Monthly Shmup Club - March 2023 - Gradius 2

[blazemore]

I don't know that I have time ATM to participate, but I might try. I discovered PC Engine Salamander last year. I have the Hamster ACA release with Salamander/Life Force/Life Force JP and I tried to get into it, but it didn't click. So for me the NES version had always been the definitive one since back in the day. But the PCE version is just joyful, recommended for anyone with access to it.

I've heard a lot of good things about the PCE version. I haven't messed with it much, other than playing a little on the TurboGrafx Mini after I bought it. But I will be exploring that version a bit through the month. Right now I'm concentrating on the Salamander Deluxe Pack on Saturn, and will be playing Life Force NES and the ACA version to make sure I can get a taste of all the major iterations. Right now I've been able to reach stage 5 in the arcade version.

I love the arcade version, but I prefer the PCE version of the game. The TG16 mini is great in that it also has the "near arcade" version.

[FRO]

I wasn't sold on the PCE Mini "near arcade" version. It definitely has some issues that I found detracted from the experience, at least for me. I do like the music in that version, and I think it plays okay, but it has some problems in my opinion.

[FRO]

In the latter half of the 90's, a transition was taking place in the shooting game world. While newcomers CAVE were still relishing the 2D gameplay pioneered in the previous decade of the genre, many mainstream developers were embracing 3D graphics to take tried and true game styles into the next phase. Of those developers, Taito in particular jumped in with both feet. They had already created RayStorm as a 3D sequel to the acclaimed 2D game RayForce, and would continue that trend with RayCrisis a couple years later. They also went in the 3D direction with the 4th mainline entry in their biggest STG series with G-Darius.

They also continued to evolve the series mechanics. They iterated on the powered beam from Metal Black and created the idea of the Alpha Beam, and coupled that with the new Capture Ball mechanic, which allows for capturing enemy fighters and using them as extra firepower, expending them as a bomb, using them to shield yourself from bullets, and more. This added a level of depth that previous entries didn't have. Add to that the atmospheric, angular soundtrack from Zuntata, and you have a winning package. And with the more recent G-Darius HD release on all major platforms, along with the 1st wide release of the Version 2 arcade board iteration, there's never been a better time to discover or rediscover this arcade classic. Join the RF Generation Shmup Club in May 2022 as we dive deep into the robo-fish infested waters of G-Darius!

Sign up here to participate:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19664.0

[FRO]

Welcome to the Summer Of Raiden! We're spending the summer concentrating on the classic Raiden series of games, and we're kicking things off with the very first game in the series. Developed and published by Seibu Kaihatsu in Japan in 1990, and brought to the West courtesy of Fabtek, Raiden took some established elements within the shooting game genre and further solidified them into a simple, but potent mix. Their no-frills approach proved to be popular in arcades, and over the next couple of years, inspired a slew of imitators who took the basic Raiden formula and put their own spin on it. What is it about this game that caused it to become such a big hit?

Taking many cues from legendary shooting game developer Toaplan, Seibu Kaihatsu took the basic elements codified in Twin Cobra and changed a couple things around to simplify the approach in a couple ways, but expand upon those ideas in other ways. An extra element added to coop play helped set the game apart from its contemporaries. In the year leading up to the release of Street Fighter II, it was the right environment for a game like Raiden to find its audience and succeed. The game not only spawned multiple sequels, but also received many home conversions.

The year is 2090. Alien lifeforms known as the Crystals have invaded Earth. The Crystals took control over most of Earth's military hardware to use in the invasion. In response, the world organization known as Vanquish Crystal Defense develops the Fighting Thunder attack craft, a cutting-edge weapon based on Crystal technology. To survive against the invaders and fight back, VCD deploys Fighting Thunder as the only hope for humanity. Blast off with the RF Generation Shmup Club in June 2022 as we play the original Raiden!

If you'd like to participate, go to the site and sign up in the thread:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19666.0

[FRO]

After Seibu Kaihatsu had to halt its operations, some of the development team left to join another studio known as MOSS. That team was still intent on carrying on the legacy they had built with the Raiden series of games, so they created Raiden III for the arcades in 2005, and subsequently for PlayStation 2. In North America particularly, this was a bit of a later release, as the PlayStation 3 was already out, and it wasn't met with the same warm reception. But the team soldiered on, and just 2 years later, released the much more well-received Raiden IV in arcades, and then just over a year later, it hit the Xbox 360 as a console exclusive. 6 years later, Raiden IV Overkill released on PlayStation 3 and PC, adding 2 new stages, allowing 3 ships to be playable from the start (instead of DLC, as with the 360 version), and including the new Overkill mechanic, which expanded the scoring. And in 2021, an updated version was released, called Raiden IV x Mikado in conjunction with the Mikado arcade chain in Japan, which features the Raiden IV Overkill game in its entirety, with a bonus soundtrack of live recorded music that are all covers of songs from the original game's release.

Despite humanity beating them back time and time again, The Crystals have invaded Earth once more. The VCD immediately launches a new model of the Raiden fighter, the Fighting Thunder ME-02 Kai, to stop the Crystals from taking over the Earth. With your upgraded Plasma Laser, you can choose how it's equipped, and take on the Crystal hordes one more time. Fight across the Earth, and into space, to free humanity from this scourge. Join the RF Generation Shmup Club in August 2022 as we play Raiden IV!

If you'd like to participate, check the thread here:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19676.0

You can also join the RF Generation Discord:
https://discord.gg/tCM2Qbaf

Or tweet at the podcast account to signal your participation:
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[FRO]

The "Rogue-lite" style of gaming has taken off in the last few years. From RPGs to action platformers, plenty of developers have thrown their hat into the ring, making games with randomized elements to try and spur replay. Some of those games have proven quite successful. Others have fallen by the wayside, not quite finding an audience. One genre where a degree of randomness has always been a factor is shooting games, but usually within pretty tight constraints. What happens when you throw caution to the wind, and go random in a big way?

You get a shoot-em-up like Operation STEEL! From developer Undermog Games, Operation STEEL sees you piloting a space ship across various landscapes to take on random hoards of enemies. Are you tough enough to survive 20 randomized levels? Test your mettle against all manner of crazy bosses, and enemy waves you can't predict! Collect coins and buy weapons and upgrades for your ship to make your runs through the game easier, as well. Join the RF Generation Shmup Club in September 2022 as we play Operation STEEL! Available now on Steam.

Sign up here if you'd like to partipate:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19685.0

[FRO]

Spooky season is upon us! The Shmup Club celebrates with spooky games, and this year we're going with a heavy hitter, CAVE's classic Deathsmiles! From designer Tsuneki Ikeda, in collaboration with artist "Joker" Junya Inoue, CAVE decided to veer away from the normal vertically scrolling danmaku shooters that had become its main focus, and create an experience that could be more approachable. Diverging from both the heavy military theme of games like DoDonPachi and Ketsui, as well as the more colorful fantasy worlds of Mushihimesama, Ibara, and Espgaluda, this game saw CAVE exploring more of a gothic horror kind of look and feel. It also gave players more control of the horizontal space by allowing them to shoot both left and right, allowing for more freedom in strategic play. Deathsmiles also introduced a variable difficulty based on the path you take through the game.

Windia is a girl who had just moved to London, when suddenly she was whisked away in a flash of light as she was on her way to school. Transported to the magical world of Gilverado, she is taken in by Count Dior, and trained to realize her magical powers. Then she can join the other lost girls in defending the world of Gilverado against an invading horde of monsters. What horrors await Windia and the others as they work to free the land from this evil? Join the RF Generation Shmup Club in October 2022 as we find out, when we play the CAVE classic Deathsmiles!

Sign up here to participate:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19691.0

[FRO]

Toaplan is a legendary developer at this point, having helped propel the shoot-em-up genre to new heights in the late 80's and early 90's. While they burned brightly for a few short years, they developed a number of highly influential titles. One of the hallmarks of Toaplan games is their level of challenge. Most of their games are considered among the most difficult in the genre, at least in terms of earlier games, prior to the shift toward manic and danmaku style. Toaplan has a couple games that stand above the rest, in terms of the sheer difficulty, however.

Upon its release in arcades, Toaplan's Same! Same! Same! immediately stood out in comparison to its predecessor, Hishouszame, which we knew in the West as Flying Shark. At the time, it could have been considered one of the most difficult shooter that had released up to that point. Thankfully, when the game came westward, the difficulty was tempered somewhat, so as not to turn players away. The renamed Fire Shark also got a home release on the Sega Megadrive and Genesis, and Toaplan themselves took the time to retool the game to balance it better. Join the RF Generation in November 2022 as we take on one of Toaplan's most infamous challenges with Fire Shark!

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[FRO]

Sometimes a game takes a very different path than expected, before it is released. Most of the team who designed the Taito shooter Gun Frontier returned for another shoot-em-up, at the time tentatively titled "Project Gun Frontier 2" as a starting point for development. At some point, the game was considered as a possible 3rd game in the Darius series. In the end, however, the project became its own game, with some of its own unique mechanics. What we ended up with is the now classic, Metal Black.

Released in arcades in 1991, and later on the Sega Saturn in 1996, Metal Black has a unique power-up system that sees you collecting small particles known as "Newalone" to gradually increase the power of your ship, until you reach maximum power. Once you do, you can unleash a beam of destruction to take out enemies. You can also use your beam to duel with bosses who will fire a similar beam. This ended up being a major inspiration for Taito's later Darius series game, G-Darius. Join the RF Generation Shmup Club in 2023, and pilot the CF-345 Black Fly alongside us, as we play the Taito classic Metal Black!

To participate, sign up in the thread here:
http://www.rfgeneration.com/forum/index.php?topic=19705.0

[To Far Away Times]

Metal Black is cool. As a shmup, its solid but not spectacular. But presentation wise oh lawd is it awesome. That game has a vibe all its own. Well worth spending some time with just because of how strong the theme is and how committed the game is to being an experience. It's still got plenty of bite though, its no pushover.

[FRO]

Metal Black is cool. As a shmup, its solid but not spectacular. But presentation wise oh lawd is it awesome. That game has a vibe all its own. Well worth spending some time with just because of how strong the theme is and how committed the game is to being an experience. It's still got plenty of bite though, its no pushover.

I found the RNG in the game to be an issue, as well as the weird spikes in difficulty in different places. Stage 2, the gauntlet near the end of the level is quite the jump, unless you know exactly how to route it, and exactly where you need to bomb to clear out all the pesky enemies with the diagonal shots.

[FRO]

We'll be playing the venerable Konami classic Gradius II for March 2023! A noticeable step up in graphics and overall presentation from the original arcade game, it also received a very competent port on the PC Engine, and a tweaked Famicom release that is quite impressive for the hardware. Between the recent Arcade Archives release, the Gradius collection on PSP, and the aforementioned console versions, there are plenty of ways to play and experience Gradius II. Pick your preferred version, or play them all, and let us know what you think! Share high scores, and let's have some fun competition.

Join our new Discord server to participate with us:
https://discord.gg/9NgPxPaX