In your opinion, what makes a good shmup?

Zuhzuhzombie!! · Post by **Zuhzuhzombie!!** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:06 pm

Hi, first post.

I took a bit of a vacation from gaming. Been playing videogames for about, well, 20 years or so and near the end of the Gamecube/Xbox/PS2 life span I was pretty disgusted in what I would consider a lack of good quality games. (This is just my opinion now.) Of course, I picked up a few things gems on each system, but largely remained uninterested regardless of what was being released.

So, the Wii came out, and the VC has about a dozen shmups/runnguns available for it, as well as Metal Slug Anthology. So, I picked it up and eventually a 360.

Now I've been playing Soldier Blade, Blazing Lazers, and R-Type on the VC. Hoping to grab Cros when it's released on the Wii, and plugged in my Dreamcast and my Saturn to get down on some good old fashioned games, specifically some of the arcade ports and shmups that both consoles are known for.

A buddy of mine recently asked me what it is that I look for in a shmup, and I couldn't really answer the question, or at least, not a lengthy one. As long as it's challenging, without being cheap, I'll keep in in the In Box instead of tracing the son of a bitch in. Artistic flare definitely help. Examples, DC Ikaruga with the added story line, Saturn Thunder Force V with the submerged city clearly in view on level 3. Additional story elements, you see.

Apparently, this wasn't a satisfactory answer, and I've mulled over it a bit in my head and can't seem to bring myself to an acceptable answer, to me at least.

So I'm curious as to yours.

mirkvid · Post by **mirkvid** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:37 pm

always keep the player moving, always entice the player with a power-up or score bonus to chase after. thats what i like. no lulls in the action!

a perfect example would be level 4 of BATSUGUN. one of my fav shmup levels ever!

P_HAT · Post by **P_HAT** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:16 pm

Flying/shooting/magic Loli... and helicopters...

-Bridget- · Post by **-Bridget-** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:15 am

For me, biggest one is difficulty.

I'll play the harder games alot more than I will the easy ones, for the most part.

Stuff like Mushihime-sama or DoDonPachi DOJ, and much of the stuff made by Cave. I cant resist an incredible challenge like that.

At the same time, though, that challenge needs to not be CHEAP. Which for the most part, alot of the bullet-hell type ones that I play arent cheap at all, which is nice.

Other than that, a good scoring system really helps; Im very fond of Giga Wing and Dangun Feveron, partly because of the scoring system used in each.

And a good game balance is nice.

Also, ship/weapon selection is a big one; the Strikers games are very very good at this.

Graphics probably rate the least important to me.

As long as I can make out all the bullets and where they're going, Im happy with it.

It's when that part is a problem (Raiden 3!!!) that I start to get annoyed....

louisg · Post by **louisg** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:08 am

I'd say diversity in levels, gameplay elements that put a fun twist on something otherwise familiar, lack of cheap shots, room for the player to grow, and subtleties to discover.

szycag · Post by **szycag** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:09 am

a bullets

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:13 am

szycag wrote:a bullets

louisg · Post by **louisg** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:22 am

boolets! (zombie revenge)

Mortificator · Post by **Mortificator** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:42 am

* No scoring
* A slow ship with a large hitbox
* Returned to beginning of stage with each life lost

That's the trifecta of fun.

Tempest · Post by **Tempest** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:23 pm

Not having a Cave logo anywhere near it. Heyo!

I keed, I keed...

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:26 pm

2D GFX

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:43 pm

true low res

airdrawn · Post by **airdrawn** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:08 pm

As mostly applies to games with bullet patterns, I prefer a combination of patterns that must be dodged (straight lasers, fast clusters, etc.) and slower spread patterns that must be navigated.

lack of cheap shots

++. While I think it's fun to memorize some bullet patterns in order to navigate them smoothly, having some random guy come out of the back of the screen and point-blank you isn't fun, and doesn't look cool when you avoid it. Why not just memorize a deck of cards?

Graphically, I like games like 19XX, Blazing Star, Gunlock, and ESP Ra.De. that tell a story just with the graphical effects. I like the game to feel like I'm in the middle of fleet combat or racing a subway car.

Also: Having a little more than just shot/bomb options, having a "focus" / ship slowdown option, and being able to play as a talking dolphin (har).

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:18 pm

Reflect barrier.

KBZ · Post by **KBZ** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:21 pm

minimum 3 kinds of Zeal