Gradius V VS. R-TYPE Final VS. ThunderForce VI

[1983parrothead]

Which of these 3 games is best?

I'm pretty sure Gradius V would win because of its developers. Irem and especially Sega don't get much loving when it comes to shmups.

[Pretas]

Gradius V is the obvious correct answer. Final and TFVI are thematically, aurally and visually quite impressive, but have little to offer in the gameplay department.

[Squire Grooktook]

Gradius V for sure, it's not to everyone's tastes, but it's a great game. Thunder Force VI would be a second, but it's flawed. R-Type Final expands on lore more than anything else, but the level design is weak. Has its moments though.

[Pretas]

Final would be considerably better if all the slowdown was removed. It gets incredibly bad during the more graphically demanding scenes.

Also, that horrid battleship stage where the screen gets increasingly distorted on higher speed settings could really have stood to lose its gimmick.

[Squire Grooktook]

Final would be considerably better if all the slowdown was removed. It gets incredibly bad during the more graphically demanding scenes.

Also, that horrid battleship stage where the screen gets increasingly distorted on higher speed settings could really have stood to lose its gimmick.

Yeah. Also overall the stages are just too long and too slow. Not enough environmental hazards either, and a bit too much reliance on CtrlC CtrlV enemy formations. Some of the bosses are really cool, like the stage 4 and 5 bosses, but it's still easily the most flawed entry in the series IMO.

[BIL]

Gradius V is easily the least flawed of those three. I'm not a particularly big fan of it or Treasure either. I rank it firmly below R-Type Delta, Thunder Force IV and Gradius Gaiden, mostly due to pacing issues in the sleepy opening three stages. It's simply on better form than the other two, regardless.

[antron]

I asked a question like this once at shoryuken, the first response was, "I don't know, but what's better, tacos or something?". Then 20 assholes started talking about tacos. I love this place.

[Captain]

Gradius V wins easily.

The real title should be "Gradius V VS. R-TYPE Delta VS. ThunderForce V"

[Ghegs]

The real title should be "Gradius V VS. R-TYPE Delta VS. ThunderForce V"

Replace Gradius V with Gradius Gaiden and then we've got a proper fight on our hands.

[BrianC]

The real title of this thread should be Gradius V vs. Batman. Every vs topic is better with Batman!

[BIL]

The real title of this thread should be Gradius V vs. Batman. Every vs topic is better with Batman!

Replace MD Batman's schumping stages with FC Batman and we've got a proper murder on our hands. :3

edit

But for real, Gradius Gaiden vs R-Type Delta vs Thunder Force IV = MATCH OF CHAMPIONS

[Damocles]

Joke thread is joke.

[Plasmo]

Tacos.

[emphatic]

Tacos.

[antron]

NOOOOOOOO!!!!

Gradius V all the way. It a brilliant tribute to the series. Irem gets plenty of love, just not for that one. I didn't even realize Sega had done TF6.

[professor ganson]

The real title should be "Gradius V VS. R-TYPE Delta VS. ThunderForce V"

Replace Gradius V with Gradius Gaiden and then we've got a proper fight on our hands.

Yeah, I wouldn't know what to say in that case, though I might put TF V last simply because I like the series the least of the three.

[BIL]

Turn your back for a second, and everybody's MUNCHIN' SWEET TACOS



I often forget I actually own TFV (SS ver). For me it's nearly as ornamental as Final and TFVI... when at the controls I get a definite, downright electrifying buzz out of the production as a whole (area bboss is appro.pro.pr▌█▓proach■■□█▓ing■▌█▓■▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ FEAR THE REAPER), but level design is such a step down from TFIII and IV, the latter of which is in rip-roaring form on the same console along with Hyper Duel. It's unfortunately not the unlikely latter-day triumph that Gradius Gaiden and Delta represent for their series.

Rob was too right re: TFVI - GET THAT TFV BOX FACTORY OUTTA MY FACE SEGA

Best part of shooter favourite waffling is ultimately not having to choose, OFC.

"Well can I have ya both?!"

[mehguy]

Why does everyone pick gradius 5? What makes it better than thunder force 6 and final?

[CStarFlare]

Gradius V consistently either ranks in the top 25 or gets an honorable mention in this forum's Best Of polls. ThunderForce VI and R-Type Final have probably never gotten a vote.

The general consensus is that Gradius V did what it did very well, even if its take on the formula wasn't universally approved of. R-Type Final and TF VI are typically considered to be among the poorest entries in their respective series.

[BIL]

Why does everyone pick gradius 5? What makes it better than thunder force 6 and final?

It's more what makes TFVI and Final generally fall under par. Both suffer from simplistic, sometimes outright vacant stage design compared to their better-liked predecessors, and include some questionable systems (VI's overpowered weapons and rewarding of boss instakills, Final's rejecting of a small and tightly balanced ship roster for a massive, lopsided one). GV mostly avoids such basic shooter design errors. As I said I'm not a huge fan of it but it's fundamentally the best of the three.

[mehguy]

Gradius V consistently either ranks in the top 25 or gets an honorable mention in this forum's Best Of polls. ThunderForce VI and R-Type Final have probably never gotten a vote.

The general consensus is that Gradius V did what it did very well, even if its take on the formula wasn't universally approved of. R-Type Final and TF VI are typically considered to be among the poorest entries in their respective series.

So it's basically comparing raiden 3 to ikaruga. raiden 3 is the worst in the series.

[BIL]

So it's basically comparing raiden 3 to ikaruga.

Not really, no. Raiden III's issue is regression. Ignore its categorically superior predecessor Raiden DX, and you've still got a perfectly competent sequel to the original game. Final and TFVI have design issues that knock them right out of Gradius/R-Type/Thunder Force orbit, where GV is competent at the very least.

[Captain]

Slight derailment.

To properly enjoy thunder force games, you must

-Refuse to use overweapon or thunder sword. Do not get Sever if you're playing TF3.
-Refuse to use free range in TF5/TF6 and hunter in all games. (a real challenge would be to ONLY use free range in TF4)
-Play on the hardest difficulty of every game. Play with the Runex in TF6.


You could say that games that require you to limit yourself are bad, but really, this is how a true shmupper enjoys it, TF is oriented to the aspiring newbies.

[BIL]

I prefer to just load up and let rip. TFIV is the best of the series since, even if you do this, it won't be easy (Hyper Duel's rank is similarly effective - shoot all you like, it won't let up). TFV and VI got into trouble with a combination of lacking stage design and Free Range. I do occasionally play the former without FR and enjoy a few normally unseen boss patterns, despite the game proceeding to call me a bumbling asshole with a bevy of x1s. But then FR's actually a really cool weapon, so going without it quickly gets old. Rynex does help in TFVI.

For me Tecno Soft shooters are primarily about shearing through metal hordes with sweet weapons to rockin' BGM. They're not like Gradius, R-Type or Darius games where you're in a mortal struggle against harsh odds and must somehow make ends meet. Trying to make them like this leaves me dissatisfied. Sometimes a little release is nice. ^_~

[Volteccer_Jack]

Final's ridiculous ship roster is da bomb. Crank up the difficulty and the game is awesome. 5.0 is one of the best R-Type stages full stop. I'll take the flawed fun over Gradius V's boring excellence any day. Delta's overrated ass should stay in the 90s where it belongs.

[BIL]

True - there is in fact one good stage in Space Gran Turismo. Delta belongs in the 80s with the original and II if anything, being the sole great console entry - not to imply III is anywhere near as bad as Final, it just has the second worst first stage in shooter history and a couple of boring/bad spots afterward.

[EmperorIng]

not to imply III is anywhere near as bad as Final, it just has the second worst first stage in shooter history and a couple of boring/bad spots afterward.

That's a serious accusation when games like Strike Gunner STG exit.

[BIL]

I will not be deterred. I hereby pit R-Type III against any and all comers for the title of Second Worst First Shooter Stage Ever. The winning rep will receive his weight in Sweet Tacos, a crate of Red Bull and a CDR copy of R-Type Final that loops stages 1.0 3.0 and 3.5 forever.

[Captain]

I will not be deterred. I hereby pit R-Type III against any and all comers for the title of Second Worst First Shooter Stage Ever. The winning rep will receive his weight in Sweet Tacos, a crate of Red Bull and a CDR copy of R-Type Final that loops stages 1.0 3.0 and 3.5 forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekHWHyCMjS0

[BIL]

Ahahaha... NO. (・｀ω´・) Wayyy too much stuff going on in XDR's first stage for it to challenge R-Type III's vacuous, hardware demo wanking torpor, and it's also not even five minutes in length! BAAAHAHAHAHA! Gonna have some SWEET TACOS 2NITE. Step up your game mon Capitan!

Also, XDR is a wrongly slandered gem of the MD library. (・｀ω´・)

Well no, it's meh, but it's mostly just a fugly Gradius knockoff - certainly not a kusoge apocalypse like some here have said! And Gradius knockoffs are rare on MD!