Cute em ups...

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:56 pm

After the recent threads on some of the cute em ups such as Harmful Park & Parodius & Keio etc Ive made a fairly extensive search of our forums & Im still not finding much in the way of a comprehensive list of "cute em ups."

Wiki has some but I wanted to know what the krew here had to list.

So how about it? What are your picks for great & nearly great cute em ups known & unknown?

Enhasa · Post by **Enhasa** » Fri May 09, 2008 12:15 am

Boring answers, but I'd have to say Twinkle Star Sprites, Harmful Park, Cotton Boomerang.

elfhentaifan · Post by **elfhentaifan** » Fri May 09, 2008 12:44 am

http://shootthecore.moonpod.com/databas ... ame&start=

if you're looking for PC - cute em ups

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Fri May 09, 2008 12:59 am

elfhentaifan wrote:http://shootthecore.moonpod.com/databas ... ame&start=

if you're looking for PC - cute em ups

Yep, I was just looking at these. Most if not all are demos...

Im just looking for a list of whatever full games are out there.
I had never heard of Harmful Park or Keio or Cotton before & Im sure there are still many that I havent heard of yet that some one on the forum can enlighten me about.

Im using PS1, PS2, DC, SS, N64, SNES, PC & MAME. So there are a lot of directions I could go if I just know what Im looking for.
I would think a lot of cute em ups are simply falling thru' the cracks & before they completely disappear Id like to check them out.

elfhentaifan · Post by **elfhentaifan** » Fri May 09, 2008 1:03 am

DoujinStyle has some cute em ups in stock, too.
As for my experiences i could recommend Clannada Gensou Shoujo, and also Idinaloq (which i just add to the cute em ups because its anime, but actually pseudo 3D)

If you're insane you may also have a look at Yalkina STG (secret tip)

EDIT: everything for PC

P_HAT · Post by **P_HAT** » Fri May 09, 2008 7:54 am

LUNARIA!!!

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Fri May 09, 2008 10:07 am

Someone will bring a list out sooner or later so I won't be bothered to create one

BUT!
As far as cute 'em up are concerned, I'm a bit picky - since it's one of my fave shmups.

For me, cute shmups are the Twinbee Series (xpecially Pop 'n Twin Bee), Twinkle Star Sprites and A FEW OTHERS. Cute 'em up must be cute, that means sickening levels of pink, rounded corners, big starry eyes and sugary voices all around.

The Paro series, Harmful Park, Cotton and so on are *witty* and *ironic* shmups, but not really that cute when considering their sometimes angled chara or ambients. They're colourful but they're associated with sometimes violent environments (thinking of the cemetery stages in Cotton, the mountain/japanese stages in Parodius or the japanese demons in Kikikaikai and so on).
The only true pastel-lovelove & friendly fluffy balls shmups are Twinbee and Twinkle, yes *nod nod*

FIL · Post by **FIL** » Fri May 09, 2008 12:55 pm

Coryoon, cute and with some of the most delicious looking fruit ever in a game.

320x240 · Post by **320x240** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:03 pm

Galaga 88 and Plus Alpha.

Ozymandiaz1260 · Post by **Ozymandiaz1260** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:25 pm

Pink Sweets

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:37 pm

Fenrir wrote:Someone will bring a list out sooner or later so I won't be bothered to create one

BUT!
As far as cute 'em up are concerned, I'm a bit picky - since it's one of my fave shmups.

For me, cute shmups are the Twinbee Series (xpecially Pop 'n Twin Bee), Twinkle Star Sprites and A FEW OTHERS. Cute 'em up must be cute, that means sickening levels of pink, rounded corners, big starry eyes and sugary voices all around.

The Paro series, Harmful Park, Cotton and so on are *witty* and *ironic* shmups, but not really that cute when considering their sometimes angled chara or ambients. They're colourful but they're associated with sometimes violent environments (thinking of the cemetery stages in Cotton, the mountain/japanese stages in Parodius or the japanese demons in Kikikaikai and so on).
The only true pastel-lovelove & friendly fluffy balls shmups are Twinbee and Twinkle, yes *nod nod*

I sorta agree... Say, how is that you voted two parodii and not a single Twinbee?

Your list hasn't a slice of fluffy pastel-loveloveness!

elfhentaifan · Post by **elfhentaifan** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:39 pm

Ozymandiaz1260 wrote:Pink Sweets

you mean, because of the lego- and playmobil-like enemies and bosses?

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Fri May 09, 2008 9:49 pm

There have been some great suggestions so far & theyve all led me to some others Ive never heard of...

Air Zonk
Al Dynes
Ordyne
Mr. Heli
Double Ring

These are all from the PC Engine alone & it appears there are quite a few to discover yet.

What about NeoGeo? 3DO etc...?

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Fri May 09, 2008 10:08 pm

Turrican wrote: I sorta agree... Say, how is that you voted two parodii and not a single Twinbee? Your list hasn't a slice of fluffy pastel-loveloveness!

Cuz the parodiuses are way more solid than all the twinbees.
Because...
Come on. Many of you agree but are afraid to let it out, so I'll do it for you. The ground bomb thingy of Twinbee is fucking annoying. It's fun, sometimes, but it's annoying after a while. Too distracting when things get manic, xpecially after the 3rd level of Pop.

Well, Yahoo has the buzz indeed, but Da!, Gokujou or Jikkyou (and yes, even the overhyped Sexy) are more balanced and interesting, although not as fluffy and sickeningly cute as Twinbee. And the musical score is totally awesome if compared to the mildly-numb elevator tunes of the 2bees.

Haven't played Otomedius but I'm sure it sucks*

*this last gratuitous statement has been brought to you by Koskenkorva vodka night.

PS.

How come my list hasn't got fluffy games. I find Ikaruga fluffy as hell.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Fri May 09, 2008 10:26 pm

Blasphemy! Who doesn't love to bomb ground targets! Just put the bomb button and the fire button together. Also, since the bees are sentient and smart, they'll even auto aim nearby targets for you. ^_^

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Sat May 10, 2008 3:05 am

nimitz · Post by **nimitz** » Sat May 10, 2008 4:08 am

Are the Parodius games cute em ups?

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Sat May 10, 2008 5:54 am

Imho there are roughly two definitions:

a "broad" one, where Cute doesn't stand really for cute, but for "everything that doesn't really fit the sci-fi or traditional fantasy setting". By this definition, Gunbird is a cute'em up: it has anime style characters, and some quirky humour here and there.

Then there's the "strict" definition, the one Fenrir was referring to. "Cute" here isn't confused with generical fantasy or parody intent. Therefore only a limited range of games applies. Most of the Twinbee, but not even all of them. Even Pop'n Twinbee, the embodiment of cuteness, does risk uncuteness near the end (there's almost no cuteness in the lava stage); and some of the earlier ones like Twinbee 3, is more surrealistic than plain cute.

...Cute'em up is one of the least useful terms we have to categorize shmups: it's a definition that's based purely on aesthetics and much of the cuteness is in the eye of who's playing the games.

Koa Zo · Post by **Koa Zo** » Sat May 10, 2008 6:06 am

320x240 wrote:Galaga 88

Cosmo Gang: The Video

also,
Fantasy Zone

as for what constitutes a cute-em-up?
I've never given it any real thought.

Typically the bright smooth colored shooters and parody games.
but I wouldn't ever really consider Gunbird a cute-em-up, nor would I really consider Gunnac a cute-em-up.

furthermore:
Coryoon, yes
Air Zonk, not really

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Sat May 10, 2008 6:14 am

Koa Zo wrote:
320x240 wrote:Galaga 88
Cosmo Gang: The Video

also,
Fantasy Zone

Cosmo Gang: The Video has made it's local appearances at the annual California Extreme show. Very kawaii (Japanese for cute) arcade shmup title by the Namco folks. And my having tried out the huge Cosmo Gang shooting range cabinet at the CAX shows on several occassions, is such an interesting mechanical monstrousity. It does get my thumbs up for cool shooting action! They both go hand-in-hand... ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

beam · Post by **beam** » Sat May 10, 2008 6:46 am

Double Ring is not a cute them up at all. It's sort of like Gradius.

These are recommended :
Super Fantasy Zone md only
Hanata Kadaka! pce hucard
L-Dis pce scd
Bouken Danshaken Don San-Heart Hen pce hucard
Atomic Robo Kid Special pce hucard or md
Parodius all of them
Twinbee fc/sfc/pcb/ps/sat/psp maybe some other systems
Bangai o n64/dc or Bangai o spirit nds (not shmups but actioner none the less)
Cosmo Gang : The Video pcb or sfc
gunbird 1/2 sat/pce/dc/ps2 (beware of the bad ports, search the forum)

.

evil_ash_xero · Post by **evil_ash_xero** » Sat May 10, 2008 12:02 pm

Is Battlemania 2 a cute-em-up? It sorta seems pretty cute to me. And it's a lot of fun.

Cotton 2 is good times also.

I don't really like cute-em-ups, so i'm not the best guy to reply to this post....but those two are good.

s/m

ARCADIA · Post by **ARCADIA** » Mon May 12, 2008 8:03 am

Pooyan's so cute.

Rabio Lepus, Famicle Parodic, Topple Zip, Mystic Riders, these look cute too.

Super Laydock · Post by **Super Laydock** » Mon May 12, 2008 8:14 am

nimitz wrote:Are the Parodius games cute em ups?

Any game with Penguins in it is cute (unless they're all dead of course

)!

Chi_Ryu · Post by **Chi_Ryu** » Mon May 12, 2008 11:41 am

I've always wondered... does Gemini Wing count as a Cute 'em up...?

doodude · Post by **doodude** » Tue May 13, 2008 9:52 pm

After checking out the suggestions & looking up a few of my own Ive come to the conclusion that maybe it isnt really official "cute 'em ups" that Im looking for but rather a coloring, drawing & playing style that is the real draw for me.

Paranoia aka The Psychosis
Harmful Park
Keio Flying Squadron
Super Air Zonk
Magical Chase
Bio-Ship Paladin

Colors that are a feast for the peepers. Bizarre backgrounds & enemies.

Stimulas, I need brain stimuli...

lgb · Post by **lgb** » Tue May 13, 2008 10:41 pm

doodude wrote:After checking out the suggestions & looking up a few of my own Ive come to the conclusion that maybe it isnt really official "cute 'em ups" that Im looking for but rather a coloring, drawing & playing style that is the real draw for me.

Paranoia aka The Psychosis
Harmful Park
Keio Flying Squadron
Super Air Zonk
Magical Chase
Bio-Ship Paladin

Colors that are a feast for the peepers. Bizarre backgrounds & enemies.

Stimulas, I need brain stimuli...

You may want to change the topic title to "Shmups on Drugs".

In that case, let's try W Ring. There are some odd stages here and there.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Tue May 13, 2008 10:57 pm

Star Paroder is cute, and very colorful! Try that one!

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Tue May 13, 2008 11:42 pm

Return of the Invaders is pretty cute. It's by UPL so it should be obvious why that's the case :)

By the way, Black Heart is pretty crap. Amusingly, some of the games with the best in-game graphics have pretty lousy cutscenes, and the reverse also seems true at times

ubersaurus · Post by **ubersaurus** » Tue May 13, 2008 11:59 pm

Would Cloud Master count? Pretty colorful, and weird ass enemies.