Would you help me choose my first Saturn shmup?

durias · Post by **durias** » Thu May 03, 2007 10:52 pm

Okay.

Sega Saturn: Check.
Action Replay: Check.
Eclipse (Joy)Stick: Check.
First Saturn Shmup: In process.

Would you help me choose which one of these games I should buy?

Batsugun
Darius Gaiden
DoDonPachi
Rayforce / Galactic Attack / Layer Section
Strikers 1945
Thunder Force V

I know I'll probably pick up several of these games down the road but I'd love your help in making a great first choice. My only parameter is that I don't want my first Saturn shmup be regarded as the hardest one out there. (I'm a rookie.)

I'm also considering these games but Play Asia doesn't have 'em in stock. Let me know if any of these are worth hunting down over the ones listed above.

Battle Garegga
Hyper Duel
Radiant Silvergun
Soukyugurentai

Am I missing any?

Thanks in advance!

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Thu May 03, 2007 10:59 pm

Batsugun, no question about it.

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Thu May 03, 2007 11:13 pm

Batsugun and Battle Garrega are the two most essential saturn shmups. Of course, there's a big list that would follow after those, but its those two which keep me from retiring the system.

j^aws · Post by **j^aws** » Thu May 03, 2007 11:23 pm

Batsugun would be a great first choice. It's very colourful and mesmerising... especially the Special Version that comes with it.

TATE-it for awesomeness!

ubersaurus · Post by **ubersaurus** » Thu May 03, 2007 11:24 pm

Rayforce! My favorite shooter on the system

scrilla4rella · Post by **scrilla4rella** » Thu May 03, 2007 11:27 pm

-Batsugun-

I wish that could have been my first Saturn Shmup! Dodging the bullet patterns is so damn fun. Really classy music and graphics too.

junkeR · Post by **junkeR** » Thu May 03, 2007 11:39 pm

I would say either Layer Section or Thunderforce V.

Sensato Kurai · Post by **Sensato Kurai** » Fri May 04, 2007 12:35 am

You've got many different type of shmups in the batch you've selected. Depends how you feel at this moment. Dunno what you've played before but I'd recommand either Batsugun, Donpachi or Battle Garegga.

I'd consider trying Donpachi before Dodonpachi but I guess that's just me. It just seems logical to try the original first, even though the second chapter is considered but most to be the best (which is not my case).

Without necessarily going for the cheap/bland ones first, I'd personally keep the expensive ones and the ones which are regarded as the greatest, such as Radiant Silvergun, for dessert.

durias · Post by **durias** » Fri May 04, 2007 12:42 am

Lotsa Batsugun fans!

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:20 am

Darius Gaiden and Galactic Attack would be easiest to get, as both got domestic releases that can be had readily and cheaply...I prefer most of the other titles over those though. Strikers, TFV, and Souky are probably the next cheapest, but not my favorites, though others disagree. I love DDP, though it also got a PSX release (both are good, though for different reasons); Batsugun, on the other hand, was only ever ported to the Saturn, and got a very nice port too, so I'm inclined to agree with the others who recommended it.

Garegga and RSG are two other favorites of mine, though both are something of an acquired taste...definitely try them if you can though (you can resell both easily if you don't like 'em). I haven't played the Saturn version of Hyper Duel, though most who have like it a lot...it's the most expensive of the games you list though, next to RSG, and the toughest to find.

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:14 am

just start somewhere and have fun... lots of goodies to get.

shinsage · Post by **shinsage** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:20 am

First shmup to get for the Saturn?
Galactic Attack.

Still haven't beat it. Basically rode the game on a credit and them I crumbled on the last level. Cockiness is a horrible trait while playing a game.

Andi · Post by **Andi** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:53 am

BulletMagnet wrote:Darius Gaiden and Galactic Attack would be easiest to get, as both got domestic releases that can be had readily and cheaply...

Darius Gaiden is cheap and also fucking awesome. Do it. It's the right thing.

Proof:
http://www.geocities.com/hugedb/Bosses/TLance.html
http://www.geocities.com/hugedb/Bosses/CChandelier.html

And honestly, all the bosses are that cool.

louisg · Post by **louisg** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:17 am

I second the Darius Gaiden and RayForce cheap domestic games knock-out combo. I think I managed to snag RayForce for about 5 bucks several years ago, and it became one of my all time favorites (ymmv).

But RayForce virtually requires a rotated TV...

CIT · Post by **CIT** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:41 am

Get Rayforce, it was the first shooter on Saturn, and it's still the best and cheapest as well.

shinsage · Post by **shinsage** » Fri May 04, 2007 7:33 am

louisg wrote: But RayForce virtually requires a rotated TV...

What do you mean by that? Harder, easier?

Bar81 · Post by **Bar81** » Fri May 04, 2007 11:22 am

It's not even a discussion, Layer Section and TATE.

Plasmo · Post by **Plasmo** » Fri May 04, 2007 11:40 am

Batsugun!

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Fri May 04, 2007 12:04 pm

Bar81 wrote:It's not even a discussion, Layer Section and TATE.

Layer Section/Galactic Attack rocks! Tate mode is recommended since yoko kind of sucks for it, but the game also has yoko tate, so you can play tate without tilting the TV.

shinsage wrote:
louisg wrote: But RayForce virtually requires a rotated TV...
What do you mean by that? Harder, easier?

He means the yoko isn't very good. The problem with the yoko is that it cuts off part of the screen while still keeping the sprites the same size. However, the game has the option to tilt the controls in tate, and it plays just fine with this method.

jpolz · Post by **jpolz** » Fri May 04, 2007 12:57 pm

I'm gonna be in the minority here. I say pick up Soukyugurentai.

It's cheap and it's a really great game.

Maybe I'm just biased toward Raizing/8ing??

durias · Post by **durias** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:16 pm

You can TATE on the Sega Saturn?!

GaijinPunch · Post by **GaijinPunch** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:30 pm

durias wrote:You can TATE on the Sega Saturn?!

All the games that were TATE-able in the arcade (that I know of).

Sorry to Hijack:
How hard of a game is Layer Section? I think I played the first stage like once. Looked fun enough. I don't feel like devoting my life to clearing something right now though.

jp · Post by jp » Fri May 04, 2007 1:32 pm

Batsugun hands down.

durias · Post by **durias** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:36 pm

jp wrote:Saturn shmup collecting page:
http://www.angelfire.com/al2/jp

...and I enjoy your Saturn shmup collection sight. Timely for me and my Saturn shmup search!

Herr Schatten · Post by **Herr Schatten** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:36 pm

GaijinPunch wrote:Sorry to Hijack:
How hard of a game is Layer Section? I think I played the first stage like once. Looked fun enough. I don't feel like devoting my life to clearing something right now though.

It's manageable. Rank gets pretty harsh if you score well, though.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Fri May 04, 2007 2:05 pm

GaijinPunch wrote:
durias wrote:You can TATE on the Sega Saturn?!
All the games that were TATE-able in the arcade (that I know of).

The only game I can think of that doesn't have TATE on the Saturn that originally had it in arcades is Detana Twinbee in the Detana Twinbee Yahho Deluxe Pack. That at least has a decent yoko, though.

antron · Post by **antron** » Fri May 04, 2007 2:06 pm

Shienryu, TATE (rotate off)

Grant Windsor · Post by **Grant Windsor** » Sat May 05, 2007 1:46 am

jp wrote:Saturn shmup collecting page:
http://www.angelfire.com/al2/jp

You're missing a couple of Saturn shmups on your list:

Capcom Generation 4 (Gun.Smoke)
Sega Ages Memorial Selection Vol. 2 (Star Jacker)

And depending on how far you really want to stretch the definition of a shmup, you could also consider:

Tukai! Slot-Shooting (sort of a combination of a puzzle game and Space Invaders)

- Grant

HeWhoGoverns · Post by **HeWhoGoverns** » Sat May 05, 2007 5:31 am

Dude, my vote goes towards Thunder Force V. And if not TFV, I agree with Layer Section.

Belmont · Post by **Belmont** » Sat May 05, 2007 5:39 am

No mention of Radiant Silvergun yet? Admittedly this game is ridiculously overpriced, overhyped, and over exagerated as being the best shmup ever......BUT it still is a damn fine game though i wouldnt recomend it as your first one. I would say dodonpachi or thunderforce V.