Shmup of the Month Club 2013 (Giga Wing)

[mjmjr25]

In addition the first practice level determining blue or gold dragon, it also rewards you w/10K to start, at least on my run I did.

I don't hate this, but the first 5 and 1/2 stages seemed to be very easy. The icebergs picked up the difficulty and then stage 7 I did die 3x, I couldn't stop grabbing the power downs, but power up management should be easier on future runs as I think I know which ones are "bad" now.

The "problem" w/these games is that you play for 25 minutes before the game gets challenging and now I know I need at least a half an hour just to do one run. Not meaning to complain, but rather why I probably won't have but 6-7 runs all month.

At any rate, first run:

166,100 - mjmjr25 - Area 7 - NES

[ExedExes]

Newest score series:

ExedExes - 79,850 - Area 3 - MAME

Finally figured out how to maneuver around the pesky Area 2 boss.

ExedExes - 90,370 - Area 3 - PCE

Area 3 never looked better.

ExedExes - 207,990 - Area 9 - NES

My dreams of a 1cc have been all but shattered. Area 9 features around 4-5 distinct areas and they are no cakewalk. I did reveal the fairies from Areas 2-6 however, and it appears the even numbered stages fill your lifebar and the odd numbered stages give you an extra life, only if they appear out of the shadows. I'm starting to think it's the *form* your dragon is in at the end of the stage that makes it happen. As for the "Power Down" item, they appear more frequently near the end. Don't pick up those skulls!

[marurun]

This game is HARD on the PC Engine. Made it to the 3rd level and died, with only 70,000-something points. Ack... Will need to practice a LOT.

[dsheinem]

FYI, the PS3 version (in the awesome Namco Essentials) goes on sale today for $5.

[mjmjr25]

Ack... Will need to practice a LOT.

He's never been very good at shmups.

@dsh - what is the namco essentials version comparable too? I currently have NES cart and GCN Anniversary Compilation, which I believe is comparable to MAME/ARCADE.

[dsheinem]

Ack... Will need to practice a LOT.

He's never been very good at shmups.

@dsh - what is the namco essentials version comparable too? I currently have NES cart and GCN Anniversary Compilation, which I believe is comparable to MAME/ARCADE.

It is a direct Arcade port AFAIK. The collection is fairly solid - it has the newest Xevious (not available on disc) as well.

[dsheinem]

are people using autofire or not? seems an important thing to know...

[marurun]

are people using autofire or not? seems an important thing to know...

Playing the PC Engine version without it would be silly...

[dsheinem]

are people using autofire or not? seems an important thing to know...

Playing the PC Engine version without it would be silly...

Perhaps, but if we are going to compare scores that seems to be an important qualifier. AFAIK the arcade cab has no auto-fire enabled as a default, but it is available easily in most ports (in many cases it is built in).

So are folks using it?

[ExedExes]

I never use auto fire if it is not automatically enabled in-game or unless any competition rules state it may be used. I've been doing all 3 ports without it, I have not seen any setting for it on MAME or PCE, but on the NES if you collect enough fire power-ups it becomes near auto.