what shmup themes do you like?

1up · Post by **1up** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:02 pm

What is you favorite Shmup theme? Space theme, medievil, WW2 etc.

Im a sucker for medievil theme like Dragon Blaze. Also tried Gunbird and its kinda like Final Fantasy with Medievil theme with robots and stuff in it.I dont know why, but I just think its hella cool

Eps · Post by **Eps** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:20 pm

I have three that I really like:

1. "Moody" spacecraft-themed games (example: Ikaruga).

2. "Real-world stuff gone fantastical" (example: Zero Gunner 2: mainly 'real' enemies.. and then the bosses turn into robots.

)

3. Ridiculous, over the top cute-em-ups bordering on outright satirical (examples: Twinkle Star Sprites, Parodius)

ArrogantBastard · Post by **ArrogantBastard** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:28 pm

My preferences depends on what game I'm playing. I have no particular favorite theme, but I just enjoy them for what they present it.

Just a few examples:

Imperishable Night - Background and the bullets are so pretty to look at, sometimes you will get distracted and fuck up your scoring run.

DoDonPachi - Do I really need to go over this?

Guwange - I really liked the Feudal-esque setting with demon and weird creature abominations. It's really amazing.

Progear no Arashi - How can you not like the theme? I love it.

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:29 pm

I was going to say "anything out of the ordinary", but I think everything's been done to death now.

I'm totally over space and war themes. Snore. I guess anything quirky, like Cute 'em ups and silly games (Parodius, Twinbee, Harmful Park, etc).

And I hate to be the raving Cave fanboi, but I really do love the art and style of Mushihime Sama.

Nau · Post by **Nau** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:43 pm

Well... I can't say I hate any themes but I love cute em up themes.

Axon · Post by **Axon** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:46 pm

I have only played a few shmups but I know what I would like the best in one.

1.Post-Apocalyptic WWII setting

2.Whatever is the visual Dada(from G-darius)

benj · Post by **benj** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:47 pm

ArrogentBastard's list describes my own taste pretty well (except for DDP).

I prefer games with cute anime girls and voice-over.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Sat May 27, 2006 9:52 pm

Nau wrote:Well... I can't say I hate any themes but I love cute em up themes.

im the opposite, i hate cute stuff and overly-japanese crapola

squeaky voices and dinnerplate eyes makes my brain hurt...

im a sucker for organic themes and cyber/steam punk stuff.. if i have to say a game its r-type delta, truly AWESOME presentation..

and yeah, you just have to love guwange, its really one of a kind - i can only think of vasar as similar but not even near the amazing detail of guwange...

Ord · Post by **Ord** » Sat May 27, 2006 10:06 pm

Steampunk for me! Proger, Espgaluda and Ibara get ma juices flowing every time I press 1P!!!

Nau · Post by **Nau** » Sat May 27, 2006 10:08 pm

sven666 wrote:
Nau wrote:Well... I can't say I hate any themes but I love cute em up themes.
im the opposite, i hate cute stuff and overly-japanese crapola squeaky voices and dinnerplate eyes makes my brain hurt...

im a sucker for organic themes and cyber/steam punk stuff.. if i have to say a game its r-type delta, truly AWESOME presentation..

and yeah, you just have to love guwange, its really one of a kind - i can only think of vasar as similar but not even near the amazing detail of guwange...

I played Guwange at your arkadhall (vad heter det på engelska, sven?) and I remember I liked that theme.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Sat May 27, 2006 10:23 pm

Nau wrote:
I played Guwange at your arkadhall (vad heter det på engelska, sven?) and I remember I liked that theme.

.. "I played guwange at your arcade"

we'll soon have Ibara and Progear installed (again), two great games aswell (both presentation and gameplay wise):)

Nau · Post by **Nau** » Sat May 27, 2006 10:31 pm

sven666 wrote:
Nau wrote:
I played Guwange at your arkadhall (vad heter det på engelska, sven?) and I remember I liked that theme.
.. "I played guwange at your arcade"

we'll soon have Ibara and Progear installed (again), two great games aswell (both presentation and gameplay wise):)

Woah! I wanna play Ibara! Last time I was on your arcade there wasn't any shmups able to play at all

Can you just say when you have some ready?

zinger · Post by **zinger** » Sat May 27, 2006 10:33 pm

sven666 wrote:im a sucker for organic themes and cyber/steam punk stuff...

Oh yeah, Gynoug!

roker · Post by **roker** » Sat May 27, 2006 10:50 pm

anything done well I guess (matter of opinion)

I seem to play more of the WWII themed games, but I don't discriminate, I'll also throw down some RSG, Ibara, Zero Gunner 2, etc.

if I had to think of a sub genre I don't play much it'd be the cute'em ups . . . except for parodius

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Sat May 27, 2006 11:05 pm

Nau wrote: Woah! I wanna play Ibara! Last time I was on your arcade there wasn't any shmups able to play at all Can you just say when you have some ready?

yeah i havent been very active because of work, but ill install Ibara and Progear this week, ill see if i can put some others in aswell but to be honest there is bareley any interest

i think well just fill up the spare shmup cabs with fighters, atleast we're getting a great response from the beu scene, people are travelling all across the country to compete in our arcade!!

Andi · Post by **Andi** » Sat May 27, 2006 11:58 pm

Really, I just like big robotic fish...

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Sun May 28, 2006 12:19 am

I am a big fan of fantasy themes - Dragon Blaze being my ideal, but Panzer Dragoon is my kind of cake too. Also, the Shikigami no Shiro trilogy is quite a fantasy theme as well, and that's why it ranks high on my personal likings.

If they're not available, a freaking deep space highly technological futuristic Shmup is attractive enough to tingle my senses. Something like Gradius V (huge battleships, fantastic hi-tech structures, freaky explosions). The flashier, the better. I want to see lasers glowing, metals shining and huge battleships on the background. Silpheed? Starblade Alpha? You name them. Also Project X. If they're bullet hells it's even better (Galuda, Giga Wing type - but Gradius V proves to be fantastic even if not a bullet hell.)

The themes I am most indifferent to are the IIWW themes. 1941, 42, 43, 44, 45, XX, ... Zing Zing Zip... up til Under Defeat. Fantastic games but overabused theme. Yawn?

JBC · Post by **JBC** » Sun May 28, 2006 2:57 am

I really like the Giger-esque bio-mechanicle themes we saw a flood of in the eighties.

Aside from that i'd have to say stuff that is just weird like Ares no Tsubasa, Psychosis, Agony, Gynoug, or Kolibri.

Oddly enough my favorite shmups are Gradius and Raiden, neither of which have these themes.

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Sun May 28, 2006 3:07 am

whatever themes battle garegga, raiden fighters, and metal black are

SAM · Post by **SAM** » Sun May 28, 2006 3:12 am

benj wrote:I prefer games with cute anime girls and voice-over.

I love that too.

Arznei · Post by **Arznei** » Sun May 28, 2006 3:16 am

Any, so long as there is a maze of bullets on the screen.

roker · Post by **roker** » Sun May 28, 2006 3:32 am

you know

I don't really care for the fantasy or people flying themes

though I enjoy and play Galuda, Ra.de., and Lords of Thunder (I don't know, is that a mech, armor, god I never pay attention to shmup storylines)

I prefer an air craft, with all the odds against you, going guns-a-blazin'

Post by **Icarus** » Sun May 28, 2006 3:50 am

Not fussy on theme, as long as the gameplay is top-notch.

DC906270 · Post by **DC906270** » Sun May 28, 2006 7:18 am

if you mean theme music, then a lot of the old 16 bit games are king IMO, Fire Mustang, Hell Fire, Musha Aleste.
for modern shmups, my fave musics are heard in Dodonpachi DOJ and Ibara. Original Dodonpachi and most other modern shmups are rubbish, either hair-metal, or dodgy 90's "stomping" techno

droid · Post by **droid** » Sun May 28, 2006 1:52 pm

my favorite setting and music is Guwange hands down...Hell its currently my favorite game

Droid

Xexyz · Post by **Xexyz** » Sun May 28, 2006 4:12 pm

There really aren't any themes I dislike, but I guess my favorite theme is the industrial, gritty war theme. Weather it's realistic like in Capcom's 1940's series or more out there like in Strikers 1945 or Raiden, it pleases me. I'm disappointed that this theme is almost non-existent in shmups as of late. I'd like to see Cave try this style of setting while keeping their usual bullet mazes in tact.

chempop · Post by **chempop** » Sun May 28, 2006 6:39 pm

Anything mystical, fantasy, or ancient: Guwange, Gunbird 2, Dimahoo, Sengoku Blade, and even.... Sol Divide (it has amazing mythological mosters, makes up for mediocre gameplay for me) ESPrade also has a very unique atmosphere that I absolutely love.

Although you can't really go wrong with spaceships when it comes down to it.

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Sun May 28, 2006 6:47 pm

SPACE. Space is the place. It's all about aligning the transdimensional vortex. 'n' shit.

Lasers are awesome.

Anything derived from the artwork of H.R. Giger or the descriptions of H.P. Lovecraft is also sure to get my boat afloat.

Diabollokus · Post by **Diabollokus** » Sun May 28, 2006 8:46 pm

I like futuristic settings, with gigantic mechanical bosses. Radiant silvergun and TF4 sum me up pretty well.

Darius Gaiden fish, are in my list aswell, I really love the fight in darius gaiden er final boss route in the jungle something 'Trident' the sunfish/mola feels so epic.

DDP big bee theme is strange but I like it. Not like cute em ups

dpful · Post by **dpful** » Sun May 28, 2006 10:07 pm

SPACE WARS! Cool space ships are it. The future! I wan't it to look like sci-fi books from the 80's. Also, 80's post-apocolyptic stuff is rad- can't think of anything but Forgotten Worlds (also Trojan and Thundar the Barbarian cartoon), I would love shmups like that.
Also, kids with attitude that shoot beams ala ESP and Shikigami.
Also, I want some hard new wave pop in my shmups, like Darius Gaiden, Border Down, Dodonpachi Daioujou, Raiden, Rayforce.

No cute'em'ups for me.