Archetypal shmup

[dunpeal2064]

Dreamcast: Last Hope Pink Bullets

It's that good? I have the trilogy when I kickstarted Redux (which irksomely has been delayed until Fall (?) 2013), but I've yet to even open it.

Its definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoy it. It was the first R-type style game that really pulled me in, and made me want to go check out stuff like R-Type and Pulstar. Its tough (at least for me, I'm more attuned to bullet hell), but its the good kind of tough, and the game oozes atmosphere.

[Spyke]

I should have added Ikaruga for Gamecube too, though it's cheating a bit being a DC original!

And, Gradius Gaiden on PS1 - yeah, I totally love that game too and it's a hard choice between it and Raiden DX/2 on PS1, but ultimately I think the Raiden titles just take it, for me anyway. Not that I'll ever be selling my copy of Gaiden though!

I actually like most Psikyo titles on the systems I have - just wish I was better at them!

Ant

Edit - my Xbxo 360 and PS2 choices are limited as they are PAL region consoles.

[Hatta]

That's not quite what "archetype" means. Archetype is the oldest (hence 'arche' like archaeology) example of an established type. I'd say that Gradius is the archetypal horizontal shmup. Not that there weren't earlier horizontal shmups, but Gradius set the standard for deep, methodical gameplay. Every game designer who makes a horizontal shmup thinks about Gradius, and either tries to emulate it or differentiate from it. You can't say the same about Defender.

For vertical shmups, I'd say the archetype is Xevious until you get into bullet hell style shumps for which the archetype is Batsugun.

[hashiriya1]

Famicom - Lifeforce (my first shoot-em-up, chose for nostalgia)
SMS - Aleste
PCE - GunHed
GEN/MD - Fire Shark
SFC - Super Aleste
SAT - Radiant
PS1 - Harmful Park
PS2 - IBARA
DC - Triggerheart
360 - Futari
PSP - Darius Burst / Platypus
DS - Ketsui

[o.pwuaioc]

That's not quite what "archetype" means. Archetype is the oldest (hence 'arche' like archaeology) example of an established type. I'd say that Gradius is the archetypal horizontal shmup. Not that there weren't earlier horizontal shmups, but Gradius set the standard for deep, methodical gameplay. Every game designer who makes a horizontal shmup thinks about Gradius, and either tries to emulate it or differentiate from it. You can't say the same about Defender.

For vertical shmups, I'd say the archetype is Xevious until you get into bullet hell style shumps for which the archetype is Batsugun.

You're right. I think he rather meant exemplum.

[ExedExes]

It was an every console question?

*re-reads*

Somehow I missed that last part. All I saw was Dreamcast

Ok then --

2600 - Solaris -- c'mon people!
7800 - Xevious -- You all know my love for that.
NES - Zanac -- AI system never gets old.
Gen - Bio Hazard Battle -- More people need to play it.
SNES - Axelay -- I've been playing it for nearly 20 years!
DC - Mars Matrix -- Already explained
Gamecube - Ikaruga -- Freakin amazing.
GBA - Gradius Galaxies -- I'll go with this. Portable Gradius with neat graphics.
NG - Blazing Star -- GET IT MORE!

Archetypal shmachetypal -- this was one of the easiest "1 game per console" lists I could ever do.

[Spyke]

You're right. I think he rather meant exemplum.

Probably...

Ant

[ChrisHaha2049]

Of the consoles I own...

Atari 2600 - Space Invaders ...it was easily my fave 2600 game then. (I missed out on River Raid.)

NES - Guardian Legend ...I was going to go with Life Force, but this would do me just fine, too...

TurboGrafx-16 - Blazing Lazers (Gunhed) ...Tough choice here. I'd be happy with any one of a dozen or so from this system. BL is a bit on the easy side, but it's the one that made me realize how much I really like the shooter genre, and thus seek out those dozen or so others. So even though it's not really the 1st one I liked, I still always credit it for turning me into a shmup fan.

Genesis - Truxton ...Not a lot of experience on this console. My brother was the Sega player in the house, growing up, and this was the only shooter he had...

SNES - Space Megaforce (Super Aleste) ...an upgraded Blazing Lazers... A lot of weapon variety and decent use of the SNES's 'mode 7' stuff made it my favorite shooter until Ikaruga came along...

Neo Geo - Pulstar ...I was first going to say Last Resort, but Pulstar is so pretty... An amazing looking game for this system.

PlayStation - Raystorm ...Haven't played many shmups on this console either. I do have this one, and I like it!

Nintendo 64 - ...um...?

Game Boy Advance - Iridion 2 ...Well I have to pick something, and...it's not bad.

PS2 - Gradius V ...Must have a Gradius somewhere here...and it's a good one!

Dreamcast - Mars Matrix ...Another tough choice. I like GigaWing just as much, but MM is clearly the better game. They don't get much more bullet-hell than this. Excellent design of its so called 'Mosquito system', and a shop that keeps you busy for hours and entices you to play better. Yet, as outstanding as MM is, I'd take Ikaruga if it wasn't also on Gamecube...even though I'd miss the DC version's VGA display terribly.

GameCube - Ikaruga ...I was highly addicted to its scoring system for 100s of hours, spanning a good 3 years...both versions. Gamecube version is clearly inferior though (no VGA mainly), while I consider the DC version a work of art... DC Ikaruga...VGA box...tated CRT...Gorgeous.

[brukner1129]

Never played any shmups on an Atari console, but...

NES: Xevious, my favorite pre-90's shooter
SNES: Space Megaforce, idk why, but it's my fav shmup on the SNES lol
Genesis: Truxton, just addictive for some reason
PS1: R-Type Delta, always loved the R-Type series
PS2: Raiden III, my first PS2 shmup, and the best I've played on the console
(of course, I haven't played many PS2 shmups lol )
Dreamcast: Mars Matrix, just loved it (played for over 4 hrs first time I played it)
Saturn: Oh gosh, I had to save the Saturn for last. There are too many to pick just one...Donpachi, DoDonPachi, Battle Garegga, Gunbird, Batsugun, I just can't pick a favorite

[wip3outguy7]

PS1: Einhander
Saturn: Soukyugurentai
Dreamcast: Mars Matrix

I only really play shmups on those three consoles.