what was the golden era of shmupping?

[llabnip]

The eighties was the prehistoric age as most of those games are now totally unplayable or boring.

Ouch... those are my favorite era-games. Still more fun and playable than much of what's come out in 2000-2006, IMO.

Anyway, I'd say the golden era is from about 1990 (Thunderforce, Raiden) till about 1995 (DonPachi, Strikers 1945). On a personal note, I'd say I enjoy games from that era and the era before it most of all. I enjoy some games form 1996 onwards but to a lesser extent.

I'm off to buy Atari Anthology for PS2.

[Neon]

The eighties was the prehistoric age as most of those games are now totally unplayable or boring.

Like Rainbow Islands or half the good shit on NES/PCE? LOL!

@ Thunderforce: You view the end of shmups with mainstream appeal as a bad thing, then?

[professor ganson]

Wonderfully said, Thunder Force.

Yeah, very nice. Among other things, your remarks help to clarify how it is that both of the following are/might be true:
(i) Shmups were most popular and most plentiful BEFORE the manic era.
(ii) Many of the best shmups have come DURING the manic era.
Because developers were focusing on the harcore fans, and not general appeal, the manic era gave rise to some of the deepest, most complex, most difficult shooters.
I'm not assuming that more complex=better. A game like Twin Cobra has a beautiful simplicity that I love. Same for Galaga. But, generally speaking, depth is a good thing.

But now as I write this, I realize that my thoughts are mostly on the depth of later shooter, more complex scoring mechanics. Whereas Thunder Force was perhaps emphasizing the manicness (i.e. bullet-hell-ness) of manic shooters. So a question:
Is it fair to say that both of these changes (to the more manic and more complex scoring systems) came about as developers were shifting their attention to the hardcore audience?

[The Coop]

So a question:
Is it fair to say that both of these changes (to the more manic and more complex scoring systems) came about as developers were shifting their attention to the hardcore audience?

I have a feeling the shift to these bullet-laden dodge fests came about not because of a focusing on the "hardcore" core audience, but more because of a new gimmick that became popular. Companies saw that people liked the manic shmups, and so everyone tried to get in on it while it was popular. The same thing happened with fighting games, dancing games, and first person shooters (among other genres), as once it gained popularity, every game maker wanted in on the craze and whatever cash could be gotten from it.

So, I personally think it's more of a case of "They like it? QUICK! We gotta make one!" than anything else.

[Ganelon]

The eighties was the prehistoric age as most of those games are now totally unplayable or boring.

...I'm guessing you weren't playing shooters in the arcades during the 80's?

BTW, it's interesting to notice that no formerly popular genre has ever made a revival yet in video gaming.

Manicness in FPS? I'm not too familiar with them but I haven't noticed them.

Fighters definitely died when they started becoming manic though, just as flight sims and wargames died when they became more complex, all to cater to the hardcore fan. Interestingly though, sidescrollers seemed to have died after the end of 16-bit visuals without any noticeable genre-wide gameplay changes.

[Twiddle]

Manicness in FPS? I'm not too familiar with them but I haven't noticed them.

All Serious Sam incarnations and UT2004's Invasion.

[Zweihander]

mid-90's to early 00's brought us some of the most innovative gameplay. Most of today's shmups are still top-notch, though they borrow heavily from the days of old. (example: Homura's Reflect Force move) However, as long as the games themselves can be somewhat original, then it's all good. And new innovations are coming along every now and then. Gradius V's option controls, for example. Perhaps not as innovative as Rayforce's lock-ons, RSG's sword attacks, or R-Type Delta's innovations, but still, the genre continues to evolve.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

The 1980's brought forth some classic arcade shmup titles that I do remember playing back in the day:

Old school arcade gamers will instantly recognize alot of the below listed arcade shmup titles --

Atari Games USA version of Namco's "Xevious" arcade upright...

Centuri's USA version of Konami's "Time Pilot" and it's even better sequel, "Time Pilot '84" arcade uprights...

Funai's "Interstellar" Laser-Disc based arcade shmup game...it was priced at 50 cents per credit back in 1983...

I recall playing this cool vertical oriented side scrolling arcade shmup from Konami in 1987 that goes by the name of "Ajax" (I thought that Ajax was the brand name of a household cleaner -- at least for the U.S. market anyways and not for an arcade game shmup title name)...

Romstar's USA version of Capcom's "Hyper Dyne Sidearms" arcade upright in 1988...

I remember playing this cool transformable jet into a robot arcade game that went by the name of "Aeroboto"...it did have shmup elements through out the game...

Tecmo's "Silkworm" arcade upright...

Nintendo's USA version of Irem's classic "R-Type" arcade upright...

Data East's vertical oriented side scrolling shmup by the name of "Vapor Trail" in 1989...

Konami's USA version of "Lighting Force" arcade upright in 1990...

Video Co. Ltd.'s USA version of "Turbo Force" (or later renamed as "Hyper Force" due to USA copyrighted name infringement...if one has a similar name to a big USA corporation, the small fry have to comply or else "bring out the big lawyer guns" & fight it out in court -- the big guys will win however long it drags out in court because of very deep pockets lined with $$$) -- this vertical arcade shmup upright had three seperate joysticks and auto-fire was already a standard feature from the getgo when first starting a gaming session of "Turbo Force"...

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Randorama]

1997 - 1999 The great complexity era

Ditto, so i quote myself as well

Modern games fall under minimalistic design of the early '90s (but without the l33t graphics) or under sophisticated, but too dualistic, gameplays. At any case, i happen to enjoy anything ARCADE, so i'd relegate "the golden era" to Thule Gefellschafte-like conceptions of history

[Thunder Force]

Is it fair to say that both of these changes (to the more manic and more complex scoring systems) came about as developers were shifting their attention to the hardcore audience?

Yes, that's essentially what happened. The two design elements both arose as ways of creating deeper and more involving experiences to appeal to hardcore players of the genre. Although the change towards manic play was the more significant of the two, since increasingly deep scoring systems remain largely invisible to newcomers - so just add depth for hardcore players, but don't actually narrow appeal to the hardcore only. Which means deep scoring systems were purely a design benefit, unlike overly manic gameplay which was a benefit to the hardcore, but a kind of barrier to entry for wider potential audiences.

Thunderforce: You view the end of shmups with mainstream appeal as a bad thing, then?

I'm ambivalent about it.

[Fighter17]

Began with Raiden, ended with garegga!

Ha, top that!

I say it started with Tiger Heli and ended with Raiden. Toaplan was the God of the golden Era

Seconded big time.

I do agree that the mid 90s is when shmups turn into the manic side. Today, I kind-of call it a spectators sport.

Everyday in school, I bring my PS2 controller (with an USB adapter so I can use the PS2 controller on the school computers), get MAME running, and play Strikers 1945 II or Gunbird 2 for hours. I get a lot of people watching me dodging those bullets. "You got SKILLS!" I get that a lot.

[SAM]

IMO, the golden era of shmups gone together with Toaplan, Psikyo. Their successors: Cave, Takumi & Raizing/Eighting are unable to bring the genures back to its former glory.

Konami, Namco, Capcom & Taito are still around, but they are not actively making shmups now.

[system11]

The golden age for shmups started in 1979. It ends somewhere shortly after 1990. There were great games across all formats, and lots of them. People say scoring systems are innovative - I say they're a triviality. You want innovation? Check R-Type, Gradius, Galaxian, Tempest, Darwin and Gaires. You want polish? Check Musha Aleste, UN Squadron, Side Arms, Dragon Breed and Raiden.

We get great games still, I don't want my copy of Mushi replaced with another R-Type clone, but a lot of the magic has gone.

[Rob]

People say scoring systems are innovative - I say they're a triviality.

I don't think they're a triviality or really an innovation in itself. They change the basic rules, which requires different thinking and tactics to play them. That can be good. The best is when a great scoring system is coupled with a gameplay innovation. That doesn't happen very often.

But right now, the scoring systems are getting not very compelling and I'd really like to see some plain old old-schoolers with some show-offy graphics. Or a new Takumi game.

[DC906270]

Ibara is kind of like an "old school" shmup as you put it. its a pretty straight forward "blow stuff up" type of game, but you get more points for blowing certain stuff up more than others. and using bombs A LOT to blow stuff up gives the biggest points

[Randorama]

People say scoring systems are innovative - I say they're a triviality.

I don't know how can they be trivial, Space Invaders was all about having the three letters on screen. It still is, most of the time. It's just that now things are a bit more complicated...in 27 years, some have catched up with this small nuances like this, though.

Some.

[Twiddle]

I would like a manic shooter with a Raiden Fighters-style scoring system that gave you bonuses for doing crazy shit and just that

[professor ganson]

I'd really like to see some plain old old-schoolers with some show-offy graphics.

Radirgy satisfies my desire for beautiful graphics-- kind of psychedelic, but in a good way.

Or a new Takumi game.

Does Takumi still exist?

[BulletMagnet]

Does Takumi still exist?

Well, they've still got a web site up, though the last update to the "news" section appears to have been back in October 2004.

[professor ganson]

Does Takumi still exist?

Well, they've still got a web site up, though the last update to the "news" section appears to have been back in October 2004.

Thanks for that link, BM. I suppose it's a good sign that that site is still there.

[Rob]

Radirgy satisfies my desire for beautiful graphics-- kind of psychedelic, but in a good way.

It's like a PC-E game remade on a budget, like how I imagine the Bonk remake looks. I want something to put Gradius V to shame.

Well, they've still got a web site up,

So did Technosoft for a few years past their expiration date. I'm wondering if they do exist in reality and if so how are they paying the bills. Certainly not selling those "amusement" machines or?

[Ganelon]

Well, if Tecno Soft doesn't exist, then who owns the Thunder Force license that the recent soundtracks have been using?

[Rob]

Some company running out of Hong Kong, I bet.

But seriously, TS hasn't made a game in 8-10 year, so if they're alive it's in that never coming off of life support type of way.

[overdrive]

Personally, I've always felt the 16-bit era (and TG-16/PC Engine) produced the best shooters.

I've never had much affection toward the more modern hyper shooters, nor the scoring system ones. To me, the classic Aleste, Super Star Soldier, R-Type, Gradius, Darius, etc. games were the ones that made the genre special. I'll never get tired of those classic games.

But then, I can understand if people disagree with me. I'm pretty much a diehard retro gamer at heart.

[Keranu]

16-bit era was hands down the best for shooters. Sorry, I can't stand the newer style, purple bullet hell shooters - they're just no fun to me .

[visuatrox]

Considering there are and were no local arcades here, I would say that the golden era is right now! Never before have I been able to play so many good shmups as now on PS2 . Though there are lots of great games on the 16bit systems, most of my favourite games are just a few years old.

[Frogacuda]

1988-1994 seems to be when the genre was at it's most prolific. In terms of quality though, I think some of the best ones have come in recent years, actually.

[Molloy]

I'd say around 1990. It was the time when the shmup offshoot of the general shooter genre really established itself as a different animal. It was also the period when it was easiest to find the games and play them as they should be played: in an arcade.

There isn't a whole lot of satisfaction in learning to beat a home shmup ("Look what I did Ma!" -- "That's nice, dear") but showboating in front of scruffy peers and drug dealers in the pool hall; that was what shmups are all about.

[sjewkestheloon]

i'm not normally one to sit on the fence but i'm afraid that's what i plan to do. i don't really think that there was a golden age for shmups, or rather we haven't stopped the golden age.

personally i get a lot from shmups from every era, and when i'm tired of chaining and memorisation in ikaruga, i switch to some vulgus for a quick blast and then maybe a bit of rtype and then a blast on fire shark etc.

there's fun to be had everywhere and i honestly thing some of the newer games equal or naturally progress upon earlier examples, rather than being inferior or making them obsolite. if that makes sense.

[silvergunner]

In the 90`s the most high-quality-shmups released.This was the really golden age for shooters!