Game No. of appearances
Blazing Star (ARC/NG) 4
Deathsmiles / Mega Black Label (ARC/360) 4
RayForce / Layer Section / etc. (ARC/PS2/SAT/etc.) 3
Einhänder (PSX) 3
Thunder Force V (SAT/PSX) 3
Miscellaneous Stats:
Number of Counted Voters: 62
Total Vote Weight: 58.0
Number of Games Voted For: 372
Number of Honourable Mentions: 30
Proportion of Voters who chose to use a Shortlist: 0.26 (16/62)
Proportion of Voters who chose to include Personal Honourable Mentions: 0.27 (17/62)
Proportion of Personal Honourable Mentions included where eligible: 0.37 (17/46)
Number of Games Receiving Only [0]'s: 35
Games Supported by at least half of voters (≥29.0 combined): 2
Games Supported by at least 1/4 of voters (≥14.5 combined): 17
Top 25 Score Spread: 2.669 - 7.716
Honourable Mention Score Spread: 1.352 - 2.570
Total Score Spread: 0.043 - 7.716
Random Comments:
The lead rotates again as Ketsui claims its first ever first place. Meanwhile, blitzing out of essentially nothing comes the sudden finisher now known as ZeroRanger, described by waves of new fans as being "as irresistible as unripe citrus".
It's been a long time coming, but Mars Matrix's chain timer has finally run out. Only DoDonPachi and Ikaruga now remain as perennial no-missers, both of which continue to look like they won't be flirting with the lower end of the list anytime soon.
More and more as time goes on, the benefits of sticking around and weathering the genre hype phases are showing themselves. The Honourable Mentions are always open for a steady re-entry, but a fortunate enough game might even find themselves in the position R-Type Delta has this year - that being a position right back up at the pointy end. After what a brief count appears to be a record period of time off of over a decade (beating out the previous period held by Under Defeat), and almost getting enough votes the last couple of years, the game has now not only returned but vaulted to its highest placing ever.
To top off proceedings, one more milestone has been reached this year as Radirgy also makes the HMs at last and I'm so happy I finally get to make that pun
The discussion thread for this year's poll is here.
a little bummed Gradius V outranked Gradius Gaiden, but i havent given V enough of a chance to really know for sure. Gaiden is still super underrated though IMO
I'm sad about Mars Matrix dropping off the top 25, but Under Defeat being on there makes me happy. That honorable mention list is solid. You can't go wrong with any of those. It's kind of amazing to be able to list over 50 great games in a genre, and there are plenty of excellent ones still not mentioned. What a great reminder of the huge quantity of high quality shooters out there.
Mushi Futari was robbed. There's there's about the stage design in that game that is really special.
Seeing R-Type in the top 10 brings me life. Arguably the best game of the 80's, shmup or otherwise. Love to see Delta in the top 25 as well.
APB and Crimzon Clover ranking really high is also ace.
Ketsui, I really liked what I played, the final stage is just a bit out of my skill level these days, and married life means it's hard to dedicate time to a game I can't play on the couch. I try to reserve judgment until I can 1CC, but I see the quality for sure.
Congratulations to Ebbo and eebrozgi for ZeroRanger's very warm reception!
Maybe I shouldn't have dropped my vote for Dragon Blaze...
Interesting that there were only two "Games Supported by at least half of voters (≥29.0 combined)," which games were they?
NTSC-J:You know STGs are in trouble when you have threads on how to introduce them to a wider audience and get more people playing followed by threads on how to get its hardcore fan base to play them, too. 1CCs | Twitch | YouTube
Indeed yes, congratulations to the Zero Ranger developers. Still looking forward to the Linux version whenever you guys get around to it!
As for the list, it's very interesting. R-Type and R-Type Delta are my two favourite shmups -- both in my top 10 games regardless of genre -- and I'm ecstatic to see them so well placed this year.
Solid lists for the most part. Deathsmiles over Progear is a bit of a head scratcher, but that is a matter of taste on my part. And Mars Matrix got demoted too!? Also I need to play Thunder Dragon 2.
Congrats to System Erasure for debuting at #25 with Zero Ranger. I see that staying on either one of these lists for a long time to come.
How come this thread isn't at the top of the forum every year? It's a great resource for new players who are wondering what they should play.
You're sure to be in a fine haze about now, but don't think too hard about all of this. Just go out and kill a few beasts. It's for your own good. You know, it's just what hunters do! You'll get used to it.
So, Ketsui, huh? I can't say I expected this, but I'm perfectly fine with it. Very solid lists again. Congratulations to ZeroRanger.
(As in the last years, I'm very disappointed in the lack of Shiki II, though.)
Thank you, all! It's surreal seeing ZeroRanger and System Erasure up there. There might be a bit of honeymoon effect going on, but we'll enjoy it while it lasts!
(really didn't mean to knock Cho Ren Sha 68k down oh god oh man)
If watching the trailer of the game
makes you feel a certain way
I would be very happy if
you would give the game a try ~Daisuke Amaya, 2015
Radirgy getting in the HM is cool and pretty much unexpected. So is TD2 staying in the Top. I do hope it's because people start to realize they are cool games rather than because voter count was low or something.
Also, congrats to eebrozgi and Ebbo for ZeroRanger! It's well deserved. While I wouldn't be surprised if its rank in the next years ends up being a bit lower as the initial enjoyment and novelty stabilizes, it's a very solid game and I don't doubt it'll still be on many people's lists.
And thanks Nifty for the full list!
RegalSin wrote:
I think I have downloaded so much I am bored with downloading. No really I bored with downloading stuff I might consider moving to Canada or the pacific.
Curious to know what the rationale for combining Gradius II (Arc/NES) in the same vote but not doing it for Gradius III (Arcade/SNES)? Both ports are quite a bit different from the original. Did anyone actually vote for Gradius II NES?
Other than that I'm really happy to see Ketsui finally get a first place finish after so long.
pegboy wrote:Curious to know what the rationale for combining Gradius II (Arc/NES) in the same vote but not doing it for Gradius III (Arcade/SNES)? Both ports are quite a bit different from the original. Did anyone actually vote for Gradius II NES?
I voted for Gradius II NES (and also for Gradius NES). In both cases, I'm fine with lumping them in with other versions though. But then, I'd also be fine with lumping Gradius III ARC with SNES, Salamander ARC with NES, and Thunder Force III with AC.
The full results are quite fascinating, thanks for preparing them Nifty. I see someone voted for Last Resort! Gee, I kind of forgot about that game for awhile, but if I was making my list today it might find its way on to it....
uchuukeibitaisdf wrote:a little bummed Gradius V outranked Gradius Gaiden, but i havent given V enough of a chance to really know for sure. Gaiden is still super underrated though IMO
Placing 16th is super underrated? I think that's a fantastic result for an H-scroller of that vintage.
davidwhangchoi wrote:why is R-type delta so high?
i love it but kinda easy. use r13 and everything ded
Because it's excellent! And I definitely wouldn't describe it as an easy game (though I typically use the R-9, not the R-13).
professor ganson wrote:
Strikers1945guy wrote:RIP Ibara.
Yeah, that's the last Cave game I'd want to see fall off the list. At least it's among the honorable mentions.
Oh, I don't know. Ibara's in that weird place where I'm constantly reminded of Bakraid and Garegga while playing it, but I think both of those are much superior. Actually, Bakraid's low placing (62nd) surprises me: I've always thought it plays very well -- better than Garegga -- though the A&V is admittedly not as distinctive. Anyway, I like Bakraid.
Even with the R13, R-Type Delta it's still no joke, there are segments which you have to know what to do and when to use the super attack/bomb or you end up being swamped by enemies (underwater part of the second stage comes to mind).
i love it but kinda easy. use r13 and everything ded
Because it's excellent! And I definitely wouldn't describe it as an easy game (though I typically use the R-9, not the R-13).
yeah with the R-9 it's harder.
donluca wrote:Even with the R13, R-Type Delta it's still no joke, there are segments which you have to know what to do and when to use the super attack/bomb or you end up being swamped by enemies (underwater part of the second stage comes to mind).
i still play mine from time to time,
r-type's usually relies on alot of memorization. but delta is a bit light on memory. i think it's one of the easier ones in the series to master. i think i beat alot of the stages the first time through.
on the other hand, r-type III is just memory, and barely any instinctual skill involved. (i didn't like III, like delta much better)
glad r-type 1 is up there... really love it to death. i always take out the near impossibly accessible rail guns on top of the stage three battleship. that's always a fun challenge.
I was surprised to see Crimzon Clover so high. Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome game, and as I've been focusing on it for the month of March, I'm finding that I like it a lot. I guess it's just that it's a new enough game to where I wouldn't expect to see it on the list in the top 5.
davidwhangchoi wrote:
glad r-type 1 is up there... really love it to death. i always take out the near impossibly accessible rail guns on top of the stage three battleship. that's always a fun challenge.
davidwhangchoi wrote:
glad r-type 1 is up there... really love it to death. i always take out the near impossibly accessible rail guns on top of the stage three battleship. that's always a fun challenge.
Whoa! Is that off a Turbo Express?
Yeah! i love the original OEM screen. i know plp get these modded with different screens but i love the look of it unchanged. i got if from a retro store last year that recapped it.
