"Pointing game" - the original Japanese name for the genre?

[Pretas]

Spotted this text on the Japanese flyer for Vulgus, Capcom's very first game and STG from 1984, which is indeed referred to as a "Pointing Game."

Was this just something Capcom made up, or was it a common industry term for Space Invaders/Xevious clones in Japan back in the day? I guess it makes sense, since you're always pointing in the same direction.

[KAI]

Petition to change the name of the forum.

[cools]

Petition for accepted abbreviation misspelling to be PUMPS

[LordHypnos]

Petition for accepted abbreviation misspelling to be PUMPS

IDK, I think RegalSin might disapprove

push, don't pump

[LSU]

Based on what I've seen of touch screen support for Otomedius, this term could be relevant again now.

[BIL]

Kim Jong Il released a number of Vulgus superplay DVDs in his prime, sadly embargoed from export. On his first credit he broke the WR a million times.

[Pretas]

Kim Jong Il released a number of Vulgus superplay DVDs in his prime, sadly embargoed from export. On his first credit he broke the WR a million times.

Too bad he didn't live to see the luxurious M2-ported 360/PS3 version of Vulgus with replays and leaderboards on Capcom Arcade Cabinet.

[Plasmo]

I guess it makes sense, since you're always pointing in the same direction.

It's probably not meant that way. It's clear from the short Japanese text, that they mean "scoring" and have it weirdly phrased as "pointing" which is not only grammatically challenging, but also ambiguous. It has nothing to do with the verb "to point at".

Having the main focus on score is quite a nice idea and could help to make other people understand the mentality of one credit only from the get-go when even the genre itself is termed after this.

Nice find!

[Despatche]

plasmo is right on the money. i have never seen the word "point" used like that and i don't believe i ever will again.

shmups and many other arcade games need to be considered on the same level as pinball is now. people already do this for donkey kong and etc to a certain extent, but...

[Lord Satori]

shmups and many other arcade games need to be considered on the same level as pinball is now.

Relevant in niche tournaments but otherwise dead? I'd rather not.

[Pretas]

Pinball is popular with a lot of older middle-aged men who have little or no interest in video games, because of the strong physical mechanical element of pinball tables. Repairing and restoring tables is something that electricians, carpenters and engineers can really get into. Many of them were baffled by the controls of Golden Age video games back in the day, and all their arcade memories of the era are of pinball. Often they're also the same people who tinker with their cars a lot, and see it as another hobby to apply their skills in. Also, pinball has a much longer history than video games and was never regarded as kiddie fare, even by tough guys, due to its long association with bars and gambling.

[Imhotep]

I understand "pointing games" as games where the player defines points with his input possibilities. This would actually be a very fitting description for the genre, as that's exactly what it's about: much more than shooting, the genre is all about positioning on a field where all directions are equal, movement-wise.

[trap15]

shmups and many other arcade games need to be considered on the same level as pinball is now.

Relevant in niche tournaments but otherwise dead? I'd rather not.

Accept the truth or don't, your choice.

Pinball is popular with a lot of older middle-aged men who have little or no interest in video games, because of the strong physical mechanical element of pinball tables. Repairing and restoring tables is something that electricians, carpenters and engineers can really get into. Many of them were baffled by the controls of Golden Age video games back in the day, and all their arcade memories of the era are of pinball. Often they're also the same people who tinker with their cars a lot, and see it as another hobby to apply their skills in. Also, pinball has a much longer history than video games and was never regarded as kiddie fare, even by tough guys, due to its long association with bars and gambling.

I understand "pointing games" as games where the player defines points with his input possibilities. This would actually be a very fitting description for the genre, as that's exactly what it's about: much more than shooting, the genre is all about positioning on a field where all directions are equal, movement-wise.

"Pointing" was a ridiculously silly translation, but Plasmo is almost certainly correct, it's "pointing" as in scoring.

[Gozer]

"No, not like Monkey Island."