good score shmup

ex.machina · Post by **ex.machina** » Fri May 02, 2008 9:31 am

apart from ikaruga, what do you think are excellent shmups when playing on high score and what features make them great?

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Fri May 02, 2008 10:42 am

Giga Wing of course.
All those numbers are fantabobulous when playing for high score.

MathU · Post by **MathU** » Fri May 02, 2008 10:50 am

The Raiden Fighters series. Their medal system and loads of secrets really make playing for score tons of fun.

elfhentaifan · Post by **elfhentaifan** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:04 am

DoDonPachi DouOuJou.
It takes you about a half year to learn the basics but its an incredibly pleasing feeling when one-chaining a whole stage and have your score increased massively.
It's really worth the wrath

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:27 am

Perfect Cherry Blossom:
1) finely tuned risk/reward balance (steep but fair);
2) strategic versatility and depth;
3) no "score ceiling" other than player's abilities (a very important thing).

GigaWing is great, too. Doesn't have a score ceiling either, and is very accessible.

I guess I could say Dangun Feveron is cool when played for score, but doing otherwise is plain not fun.

I haven't tried Mushi Futari or Espgaluda yet, but those seem to be cool as well.

ForceDevice · Post by **ForceDevice** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:43 am

Apart from Takumi games (they are the best for bragging about high scores, lol), I'd recommend Homura. Its scoring system is my favorite by a long shot. Killing all enemies onscreen AND increasing your multiplier every 5 seconds = infinite joy. :3

JoshF · Post by **JoshF** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:52 am

Also, what good beat 'em ups let you punch things?

Udderdude · Post by **Udderdude** » Fri May 02, 2008 5:32 pm

JoshF wrote:Also, what good beat 'em ups let you punch things?

We need more beat-em-ups with scoring systems that require 2 pages of explanation.

Zebra Airforce · Post by **Zebra Airforce** » Fri May 02, 2008 6:19 pm

Do you know Final Fight's scoring system?

I hate it.
There needs to be a run 'n gun with an awesome scoring system. I guess Nitroball/Gunball could qualify. Or is that a Jog 'n 'Splode?

lgb · Post by **lgb** » Fri May 02, 2008 8:09 pm

Udderdude wrote:
JoshF wrote:Also, what good beat 'em ups let you punch things?
We need more beat-em-ups with scoring systems that require 2 pages of explanation.

That would be nice.
--------
Anything Caravan, of course.

jp · Post by jp » Sat May 03, 2008 1:11 am

Border Down.

JoshF · Post by **JoshF** » Sat May 03, 2008 1:57 am

Do you know Final Fight's scoring system?

It's a glitch.

We need more beat-em-ups with scoring systems that require 2 pages of explanation.

Beat 'em ups could have a 100-paged score guide if you take the situations into account.

kengou · Post by **kengou** » Sat May 03, 2008 2:49 am

Homura and Ikaruga have my two favorite scoring mechanics but ESPGaluda is up there too. ESPRa.De. is not bad either (although Galuda's arrange is better in every way). I don't like most of the Cave time-based chain systems, with the exception of Guwange because you can actually be creative about maintaining your chain in that one. Progear is another good one, once you get the hang of it, since scoring tons of grey gems can also clear a screen of bullets and help you survive.

Aru-san · Post by **Aru-san** » Sat May 03, 2008 5:56 am

kengou wrote:Homura and Ikaruga have my two favorite scoring mechanics but ESPGaluda is up there too. ESPRa.De. is not bad either (although Galuda's arrange is better in every way). I don't like most of the Cave time-based chain systems, with the exception of Guwange because you can actually be creative about maintaining your chain in that one. Progear is another good one, once you get the hang of it, since scoring tons of grey gems can also clear a screen of bullets and help you survive.

Time-chain shmups:

DONPACHI
Wait for popcorn enemies to appear...wait a little longer...shoot. Repeat.

DODONPACHI
Kill the popcorn enemies...SLOWLY. Balance shot with lasers when it comes to small enemy with big enemy.

DDPDOJ
Kill the popcorn enemies...EVEN MORE SLOWLY. In spite of a longer time phase, not mastering it result in frowning veterans...that play the game about yay hundreds of times.

I can see why you'd hate time-based chaining on some games. DDPDOJ is no exception. =3

Enhasa · Post by **Enhasa** » Sat May 03, 2008 8:53 am

Psyvariar
Shoot the Bullet

Udderdude wrote:We need more beat-em-ups with scoring systems that require 2 pages of explanation.

Shadow over Mystara?

DEL · Post by **DEL** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:12 am

jp wrote;

Border Down.

^Yes of course. A scoring system that kept me coming back to the arcade every day for almost a year.

Otherwise, I don't like long chaining but I do like Mush's child banking system.

MathU · Post by **MathU** » Sat May 03, 2008 10:32 am

I really enjoy Chaos Field's scoring system. You have to keep a multiplier up by either absorbing bullets with a special attack or locking onto a target with a homing attack. You essentially have to keep the multiplier chain going the whole stage to get the best scores, but being able to use a homing attack at any given time makes this easier to manage and more dynamic.

Macaw · Post by **Macaw** » Sat May 03, 2008 11:01 am

Udderdude wrote:
JoshF wrote:Also, what good beat 'em ups let you punch things?
We need more beat-em-ups with scoring systems that require 2 pages of explanation.

HAHahahahHAHa

You need to play beat em ups for more than 5 minutes!

2 pages wouldn't be enough for most!

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Sat May 03, 2008 2:09 pm

the world needs more games like Tetsuo Gaiden where you only get a point after clearing the screen of enemies

heck, even World Reborn has a working score counter

orange · Post by **orange** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:42 pm

good score-based shmups aka anything without chaining :3

beam · Post by **beam** » Mon May 05, 2008 9:06 am

- Battle garrega: you have to play for score in order to go further.
- Kamui: wait for you missile weapon gauge to be full and blast up to 16 enemies at the right time to get max multiplier. Time your shooting according to this and know the enemy placement. Moreover the blast weapon share the same gauge as the Missiles.
- Nomltest: eat bullets to increase score, kill group of enemies completely to increase the multiplier.
- eXceed3rd Jade Penetrate : score to get extends (like Battle Garrega without the rank thing). The game is hard but you have to get extends in order to 1cc it. And there's a lot of it.
- Star Soldier/Soldier Force : don't miss enemies, destroy all the secret tiles, defeat some enemies before they appear completely on the screen, kill 2 "big eyes" enemies simultaneously.

There's also Zen Ichi, Mars Matrix and- Giga Wing.

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Mon May 05, 2008 3:41 pm

I like the Raiden Fighters Jet scoring system, just because it's so hilarious complicated to explain, and there are completely freaking different stages that you have to trigger to earn high scores.

My favorite scoring system is the one used in Mushi's MANIAC & ULTRA, though. I feel like I'm playing a rhythm game at the same time as a ridiculously difficult manic shmup. It takes a while to familiarize yourself with it, and that's its biggest flaw, but once you know what you're doing it's nothing but fun. Definitely the most satisfying chain-based score system I have ever delved into.

There's also something to be said about the single-frame pickup medal chaining system used in Strikers 1945 III. It's an extremely simplistic system that adds a hell of a lot of flair and flavor to the game, which is why I think it is so charming, even if it's not very advanced. This in conjunction with the "shoot-the-core" style tech bonuses available on each boss made this one stand out to me.