What's the BEST moment in any shmup you've played?

[SpiltMilkStudios]

When I say 'moment', I don't necessarily mean when you beat a highscore you'd been chasing, but rather something the designers had intended.

When that particular amazing boss crashed through that wall....

When you first saw that crazy new enemy formation...

When you first fired that awesome gun upgrade...

The first time you laughed out loud during a shmup...

...any suggestions?

Mine is probably a tie between two memories.

One is from a C64 or maybe Amiga game I can't remember - the first time I came across the shootable section of environment that grow back after a while. The sense of impending doom and claustrophobia really stuck with me, and I remember totally panicking when it happened.

The other is a purely 'mad' moment. Parodius on the Snes, when you play for a minute or two with a giant Go-Go dancer basically straddling you. That was the first time I'd laughed out loud at a game (through incredulity) but was also the first time my Mum questioned the content of these 'videogame thingies'.

Anyway, fire away!

Love to hear some other peoples'.

[hermit crab]

Seeing the ground open up in Crisis Force for the first time was pretty impressive.

[To Far Away Times]

Chasing Marisa in Touhou 08 - Imperishable Night. Everything is timed so that after you defeat her as a miniboss the music picks up, the background scrolls faster, and enemies fire faster at you. It was a simple thing but it was cool.

[moh]

scrolling DOWN in abadox..

[Aquas]

I forget which Parodious but there's a blowfish boss that gets bigger and bigger untill it fills the screen almost completely. If you're not in the right place you get squished.

The first time playing Recca and seeing how fast it scrolls for a Famicom game.

Getting hit by the doors at the end of a Gradius game before the brain. See: Gradius 1 and Gradius 5. Both have gotten me and caused me to fail the 1cc.

[Raytrace]

my knowledge of CAVE is not very good, but whoever the boss in the secret '5-A' level in Easy mode is on DDP: Maximum on my phone ( ! ), that boss is the most fun I've had playing a shmup in a long time, the guy on a motorbike screaming at you all the time - hilarious

[null1024]

Shooting that floating island down in RayForce and watching it fall to the ground. There's lots of moments like that in the game, but that's my favorite, that whole bit is extremely pretty and very impressive.

[KAI]

Pinksweets stage 5 Boss

[Lord Satori]

thats a good question. I'll get back to you on that.

[trap15]

Stage 5 in Gun Frontier, where there is the theatre and the tank drives through it and it displays the film on the ground in front of the blown up building. And the music. Hnngghhh so much amazing atmosphere.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

Stage 4 of Akai Katana Limited Version red mode.

[moh]

Shooting that floating island down in RayForce and watching it fall to the ground. There's lots of moments like that in the game, but that's my favorite, that whole bit is extremely pretty and very impressive.

ohhhhh yeah. that always feels so awesome. that entire island is held by that tiny metal segment.

blow it up, and DOWN IT GOES

[Zeether]

The camera zooming in when the second boss explodes in Soukyugurentai.

[null1024]

The camera zooming in when the second boss explodes in Soukyugurentai.

Oh man, I forgot about that. That was way cool.

[Gespenst]

My first encounter with Queen Fossil in G-Darius.

Best battleship raid boss of the first time.

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

Great Thing and Ground of the Galaxy both appearing in silhouette before fighting you

Watching the screen go dark as the music slowly fades out during the final moments of Zone L in Darius Force

Dat takeoff sequence from Air Gallet and Vimana never gets old

Watching the Avro Bomber from Aero Fighters struggling to keep itself stable after you blow off its wing(s)

The ship from the original Truxton showing up in the final stage of the sequel to drop powerups for you when you're on your last legs

Metal Black's final boss giving me one of the biggest mindfucks I've ever had from a video game

Stage 5 of Cotton 2 being a melody of all the 1st game's stage music

... And last but never least, that idiot ally of yours failing his takeoff at the start of Fire Shark's 3rd stage

[emphatic]

Hearing virt's Ketsui remixed OST in the trailer for Daifukatsu 360 as the screen fades from black to show the Ketsui style arrange mode with 10 chips flying all over the screen.

[Mr.Iff]

-The moment i realized that the ura loop bosses in DDP RES have sweet spots
-Long time ago i played a shmup were the enemy ship was tossing garbage at you, that was hilarious when i was a kid
-When i beat Ikarugas third stage boss on first try

[Eaglet]

Black Heart mk.2

[SpiltMilkStudios]

I forget which Parodious but there's a blowfish boss that gets bigger and bigger untill it fills the screen almost completely. If you're not in the right place you get squished.

Aha! I remember that too! It must've been in the snes version I reckon. Yeah that was crazy

[chum]

Shou bringing out Vajra.

Byakuren using her Devil's Recitation and Legendary Flying Saucer spellcards.

[Observer]

Best moment I keep thinking about is unlocking the third level of the True Final Boss in Hellsinker. Everything in this game tends to be either crazy as fuck or crazy awesome but when you reach this part... MAN. Your interface breaks, shit hits the fan, colours go crazy to accompany. Fucking AWESOME. And then, when you thought all rings were broken and the boss was going BOOM, nope, Lost Property 771, bitch!

I'm also torn between a couple more, I can't pick one in particular:

Reaching Gluon in Psyvariar 2 (and dying like a bitch there)
The entirety of Stage 4 (Eternity) in Kamui which is timed to the music so if you play well it all flows great until you get to the Mass Production models boss fight. Then shit gets serious.
The first two zones in Darius Gaiden are a manual of how to make a shmup. ZUNTATA at its finest too since all music is synchronised too.
Reaching the final chapter of Diadra Empty, which follows the "it only gets bigger" guideline. Then you unlock Extra and reach that final chapter and, oh boy. Monumental.

[Captain]

beating Hellsinker for the first time.

Best moment I keep thinking about is unlocking the third level of the True Final Boss in Hellsinker. Everything in this game tends to be either crazy as fuck or crazy awesome but when you reach this part... MAN. Your interface breaks, shit hits the fan, colours go crazy to accompany. Fucking AWESOME. And then, when you thought all rings were broken and the boss was going BOOM, nope, Lost Property 771, bitch!

I'm also torn between a couple more, I can't pick one in particular:

Reaching Gluon in Psyvariar 2 (and dying like a bitch there)
The entirety of Stage 4 (Eternity) in Kamui which is timed to the music so if you play well it all flows great until you get to the Mass Production models boss fight. Then shit gets serious.
The first two zones in Darius Gaiden are a manual of how to make a shmup. ZUNTATA at its finest too since all music is synchronised too.
Reaching the final chapter of Diadra Empty, which follows the "it only gets bigger" guideline. Then you unlock Extra and reach that final chapter and, oh boy. Monumental.

Lol didn't read your post until I posted myself.

[chempop]

MUSHA Stage 4
when the lighting kicks in, simply one of the coolest moments in gaming history!
http://youtu.be/M9Kvc7sY2ho?t=5m32s

Thunder Force 4
giant airship assault, and getting the upgrade after he boss fight
http://youtu.be/WXbwXJ5qJUs?t=16m57s

Ray Force
the transition between stage 2+3 has always been a favorite moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA1mXqfz ... ure=relmfu

Battle Garegga
Start of Stage 5, I'm a sucker for clouds and lighting, and that music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS3HOWfB ... playnext=2

[Kollision]

The meteor-filled stage in Gradius V (I guess it's stage 5)
The blend of music, intensity and pure jawsumness of stage 5 in Mushihimesama
Most bosses in Insector X for the Mega Drive

[CIT]

Under Defeat: Stage 5 starting with the sad music and without any sound effects until the guitar riffs kick in.

Soukyugurentai: Descending through the clouds in Stage 3 and getting closer and closer to the boss until you fight him in an epic battle.

R-Type III: Defeating the Stage 4 boss, but then NOT getting a stage clear, but having to complete the stage one more time backwards before facing off with the TRUE stage boss.

Battle Garegga: Stage 5 and particularly the fight against Black Heart -> best shooter boss ever!

Einhänder: Your own forces doing a 180 and turning against you.

Darius III: Zone M: appearance and fight against Yamato

Thunder Force IV: Acquiring the big-ass thunder gun (after Stage 5 iirc)

[Marc]

The 4th stage of Gynoug, was mad awesome to see that shit running on a Mega Drive. SNES style graphical everywhere and the first manic-type spreads I ever came across.

[R-Gray 1]

image fight before the area 1
when u realize the first 5 levels that u hav played are just simulation haha and u r in the aircraft...

Einhänder i dont remember the stage, (where sounds conflict and dawn music i think) and u can see in the background a robot walking and can hear a voice ...omg

Gradius V when u beat the stage 7 boss and u receive the info about need 2 ships to complete the mission.
Gradius V the meteor stage when u use the meteor to protect urself against the boss

Under defeat stage 5, same as CIT said before

radiant silvergun when a sacrifice happens.....

[Arvandor]

Under Defeat:Under Defeat: Stage 5 starting with the sad music and without any sound effects until the guitar riffs kick in.

I was going to list this one too.

Dodonpachi: Dai Ou Jou: The first time I ever used a hyper. Awesome! =D

[Klatrymadon]

Under Defeat: Stage 5 starting with the sad music and without any sound effects until the guitar riffs kick in.

Also, the Schwerer Gustav-lookin' st5 boss, with its gigantic cannon that fires a seemingly ineffectual shot. But then...!