Shmup Related Questions That Don't Deserve a Thread

[PerishedFraud ឵឵]

Toyama Yuuichi when he reads this thread

[BrainΦΠΦTemple]

wHat would happen if wesley snipes impregnated your mOm inside the raiden mk II???

[PerishedFraud ឵឵]

wHat would happen if wesley snipes impregnated your mOm inside the raiden mk II???

What Indeed

[BrainΦΠΦTemple]

wHat would happen if wesley snipes impregnated your mOm inside the raiden mk II???

What Indeed

the mAn say anime

btw, this hotdOg storm? =oc

[velo]

Does Pocky & Rocky Reshrined have any kind of stage select feature?

[jehu]

Glad this topic exists because this question really doesn't deserve a thread, but...

I was reading a Knights of the Round review, and the poor reviewer was talking about having to screw peeled chestnuts onto the stick at his local arcade because the balltop was always missing. If he couldn't find any chestnuts at the park, he'd just tolerate the blisters. A charming image, you have to admit.

But it got me thinking: is this why joystick shafts spin? Is it an antitheft feature to prevent against balltop stealers?

Seimitsu put out their Nobi line of arcade levers not too long ago, and the shaft is fixed. It's incredibly easy to unscrew the topper - no need to stick a screwdriver into the bottom of the shaft. I saw some hail this change as an innovation and a revelation, so wondered why more manufacturers hadn't tried it. Is this why? For those of you who spent more time in the arcade as kids, did you have missing balltops on a lot of the machines? Did kids steal them, or try to steal them, back in the day?

[Ice Beam]

For those of you who spent more time in the arcade as kids, did you have missing balltops on a lot of the machines? Did kids steal them, or try to steal them, back in the day?

I don't recall seeing any missing balltops. American arcades back then (or at least the ones in my area) had some really robust sticks, though that robustness came at the cost of precision (speaking from memory and comparison to modern Japanese sticks I've used; I've not run any tests).

I have seen a lot of busted coin doors and loose control enclosures, though.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

But it got me thinking: is this why joystick shafts spin? Is it an antitheft feature to prevent against balltop stealers?

I would assume so. Kids are little shits at times, especially if not instilled with a sense of community responsibility, so this sort of defensive design becomes a must. From the comments in this Reddit thread:

When NFL Blitz came out in the arcades the cabinet had a built in N64 memory card reader so you could transfer your stats. I excitedly brought my memory card later that week only to find someone jammed gum inside the reader.

Stuff like this always reminds me of that.

I wonder if this sort of thing happens more in North America than in Asian game centers. North American and European arcades are more of a niche, adult activity though, so I imagine vandalism is less common nowadays.

I don't personally remember seeing any missing balltops in any arcades I've been to as a kid, but I was more focused on driving games (Outrun and the like) back then.

[Rastan78]

But it got me thinking: is this why joystick shafts spin? Is it an antitheft feature to prevent against balltop stealers?

Seimitsu put out their Nobi line of arcade levers not too long ago, and the shaft is fixed. It's incredibly easy to unscrew the topper - no need to stick a screwdriver into the bottom of the shaft. I saw some hail this change as an innovation and a revelation, so wondered why more manufacturers hadn't tried it. Is this why? For those of you who spent more time in the arcade as kids, did you have missing balltops on a lot of the machines? Did kids steal them, or try to steal them, back in the day?

I was asking this same question recently. I have the Nobi lever as well as Seimitsu's newest lever Called the SELS-70 which also has the fixed shaft and is not nearly as expensive as the costly Nobi. Have to say it makes the sticks feel more precise IMO.

My best guess on why almost all arcade sticks spin was the same. Balltops would disappear once kids figured out you could just twist them off. That and cost. These levers use designs that would require some extra machining steps to create a shaft with a locking mechanism. On top of that you would need a set screw or pin to secure the balltop that would make changing out a stick on the fly become a pain.

You could make an argument for ergonomics. If you're doing a lot of circular fighting game motions maybe the fixed shaft will feel to rigid for some people? I doubt that was what engineers were thinking about back in the 80s though.

Either way it's sort of surprising that this is just now getting addressed and hasn't been covered by some sort of mod kit given all the stuff that's become available in recent years. I wouldn't expect everyone to love it, but it's a pretty major difference for sure. The fact that Seimitsu is starting to create more levers that don't spin is probably a reflection of the changing market for this stuff. They're addressing customers that are modifying their sticks at home and want new options and customisation rather than prioritizing just the arcade ops.

[BurlyHeart]

Even baby Yoda wanted that lever ball-top!

[Flycast]

for someone that is essentially a rookie and wants to improve, what is the "games route" that you suggest? (PS4).

[To Far Away Times]

for someone that is essentially a rookie and wants to improve, what is the "games route" that you suggest? (PS4).

Darius Burst. It's got it all. Sweet game mechanics and ship variety, and cool visuals and music.

It has an outrun style branching paths system. With the easiest routes being on top and the most difficult routes on the bottom. It starts easy and gets pretty difficult. There are 10 possible final levels that get progressively harder. Definitely a game you can grow with.

Plus it's got arcade credentials.

[SPM]

for someone that is essentially a rookie and wants to improve, what is the "games route" that you suggest? (PS4).

Honestly, the games that look the most fun to you. Some games teach better fundamentals (for a specific style! You won't get much better at Raiden playing Mushihimesama and vice versa) but they won't teach you anything if you don't like them enough to stick to them.

That being said, there's a "Shmup Beginners List" that could help you:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

[Steven]

for someone that is essentially a rookie and wants to improve, what is the "games route" that you suggest? (PS4).

Hishouzame -> things that are not Hishouzame -> back to Hishouzame because it's just that good

[Nose Laughin]

If they exist, anybody know any games that tie scoring high into survival? Sorta the inverse of Battle Garegga, where the game gets more manageable if you get score items and the like.

[Steven]

Pretty much everything that loops infinitely is like that. Since the game literally never ends, live longer = more score

There are also things like various Thunder Force games where like 30%~40% of the points in the entire game come from the no miss bonus.

[Issac Zachary]

Startropics on the NES gives you a higher score the fewer enemies you kill.

[SPM]

If they exist, anybody know any games that tie scoring high into survival? Sorta the inverse of Battle Garegga, where the game gets more manageable if you get score items and the like.

You mean games where playing for score makes them easier to clear? -> Razion EX. There's a beam mechanic that clears bullets and deals lots of damage. If you play for score there will be more cubes on screen that refill your beam and you can use it more often. Scoring high lets you abuse the mechanic constantly.

Games with "hypers" and no rank may fit in that category as well. You'll be able to use them more frequently by playing for score. If there's (an aggressive) rank though... you may be better off not using it for survival.

[Flycast]

for someone that is essentially a rookie and wants to improve, what is the "games route" that you suggest? (PS4).

Darius Burst. It's got it all. Sweet game mechanics and ship variety, and cool visuals and music.

It has an outrun style branching paths system. With the easiest routes being on top and the most difficult routes on the bottom. It starts easy and gets pretty difficult. There are 10 possible final levels that get progressively harder. Definitely a game you can grow with.

Plus it's got arcade credentials.

Ty! Looks like an enormous amount of content but...there are at least 2 version of Dariusburst on PSN (DariusBurst Chronicle Saviours is at €17,99 instead of €59,99, and DariusBurst: AC EX+ is at 39,99€ , at full price).
What are the differences?

for someone that is essentially a rookie and wants to improve, what is the "games route" that you suggest? (PS4).

Hishouzame -> things that are not Hishouzame -> back to Hishouzame because it's just that good

first time i read this name

Startropics on the NES gives you a higher score the fewer enemies you kill.

I've played Startropics on the NES service on Nintendo Switch! Surprisingly deep for an old game

for someone that is essentially a rookie and wants to improve, what is the "games route" that you suggest? (PS4).

Honestly, the games that look the most fun to you. Some games teach better fundamentals (for a specific style! You won't get much better at Raiden playing Mushihimesama and vice versa) but they won't teach you anything if you don't like them enough to stick to them.

That being said, there's a "Shmup Beginners List" that could help you:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

Thanx for the list!. What are "the fundamentals" ?
PS: no one on the list looks "accessible"

[Steven]

Definitely read this: https://archive.org/details/full-extent ... am-english

Hishouzame can be acquired here in a set with its unbelievably difficult sequel Same! Same! Same!, but there is also a 2P version of Same! that is much easier, which is also included: https://m2stg.com/hisho-same3/index.php

Hishouzame is probably the best designed and most accessible game of its type, which also includes Kyuukyoku Tiger, Same! Same! Same!, and the entire Raiden series, all of which are significantly more difficult than Hishouzame and most of which have severe balance issues that Hishouzame does not. It's also one of the best and most influential of the late 80s vertical shooters. It's stupidly well designed and a lot of fun, even at entry level. If not for some odd slowdown on stage 5, I would dare to say that the game is quite literally perfect. Play it.

If you were not stuck with PS4, I'd also say Crimzon Clover, but if you are stuck with PS4, that isn't an option.

[SPM]

for someone that is essentially a rookie and wants to improve, what is the "games route" that you suggest? (PS4).

Honestly, the games that look the most fun to you. Some games teach better fundamentals (for a specific style! You won't get much better at Raiden playing Mushihimesama and vice versa) but they won't teach you anything if you don't like them enough to stick to them.

That being said, there's a "Shmup Beginners List" that could help you:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

Thanx for the list!. What are "the fundamentals" ?
PS: no one on the list looks "accessible"

Fundamentals = general know-how, basics, shmups 101. Whatever you want to call them
Basically the way to approach these games, the improvement you look for! (how to control the screen, get into the game's rhythm, manipulate/misdirect bullets, prioritize threats, anticipate traps...) There are some info out there about it, but you can learn by playing and maybe watching a couple of replays. If you don't find any I can help you later with some links.

> no one on the list looks "accessible"
Some games on the list may be hard if you play the arcade mode, but check the second column, that's the mode recommended for beginners. You definitely don't need to start with any from that list though, just the ones that appeal to you. Some of my first clears were Ikaruga (on easy), R-Type II (Dimensions port), Danmaku Unlimited 3 (on Spirit medium) and Tengai (defaults). None of them on the list.

BTW, out of those 4 games I mentioned, Ikaruga and R-Type won't teach you nearly as much as DU3 and Tengai. The former 2 are their own thing (but I loved Ikaruga so much that got me hard into the whole genre, that's the point!)

[Flycast]

Fundamentals = general know-how, basics, shmups 101. Whatever you want to call them
Basically the way to approach these games, the improvement you look for! (how to control the screen, get into the game's rhythm, manipulate/misdirect bullets, prioritize threats, anticipate traps...) There are some info out there about it, but you can learn by playing and maybe watching a couple of replays. If you don't find any I can help you later with some links.

> no one on the list looks "accessible"
Some games on the list may be hard if you play the arcade mode, but check the second column, that's the mode recommended for beginners. You definitely don't need to start with any from that list though, just the ones that appeal to you. Some of my first clears were Ikaruga (on easy), R-Type II (Dimensions port), Danmaku Unlimited 3 (on Spirit medium) and Tengai (defaults). None of them on the list.

BTW, out of those 4 games I mentioned, Ikaruga and R-Type won't teach you nearly as much as DU3 and Tengai. The former 2 are their own thing (but I loved Ikaruga so much that got me hard into the whole genre, that's the point!)

hilariously ... i play Ikaruga (easy) finished with the maximum Credits possible...with the starting credits (in easy mode) i lose at the 3rd Boss always :\
I don't like the "normal" and "hard" mode...are too much machinous.
I've finished, Apidya (1CC), Sine Mora (1CC) , Under Defeat (1CC) , and i've found Sine More and Under Defeat fun and at an accettable level of difficulty for me (the other was years ago, i was 6 ?) , but i feel like those were easy games somehow and not a big achiviement (right?).
I've also played some other...

Spoiler

Blazing Star (ACA NeoGeo), G-Darius (PS1), Raystorm (PS1), no one with 1CC...

To Far Away Times suggested DariusBurst, the game really got 3000+ levels?
Now is on sales, is a big deal ?

[BulletMagnet]

If they exist, anybody know any games that tie scoring high into survival? Sorta the inverse of Battle Garegga, where the game gets more manageable if you get score items and the like.

If you want to get a bit technical scoring in Garegga does help with survival, since the only way to lower rank (as opposed to just slowing how fast it rises) is to lose a life; the game's extend rate is also rather generous compared to many of its peers, so if you can rack up enough points for some extra lives it'll make a notable difference in how far you can get. Expert players, of course, take this a step further and "suicide" on purpose at specific points where they can take advantage of respawn invincibility or the extra bomb fuel to score even more points/lives, but even if you just stick to fairly "basic" scoring it should give you an advantage.

[xxx1993]

hilariously ... i play Ikaruga (easy) finished with the maximum Credits possible...with the starting credits (in easy mode) i lose at the 3rd Boss always :\
I don't like the "normal" and "hard" mode...are too much machinous.

I too tend to struggle with Chapter 3 and its boss out of everything Ikaruga throws at me...

[BIL]

If they exist, anybody know any games that tie scoring high into survival? Sorta the inverse of Battle Garegga, where the game gets more manageable if you get score items and the like.

Dragon Blaze, to an extent. Staying in the upper half and speedkilling enemies with the close-ranged Dragon Shot is good for score (lots of gold), and vital to survival (vastly fewer bullets onscreen). The final three stages will become unplayable very quickly, if you rely on ostensibly safer long-ranged tactics.

Caveat is, learning to speedkill entire stages this way, at progressively tinier margins of error, becomes a technical game unto itself. Inimitably visceral, regardless.

Seconding BM on Garegga; it's genuinely survival-beneficial to work in some basic scoring; none of the fancy superplayer tricks, just bomb the really obvious high-value scenery, and try to keep your medal chain. You'll get more extends, which will afford more deaths, which will drop the Rank while replenishing your bomb fragments.

[Flycast]

for someone that is essentially a rookie and wants to improve, what is the "games route" that you suggest? (PS4).

Honestly, the games that look the most fun to you. [CUT]

Well normally i go for aesthetic that i like, and cheching this topic: https://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=69744 i've found some games:
Probably Future SHMUPS:

Spoiler

Super Aleste
Sagaia (Arcade)
Batsugun
DonPachi
DoDonPachi (played 3 levels only but i love it)
G-Darius (played in the past but still amazing!)
Padorius (PAL)
Sexy Parodius
Gekioh: Shooting King
Aero Fighters 2
Last Resort
Blazing Star (again)
Twinkle Star Sprites
Neo XYX
Sturmwind
DUX

Possible Future SHMUPS:

Spoiler

RayStorm
RayCrisis
Raiden DX
Sonic Wings Special (PS1)
R-Type Delta
Thunder Force V: Perfect System
Shooter Space Shot
Twinbee Deluxe Pack
Harmful Park

Maybe Battle Garegga but it costs like 5 ACA Neogeo games...also if the OST are fabolous! but is not on my regional store.
Others are games with cool cover arts but that probably i will never play. (19XX, Strikers 1945 II, Zero Wing, Heli-Tiger...).

[BareKnuckleRoo]

If they exist, anybody know any games that tie scoring high into survival? Sorta the inverse of Battle Garegga, where the game gets more manageable if you get score items and the like.

Solid State Survivor. If you know what you're doing in terms of scoring, you can get all three score extends in stage 1, which gives you considerably more resources to learn the remainder of the game and at the same time teaches you the importance of the close range attack bonus which crank up the score multiplier at an alarming rate and deals huge extra damage. You don't really benefit more from scoring more beyond that for the remainder of the game, so it's not quite as strong an example as games that provide lives every X points or so.

[Flycast]

Please, someone knows a FULL list of SHMUPS games available in Europe (or EU PSN) ?

[Flycast]

Please, someone knows a FULL list of SHMUPS games available in Europe (or EU PSN) ?

Hope that can be useful...this is what i've found, any suggestions?

Ratalaika
Gleylancer (5,99€)

Arcade Archives
Cybattler (6,99€)
Darius (6,99€)
Ordyne (6,99€)
Moon Cresta (6,99€)
Terra Cresta (6,99€)
Salamander (6,99€)
Xevious (6,99€)
Gradius (6,99€)
Gradius II (6,99€)
VS. Gradius (6,99€)
Image Fight (6,99€)
Dragon Spirit (6,99€)

Capcom Arcade Stadium
Vulgus: (0,99€ from ̶1̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
Varth: Operation Thunder Storm (0,99€ from ̶1̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
1941: Counter Attack (0,99€ from ̶1̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
1942 (0,99€ from ̶1̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
1943 Kai (1,99€)
1944: The Loop Master (0,99€ from ̶1̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
19XX: War Against the Destiny (0,99€ from ̶1̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
Progear (0,99€ from ̶1̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
Pnickies (1,99€)
Eco Fighters (1,99€)
Giga Wings (0,99€ from ̶1̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
Carrier Air Wing (0,99€ from ̶1̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)

Psikyo
Dragon Blaze (8,99€)
Sol Divine - Sword of Darkness (8,99€)
Strikers 1945 I (8,99€)
Strikers 1945 II (8,99€)
Strikers 1945 III (8,99€)
Samurai Aces (8,99€)
Samurai Aces III: Sengoku Cannon (8,99€)
Gunbarich (8,99€)
Tengai (8,99€)
Gunbird (8,99€)
Gunbird 2 (8,99€)
Zero Gunner 2 (8,99€)

ACA NeoGeo:
Pulstar (6,99€)
Blazing Star (6,99€)
Aero Fighters 2 (6,99€)
Aero Fighters 3 (6,99€)
Last Resort (6,99€)
Ghost Pilots (6,99€)
Alpha Mission 2 (6,99€)

HD Collections:
Raystorm & Raycrisis HD Collection (39,99€)
G.Darius HD (29,99€)
Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade (39,99€)
Darius Cozmic Collection Console (54,99€)

Modern:
Dariusburst: Chronicles Saviour (17,99€ from ̶5̶9̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
Dariusburst: Another Chronicles EX+ (39,99€)
Ghost Blade HD (8,99€)
Ikaruga HD (9,99€)
Sine Mora Ex (3,99€ from ̶1̶9̶,̶9̶9̶€̶)
Jamestown+ (15,99€)
R-Type Final 2 (39,99€)
Sol Cresta (39,99€)

[BIL]

Hope that can be useful...this is what i've found, any suggestions?

Should be way more than available from ACA, unless I'm horribly mistaken. Omega Fighter, XEXEX, and Thunder Dragon 2 are three missing greats that instantly jump out... tons and tons of other goodies too. Get those three for sure if you haven't; start with XEXEX if you want a good beginner-friendly STG that still packs a mean kick and tons of mechanical finesse (X-Multiply excels in this role too).

Here's the full catalogue with regional release dates, those three are definitely on EU PSN. Looks like it's just a handful of non-STGs that haven't made it to EU stores, including the rather nice Marvel Land (good times if you want an SMB3-esque platformer with arcade brevity and intensity).