Progressing in Shmups, when to play a certain game?

[Erik_Twice]

Here's a revised list. First loop only, no scoring. Let's use it as a start.

BEGINNER GAMES
Games a newcomer can play and beat without much of a problem. Most console games will fall into this category.

Batsugun (Very short loops)
Batsugun Special (Very short loops)
Deathsmiles
Gate of Thunder
Gradius
Gradius Gaiden
Lords of Thunder
UN Squadron


JOURNEYMAN GAMES
Games that require a good amount of planning or involvement to beat. Most arcade games will fall into this category, difficulty-wise

DonPachi
DoDonPachi
ESPGaluda
Gradius II
Gradius V
Xevious

ADVANCED GAMES
Games that require a fair amount of knowledge of the genre and some previous clears to fully enjoy.

Battle Garegga
Ikaruga
Truxton
Truxton 2

EXPERT GAMES
You must be a master of the genre or be very involved in their game play to fully enjoy these games

Dangun Feveron
Gradius III
Gradius IV
Pink Sweets: Ibara Sorekara
Radiant Silvergun


Thoughts:

Radiant Silvergun is a pain, but I may be overstating its difficulty because I haven't played it in a while.

Truxton 2 is easier than Truxton from my very brief experience with them. It allows a more natural progression instead of forving you to memorize everything.

The last stage of Batsugun may be too hard compared to stuff like Deathsmiles and Gradius but it's certainly on the easy side compared to any other shmup.

[Chempop]

Ibara seems to have significantly harder boss battles than most CAVE fare, the stages themselves (first 3 anyway) aren't brutal, it's the bosses, patterns are so tight - just need more time i'm sure...

You have to approach it from an entirely different angle. While the boss fights are BRUTAL, you don't actually have to dodge many patterns if you have planned your resources correctly and have the Hadous on stock to obliterate them during the threatening attacks. The entire game becomes a ballet of bomb stocking and knowing when to use them. But for that to work, you need to score well enough in the stages to afford yourself the suicides, because each death rewards you with 1/2 hadou cannon.

Sorry for the super noob question, but what does 1CC mean?

1CC = single credit/coin clear. Completing the game without continuing or seeing the game over screen. Some people count this as clearing BOTH loops in games that have a second loop, while others count a single loop clear as a 1CC.

1-ALL = single credit/coin clear of the 1st Loop in games that have multiple loops. First loop stages are usually signified as 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, etc. Second loop stages are 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, etc.

2-ALL = A "true" 1CC of games that have 2 Loops.

1LC = single life clear. Beating a game without any deaths aka "no miss."

NMNB = "no miss no bomb" (usually referring to a particular stage or boss fight). Advancing without a death or use of bomb.

1 credit clear. It means beating the game without losing a credit/life, which often translates to beating a SHMUP without getting hit.

Unless you are playing Ibara or Garegga where you probably suicide 2-3 times on the first stage

[Ack]

1 credit clear. It means beating the game without losing a credit/life, which often translates to beating a SHMUP without getting hit.

Unless you are playing Ibara or Garegga where you probably suicide 2-3 times on the first stage

Yeah, I'm nowhere near that level. In terms of the list General_Norris has put forth, I'm still in the Beginner bracket.

[dunpeal2064]

Ibara's difficulty is HIGHLY over estimated. I'd call it one of cave's easiest games.

I'm replying to your entire post, but this part just made me , with some thrown in the mix. I'd love to talk some Ibara more, because I am seriously terrible at this game, but the games you rank this one with I find pretty easy. I'm guessing my approach to Ibara is all wrong.

For some reason, Ketsui just feels so tough to me. I find Garegga far easier, and I've played more Ketsui than Garegga.

Dimahoo, Raizing's easiest clear? Assuming that Normal courses don't count, I still find that tough to swallow, like yourself. Again, I would say Garegga is easier. Dimahoo is frantic, and Gigafacer is just a nightmare.

How about the 19XX series by Capcom? I figure they vary between the beginner and average SHMUP sections, but which ones fit where?

I'd say this one fits in beginner. It is pretty easy overall.

Radiant Silvergun is a pain, but I may be overstating its difficulty because I haven't played it in a while.

The last stage of Batsugun may be too hard compared to stuff like Deathsmiles and Gradius but it's certainly on the easy side compared to any other shmup.

Radiant Silvergun is a tricky beast to put on this list, because it forces you to score. Its hard to compare playing RS with cheesing a 1CC out of a different game.

Batsugun definitely feels harder than DS, but with only 4 tiers this is bound to happen. I would still say that at least "Special" mode deserves to be in the beginner slot.