Shmup catchup

Minzoku · Post by **Minzoku** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:42 pm

Hi, yeah. Whee, new forum

I figured it's been an unfortunate bit of time since I've played shmups myself that I should catch up somehow, and why not have a thread devoted to it so everyone can share what shmupping they've been doing during the downtime.

Um, last I played was the old school variety pack on the Taito Plug 'n' Play 5-in-1 thingie, Phoenix and Space Invaders and Qix [the last not at all a shmup but why I bought it]. It's a fair amount of ass, but at least I can say I gave it a chance.

I really ought to register Platypus, also. Yeah, why not, my dentist just cancelled my appointment this morning, I've got some time.

Naiera · Post by **Naiera** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 1:48 pm

Haven't been playing anything really, except a bit of RFJ now and then.

I'm waiting for my Armed Police Batrider PCB to arrive from Canada

Kinda neat that I was able to find one even withot these forums up and running.

Gozer · Post by **Gozer** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 3:23 pm

I've been playing a lot of Espgaluda these days. I don't think I'll ever get tired of playing it. Trying to get better at arranged mode but not making very good progress.

I'm actually awaiting my Progear PCB to arrive. Unfortunately it seems to be taking its sweet time to get here from London. It'll probably arrive in a few more weeks. I can't wait to play my first game of Progear.

IlMrm · Post by **IlMrm** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:32 pm

I've been playing Gunbird 2 using Tavia. I am also working on stage five boss' second form's first yellow spray(one of my New Year resolution). So far only about a 40% success rate(at full rank - all lives, seven bombs).

Vexorg · Post by **Vexorg** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 12:58 am

I haven't played a lot of Shmups lately, owing to the amount of time I've been spending on World of Warcraft. I did play some Ikaruga on my recently acquired Gamecube (the DC version is better), and a little bit of Progear in MAME. Other than that, I haven't played much in a while.

UnscathedFlyingObject · Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:02 am

I've been playing Metal Slug X as of late. Not much shooting, I'm giving it a rest. After I'm done with X, I'll probably endeavor with a Shmup.

PsikyoPshumpPshooterP · Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:57 am

Progear
Psikyo Collection 2
and soon to be Chaos Field

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 2:10 am

Metal Slug X is pretty close to the shmup, though. That is a good game to take a break from shmups with. I love that game!

I have that controller, but I actually like it, though I admit the ports aren't quite arcade perfect. However, IMO, they are good ports. Space Invaders isn't as good as the SNES version, the invaders are spaced out a bit more, and the shields go down differently, but it is a good port and still feels like the arcade game. The other ports are a bit closer, but not quite perfect. However, it has been a long time since Phoenix has been ported at all and this one is a bit closer than the Atari 2600 version, though that version is a fine port too. I like the GB port of Qix, but the one on the joystick is a bit more challenging (though the GB one gets challenging too) and closer to the arcade. As for the two obscure games, Colony 7 and Lunar Rescue, I had low expectations of them and I actually ended up enjoying them. However, I do prefer the Ms. Pac-Man and Atari Paddle TV games.

I have been playing shmups recently. I like playing the Twinbee Famicom mini and I played some Blazing Lazers a bit too. However, I have also been playing Shadow Hearts: Covenant and trying out roms of games lately. I really need to speed less time trying out roms and just play what I have. It did help me decide that I want to get Super Xevious Famicom, some other games, and avoid some games like Qix Adventure, which is set at an easier difficulty than the GB Qix, even in Adventure mode. I also found out that the US NES and Japanese Famicom versions of Fantasy Zone are different. I was amazed by the Japanese Famicom port of Fantasy Zone. It actually looks better than the Master System version!

Ronz · Post by **Ronz** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 2:21 am

Vexorg wrote:I haven't played a lot of Shmups lately, owing to the amount of time I've been spending on World of Warcraft. I did play some Ikaruga on my recently acquired Gamecube (the DC version is better), and a little bit of Progear in MAME. Other than that, I haven't played much in a while.

WoW consumes souls. You're better off sticking with shmups

I'm still trudging away at Gradius V, getting better with each new startup. Farthest i've made it thus far is to Stage 6, but i'm making more and more progress.

I'm also playing Mars Matrix on the weekends when i'm away from my PS2. Little bit of a learning curve on it, but my love for manic shooters keeps me going. Although as of this point I cannot make it past Stage 3 with the Dreamcast's default 3 credits.

Yea, i'm not that great. But i always keep at it. Gives me something to work toward.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 4:22 am

I'm messed a little with Progear recently. And I'm trying to get more consistent at passing the 1st loop of Strikers 2. (and always trying to get to 2-3 in 1999)

Just bought Contra: Shattered Soldier for the PS2 - DAMN that game is hard. Haven't beaten the 2nd level boss yet. He keeps shoulder charging me off the train. Seems like a great game. Almost broke my controller too - must be a good game.

Also playing Raiden DX (JP PSX). It kicks my ass. THere's something about Raiden games. I absolutely love them, but I'm just horrible at them. I can beat the training mission and that's about it. Otherwise level 4 usually wipes me out.

Acid King · Post by **Acid King** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:20 am

I've been buying too many games to really appreciate any of them. I bought Border Down LE and proper DC copy of Ikaruga, then later that month I got Cotton 2, Batsugun and Sonic Wings Special and monday I got Chaos Field. I've only really put time into Batsugun (Original mode). I started playin Ikaruga on the DC since I could use my arcade stick but reverted to the GC version after noticing the bits of slowdown here and there. This will all come to a close once my PS2 arrives with Berserk. Sword of the Berserk was so great and this one looks to be much, much better.

mannerbot · Post by **mannerbot** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:29 am

I switched planes in Strikers 1945 and I'm getting really really close to clearing the first loop. Well, I was; for now I'm taking a bit of a break and trying to learn Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 5:40 am

I've been playing a lot of PS1 Cotton, as well as Shienryu Explosion-which I 1cc'd the other night! Love that game.

I'm waiting for ZanacxZanac to arrive, and also waiting for my "hopefully-more-comfortable" PS2 controller to arrive from Play Asia-so I can rock the house on XII Stag!!

whoisKeel · Post by **whoisKeel** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 6:24 am

Been cracking out on Gradius V and making pretty good progress, up to stage 6 on one credit (11 hours logged), but I think it may take awhile to pass this stage. If I could get that stage 5 boss down without dying I might make it through stage 6 one day.

I just bought a Saturn last week, which has seen about 30 minutes of playtime so far (panzer dragoon and mystaria are the only games I have). Gonna pick up a couple of shmups for that in a week or two.

I tried to play Mars Matrix again today after not playing it for a month...wow...not playing that game for a month really put a damper on my ability. I still had it all memorized, but just couldn't follow through. If I ever 1cc that game I'm gonna buy myself a new car (furthest I've ever gotten is stage 4 boss...stage 5 boss mauls me as well as everything that is 6).

Dylan1CC · Post by **Dylan1CC** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 6:55 am

I got Radiant Silvergun in the mail yesterday. I sold it a few years ago. Never again. Such an amazing shooter and this time I am gonna learn more of the chaining. I still only know the following chain but I have always enjoyed this one: chain one group of red, then shoot one blue enemy, after that every yellow enemy you shoot is worth an increase of 10,000 points. Somewhat simple but it lets me procrastinate before I move onto more serious scoring ( :p ), plus it's harder than it sounds.

Tomtom · Post by **Tomtom** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 6:57 am

Well, after I ONE-CREDITED DODONPACHI, I've been in a bit of a shmup downtime. I've played a bit of Progear and ESPRaDe, but nothing really serious. I've been quite busy with school, work and all kinds of other crazy stuff. And on top of that I just started a website and I've been trying to make a MIDI sequence of an Espgaluda song, which has been time consuming (only 49 seconds into it so far...)

Minzoku · Post by **Minzoku** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:01 pm

Ronz wrote:WoW consumes souls. You're better off sticking with shmups

That's what I thought about Animal Crossing, which is why I haven't gotten it yet [borrowed it from a friend, found myself sucked into a world of COLLECTING CRAP]. Maybe once I'm old and crotchety and it's in the bargain bin for $1.99, then I can collect crap again.

In the meantime, Kiken tells me I need to work on my first 1CC

so I've been doing the Platypus thing. Whee, clay!

[Somehow I just don't find consoles appealing anymore... perhaps because it's an extra step when I already have my computer on on a daily basis.]

Guardians Knight · Post by **Guardians Knight** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 3:17 pm

i been playing a bit of Vasara 1 and 2 and lots of p47 flying aces, along with some Progear and Raiden DX.

Perhaps i should just concentrate on one game and i'd actually get a 1cc to my name - i've done raidens training stage but i dont suppose that really counts.

alpha5099 · Post by **alpha5099** » Thu Jan 27, 2005 6:15 pm

I haven't really been playing much of anything lately. I had misplaced my GameBoy Advance for the longest time, and I rediscovered it a few weeks ago, and I've finally been able to play Metal Slug Advance, which was just sitting around, doing nothing for a whole month. That's the only game I've been playing concistently lately, the last few nights I've been playing it when I sat down for Seinfeld and The Simpsons in the evening. Right now, I'm playing it in a very un-arcade way, saving and working on each level, continuing constantly, trying to get through each level to get to the next. I'll try and get through the game this way first, get all the prisoners and cards. Then I'll play the proper way, one credit, all the way through, one sitting.

Occassionally I'll fire up rRootage, but I've gotten to the point where the levels are so difficult I need a lot of patience to give it the time it needs, so I keep quitting in the middle of games in aggravation. I also played Nemesis on the GameBoy recently, it was the first time I saw the value of the Double.

After this week, my school work should become a little less stressful, so hopefully I'll have more time for shmups. I've been meaning to return to Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius and Salamander, really concentrate on those and some other games.

And -- it's not a shmup, but oh well -- I also need to beat Paper Mario 2. I got through so much of it over Christmas Break, but I haven't found the time to beat it since then.