Good, easy/moderate shooters to start with?

[airzonk]

Hey everyone,

I've always loved shooters but I have an admission to make... I never really got into them like I should have, because I've always thought they were too hard. Now, with all the crap for the new consoles, I'm getting nostalgic for platformers and shooters....

I'd like a recommendation for a good shooter that won't frustrate the $#@*($*#@ out of me... one that won't give me a bad ending if I use continues, and maybe one that will help teach me the twitch skills necessary to be really, really good.

Any reccomendations for the SNES/PC Engine [I have a registered MagicEngine!]/Genesis/PSone would be appreciated. Also, which PSone shooters have awesome redbook soundtracks?

One last one -- which version is the definitive version of parodius?

thx,

Gabe
(AirZonk is one I beat on easy/normal, I think.)

[BulletMagnet]

I think there was a topic on this not too long ago...

In any case, if you want a relatively easy SNES shmup, try Space Megaforce; with a little practice you should be able to get through it on "Normal," and after that you can move up to the higher difficulty levels. Lots of weapons to experiment with too, and pretty generous bomb stock.

[Dylan1CC]

Nice username, Air Zonk is one of my fave Turbo shooters ever.

Definitely check out TwinBee and Final Soldier if you want two excellent PC Engine shmups that are great fun but not too hard.

[captain ahar]

genesis -
-steel empire is a real good time and also very manageable
-elemental master is the same

pc engine -
-gate of thunder is impossibly great and doable. the last few levels crank the difficulty a bit. and hard and devil mode are a riot.

psone -
-gekioh the shooting king is also really fun, and very affordable at around $10

[Rob]

and maybe one that will help teach me the twitch skills necessary to be really, really good.

Get Strikers 1945 (II) for PS. Can't have it both ways, it will probably frustrate you a little bit. For classic systems I'd recommend Bio Metal (SNES), Lightening Force and Thunder Force III (Genesis). You aren't going to get any 'twitch skills' by playing slow games, and those are pretty fast paced. I think you really can't lose with Einhander either.

[Dylan1CC]

pc engine -
-gate of thunder is impossibly great and doable. the last few levels crank the difficulty a bit. and hard and devil mode are a riot.

Yeah, Gate of Thunder is amazing, the levels can be tough but the bosses are easy which evens it out.

[captain ahar]

agreed on TFIII, i forgot about that one.

i also love Biometal (i think rob and i are pretty alone on that one though)

[Rob]

I think someone voted for Bio Metal in the top 25 thread and it wasn't me (I discovered it too late or else I'd have definitely squeaked it in).

Oh yeah, and there's also Thunder Force V on the PS, which is about as easy as TF3. Quality game.

[BrianC]

Nice username, Air Zonk is one of my fave Turbo shooters ever.

Definitely check out TwinBee and Final Soldier if you want two excellent PC Engine shmups that are great fun but not too hard.

BTW, the correct title of the game ported to PC Engine is Detana Twinbee. It's often incorrectly listed as "Twinbee". It's a very good shooter that's also on Saturn and PSX in the Twinbee Dexlue Pack (which does not have the original Twinbee). I also recommend checking out Pop 'n Twinbee for SNES. It is a bit on the easy side and a very well designed game. It also has harder difficulties for more challenge.

I know for certain that Gradius Gaiden and Twinbee Deluxe Packs don't have redbook audio. However, the redbook audio in some games won't play if you use an emulator or bootdisc. I know that Donpachi and Dodonpachi PSX have redbook audio.

[Stormwatch]

Vapor Trail for the Genesis was good, and pretty easy. Try that one.

[obxStorm]

TFIII & M.U.S.H.A. on Genesis

They are the epitome of hori & vert shooters, regardless of the platform. Great learning curve and difficulty level. Superb, accessible games in every way.


DC & PS2 are great shmup consoles but there's nothing really entry level available on either, barring maybe Gradius V.

[dave4shmups]

and maybe one that will help teach me the twitch skills necessary to be really, really good.

Get Strikers 1945 (II) for PS. Can't have it both ways, it will probably frustrate you a little bit. For classic systems I'd recommend Bio Metal (SNES), Lightening Force and Thunder Force III (Genesis). You aren't going to get any 'twitch skills' by playing slow games, and those are pretty fast paced. I think you really can't lose with Einhander either.

I would disagree with the Einhander recommendation; it is a great shmup, but it's definately not easy or for beginners, IMO.

[BrianC]

oh yeah, one thing I forgot to mention about Pop 'n Twinbee. It's more beginner friendly than Detana Twinbee becuase the bell system is more forgiving, there is a life meter instead of lives, and the ship can't lose its arms.

I'm not so sure about Detana being beginner friendly. The bell system in Detana definatly has a learning curve since one shot too many can make you miss the power up you want. The power ups don't stay the same color after a couple of hits like they do in Pop 'n Twinbee. There is also a dark bell power up in Detana that works as a power down.

[Rob]

I would disagree with the Einhander recommendation; it is a great shmup, but it's definately not easy or for beginners, IMO.

I was fine with it as a beginner. It's not easy, but it's also not anywhere near overwhelming.

[Shatterhand]

I find Gokujyou Parodious to be the finest Parodius game around. Though it's not an easy game, it's not all that hard either.

Strikers 1945 II it's a great game, because IT IS incredibly hard, but it has a perfect learning curve. You will be reaching 1-4 without much trouble, and then advancing while you get better.

And Space Megaforce is VERY easy, you probably won't have trouble at all finishing it.

On PC-Engine, you could try Soldier Blade. It's one the finest shmups ever made, and I finished it in my 3rd go, so it's not exactly hard.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

Try Gradius Gaiden. Cakewalk game.

[Shatterhand]

Try Gradius Gaiden. Cakewalk game.

I hate you

I never finished Gradius Gaiden. I tried so hard, but I always got beaten in the speed level. ALWAYS

I got to a point of just giving up...

[BrianC]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Gunhed/Blazing Lazers yet. That game is easy and a blast to play. Also, the hidden higher difficulties make the game much harder. Fire Shark on the Genesis is easy on lower difficulties, but hard in hard mode.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

Try Gradius Gaiden. Cakewalk game.

I hate you

I never finished Gradius Gaiden. I tried so hard, but I always got beaten in the speed level. ALWAYS

I got to a point of just giving up...

You'll abhor me when you get to the second loop . And yeah, the speed level takes some practice to clear. I was stuck on the walker boss for what seemed like an eternity, but once I figured out the pattern it wasn't so bad.

[arromdee]

Trouble Shooters/Battle Mania and Battle Mania 2 are good and pretty easy. Trouble Shooters is as easy to find as any other Genesis game, but you probably have no hope of getting Battle Mania 2 without emulation.

[Vexorg]

Speaking of Steel Empire, the GBA remake was a Japan-only release, right?

[BAD]

Anything but the R-Type games; they're insanely hard. R-Type II is murder. If you have a PS2, try Silpheed - The Lost Planet; I know a lot of people say it's shit, but try the game out. It's cheap and it's fun! Gradius V is also another good one...

[FRO]

I would disagree with the Einhander recommendation; it is a great shmup, but it's definately not easy or for beginners, IMO.

I was fine with it as a beginner. It's not easy, but it's also not anywhere near overwhelming.

I'm gonna have to go w/ Rob on this one - when I first bought Einhander, I got through at least 2 levels on my first go. I couldn't say the same about DonPachi or Gunbird 2. There are a lot of shmups out there that are kind of in the medium range of difficulty. I'd say Einhander fits there. The thing that might make it daunting for a beginner is the weapon system w/ the interchangeable guns - some might find that confusing or difficult to deal w/ at the outset.

[FatCobra]

I think Raiden I&II would be good shmups to start with. Easy to learn, tough to master.

[landshark]

I think Raiden I&II would be good shmups to start with. Easy to learn, tough to master.

nooo nooo noooo noooo. These are some of the hardest shooters in existance. Might be fun for a while, but incredibly frustrating.

I still say Gradius.

[greng]

What about Psyvariar? If you take it easy, it's simple to finish, or you can do technical and make it as difficult as you like?

The Star Soldier games on PCE are pretty darn easy too.

[Tomtom]

I recommend Flying Shark for an oldschool entry, as it's not too difficult and has a really nice difficulty curve. Heck, I've gotten to the end of the fourth stage (and that was after only about a week), so it's probably doable for most people here.

[captain ahar]

Gradius Gaiden is a friggin amazing game to me, but i wouldn't qualify it as easy/moderate (maybe a hard-moderate). it is a game of baby-steps for me, hit a wall, work, pass the wall, hit another wall, etc.

[IlMrm]

hit a wall, work, pass the wall, hit another wall, etc.

I can't remember when's the last time I hit a wall. I gotta start playing horis.

[Ex_Mosquito]

I'd say any of the Gunhed series, careful though theres a high risk of falling into a coma while playing