My first console shmup

[dboeren]

Actually not my real first, but I think it's the first since Uridium on the C64 and some Atari 2600 stuff. You see, up until now I've been exclusively a PCB collector, but I decided I ought to try out what consoles have to offer. So, I picked up a copy of Shikigami 2 for PS2 on eBay for about $10.

Well, it came in today and I tried it out. Not bad, but I can see it will take a little getting used to. A gamepad just doesn't have the same feel as an arcade stick. I tried the analog stick as well as the D-pad, I think the stick is better overall, but the D-pad is better for small tapping movements.

I tried lying on my side and using the vertical mode too. Getting the full screen was great, but it's kind of odd-feeling and I think the arms get tired much quicker. I was doing this on a 60" TV, and I wasn't about to try TATEing it.

I may try picking up Gradius III+IV or R-Type Final to try a horizontal game. Any opinions on which is better. Or how about Gradius V?

Also, how does Psyvariar Complete compare to Psyvariar 2?

[TWITCHDOCTOR]

I say get all those, but I think you will have the most fun with Gradius V.
Also, get Silpheed "The Lost planet". Its really not bad.

Also, look into a joystick controller. Either a Hori, or that new SNK/Playmore Neo-Geo styled stick.
Namco Arcade sticks are great too, but they're rare and expensive.

Here's the Namco one on Ebay...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... eName=WDVW

Here's a nice Hori:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 53442&rd=1

[Thunder Force]

I may try picking up Gradius III+IV or R-Type Final to try a horizontal game. Any opinions on which is better. Or how about Gradius V? Also, how does Psyvariar Complete compare to Psyvariar 2?

Both Psyvariar games are good if you enjoy bullet scratching and epic bullet-patterns. Some people like the original better, some like the sequel.

If you are an R-Type series fan then do buy R-Type Final, otherwise it's a "try before you buy" one since it's paced unlike other shmups.

Gradius V is about one billion times better than Gradius III+IV... the difference in quality is not even close.

Gradius V is such a crowd-pleaser actually that it's probably your safest bet out of all the games mentioned.

[Turrican]

Shikigami no Shiro... I guess it's a start, but since it's a port from coin-op you're not changing a lot.

Let us know when you get your first real console shmup; Gradius V would be an excellent start.

R-Type Final: it's good, but if you were only in PCBs until now, you probably skipped R-Type Delta, which is better.

[landshark]

I tried lying on my side and using the vertical mode too. Getting the full screen was great, but it's kind of odd-feeling and I think the arms get tired much quicker. I was doing this on a 60" TV, and I wasn't about to try TATEing it.

AHAHAHAHA. YES! I'm not the only one to have done this! DOesn't work very well does it? I can't seem to fool my brain into changing what buttons I press for the directions.

I agree with everyone else - Gradius V is a very safe purchase. Awesome game.

I have Shiki2, but don't play it that much. I have a feeling I'd enjoy it much more tated. But my PS2 is hooked up to a large (not as big as yours) TV and I don't want to tate it.

[raiden]

you can connect most consoles to you cab, too. Either by modding an RGB cable and a controller, or by getting the pre-made solution availlable @some HK retailer. If you´re interested, I can dig it out.
That way, you would have the tate and controller issue solved at the same time.

[Ghegs]

I tried lying on my side and using the vertical mode too. Getting the full screen was great, but it's kind of odd-feeling and I think the arms get tired much quicker. I was doing this on a 60" TV, and I wasn't about to try TATEing it.

With a TV that huge I would never even consider playing tate - as long as the game has a good yoko-mode (like Shiki2 does) that'd be plenty enough.

[TWITCHDOCTOR]

If you can offord a TV that huge, surely you could afford a small 20-27" incher specially for Tate play.

[BrianC]

Oddly enough, I use my 21 incher for yoko and it works fine for me. It sure beats the 13 incher that I used to use.

[Turrican]

Well, you definitely are not alone, Landshark. I tried to play tate lying on my side too. Luckily I have the bed just in front of my TV set.

I guess it's less disturbing than getting into tateyoko controls... but it's still quite a pain. the right arm I'm above needs rest and it doesn't have the same response.

I have a Sony 21 inches tv, and I tated it once, to feel what was playing Dodonpachi and Ikaruga the real way. But I can't tate it all the time. The best solution would indeed be to have a spare tv dedicated to tate. Until then...

... God Bless 4:3 verts.

[dboeren]

Well, I bought the TV back around 8 years ago when I was single

Anyway, I'm going to look into connecting the PS2 to my JAMMA rig first. It's not that I can't buy an extra TV, it's more that I don't have a place to put it convenient for gaming.

I think I will go for Gradius V next. It's half the price of most of the import shmups, and being a US release means I can delay buying SwapMagic a little longer. You know, at $60-65 a pop, import PS2 discs are still pretty expensive. Less than a PCB, but they add up quick. And I need to get SwapMagic plus an arcade joystick or JAMMA converter.