Shmup Ticker: What are you playing RIGHT NOW?

[Stevens]

Oniros - I rather like Futari also. Came close to clearing original and then got sucked in by some other games. I'll get back to it at some point.

Played UD's 2nd loop again yesterday and lost my last life outside the final boss.

Border Down - Played a bit more yesterday. Still haven't cleared stage 3 but I did break 12 million. Which is probably shitty but whatever.

I'm not trying for a particular path, just trying to get as far as I can and eventually perhaps I can get myself the clear on 6A. I'm still a long way off from that though.

The one thing I really like about it is that there are essentially 5 score extends which as I (hopefully) improve will help me earn the clear.

I wasn't remotely ready for this game when I first purchased it, but I think I'm ready for it now.

[LordHypnos]

^Oniros is probably refering to the original Mushi rather than Futari.

After almost a week of not playing, I have been having some trouble with Under Defeat, but I feel like I'm coming close to where I was before. I have realized, though, that my second stage is still lacking, and haven't even started on trying to tackle stage 3 boss yet. Also played some Futari. Nothing really to report there.

[Oniros]

^Oniros is probably refering to the original Mushi rather than Futari.

Yep. Futari is better in many ways, but the charm of the original is unmatched. Also, dat stage 3.

[Stevens]

Whoops!

[ratikal]

Border Down - Played a bit more yesterday. Still haven't cleared stage 3 but I did break 12 million. Which is probably shitty but whatever.

Big score trick is in 3G. https://youtu.be/hpDOgXCYRyo?t=238. Note this guy dies twice on the boss to get the right amount of laser power for this.

[Stevens]

Border Down - Played a bit more yesterday. Still haven't cleared stage 3 but I did break 12 million. Which is probably shitty but whatever.

Big score trick is in 3G. https://youtu.be/hpDOgXCYRyo?t=238. Note this guy dies twice on the boss to get the right amount of laser power for this.

Wow. I had not seen that yet, badass. Thanks for posting!

I actually figured out something similar yesterday - There is a spot in stage 3 (can't remember what border tbh) where a few of those flowers that spin and spit bullets appear. I didn't kill them, instead I fired the laser in between them and rounded up a bunch of bullets. Not quite 999, but I'm starting the get the hang of it. Slowly.

Played some more UD. Made 2-3 from 1-1 and wound up with 3.7 million. Not my best score but still satisfying. Fricking died twice on 1-5 too..

[Shepardus]

I just bought Ikaruga on Steam and hope to 1cc it on Easy. So far I've managed to get to stage 3. I had been searching for something I wanted to 1cc, in addition to grinding runs on Battle Bakraid in the vain hope of getting more consistent, so I'm hoping this will scratch that itch. I've also been playing some Cho Ren Sha 68k, which I've been trying to 2-ALL for some time now. I've gotten very close several times, including getting to the TLB twice, but have never quite managed to do it. I often hesitate to play the game, not because I don't enjoy it (I love every credit I put into it), but because I'm not sure if I have the time and energy to focus on the game for up to 50 minutes. I never end up regretting it when I do decide to play the game, though - it's truly one of the most fun shmups ever made.

[OmKol]

Final Soldier. Cleared with 1 death. My goal: 1LC clear, maybe try harder difficulty.
It's only for me or any different weapon in Final Soldier is useless compared with default one?

[sphinxter666]

Mushihime sama Futari black label ver.1.5 ...... Wicked

[pokemon123]

along with DOJ dragon blaze! After the first stage I knew this was psyiko's best game by far! It is extremely hard though. Game demands a very agressive playstyle which I am just not good at. Playing strikers 1945 as well to get my psyiko fix without going insane. Much easier patterns at least although i still suck even after memoing some of the attacks because my reflexes are horrible haha.

[Shepardus]

Dragon Blaze is one of those games where I know I would have a much easier time if I didn't bother trying to score, but who can resist those gold coins?

I kind of feel the same way about Ikaruga right now, especially on the first stage where it seems like I could completely improvise the chaining but I always end up getting myself killed when I try to do so. Thankfully I've mostly been able to resist the temptation to score, at least for now.

[SMC]

Mushihimesama on the 360. I just love everything about this game.

I love this game too. I managed to 1cc Original not too long ago, which was my first (and only, to date) CAVE 1cc ever.

I was just messing around with ULTRA for a little bit, doing some practice on the first half of stage 2. It's like choreographing a dance with the amount of 'you have to be in this spot at this time or you'll lose control of the bullets and die'. But it feels good when I manage to pull it off, which isn't very often.

[cave hermit]

Bought xiizeal recently on steam, and I'm attempting to put a 3rd 1cc under my belt with it (The other two being Futari BL original mode, and Blue Wish Resurrection Plus [which was actually 1cc'd on my first credit]). The last time I checked, my high score was #8 on the leaderboards!

I'd like to pop in raiden fighters aces, but I want to try and focus on xiizeal to get that 1cc.

[Squire Grooktook]

Metal Black:

Been playing this a lot lately with BIL's guide as a supplement to the learning progress. I actually went in expecting an easy clear (had been told it was relatively easy once you knew about the hitbox on your shots, heh), but it definitely requires a bit of planning if you're not an outright excellent player.

My impressions of the game have strongly reversed since making it to stage 4. Besides the atmosphere becoming thicker and thicker, the level design really starts to shine with diverse and tricky enemies and terrain hazards that reward you for being aggressive.

The beam system feels a lot more fun once you realize that you're neither meant to spam beams nor refrain from using them at all, but instead save them for pre-planned moments in stages. Originally I hated the feeling of being powered down after using it, but when planned carefully, it still feels extremely useful and gives an interesting sense of vulnerability and nakedness post-use.

I wouldn't call it Taito's best, it feels a bit too static for my tastes and isn't quite as visceral as Darius or Rayforce, but it's quite a fun game once you get to know it.

Hishouzame:

I was a bit turned off by the move speed at first, but it's not so bad. The huge hitbox and fast bullets really keep you on the move, and impart that sense of visceral tension I love so much from older shmups. It's also nice that things get interesting from the first stage, unlike some older manic games where you have to play for 3 stages before anything gets shot at you

I like the simplicity of it, and the chunky hitbox dodging is good fun. I kinda wish it had just a little bit more going on onscreen instead of simply aimed sniper shots 90% of the time, and a little bit faster move speed, but it's still a very fundamentally satisfying game.

[BIL]

Stage 4 was when I really took a shine to MB, where I'd previously been attracted by the odd atmosphere. The terrain and formations bring the aura effect to the fore - particularly those setups where you're swarmed by aggressively charging zako while walkers snipe from afar. Flanking the former for aura kills while strafing the latter with return fire felt surprisingly elegant, yet gritty - like wielding a sword and shield in tandem. Suddenly stage 2's seeming abyss of death made a lot more sense. You're not meant to evade pushy stuff like mines, you're supposed to bash the rude fuckers down with your aura shield while the shot sword takes care of business further afield!

Bombing is... uh, calling in the occasional divine favour.

[Shepardus]

I got an A in stage 1 of Ikaruga for the first time today. Managed to keep my chain all the way through, but did so very slowly and missed a lot of enemies. I do like how Ikaruga's chaining system allows you to start slow and build up more optimized routes as you practice more.

[ciox]

I got an A in stage 1 of Ikaruga for the first time today. Managed to keep my chain all the way through, but did so very slowly and missed a lot of enemies. I do like how Ikaruga's chaining system allows you to start slow and build up more optimized routes as you practice more.

It's a great game, you'll have the S in no time I believe (needs 3 million points), I could never execute the final secret in the stage myself which is needed for an S++ but maybe someday, right now I'd like to get an S in chapter 3 since it's the only chapter where I don't have at least an S.

[Stevens]

2nd loop handed me my ass repeatedly last night. After my 4th failed run on stage 2 I knew it was time to turn it off.

Can we get an emoticon for being beaten while in the fetal position?

Still dabbling in Border Down and ZG 2.

[Cee]

Started playing sturmwind yesterday as a break from Gradius iv and Ketsui. Visually the game is stunning but unfortunately the game design is lacking, it's just ridiculously easy. I 1cced hard arcade mode in 5 tries....

[CWM]

Mostly Espgaluda and a few other games in an effort to learn to use an arcade stick. The difficulty curve in Espgaluda is just so weird, the game is mostly easy up until the final boss, who is about twice as hard as anything before him. I actually had a run where I got to him with 5 lives in stock and still game overed on his last pattern. I did start messing around and trying to dodge dangerous stuff left and right, but still, that's kind of crazy.

[Squire Grooktook]

Metal Black Paladin

Going with this outlook from now on.

Also spent an hour or so playing Same! Same! Same!

All I can say is holy shit.

[Ikazu-san]

Checking out Ray Force properly. I like the background destruction.

[mamboFoxtrot]

I got Taito Legends 2 and the Eschatos+GingerForce twin pack as birthday presents and have been playing those.

Raystorm is a lot more fun than I thought it would be. YT vids of STGs where the player is really good tend to make games look like they're total cakewalks lol. How is the HD port of this game?

G-Darius is also a lot of fun. Capturing random enemies to see what they do is a pretty awesome mechanic.

While I like Eschatos so far, I can't say the same for Ginga Force. I think the weapon energy limit is mostly what bugs me, especially during bosses, but the level design also feels messy in some places. Though, it could be that the multi-colored score tokens are messing with my perception of how much shit is really on the screen at any given time.

[Squire Grooktook]

Energy system and level design get better as you go in Ginga Force imo. I think it's worth sticking with it.

[Chaos Phoenixma]

Trying out the shooters in the CapCom Arcade Cabinet compilation since I bought it in the PS3 sale.


Section Z seems decent. May try to do better in it later, but only credit fed through the first loop so far.

Exed Exes is felt extremely long. Credit fed through the first loop getting the trophy for defeating Exed Exes. I used so many credits because the game is so difficult. I may try to do a bit better later on but I doubt I'd 1cc it any time soon if ever.

Gun.Smoke I played up to the second stage in. Pretty crazy game.

Didn't play too much of 1943 or 1943 Kai. Looks like the difficulty settings for this one may actually do something other than changing starting lives and extends.

Didn't play too much of 1942 yet either, but I should try.

Haven't messed with any of the other shooters yet, so still need to try out Vulgus, Side Arms, Legendary Wings.


I'm also not sure if any of the games have any important differences between Japanese and International versions. I had it set to Japanese for Savage Bees(so it was Exed Exes instead) but I think i had it on International for the others.

[Stevens]

Few more 2nd loop runs dying out on the last boss, I'd be tearing my hair out right now if I didn't have the clear already.

Little Grandia 2 to recharge my shooting game batteries in between.

[Kollision]

NES Star Force

[OmKol]

NES Star Force

Wow. Are you trying to clear all 24 stages? Did you watched my video replay? I can share some tactics and hints if you want.

[Kollision]

NES Star Force

Wow. Are you trying to clear all 24 stages? Did you watched my video replay? I can share some tactics and hints if you want.

That's awesome!!
Thanks for posting the video too, if my Internet gets installed this weekend I'll be sure to watch it.

Last week I went full throttle into Star Force, and last night I practiced that tough part after the bonus waves that don't shoot.
I found out that point-blanking these last waves works best, expect for those zipping fast ships of hell that cruise the screen vertically and the closing saucers.

I think I'm almost ready to go.

[pegboy]

I'm playing Super R-Type, trying to get the 2-ALL on hard. Dying anywhere on loop 2 is basically an instant game over. Ughh, what were they smoking making you start back at the beginning of the freaking level on death? Actually I guess that does give some sort of fighting shot because the possibility of reacquiring more powerups exists.