Do you stick to a certain type of shmup?

[shmupsrocks]

Do you collect and play any kind of shmup or are there certain attributes you look for? I seem to gravitate toward sprite-based arcade shmups from the 90s. (Autoscrolling of course.)

Radiant Silvergun for example and the shmups on the Naomi platform are beautiful but they don't make me want to dive in. I like Blazing Star so pre-rendered seems to work. 80s shmups look too old to me. Raiden from 1990 is the oldest shmup I've found that I like. An exception to the 90s thing are the NG Dev Team shmups on Neo Geo which are much newer.

[ciox]

I seem to like gimmick-based shmups with a lot of invincibility, I'm not that great at dodging, I also like a lot of 3D shmups for some reason, probably because they are more likely to be experimental and gimmick-based from coming out later into the genre's history.

[Mark_MSX]

I find that I tend to always play Danmaku/Bullet Hell shmups. I am going to try and start playing some more classic style shmups in the near future haha.

[garrz32]

Am not really into bullet hells ,there's too much going on at the screen that I can't keep up. I prefer the classics like R-Type,Salamander.

[WarpedByTheNHK]

Currently, I almost exclusively play games that have either been in the top 25 or honorable mentions for the annual shmup ranking because I feel like I need to be well rounded to even know what I like. So far, I think the biggest pattern for me is that I haven't really loved any shmup from before 1993. I am hoping that eventually changes though, since I still have a lot of old school shmups to play.

[shmupsrocks]

Where are those rankings posted? I saw the threads with the votes but I can't find rankings.

[Stevens]

Here is every game that has ranked in either the top 25 or HM:

Spoiler

All Past Top 25 Games (60 total)
Akai Katana
Armed Police Batrider
Axelay
Batsugun
Battle Bakraid
Battle Garegga
Border Down
Crimzon Clover / World Ignition
Dangun Feveron
Darius Burst: Another Chronicle / EX / Chronicle Saviours
Darius Gaiden
Deathsmiles
DoDonPachi
DoDonPachi Dai-Fukkatsu 1.5
DoDonPachi Dai-Ou-Jou
DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou
DonPachi
Dragon Blaze
Einhänder
Eschatos
ESPGaluda
ESPGaluda II
ESP Ra.De.
Gate of Thunder
Giga Wing
Gradius III (SNES)
Gradius Gaiden
Gradius V
Gunbird
Gunbird 2
Gunhed / Blazing Lazers
Guwange
Ibara
Ikaruga
Ketsui
Mars Matrix
Muchi Much Pork!
MUSHA Aleste
Mushihimesama
Mushihimesama Futari
Progear no Arashi
Radiant Silvergun
Raiden DX
Raiden Fighters Jet
RayForce / Layer Section / Gunlock / Galactic Attack
R-Type
R-Type Delta
Salamander / Life Force (ARC)
Sengoku Blade
Shikigami no Shiro II
Soldier Blade
Soukyugurentai
Strikers 1945 II
Thunder Force III
Thunder Force IV / Lightening Force
Thunder Force V
Under Defeat
Winds of Thunder / Lords of Thunder
Zanac Neo
Zero Gunner 2


All Past Honorable-Mention-Only Games (56 total)
19XX: The War Against Destiny
Blazing Star
Cho Ren Sha 68K
Cyvern
Deathsmiles II
Dimahoo / Great Mahou Daisakusen
DoDonPachi Dai-Fukkatsu Black Label
Embodiment of Scarlet Devil
Fire Shark / Same! Same! Same!
Flying Shark / Hishouzame
G.Darius
Gaiares
Galaga
Giga Wing 2
Ginga Force
Gokujou Parodius
Gradius / Nemesis
Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou / Vulcan Venture
Hellfire
Hellsinker
Imperishable Night
Judgement Silversword
Kamui
Metal Black
Mountain of Faith
Parodius / Parodius Da!
Parsec47
Perfect Cherry Blossom
Phantasmagoria of Dim. Dream
Phantasmagoria of Flower View
Pink Sweets
Psyvariar 2
Pulstar
Raiden
Raiden II
Raiden IV
Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive
Recca
R-Type III: The Third Lightning
R-Type Final
Salamander / Life Force (NES)
Salamander 2
Sexy Parodius
Shienryu / Shienryu Gekioh / Gekioh: Shooting King
Stargate / Defender II
Strikers 1945
Strikers 1999 / Strikers 1945 III
Super Aleste / Space Megaforce (SNES)
Tatsujin / Truxton
Thunder Dragon 2
Triggerheart Exelica
Twin Cobra / Kyukyoku Tiger
Twinkle Star Sprites
U.N. Squadron / Area 88 (SNES)
Undefined Fantastic Object
Zanac (NES) / Zanac EX

Last years voting thread:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=61774

Not sure where the result thread is.

[FRO]

I tend to prefer a more classic style, though as a collector, I am trying to own as many of them as I can. I have purchased a few bullet hell games that I'd like to get into, however, so I can further explore the genre into areas I'm only familiar with through watching replays, reading about the games, etc.

[davyK]

My tastes are more for vertical.

Apart from that no real type. I prefer ships to humanoid avatars.

But then I break both of those by being very fond of Deathsmiles.

Bullet hell doesn't put me off - quite like that style of game - but bullet speed will put me off if it's too quick. I'm just too old for that sort of thing.

I suppose I like unusual art styles.

[WarpedByTheNHK]

Where are those rankings posted? I saw the threads with the votes but I can't find rankings.

Here is the current results thread:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=62178

[Austin]

I don't have a specific preference and sort of go through phases. Probably once a year I get on a bullet hell kick for a short bit (that was back in April or so this year). More recently I've been into more of the older console arcade conversions (Toaplan style) along with some of the exclusive home releases from the 16-bit era.

[Knightmare]

I'm not a fan of bullet hell games. I've tried a bunch and I just can't get into them, unfortunately. Maybe that would change if I dedicated myself to really learning one. I can't get enough of classic or classic-inspired shmups though. I used to prefer horizontal shmups because vertical games very rarely have environmental obstacles which I really like in hori games, but in recent years I've warmed up to vertical games and now I like them about equally.

[redapocalypse]

I guess that I like those games that value memorization, since I'm quite bad at reaction speed.

[Kollision]

I play them all
old, new, vert, hori, iso, mixed, sci-fi, lolis, etc

[Dongolopticon]

I like shmups that make things challenging with variation and unique attacks/mechanics instead of just bullet patterns. Many old horis had this going on. I suppose something like Ketsui is right in-between the two, which is why it's a rare Cave that I like. Overall I'd much rather deal with new things each level/boss than just progressively harder sameness.

Especially fond of shmups that fully use whatever they give the player, which is to say, they also build the enemies around it. From good ol' R-type to newer games like Hellsinker.

For presentation, I like minimalism. A story is fine but shouldn't interrupt a shmup much. To hell with Touhou. Praise Enhainder. For a newer game, Cambria Sword does this really well (though it's not exactly a great game overall).

[AkumaLeoN]

Here is every game that has ranked in either the top 25 or HM:

Spoiler

All Past Top 25 Games (60 total...

Last years voting thread:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=61774

Not sure where the result thread is.

Yeah! Awesome list, few of them I coudn't even remember!!
I remember how I enjoyed to play ZERO GUNNER for the first time using the axis rotation!!

[Gamer707b]

I don't stick to a style but I rather gravitate towards certain systems. I love playing on Saturn, and generally the 16 bit stuff.

[Stevens]

Never answered the original question.

Like someone else said - I'm to old for small, fast aimed bullets - prefer bullet hell.

Sprites are king, and hi res polygons are good too, but I am put off by 5th gen 3d graphics. My own hangup I know.

Games where you choose one weapon early or at the start and have them for the whole game. Love that. Though there are exceptions they are rare.

Lolis and high pitched voices are an instant turn off. In the select screen fine, but when I'm playing I want to destroy giant rampaging robots, huge military vehicles that would make Cobra Commander proud , and spaceships. That are occasionally shaped like dicks.

[Special World]

I don't have a particular type that I gravitate toward. I tend to like verts. I mostly just want them to not be stodgy and lame.

Something that breaks the mold a bit but still feels solid.

See: Eschatos, ZeroRanger, Mecha Ritz, Mars Matrix, Gate of Thunder

[Square_Air]

I'll throw some time into anything, even if it looks like complete garbage. I used to be more into modern shmups, but my palette has become quite varied in recent years. I hardly even pick what shmups I actually play anymore, it's borderline random.

[tizerist]

As long as it's horizontal and you control a spaceship, I'm in.

[Naiera]

I rarely touch anything that isn't Cave or doesn't remind me of Cave.

[trap15]

I rarely touch anything that isn't Cave or doesn't remind me of Cave.

But why?

[Jeneki]

Air Buster stage 2 is called Mechanized Cave, which obviously makes it the best shmup ever.

[Vludi]

I tend to stick to late 80s to mid 90s games, especially verts.

[M.Knight]

I play plenty of different shmups, but I think the ones that resonate with me the most as of now are the more frantic ones with emphasis on moving a lot, destroying enemies fast, using cool weapons and bombs and macro-dodging. When I first started, I played a lot of Touhou games and enjoyed them but nowadays, the need to dodge by moving a tiny circle inside tiny gaps without even looking at the boss doesn't feel as thrilling as something like Dangun or Kotsujin where you can actually feel the destructive power of your weapons and wouldn't want to be near bullets to dodge them.

Of course, danmaku games can still be interesting but I think I mostly play them if they have a weapon toolset that feels interactive and more engaging than the basic shot/laser configuration. Stuff like Graze Counter's Hypers/Counter, or Fairy Wars's ice.

On the other hand, I have also enjoyed a few slower-paced hori old school shmups such as the Darius games or Metal Black. They have their own strengths, their own focus on a journey rather than frantic score chasing which is also very pleasant in its own way. They are not as instantly replayable but it's always good to come back to them from time to time.

In the end, I think it's good to play as many shmups as possible when starting out, as to really know which ones you will gravitate towards. It's easy to think the first shmup we've played is the best if we click with it but tastes change as you learn more about the genre.

[Koa Zo]

I don't know.
What kind of shoot-'em-ups are 1942, Aero Fighters 2, Strikers 1945 II, Zero Gunner 2, Trizeal?
...those are the type I gravitate towards.

[Hagane]

Fast bullets and aggressive playstyle for me. Psikyo games and Raiden Fighters that reward you for speedkilling are my favorites.

[OlDirty]

I play 95% just Cave games. Absolute love that stile of shmups.

[KaizaCorp]

I mostly play vertical CAVE-style shooters; they were the first ones I got into (BWR+, Mushihimesama on Steam). Although I'm trying to broaden my shmup horizons by playing more Psikyo + Seibu Kaihatsu. Hoping to break my bad habit of never bombing!