FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

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Special World
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FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Special World »

With how intimidating this genre can be for new players, I was wondering if we could have a topic of games that are (comparatively) easy to 1CC ~AND~ are also fun games. No need to list games you don’t like, because why even bother playing them? I’d rather bang my head against Ketsui for 1000 hours than play a snoozer that gives up the ghost. Also, try to bear in mind games that are noticeably easier than the genre at large! I don’t care if you personally find DOJ easy—it’s not a noticeably easy shmup. That being said, here are some easier games thatI’ve really enjoyed playing:

- GG Aleste 3 off of M2’s recent Aleste Collection is an absolute banger, and one of the easier shmups i’ve ever played
- Eschatos easy mode is a blast
- Psyvariar Delta’s shorter routes are very manageable
- Deathsmiles, of course, is Cave’s easiest game by a country mile, and lets you select the difficulty for each stage

I want to say that a lot of PC-Engine games are manageable, but I haven’t spent a ton of time with them.

What are your favorite “easy” shooters?
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Ddshot
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Ddshot »

Batsugun!


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Kiken
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Kiken »

Thunder Force III (MD/Genesis)
Salamander/Life Force (FC/NES)
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SPM
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by SPM »

This one's a good resource: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=56114

Also, as I've been hooked since January: Rolling Gunner's Casual mode is a perfectly easy 1CC.
Danmaku Unlimited 3 makes for an easy 1CC as well (on medium difficulty).

These 2 are not on that list but are so much fun, so there you go. And you can always dive deeper and go for the default difficulty if you want more out of them (but those difficulties will not be on the easy side though)
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MathU
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by MathU »

Karous is a very easy game to simply clear but the real challenge comes from scoring.
Of course, that's just an opinion.
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Jonpachi
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Jonpachi »

Sister's Royale is breezy and fun.

Rolling Gunner: Overpowered is just that, and the player is so OP that I cleared it the first time I played it.

All three of the GG Aleste games are quite manageable with minimal practice.
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BIL
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by BIL »

Sticking to arcade stuff for the time being (there's mountains of quality easier 1CCs on MD/PCE alone - Elemental Master (MD) for one, a frantic yet expertly player-friendly battle on two fronts, and Soldier Blade, a sleek cruise that'll teach you some Option-maneuvering basics on its sniper/dragnet-heavier Hard mode) - I had a good time with Thunder Cross (Japan ver), back when I first rediscovered arcade games. The Option system (chopped from US ver, avoid that one) is powerful but also very engaging, from novice standpoint. Even now I have a great time dominating each stage with it. Hyper Duel (AC/SAT) is very much Elemental Master's arcade counterpart, for Tecno Soft. Generous game that parlays its largesse into big guns, slicing mobility and massive hordes. Saturn's the definitive with its Valken-style aim lock, but AC's fine in its own right (both on the disc).

It's always important to me that recommendations like this not be merely easy, more balanced in the player's favour. This also means keeping hard memo to a relative minimum - obviously any hardcore action game gains from rehearsal, just no R-Type III lava mazes when they're just starting out. All of the above also benefit not only from big, screen-shredding guns, but another key STG asset, bangin tunes :cool:

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scrilla4rella
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by scrilla4rella »

I'll second the GG Aleste games as and easy and fun 1cc. Same with Thunder Force 3. Related to that is Gate of Thunder on the TG16/PCE. It's a great game with a very doable clear on normal. A lot of Compile games would fall into this category such as Spriggan and Aleste (on the MSX2, the Master System version wrecks me). Fire Shark on Genesis/Mega Drive (normal difficulty) came easy for me

Edit: Good call Biru on Elemetal Master. Great game that's very manageable.
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Special World
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Special World »

BIL wrote: It's always important to me that recommendations like this not be merely easy, more balanced in the player's favour. This also means keeping hard memo to a relative minimum - obviously any hardcore action game gains from rehearsal, just no R-Type III lava mazes when they're just starting out. All of the above also benefit not only from big, screen-shredding guns, but another key STG asset, bangin tunes :cool:]
Definitely. That’s precisely what I like about GGALESTE3, and not so much M2’s other easy modes. The game is fast-paced and engaging, but the shield and the constant micro-invincibilities from powerups give you a lot of resources to work with.
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PerishedFraud ឵឵
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by PerishedFraud ឵឵ »

Spoiler
PLAY OUT ZONE

As much as I'm meming it's also a very serious answer.

If you can survive long enough to get the super ball (not a difficult feat) the game will be very generous to you with the metric fuckton of bombs you get, and the difficulty never really gets unbearable even on loops. I reckon it can be 1cc'd in 10 tries or less even if you've never touched the game. It's legitimately one of the easiest arcade shmups to get into.
Out of the arcade I'd offer up the entire thunder force series,including gate of thunder and elemental master as relatives. My recommended playing order is 3>got>em>5>4>2. Really good introduction to the genre as a whole. Axelay, while more difficult, is also a fantastic introduction, basically being shmup-the game and oozing style everywhere.

Also I might as well post a bitching song myself.
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BIL
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by BIL »

METAL-YUHKI is the man Image his THEME OF RAGAMUFFIN is an all-time classic symphonic metal headstomper - and he has many more tunes besides! Like the Anthem-blagging SHADOW SOLDIER.

"Shadow Soldier?" more like...

BOUND. TO. BREEEAAAK!

(I like to think he was geeking out at Anthem mainman Naoto Shibata arranging his songs for the BATTLE PERFECT SELECTION series :mrgreen:)
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Special World
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Special World »

Very much looking forward to OutZone when the M2 Toaplan collection drops. Never played a Toaplan anything!
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Lethe
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Lethe »

Could cheat and say a bunch of doujin games, but instead I'll say just one: Dokingan. Ridiculously aggressive system (stand in explosions to score) with autobomb recharged by grazing. You can make mistakes constantly but as long as you have the balls to graze a little in between them you'll get away with it. You lose the multiplier you spend the whole game building up upon an actual miss, so there's a balance between taking a lot of risks and too many. Would be pretty high on my list of games to introduce someone to the genre with.

Batsugun Special 1-ALL is probably the easiest arcade thing that isn't broken or sleep-inducing.
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To Far Away Times
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by To Far Away Times »

Lots of great console games that are easy and awesome:

Thunderforce III
Thunderforce V
Soldier Blade
Blazing Lazers
Spriggan
MUSHA
Elemental Master
Gleylancer

If you see Compile or Technosoft on the box art, you're going to be in for a good time and usually it's an easy clear (with some exceptions).
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by MathU »

Vacant Ark is a tragically overlooked doujin freeware shooter.
Of course, that's just an opinion.
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BIL
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by BIL »

Will submit Kamui on the doujin front, another committedly hardcore yet notably player-friendly STG. If you want Rayforce lockon action without the crushing pressure - your ship is quick, has a tiny hitbox, and survives multiple hits, and even if you're cornered, just cockslap them with your Massive Fuckoff Laser™ - or Soukyugurentai lockon action without having to avoid the shot button - shooting is integral - it will perform! Incandescently, shrapnel-spewingly destructive, with a driven techno-melancholy air and soldiering OST. Very likeable game, offering a lot to grapple with if you stick around post-clear.

I'll also mention Samidare, which while simultaneously smaller and meaner in nature, by virtue of that same blistering concision is a good way for newbies to get endgame pressure without putting in endgame hours (source: was newbie, was scurred by Anareta's laser wheels, felt embiggened when l2shield). Yet again, BANGIN CHOONS and ultra violent boss asplosions
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Jeneki »

"Normal course" in Batrider and Bakraid.
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Licorice
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Licorice »

Taito's Fighting Hawk. Kyukyoku Tiger-like sans panning. Which is a big difference.
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by SuperDeadite »

Battle Mania Daiginjou. Easy, but so much fun to play over and over again.
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by donluca »

Batsugun Special and Blue Wish Resurrection are among the most satisfying and easy 1CCs I've had.

Interesting lists though, I should really dig deeper into console shmups.

Keep 'em coming!
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by John4300 »

I'd say Dariusburst ACEX (It being part of the Dariusburst Chronicle Saviours or the new Cozmic Revelation, or in the arcade obviously if you're lucky) is pretty easy 1CC, at least with the easiest route. The game scales up quite nicely in difficulty too, gives variety of ships to play with and looks really nice with two screens or a superwide screen on PC (A big TV works too).

If you play Chronicles Saviours, the single screen CS mode also gives a nice variety of stages to play through, even though they loop through stage backgrounds and layouts for quite a lot. Good practice on the bosses too, as you can adjust the amount of shield and weapon power you have freely (As long as you have earned enough points). Ironically I'd say CS mode gets harder than AC, mostly due to Gigantic Bite.

The music is also something you love or hate. Darius series overall seems to be something you love or hate.
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by BareKnuckleRoo »

Vastynex (PC): very easy to 1CC, but extremely fun, a love letter to Thunder Force games

Crisis Force (NES): fun and extremely forgiving, transforming your ship on the fly is a lot of fun

Terra Force (Arcade): neat game that mixes hori and very, but quite easy, I 1CC'd it in only a couple of credits as a relative newbie to 1CCing arcade shmups

GG Aleste 1/2/3 (Game Gear/PS4/Switch): great series, really not that tough to clear on Normal difficulty, with more challenging Mania modes available, very satisfying to play either way
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Wilsoncqb1911 »

Lords of Thunder, especially the Sega CD version is doable with only a bit if practice. Also, it's an amazing game.
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ZPScissors
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by ZPScissors »

Espgaluda isn't that hard of a game to 1cc. Not only that, it's a fairly easy game to start scoring too.
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Tarma »

Harmful Park is a huge amount of fun and very straight forward to 1CC on its easy setting.
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by blazinglazers69 »

In general, console games are easier. I suck and have managed GG Aleste 1 and 2, MUSHA, Blazing Lazers, Super Aleste, Thunderforce III, Deathsmiles, Blue Wish Resurrection +. Also the first Raiden Fighters on 360 Normal.

Currently working on Gun Nac, Gerkrinidan, and R Type Leo.
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by OmegaFlareX »

Star Parodia on PCE CD is probably the easiest shmup I've ever played across all platforms. It's so charming in its presentation so it fits the fun bill, IMO. There's also harder difficulties if one were so inclined.

Easiest arcade shmup is probably either Fire Barrel/Air Assault (from Irem, ironically) or Kyukyoku Tiger II (from Toaplan-turned-Takumi, ironically).
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by Martinov »

I'd agree with several of those mentioned already, and I'd also say Mushihimesama Futari Black Label original mode is also not too tough.
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by _rm_ »

I've seen a few lists like this before, and there is a game i never saw listed:

Gekirindan

Only recently i played this game on the Taito F3 and got the 1CC in only a couple of days. If you use P2 type C, the game is a breeze, you only need to change weapons a couple of times during the game to make it even easier.

Also, i find the game a lot of fun because it has many old school Toaplan elements and a very unique Zuntata OST (something i "learned" to iike).
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finisherr
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Re: FUN and “EASY” 1CCs

Post by finisherr »

Is it just me or does this question get asked about once a year or so?

I still have same same answer:

* Dodonpachi (1st loop)
* Futari Original Mode Black Label
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