizing them to please everyone.

[Original_Name]

I think the best way to do it is by general reception and recognition. Alphabetical just doesn't work for stuff like this; you need to catch people's attention with the likes of Ikaruga and Border Down right off the bat. Shmups are one of the most objective genres as far as what makes one "good", so just go with whatever reviews you can find for now as well as common sense. You KNOW that Ikaruga should be at the top (even if you personally don't consider it to be the best shmup on the Dreamcast); ones that you consider to be about equal should just be ordered alphabetically until you get to one that you could easily reason is generally thought to be worse or less significant.

[Casey120]

I think you still miss Guardian Wing and Last Hope has a brand new version called " Pink Bullets " !

[jalvarez82]

How are you guys gonna put Bangai-O, a N64 port, in your top 5 DC shmups? Just makes no sense to me at all.

[Casey120]

It's not a port , it uses a very different and much better scoring system and better graphics , the N64 version could be called a port of the Sharp and PC-8801 version then !

[Hobie-wan]

It's not a port , it uses a very different and much better scoring system and better graphics , the N64 version could be called a port of the Sharp and PC-8801 version then !

Well, but that was made by different people entirely and was just an inspiration.

Hover Attack at the bottom

[black flag nc]

These would be my top DC shmups:

Under Defeat
Ikaruga
Giga Wing 2 (yes, seperate them)
Triggerheart Exelica
Border Down
Mars Matrix

[DCbrotha]

I find it interesting that DUX is placed close to the bottom of the list. I enjoy DUX way more than playing both Gigawings, and Mars Matrix.

Every SHMUPS to thier own , thats what makes the VARIETY such a great thing!

[Ack]

I find it interesting that DUX is placed close to the bottom of the list. I enjoy DUX way more than playing both Gigawings, and Mars Matrix.

Every SHMUPS to thier own , thats what makes the VARIETY such a great thing!

Yeah, organization of these lists is always tough, since putting them in order of "quality" invariably falls to individual opinion. I've speculated on ways to solve it in the past, but for some of the longer lists we've done, it can mean some genuinely great games coming at the end of a list.

My best suggestion for our lists? Try them all.