5th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time! - Discussion thread

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:12 am

Edge wrote:I just voted for Sexy Pardodius, Parodius Da! and the original Cotton, like last year.

Yeah, and I voted for Pop'n Twinbee, Gokujou Paro and Super Fantasy Zone...

As we can see, it's fundamental that we settle on a Flag Game.

Parodius Da! is probably a good candidate.

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Post by **BulletMagnet** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:15 am

Turrican wrote:PARODIUS SECRET COVENANT

As much of a fan of Parodius's kookiness as I am, it contains many of the same gameplay elements that annoy me from Gradius...I'm pretty much already squarely in the Cotton/Harmful Park camp though.

Not to mention Twinkle Star Sprites, if that counts.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:21 am

Harmful Park pros: it's damn sweet

Harmful Park cons: it's damn pricey and rare, so we can't expect to unite paroders from all the world in its name, as I suspect few had the chance to play it.

Hmm, so what about Twinbee? It certainly could claim a first spot in the lineage of cute'em ups...

Twinkle Star Sprite: I haven't played it, but I'm willing to vote it if it gets voted as our flag title.

Cotton: good choice, it has plenty of fans and a good amount of sequels so it's widespread. It would get my vote.

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:23 am

Sorry problems fixed, and I noticed theirs another game called Carnival(Recca) so I specified the version.

bVork · Post by **bVork** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:23 am

We should get a euroshmup into the top 25 this year. Or at least into the honourable mentions.

Apidya is sitting fairly high in my list. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend giving it a shot.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:24 am

Turrican wrote:[Perhaps we should use this thread to launch a:

PARODIUS SECRET COVENANT

The rules are simple: we just look for affiliates who want to fight for the cute'em up cause, then we settle to cast our vote on a title we agree. Who wants to join?

Paroders of the world, unite!

Sign me up. I think my favorite is Jikkyou (among Parodii), but I don't feel super strongly on the matter.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:25 am

Turrican wrote:Harmful Park cons: it's damn pricey and rare, so we can't expect to unite paroders from all the world in its name, as I suspect few had the chance to play it.

A similar situation hasn't stopped RSG from consistently placing, heh heh. What we need to even the odds is HYPE!

Hmm, so what about Twinbee? It certainly could claim a first spot in the lineage of cute'em ups...

Hmm...can't deny its historical significance (in similar fashion to Parodius's unmatched "icon" status among cute/parody shmups), but again, I'm not sure I could vote for it based on the gameplay...

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:25 am

bVork wrote:Apidya is sitting fairly high in my list. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend giving it a shot.

I voted Apidya last year - it's the only one who could ever make it, but it will be hard. Anyway count me in the Secret Apidya Covenant, if you want.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:28 am

BulletMagnet wrote: A similar situation hasn't stopped RSG from consistently placing, heh heh. What we need to even the odds is HYPE!

Not so similar: RSG is pricey but still played by most SS users (as it's easily on the top games for the console), plus it had an arcade release...

Hmm...can't deny [Twinbee's] historical significance (in similar fashion to Parodius's unmatched "icon" status among cute/parody shmups), but again, I'm not sure I could vote for it based on the gameplay...

You won't tell me all your 25 have a solid gameplay basis to get a vote? It's just a question out of curiosity.

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:30 am

Should I specify the version of Vulgus? Seeing as I play the Capcom Classics Collection version which has completly overhauled music as an option. I always play with the remixed music on, which doesn't effect gameplay but is still not true to the original arcade version.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:33 am

Turrican wrote:You won't tell me all your 25 have a solid gameplay basis to get a vote? It's just a question out of curiosity.

You know what, I'd honestly have to go over last year's list to give you an honest answer to that one, heh heh...in any event, I at least like to think that all the games I vote for are ones that I enjoy at least mostly for the way they play (though of course my tastes in what makes up "good" gameplay varies from everyone else's, as is the case for most anyone)...offhand I can't think of a game I ever voted for in the past because I thought "it deserved it" even though I personally didn't like playing it.

Again, though, even I admit that I can't provide a 100 percent certain assertion on this one. Good question.

bVork · Post by **bVork** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:37 am

All of my votes (yes, even Apidya) are on basis of how much I enjoy the game. I had Space Invaders way up on my list last year, but I removed that this year in favour of just voting for the best. Not the most historically significant, not the most underrated, but the best shooters I have played. The shooters I'm still happy to sit down and play through time and time again.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:40 am

This isn't 2002, no super easy games allowed on the chart.

Let's face it, most cute 'em ups don't excel in gameplay. Except for:

This is where people deny that it's a cute 'em up.

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:41 am

Dale wrote:Should I specify the version of Vulgus? Seeing as I play the Capcom Classics Collection version which has completly overhauled music as an option. I always play with the remixed music on, which doesn't effect gameplay but is still not true to the original arcade version.

No, as the game itself is no different from the arcade version.

Only post the system if there are significant structural differences, such that two games with the same title can actually be considered two entirely different games.

For example:

Gradius III (Arcade) Vs. Gradius III (SNES) => some stages are completely different.

elvis · Post by **elvis** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:58 am

My tastes have changed drastically in the last 12 months. Sitting down and thinking about how I voted last year, I can't see even half of those games making my list this year.

Looking forward to seeing if others are the same.

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:31 am

Concerning Apidya: It's a very good game but it's too flawed to be on my top 25. If you die, you are pretty much screwed; recovery takes forever and your initial wepaon is weak. Also, some of the enemies/shots could use more contrast.

After having rediscovered Z-Out (Amiga) thanks to Herr Schatten last year, I might consider putting that on my list. It's way superior to Apidya in my opinion. Give it a try if you haven't.

mirkvid · Post by **mirkvid** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:59 am

metal slug 3!!!!!

j/k ddp doj please.

Herr Schatten · Post by **Herr Schatten** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 9:06 am

My list for this year is very similar to that of last year.

Both DoDonPachi and Batrider make their debut on my list this year. I already feel dirty for voting Raizing. I always refused voting for DDP in the past, because I always thought it was slightly overrated, but it's a well-made game worth voting for and I simply don't want to see any of Treasure's offerings on top.

On the old-school front, I voted for Apidya, as always, and the prospect of maybe not being the only one who votes for Z-Out anymore almost brings tears to my eyes.

I did my duty of promoting cute'em-ups by voting for Parodius Da!.

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 9:13 am

my list is CONTROVERSIAL because it doesn't have DODONPACHI on the list

mostly because i don't play it anymore

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 9:14 am

Herr Schatten wrote:I simply don't want to see any of Treasure's offerings on top.

Ikaruga is NOT one of the best shooting games ever. It's a diabolical puzzle game.

Twiddle wrote:my list is CONTROVERSIAL because it doesn't have DODONPACHI on the list

mostly because i don't play it anymore

Don't worry, it's getting enough love - although it seems several people dropped it in favor of DOJ this year.

PS.
I asked it in another thread but apparently you didn't see it; what did you mean by "-R.I.P. tiw" ?

bVork · Post by **bVork** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:38 am

Ceph wrote:Ikaruga is NOT one of the best shooting games ever. It's a diabolical puzzle game.

At least Ikaruga is more freeform in how you can solve the puzzles - DDP's puzzles are much more rigid and allow far fewer solutions.

freddiebamboo · Post by **freddiebamboo** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:37 pm

This year DDP will get knocked off the top - probably by gradius v unfortunately. It'd be nice to see raizing at the top of the chart though...

DJ Incompetent · Post by **DJ Incompetent** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:55 pm

Ceph wrote:I asked it in another thread but apparently you didn't see it; what did you mean by "-R.I.P. tiw" ?

User tiw. 'No posts since the Exzeal thread split

*epiphany*

Exactly

Iiiii feel like bringing back old shit

Icarus wrote:

...to confuse you!

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:02 pm

Ceph wrote:Concerning Apidya: It's a very good game but it's too flawed to be on my top 25. If you die, you are pretty much screwed; recovery takes forever and your initial wepaon is weak. Also, some of the enemies/shots could use more contrast.

After having rediscovered Z-Out (Amiga) thanks to Herr Schatten last year, I might consider putting that on my list. It's way superior to Apidya in my opinion. Give it a try if you haven't.

That Apidya complaint is also known as the old Gradius syndrome - and since gradius is getting lots of votes (and not just as the instant-respawning GV) I don't see it as a particular problem. Apidya is hard but not that hard - do I remind you that losing a life only decrease your weaponry by one level, compared to the complete loss seen in Gradius?

About Z-Out... It might be argued that as a game it works better than Apidya but then again, it cannot boost Apidya's soundtrack and overall style, and it's pretty generic overall. Z-Out would get my vote just because it's an old eurodeveloped amiga classic, but if you ask me, every Z-Out vote is a wasted opportunity to support R-Type or Delta.

Rob wrote:This isn't 2002, no super easy games allowed on the chart.

Let's face it, most cute 'em ups don't excel in gameplay.

This is where people deny that it's a cute 'em up.

Bah, I resent your implication. I think any Parodius with difficulty set to eight isn't much easier than the games you voted for.

j^aws · Post by **j^aws** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 2:36 pm

For cute-em-ups, vote for;

Twinkle Stargate Sprites

*shifty eyes*

it290 · Post by **it290** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:15 pm

I want to vote for an Amiga game too, but my conscience is telling me that Deluxe Galaga is the right choice as far as that's concerned...

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:28 pm

Turrican wrote: Bah, I resent your implication. I think any Parodius with difficulty set to eight isn't much easier than the games you voted for.

Is "set to 8" like a Compile fan's "set to ultra-crazay mode then"? Of course you can set every game to "8" and Parodius is back where it started! Also, I voted for Parodius Da.

it290 · Post by **it290** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:48 pm

8? pssh. It's not a real game unless it goes to 11.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:50 pm

Rob wrote:and Parodius is back where it started!

I really didn't get this part

Michaelm · Post by **Michaelm** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:55 pm

I'll be voting for the first time this year though I'm nowhere from being an expert.

As for the cute'mups talk. Wouldn't it be a good idea if there were a separate top 5 or so for cute'mups ?
That way the list will be more representative for the forum's real likings.