6th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time! - Discussion thread

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:22 am

I like DOOM for non-scoring play only.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:24 am

Ketsui end of game screen-covering boss?

The Coop · Post by **The Coop** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:45 am

Whip Rush ultimate adrenaline pumping blastfest of action-packed explosiveness.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:52 am

Eight-engined monstrosity covers the screen. Bullets everywhere, way of the future. Wing flaps to 15 degrees!

The Coop · Post by **The Coop** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:01 am

GERBER BABY FOOD!

... wait...

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:10 am

Barfbaby.

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 3:52 am

Twiddle wrote:flightsims

I LOVE FLIGHT SIMS
uh i haven't played them for 10 years but lol

The Coop · Post by **The Coop** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:04 am

Rob wrote:Barfbaby.

henry dark · Post by **henry dark** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:18 am

In all the excitment I forgot to vote for Recca.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 1:10 pm

Rob wrote: [4] [Zanac]

Wow, what the heck was that? I knew you rate it as one of the best (or it was the best?) Nes shmup, and probably your favourite compile shmup... but I wouldn't expect a Compile game at your top 25

Taking a quickly glance at the votes, I think Dodonpachi has a good contender this year........ Dodonpachi Dai-Ou-Jou .... duh, the irony

And this vote:

rolins wrote:[25] [Zanac (MSX)]
[24] [Batsugun]
[23] [Armed Police Batrider]
[22] [Super Laydock]
[21] [Gradius 2 (MSX)]
[20] [Espgaluda]
[19] [Dodonpachi DOJ]
[18] [Battle Garegga]
[17] [Salamander (MSX)]
[16] [Fire Shark]
[15] [Xevious Fradraut Densetsu]
[14] [Strikers 1945]
[13] [UN Squadron]
[12] [Gunbird]
[11] [Final Justice]
[10] [Dangun Feveron]
[9] [Soukyugerentai]
[8] [Image Fight]
[7] [Nexzr]
[6] [Tatsujin]
[5] [Kyukyoku Tiger]
[4] [ESP Ra.De.]
[3] [Daioh]
[2] [Shienryu]
[1] [Anaza Kaleidoscope Special]

Puts the biggest smile on my face

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:00 pm

Rolins voted for Nexzr. He knows his stuff

nimitz · Post by **nimitz** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:09 pm

THIS top 10 (out of 25) put a smile on my face

.

[25] Ketsui
[25] Muchi Muchi Pork!
[25] DoDonPachi Daioujou
[25] Gunbird 2
[25] Mushihimesama Futari 1.5
[1] DonPachi
[1] ESPrade
[1] Guwange
[1] DoDonPachi
[1] Giga Wing 2

NTSC-J · Post by **NTSC-J** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:59 pm

I just wanted to list five but we have to do 25 I guess so the ones with [1] are in no particular order.

Zebra Airforce · Post by **Zebra Airforce** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:12 pm

THIS top 10 (out of 25) put a smile on my face

Damn him and his wrong opinions!

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:22 pm

NTSC-J wrote:I just wanted to list five but we have to do 25 I guess so the ones with [1] are in no particular order.

In this case, how about giving one of your [1]-slots to Nexzr?

Post by **Shatterhand** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:23 pm

Ceph wrote:
NTSC-J wrote:I just wanted to list five but we have to do 25 I guess so the ones with [1] are in no particular order.
In this case, how about giving one of you [1]-slots to Nexzr?

And you could go ahead an give one to Zanac Neo, other one to Gradius V, and other one to Space Manbow. And if you really feel like, put one more for Apidya.

Heh, this is getting funny.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:28 pm

Shatterhand wrote:
Rob wrote: [4] [Zanac]
Wow, what the heck was that? I knew you rate it as one of the best (or it was the best?) Nes shmup, and probably your favourite compile shmup... but I wouldn't expect a Compile game at your top 25

Yeah! Right now all I really want is portable Zanac. Great music, nice puke purple/green/orange NES gfx, simple and frantic game.

Vote for Zanac, people.

MX7 · Post by **MX7** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:47 pm

Rob wrote:
Shatterhand wrote:
Rob wrote: [4] [Zanac]
Wow, what the heck was that? I knew you rate it as one of the best (or it was the best?) Nes shmup, and probably your favourite compile shmup... but I wouldn't expect a Compile game at your top 25
Yeah! Right now all I really want is portable Zanac. Great music, nice puke purple/green/orange NES gfx, simple and frantic game.

Vote for Zanac, people.

Seriously, get a flashcart. I play Zanac on the bus all the time. Total cost: About $20.

DJ Incompetent · Post by **DJ Incompetent** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:00 pm

NTSC-J wrote:I just wanted to list five but we have to do 25 I guess so the ones with [1] are in no particular order.

I see you've branched from Ketsui.

9999, haha.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:29 pm

MX7 wrote: Seriously, get a flashcart. I play Zanac on the bus all the time. Total cost: About $20.

I thought it'd be more expensive. I'm on it.

NTSC-J · Post by **NTSC-J** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:29 pm

Shatterhand wrote:
Ceph wrote:
NTSC-J wrote:I just wanted to list five but we have to do 25 I guess so the ones with [1] are in no particular order.
In this case, how about giving one of you [1]-slots to Nexzr?
And you could go ahead an give one to Zanac Neo, other one to Gradius V, and other one to Space Manbow. And if you really feel like, put one more for Apidya.

Heh, this is getting funny.

I would give some [1]'s out to Nexzr, Zanac Neo and Manbow simply because they won't place high anyways so I don't have to worry about them encroaching on the five I want to win, but I haven't played them. I also refuse to support the more evil titles like Gradius V.

Just to make sure, we can only assign integers of 1-25, right? If any number was ok I'd give my top 5 games 9999's and .1's to the rest.

Gotta play to win!

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:34 pm

Kind of surprised to see the Gunbird 2 support.

NTSC-J · Post by **NTSC-J** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:01 pm

At this point it's my most played shooter ever, I think. Early Psikyo is too crusty and Dragon Blaze is a mess, but Gunbird 2 is just right.

Herr Schatten · Post by **Herr Schatten** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:52 am

NTSC-J wrote:Just to make sure, we can only assign integers of 1-25, right?

That's correct.

jp · Post by jp » Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:58 am

Blast Wind has 7 votes.

This makes my soul happy.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:27 pm

Since we've witnessed a lot of propositions on this thread aimed to limit people's freedom with their vote, I might as well suggest another one. It won't probably be well received and perhaps it's better so, but here it is.

A minimum post count required to vote. Quite minimum - like, an hundred posts.

Reasons why I think it would be good:

1) vote around these parts if you're a bit committed to this community. It wouldn't hurt. in an hundred posts or less, you might have posted your bio, you might have debated your favorite shmups, you might have angered someone with insane trolling - all things which would make you closer to an individual and farther to a fake account / votebot account.

Do you have a low post count? No worry - we're taking such a poll every march/april. Enjoy your time here, sip some cup of tea, play more shmups. Your list will be awesome next year.

EDIT:

A bit of statistics. Click "memberlist" sort for "total posts - descending".

We have 3452 users. (116 pages)

Last user with total posts 1 is no° 2380 "Aba'suto". From 2381 and on they are all total posts 0.

2380 / 2 = 1190

User no° 1190 "maxchainsplendid" has a total post count of 12.

Setting a minimum of twelve posts for vote would therefore slash potential voters among active members by 50%.

Post by **Shatterhand** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:36 pm

jp wrote:Blast Wind has 7 votes.

This makes my soul happy.

In a top 50, Blast Wind would have a place on my list.

Nexzr too. Not too sure about Hyper Duel though

LSU · Post by **LSU** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:12 pm

Turrican wrote:A minimum post count required to vote. Quite minimum - like, an hundred posts.

I can certainly see why you'd suggest this since (along with time elapsed since joining the site) it's pretty much the only hard numerical data we have on members. But here's my problem with that.

The amount of posts someone makes on a forum doesn't really equate to, or prove anything on, how much experience they actually have playing these games. Do we then have to look at the actual quality of their posts to determine if they write critically valid comments, or are more like mere spam?

I've been avidly playing shmups for about 23 years, I've worked at a couple of games companies and I've also taught some game history and theory. I'm absolutely not saying that I'm a definitive expert on the subject or anything - I'm more of an aging fanboy, actually - and my vote is no more or less valuable than anyone else's. But I do have some reasonable experience with shmups, video games and digital media in general, and I only have 180 posts on this forum, which is not really that many at all. And I fully expect there are many other similar people on this forum.

Remember, we already have guidelines laid out in the thread about requirements for eligibility to post. Plus, as with any democratic vote - everyone's vote is valid, and that's the whole point, yes?

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:27 pm

LSU wrote: The amount of posts someone makes on a forum doesn't really equate to, or prove anything on, how much experience they actually have playing these games. Do we then have to look at the actual quality of their posts to determine if they write critically valid comments, or are more like mere spam?

Ah, I guess you missed my point. I wasn't trying to measure post quality or personal experience with shmups. I was just talking about being committed to a community, writing here well... whatever.

I might have people like Ghegs, oxtsu, incognoscente and others at one side of the quality spectrum and happy trollers like shoe-sama at the opposite side of it. But I value them the same when they vote.

What I'm afraid of is not an unexperienced player. I'm against someone who registers just to write the list, and then says nothing for years, maybe to never return on the forums again. I was suggesting to prevent this kind of situation.

I only have 180 posts on this forum

not few at all. I can already say I "met" you and discussed with you. I remember your green puyo-jellylike avatar. In short, you are obviously been present on the forums enough.

Plus, as with any democratic vote - everyone's vote is valid, and that's the whole point, yes?

I'd keep democracy out of a videogame poll - it's a word that draws controversy these days. Last year I could vote 99,99% for a single game, and list another hundred. This year, I must vote precisely for twentyfive and I have limitations where to assign weight. As you see, every poll (and democracy) is made of rules, so the devil is in the details.

LSU · Post by **LSU** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:35 pm

Turrican wrote:Ah, I guess you missed my point. I wasn't trying to measure post quality or personal experience with shmups. I was just talking about being committed to a community

Ahh, I see, I am sorry... That is indeed a great thing to advocate. And I obviously agree that reducing that kind of situation (registering just to write a list and then vanishing again) would be great.

And you remember the puyo? Wow...