Which shmup had the largest development budget?

[MrOldSchoolCool]

I'd be curious what the answer is. I'm sure somebody here knows.

[Bonus!]

My guess would be that the X360 release of SDOJ is right up there since it has an anime intro, high-quality voice actors, several new modes, and even a new soundtrack.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Gradius V looked expensive at the time. I bet some of the more graphically impressive older arcade titles were expensive to make at the time. Maybe Xevious or something like that. I remember reading something about Taito dropping a ton of cash on Gun Frontier.

[AntiFritz]

I don't know how much but dariusburst AC couldn't have been cheap could it?

[CIT]

Do you mean largest in absolute numbers or adjusted for average dev budget at the time?

I'm thinking anything with dedicated hardware was probably pretty expensive, so one of the widescreen Darii maybe?

[mastermx]

Sine Mora must have had a very large budget. The game looks stunning.

[Ed Oscuro]

Sine Mora must have had a very large budget. The game looks stunning.

Took the words outta my mouth

[klausien]

What about Philosoma? All CGI FMV flash and no substance.

[Krooze L-Roy]

I would think it would be something by Cave, since they seem to be in the poorhouse, despite practically all their games being huge hits.

[system11]

I'm thinking Gradius V - that was outsourced to a development house and based on no pre-existing code or assets.

[Imhotep]

Do you mean largest in absolute numbers or adjusted for average dev budget at the time?

Both would be interesting to know.

I'd also have pointed to Taito, Rayforce seems like an effort without compromise, as do the Darii.

Although, the relatively highest budget might have happend around Space Invaders, who knows.

Also, Treasure's games are pioneering, abundant efforts.

[ptoing]

Also, Treasure's games are pioneering, abundant efforts.

That might be so, but that does not mean that they had a high budget in every case. IIRC Ikaruga was pretty much a side project that Iuchi and the mostly 2 other guys did in their free time.

[50Hz]

Cho Aniki.

[RNGmaster]

i imagine hiring all those bodybuilders for mocap would cost a lot, yeah

[neorocker]

Based on those involved I'd probably chalk it up to Sine Mora.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Not Einhänder or the Sega CD Silpheed by any chance?
I'm thinking, we haven't really seen any more games with this bombastic presentation since.

[Sly Cherry Chunks]

I'm going to say R-Type Final. Long CGI Intro, backgrounds modeled to an extreme level of detail, I think there`s 14 in total iirc. 101 ships. All those little tutorial videos (with that special level modeled just for the tutorial). That tacked-on VS mode. They probably saved a bundle on playtesting though.

[BIL]

They probably saved a bundle on playtesting though.

[KAI]

I'm sure Einhander was stupidly expensive. SQ yo!

[eatfrog]

I think that the era when they made custom hardware must have been much more expensive than any recent games. I seem to recall that for raiden 2 they had a team working for 1.5 years on the hardware, and when they were done they started on the actual game.

[Mero]

I remember reading something about Taito dropping a ton of cash on Gun Frontier.

Probably something like this, from the late 80's or early 90's.

[Skykid]

I would think Gradius V.

Looks like a jewel, financed by Konami during their boom years, music by Sakimoto, outsourced in partnership with Treasure.

All gloss baby.

[nasty_wolverine]

How did no one mention the multiscreen darius games?

[trap15]

I'd also have pointed to Taito, Rayforce seems like an effort without compromise, as do the Darii.

I'm thinking anything with dedicated hardware was probably pretty expensive, so one of the widescreen Darii maybe?

I don't know how much but dariusburst AC couldn't have been cheap could it?

Did you even read the thread?

[shmuppyLove]

How did no one mention the multiscreen darius games?

I'm thinking anything with dedicated hardware was probably pretty expensive, so one of the widescreen Darii maybe?

I don't know how much but dariusburst AC couldn't have been cheap could it?

I'd also have pointed to Taito, Rayforce seems like an effort without compromise, as do the Darii.

They did

[moh]

beat to the punch .__.

[ciox]

Also, Treasure's games are pioneering, abundant efforts.

That might be so, but that does not mean that they had a high budget in every case. IIRC Ikaruga was pretty much a side project that Iuchi and the mostly 2 other guys did in their free time.

IMO this goes for Gradius V as well, it has Hiroshi Iuchi's usual graphics nearly everywhere (too much if you ask some people), and the bosses are mostly imposing but easy to make stuff like Big Cores or stuff like the multi-legged walker that are more impressive because of good programming, lots of it probably from Iuchi again given all the usual hide-behind-cover stuff, he's even credited for special effects iirc, won't deny the game is very polished but a huge amount of the work seems to be done by a small group of people, Sakimoto is great too but it's not like they hired an orchestra.
Speaking of, it's been like 5 months since that PS3 ESRB rating hype and not a peep about it since.

[To Far Away Times]

I would guess Gradius V for consoles.

Darius Burst Another Chronicle for arcades.

[KAI]

HARDWARE DOESN'T COUNT!

[GSK]

Does Sin & Punishment 2 count? I think Maegawa said that was the biggest game they'd ever worked on.