Recommendations please: Compile like games

[reversi]

I discovered Compile as late as Summer 2016 and have been an avid fan since. The games I enjoyed the most have been the classics like Zanac and the Aleste series. Aleste 2 being the one I finished last. I looked into every other compile game I could get and into a few Raizing games, especially KINGDOM GRAND PRIX, since I still have no great MAME emulator and don't like emulating so much anyway.
I wondered if anybody could give me some advise what other non-Compile games I should look into. My Favourites are Aleste2, Zanac and Aleste.
Any other Games that come close to this distinct formula?
Your help is very much appreciated!

[Perikles]

Konami's Crisis Force is so eerily similar to your typical Compile game that suspicions arose whether it was indeed developed by them or not.

I'd describe Override (at least the PCE version) compileesk insofar as it has a low difficulty curve yet energetic gameplay and a great presentation - depending on which attributes you would deem essential for the Compile label, there're also Hudsonsoft's entries on the PCE (Final Soldier, Soldier Blade, Star Parodier, Super Star Soldier), I'm almost certain that a Compile enthusiast will also enjoy these. You might also want to check out Nexzr which is a bit simpler in terms of power-ups and weaponry yet exudes just as much - if not more - elegance and also partially functions in a similar manner.

Verytex on the MD tries to imitate Compile/Hudsonsoft, it's rather mediocre outside of the music, though. It's a bit of a stretch, but Coryoon is another game that permeates a Compile air regarding overall difficulty and design, the theme is not as fitting, however (then again, neither is Sylphia's).

Almost forgot Kidou Soukou Dion/Imperium on the SFC/SNES (the SFC original is superior), that's a mean epigone in the vein of Musha, I personally like it a lot despite some repetitive sections.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Try various home ports of Star Force (Famicom one is quite different from the NES one). I feel that such "home shmups" originated there.

[BIL]

Perikles nailed all my recs - I'll only add a few observations on higher difficulty settings. Super Star Soldier's hidden "Sugeeze" mode is a rare Compile-esque that's genuinely hard as nails - will make you scramble right from stage 1. Nexzr (same devs) plays like a fusion of Compile/Hudson generosity and IREM discipline even on defaults, and its "Hideeze" is a quality step up. Soldier Blade's Hard difficulty isn't as intense as these, but it's another where exploiting your rad ship is critical to survival. One of my favourite feelgood shooters, even ignoring the sunny aesthetic and inexhaustibly catchy OST. You can well and truly break it in half, but far from the idle excess of lesser blastathons, it'll kill you if you don't.

Also, although it lacks a good hard mode, I find PCE Override improves if each death is counted as a credit used (ship explodes = Game Over, pls continue). Fine breezy action either way, but it's undeniably too easy to bulldoze on sheer ship stock. I like the weapon selection in this one, and even if it never truly finds a worthy target, the charge shot is an almighty violent release I've rarely seen equaled.

Don't try boosting the difficulty of the middle PCE Star Soldier game, Final Soldier - with textbook bad STG design, it merely buffs up enemy HP to the point that killing zako formations is a draining struggle. One up from defaults is ok, but the max setting is just annoying.

A couple of marginal recommendations: Radirgy (DC/PS2/GC et al)'s shield system gives it a certain Compile-esque "body ram" factor - good play means diving headlong into masses of bullets during flash invulnerability periods. And while Recca (FC) doesn't play much like any of the above, it has a decided Compileness in the regularly-scheduled powerup drops, which oscillate downscreen into the fray while cycling through their rosters in very familiar fashion.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Make sure you check out the Game Gear games: GG Aleste and GG Aleste 2. They're among the better early era shmups.

The DOS game Sideline is Compile-like in terms of the sheer number of weapons you get access to, and the shield items which absorb a few hits before wearing out. It's pretty great! The only downside is the Hard mode is very unbalanced as enemies all have increased health, which makes popcorn considerably more annoying to kill in a timely fashion, but the Normal difficulty is absolutely rock solid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUykmKkiG8I

[reversi]

Tank you guys so much for your detailed suggestions. Very much appreciated! I already ordered Recca as a repro from China, very much looking forward to it. Crisis Force on the other hand, I can not track down as a reproduction. Maybe there are none. I have a PAL NES with no everdrive but an RGB mod, so I like to keep it. The Famicom original is also quite expensive... it looks very much like what I am looking for though.
I played a bit of the Star Soldier games on the PCE. Strangely I am not as intrigued by them as I feel I should be. Gunhed isn't exactly one of my favourites, too but maybe I should give these games another try (finished Gunhed though).
Yes. I play GG Aleste 2 with a patch on my MD via everdrive at the moment. I like it a lot. I think GG Aleste 1 looks even better but I don't own a Game Gear and can`t find a patch for it, but maybe I should look into this more closely. Another one I can't get hold of is Blaster Burn for the MSX, another one of those Disk Station games. Looks pretty promising.
Star Force is a reasonably cheap game. I will try this one out, too.
Many thanks again! That is a lot to work with.

[GSK]

Isn't Override totally busted? Like, there was some glitch where it'd give you an extend for every enemy you killed if you reached the loop or timed out a boss or something?

[Perikles]

Isn't Override totally busted? Like, there was some glitch where it'd give you an extend for every enemy you killed if you reached the loop or timed out a boss or something?

That's what occurs once you counterstop the game, I've never had it happen under regular circumstances, though.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Gun-Nac on the Famicom/NES is cool to check out as well. Many moons ago, I was browsing the used video games for sale at the local "The Video Park" video rental establishment and came across a copy of Gun-Nac with a slapped on used video game sticker with an very attractive selling pricetag of a mere $9.99 USD. Bought it right away and proceeded to go home to see how it fared out. It turns out that it was a brand new copy indeed. Sure made my day right there.

"The Video Park" factoid time: Any time you wanted to rent a movie or a video game, the front counter employee would ask for your social security number but if you wanted to buy a movie or game, they wouldn't ask for it. Strange but true.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[BrianC]

Tyrian 2000 has some Compile like elements (and even a reference to the compile 1up jingle, if I remember correctly), but suffers from inertia and a long life bar with unavoidable hits. Project S-11 for GBC is the same boat with Compile inspired power ups, but euroshmup style gameplay.

Override and Psycho Chaser for PCE were both designed by Sting, which had some former Compile staff. OT, but I found out that remake of Star Soldier for GCN and PS2 was designed by Sting.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I read mostly good stuff about Star Soldier R for the Wii. Since Hudson Soft made some of my most "tried and trusted" Wii games, I doubt I'd be disappointed with it (if I was inclined to start any more games before I finish some, that is). It just seemed so cool to me that they released a Caravan shmup like that, as the system's launch title to boot. Was pretty moved to unlock that Star Soldier tune in Kororinpa as well.