Favorite Shooters

[ZenLogikos]

While I am definitely a believer in gameplay first, graphics second - I just cannot get into many pre-32-bit shooters unless I grew up playing them(the nostalgia factor, e.g. Stinger and Legendary Wings on NES). For shmups, that 32-bit level of graphics goodness really began my interest in the genre. With that in mind:

Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie
Detana Twinbee
Border Down
Under Defeat
Zero Gunner 2
Ikaruga
Einhander
G Darius
Gradius Gaiden
In the Hunt
Salamander 2
iS: Internal Section (tube shooter)
Raiden DX
DoDonPachi DaiOuJou
EspGaluda
Gradius V

[bobbynewmarkiii]

MARS MATRIX

[Gamerforlife]

I'm not real big on the genre, but I liked Bangai-O on the Dreamcast and Sub-terrania on the Genesis. Plus, the fifty percent of The Red Star that is based on schmup gameplay I enjoyed as well.

Of course, I probably like these games because unlike most shmups I'm actually good at them LOL

[black flag nc]

Bio Hazard Battle (Genesis)
Gradius V (PS2)
Strikers 1945 (PSX)
Fire Shark (Genesis)
Gradius III (SNES)
Giga Wing (DC)
Raiden III (PS2)
R-type 3 (SNES)
Ikaruga (DC)
Mars Matrix (DC)

I have a copy of Under Defeat (DC) on the way. Can't wait!

[mrtie]

NES: Life force
SMS: R-type
PC-engine: Sapphire or blazing lasers
SNES: Axelay
Genesis: Musha/ thunder force
Saturn: dodonpachi
PS: r-type delta or einhander
N64: sin and punishment if you want to count it..lol
DC: psyvariar II
PS2: R type final
GC: ikaruga

gigawing, blazing star, strikers 1945, esparade,

[RackGaki]

My personal favorite is Ikaruga (in case my avatar didn't give it away). Bullet Hell shooters are meant to be like this. Cave shoot 'em ups do nothing for me, but to placate the purists, I've never played one on an arcade board. The purists will probably hate to hear that I'm more interested in Death Smiles than any of Cave's previous shooters...

My other favorite shoot 'em ups, in no particular order:

- Border Down
- eXceed 2nd Vampire REX
- Geometry Wars²
- Gradius V
- Karous
- Radilgy
- Under Defeat

[ott0bot]

I'm not real big on the genre, but I liked Bangai-O on the Dreamcast and Sub-terrania on the Genesis. Plus, the fifty percent of The Red Star that is based on schmup gameplay I enjoyed as well.

Of course, I probably like these games because unlike most shmups I'm actually good at them LOL

Thats funny....I'm a huge shmup fan who hates Sub-Terrania. And you're not a big fan and like it. Ugh...that game is my bane. I wish all the copies would be melted down and made into lunch pails for underpriviledged children. Seriously.

bangai-o on the other hand is absolutely addictive and amazing. Did you ever give Cannon Spike for DC a try. It's very akin to The Red Star, but a bit more of a beat 'em up.

on a side note I have a new favorite on the moment:
Blazing Lasers. Compile made some great games and this is definately one of them.

[env963]

Atari Jaguar - Tempest 2000 (yeah I own a jaguar)
Saturn - Radiant Silvergun
Dreamcast - Ikaruga
PS2 - Rez
PS3 - Still waiting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on Sony release a killer ap already.

[LoneCynic]

The Raiden Series is my favorite SHMUP series. I have a couple of questions about it. Here is my collection thus far on that series:

Raiden Project (PS1, has Raiden and Raiden II on it)
Raiden III (PS2)

I have also ordered Raiden Fighters Aces for Xbox 360 and pre-ordered Raiden IV for the same system.

Now, it is my understanding that Raiden Trad for the SNES/Genesis was nothing more than a watered down version of Raiden 1. This is the case, right? So I need not pursue that one?

This "Raiden DX" intrigues me though. What is it? I see it on ebay every now and then and wanted to get some more information about it to see if it was indeed worth getting. Is it a variant of one of the other games, or is it a seperate game entirely? Thanks in advance for any info on this.

Are there any other Raiden games besides these?

[NebachadnezzaR]

This "Raiden DX" intrigues me though. What is it? I see it on ebay every now and then and wanted to get some more information about it to see if it was indeed worth getting. Is it a variant of one of the other games, or is it a seperate game entirely? Thanks in advance for any info on this.

Are there any other Raiden games besides these?

Raiden DX is basically Raiden 2 with a couple of new/altered features. It's like what Metal Slug X is for Metal Slug 2. If you're a die hard fan of the game, I recommend you hunt it down. Otherwise, you're not missing that much by not playing it.

And no, besides the Raiden Fighers series I don't think there's any more Raiden games, although Viper Phase 1 is considered a spin-off of Raiden, so you might want to check that one out.

By the way, here's some good reading on Raiden DX: http://worldofstuart.excellentcontent.com/raidendx.htm