train stages

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:35 pm

I'm not sure why I like them; it's not as though I'm a big fan of trains. But I do like train stages.

So what's your favorite train stage? My favorite so far is probably the one in Battle Bakraid. Wonderfully mechanistic-looking, overwhelming with details, and nice bullet patterns. I would love to see a shmup on the 360 or PS3 do an homage to that level-- one could in principle carry the same idea further with more processing power.

If there's interest, we might want to compile a list of games that have train levels. I'm just not sure whether that list would interest anyone, apart from myself.

RotateMe · Post by **RotateMe** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:47 pm

Not a whole train level but the train boss after the first level of Cyphern is very nice.

SuperGrafx · Post by **SuperGrafx** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:50 pm

I thought the train level segment in Zero Gunner 2 was kinda fun.
That and 19XX

Plasmo · Post by **Plasmo** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:54 pm

IBARA all the way

JJG · Post by **JJG** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 2:56 pm

I like the level 2 Gigawing trains.

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:57 pm

RotateMe wrote:Not a whole train level but the train boss after the first level of Cyphern is very nice.

You mean Cyvern? Yeah, that´s nice, it´s a very Raizing-like game to begin with.

I agree on the Gigawing - level, you actually battle between trains that pass by. The one in Ibara is sweet too, and the parody in Pink Sweets is very lovely. Too bad Batrider doesn´t have one.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:10 pm

I like the train level in Gigawing, but I feel it pales next to the odd aerial levels that come later-- I love those islands in the sky.

Post by **nZero** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:39 pm

I love the trainyard level in Raiden Fighters. Zero Gunner 2 was pretty great as well.

sjewkestheloon · Post by **sjewkestheloon** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:48 pm

Gunbird's most difficult first stage is dominated by a train boss that falls apart carriage by carriage and finally tuns into a mech. I hate that stage in a loving way.

It's also a train in stage 4 (i think, maybe) of giga wing generations, or at least it seems to be to me. That stage is insane in the number of bullets it throws at you. Never passed it infact.

I like trains in shmups also

oh and there's also a boss on rails in fire shark that could be called a train as well as many other mini trains that run along the opposite side of the screen.

landshark · Post by **landshark** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:30 pm

I like the trains of Strikers 1945 II. I love getting medals out of em.

Daigohji · Post by **Daigohji** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 8:40 pm

Ibara or Zone of the Enders 2

Mills · Post by **Mills** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:47 am

The train stage on 19XX is my fave because the awesome soundtrack. solid bass extension if you run it through a decent hi-fi system with a subwoofer. also Raiden Fighters train stage. come to think of it, there are a number of shumps titles with decent train stages.

Oh dear, who's technical pc handy work created that terrible digi-pic of me? and whats with the TEAM MILLS crap! whats that all about?

junkeR · Post by **junkeR** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:53 am

when I see train, the first game that comes to mind is Robo Aleste.

That has a HUGE train in like level 4 or something. Very awesome destroying that thing piece by piece.

Mills · Post by **Mills** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:00 am

junkeR wrote:when I see train, the first game that comes to mind is Robo Aleste.

That has a HUGE train in like level 4 or something. Very awesome destroying that thing piece by piece.

YEAH! that was a mechanical monster.

Vexorg · Post by **Vexorg** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:18 am

I like Bakraid's train stage as well, but it is a bit short. The train boss in Raiden Fighters 2 is one of my favorites though.

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:55 am

The secound level of Gunsmoke has a sweet train.

Nuke · Post by **Nuke** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:40 pm

What? No love for the one in ESP Ra.De?

Arvandor · Post by **Arvandor** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:56 am

ESPGALUDA has TWO train sections. First half of level 3 is basically an assault train yard, and then the Chapter 4 boss. Well, actually, you MIGHT be able to consider the little flatbed cars with the gunner men on them in chapter 2 yet a third (or first of three) train part ^_^

As for a favorite... I've not enough experience with train stages to say, but I do like the chapter 4 boss in ESPGALUDA.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 2:38 am

For the ongoing list, Einhander stage 2.

junkeR wrote:when I see train, the first game that comes to mind is Robo Aleste.

That has a HUGE train in like level 4 or something.

worst stage imaginable

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 2:53 pm

Nuke wrote:What? No love for the one in ESP Ra.De?

Aaah, yeah. Especially sweet since you´re going in and out of a subway station. That´s the stage I start dying all over the place.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:02 pm

There's something about the experience of standing near a train passing by at night that's pretty remarkable. So mechanistic, soulless, and powerful w/relentless momentum. I'm not sure any shmups manage to capture that power with great success, but I did enjoy the Espgaluda train moments last night.

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:32 pm

Well, that feeling you described can also be applied to factory stages, like in Garegga and Batrider. When I was a little kid my father and I went on bike trips and passed a concrete factor, which really fascinated me with its huge, industrial, space-like atmosphere.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:38 am

Battle Bakraid's stage is fun.

I'm a fan of Toaplan's train stages - Truxton (yes, that's a train, even if it's in space and built by aliens), Fire Shark, Twin Hawk I think, and others I can't think of right now.

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 1:51 pm

Steel Empire!

Kaiser · Post by **Kaiser** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:26 pm

Einhander stage 2 comes in a mind

Shocky · Post by **Shocky** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:42 pm

Surely not the best, but Jaleco's P-47 Aces' stage 7 is a cool-looking train.

The original game, P-47 Phantom Fighter has a nice train as the first stage boss. I like that game more than Aces, because it's just so satisfying to bomb the trains and battleships instead of shooting them. The Amiga port, P-47 Thunderbolt, is superior to the arcade because the music is some 100 times better.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:58 pm

Ibara's train stage is the best. I like Pink Sweets' train stage too.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:31 am

Which Ibara stage has trains? I haven't gotten there yet, apparently.

EOJ · Post by **EOJ** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 12:39 am

Stage 3

DJ Incompetent · Post by **DJ Incompetent** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 1:05 am

I don't like train stages on shmups. It looks good on paper..but...they just seem blah to me.

We'll call it Einhander's fault.

Trains on run 'n guns are better*. Contra S.S.'s is tons of fun. Maybe for the music. Maybe for the boss. All Golden.

*until you play 'em on megaman