what do you love about shmups?

hermosaguy · Post by **hermosaguy** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:28 pm

The precision and twitch reflexes are what keep me playing them. That, and after a long day at work, they are the perfect way to unwind.

kozo · Post by **kozo** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:57 pm

Entire thread

Agreed on many counts.

jonny5 · Post by **jonny5** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:58 pm

kozo wrote:
Entire thread
Agreed on many counts.

QFT!!1!1!!!11

jonny5 · Post by **jonny5** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:59 pm

Ruldra wrote:
KNTain wrote:
I've reached a point where I want games that challenge me, that really test my skills. I was getting turned off by [...] fighting games
I'm confused.
I don't have people to fight with, so I'm stuck playing against the CPU.

lolz....this is kinda why i stopped playing fighting games too...oh well/././...shmups are better anyways!!

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 6:16 pm

jonny5 wrote:this is kinda why i stopped playing fighting games too...oh well/././...shmups are better anyways!!

Oh my, the flood gates are open! >:O

TodayIsForgotten · Post by **TodayIsForgotten** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:49 pm

Everyone has pretty much summed up why i love the genre. For myself it isL

the adrenaline of taking down scores or previous best scores
what will come out next?
What will the bosses look like/act?
How long can i go before dying?
Did i just move into x position with my score?
Reflexes
Quick thinking
Skill is required

Kaspal · Post by **Kaspal** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:12 pm

jonny5 wrote:
kozo wrote:
Entire thread
Agreed on many counts.
QFT!!1!1!!!11

QFT!!!!

and im a sprite art whore too... so where there are some pretty good sprite art in my games, im sold.

Taylor · Post by **Taylor** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:38 pm

spadgy wrote:I'm sure I've said this before, but if you can get as far as getting those people who dem shmups as impossible just at a glance, they are often pleasantly surprisd by how well (relatively) they can do. I've finally got a mate who isn't a gamer at all into Strikers, just because he likes war comics, and boy is he getting good fast!

Definitely agreed, this is partly why I referred to it as an apparent difficultly. There’s a large amount of smoke and mirrors in most modern shmups, once they know how to stream and not worry about the hundreds of bullets going nowhere near them, it’s a lot easier for a new player to digest.

Arvandor · Post by **Arvandor** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:26 am

It's definitely the rush from having a really good personal run in a shmup. It's the only legal way to get that kind of adrenaline surge from the comfort of your couch or recliner.

poodude · Post by **poodude** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:57 am

I personally play shmups for the eye candy of it all. Some of these game are so meticulously drawn by hand using hundreds or even thousands of sprites. You just can't find games like these in any other genre. It's this "done by hand" feel that gives it's unique quality of game play. (I prefer sprite animated over the newer 3d types)

For instance take Pro Gear. In my opinion one of the most beautifully animated horizontal shmups out there. Every little detail down to the little do-dads moving around in the background, to the birds flying in the air, and the intricate bullet patterns make it quite the visual experience.

Syndicate · Post by **Syndicate** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:40 am

It's badass. I mean, what could be more badass than jumping in a ridiculously overpowered jet and going on suicide mission and ending up coming back anyway?

Also, the explosions and the number of them. Most FPS's are the only things that get credit for being about destruction, but usually you can't blow up most buildings and it only takes about 3-4 good explosions before your PC crashes. However in most shmups there are dozens or even hundreds of explosions. Plus, you can destroy buildings that are probably full of innocent people, but who cares? You get more points! Blowing up innocent motorists is also fun.

-Bridget- · Post by **-Bridget-** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:34 am

Ruldra wrote:Difficulty.

I've reached a point where I want games that challenge me, that really test my skills. I was getting turned off by all the story-fests, RPGs and fighting games out there, as none of them provided what I was looking for.

Then, one day, I saw Mushi's TLB video and immediately thought "Wow, I MUST play this! This is just what I need!"

One thing led to another, and I discovered this board, and shmups in general. I've been hooked ever since.

Hah, that's almost exactly what I was gonna say

Now, I still love fighters and RPGs and whatnot, but it reeeaaaaalllllly helps if I have a challenge, to hold my attention.

Just like what you said, awhile back a friend of mine showed me a video of Mushihime in action, and then DOJ's Death Label mode...... and my first thoughts were, "I wanna try and fight that thing myself!!!" Then I tried out Giga Wing, and ordered Mushi, and it just went from there.

I love a crazy challenge like that, so I got sucked into the whole genre. I like being able to practice and increase my skill, to eventually defeat supposedly impossible opponents. And I dont want just any challenge..... it's gotta be a really major one. The type where, beating it at all is a really major accomplishment.

To me, there isnt anything else quite like dodging a crazy wall of purple death.... or whatever color the bullets are. I tend to play bullet-hell types more than traditional ones.

And fast forward to today, where Im currently trying to beat Mushi Ultra (having beaten the other modes). And usually I end up yelling at it a bunch, hehe.

yojo! · Post by **yojo!** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:32 am

I mostly play shmups for stress relief. No time to think; just quick reflexes.

lgb · Post by **lgb** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:29 pm

I play them when I get bored of other genres, and usually alongside a platformer or a run-and-gun.

FatCobra · Post by **FatCobra** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 5:59 am

The mass amounts of destruction you cause, the ability to improve your abilities by learning the game, and the simple but addictive gameplay are reasons why I love shmups.

Games are too unnecessarily complex these days, and most of them seem to focus too much on graphics, sandbox environments, or unlockables at the expense of good gameplay. Maybe that's why they bore me half the time and would rather play old NES, SNES, or arcade games on an emulator (or the actual system, if I had the money to afford them).

I think that all that next-gen stuff really isn't necessary. I'm not saying all next-gen games are bad, it's just that when a simple 2-D game is more fun then a multi-billion dollar budgeted bump-mapped, million polygoned, bloom-filled one, something's screwy with the industry. And this is coming from some-one who is planning on building his own computer and throwing an advanced graphics card in it.

I prefer STYLE, not how many polys a man's nose has, or how rendered the zit on it is.

For once, it makes me glad I've haven't bought a next-gen system yet. Sure, the Wii has the VC for the old-school needs, but my laptop can do that, for free no less, and it's portable. Hell, I can throw those old NES games on my DS because I have one of those homebrew carts.

You can also blame the gamer demographic for the state of affairs we are in. Back in the old days, gaming was a nerd's hobby. But as the systems got old and they became more popular, more people wanted in on it. Also even us oldschoolers wanted more. We demanded more features and cooler graphics. Add the average Joes and the industry catering to them and you've got a recipe for killing off niche genres like shmups. Don't forget that some people haven't been gaming since the Atari days and that X360 or Wii may be their first console. It's really just evolution. And like evolution in real-life, genres will either evolve, die, or adapt into a small niche.

Gaming has changed, for most gamers, it's about 100% completion, not working on getting the high score. I like shmups just because I pine for those good-ole days of gaming and shmups is the purest form of it. Most of the first videogames ever made did involve spaceships shooting stuff, so that's what I mean by "pure."

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:33 am

In the French documentary, Japon : Histoire Du Shooting Game, while Saku Tanaka is explaining the charm of DoDonpachi, and manic shmups in general, he says something like, "It's a glorious feeling to realize that in spite of all the bullets, and in spite of the Hell raging furiously around us, we can survive and fight."

I thought that this was a very beautiful analysis of the genre, and mentally spot-on. It is a very glorious feeling to play these games well; a unique feeling that no other form of entertainment has ever instilled in me.

That's what I love about shmups.

bsidwell · Post by **bsidwell** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:05 am

I like blowing shit up.

sikraiken · Post by **sikraiken** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:10 am

Judge told me I can't shoot at real people anymore and FPS's just don't do it for me, so this is the best alternative.

szycag · Post by **szycag** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:23 am

It's not so much blowing shit up for me as it is the feeling of tearing through shit. DDP is obviously the best for that feeling, with the laser shot. Thunder Force 3 actually does it just perfectly too. Maybe it's the bullet collision sound effects.

No_not_like_Quake · Post by **No_not_like_Quake** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:07 pm

They are rewarding and don't rely on the fluff the Playstation generation thinks it needs, which I don't mind but I find myself always going back to the immediate intuitiveness and challenge of a shmup or similar type genre.

KindGrind · Post by **KindGrind** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:11 pm

Difficulty, beauty in the simpleness of the gameplay, overwhelming ridiculous odds and end up winning the fight.

Bootaaay · Post by **Bootaaay** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:30 pm

I'm not the best player at SHMUPS, never 1cc'd a game (came close with Sengoku Ace though) and I don't really pay much attention to these in-depth scoring systems - what usually attracts me to a SHMUP is the artistic design, and it's that which keeps me coming back for more, Mushihime-sama for example; I find it pretty difficult overall, but the artistic design is enough to make me want to play it again and again and slowly as I keep playing it i'm getting a bit better each time (nearly can complete up to the end of stage 3 on 1 credit).

lgb · Post by **lgb** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 1:21 pm

Necronopticous wrote:In the French documentary, Japon : Histoire Du Shooting Game, while Saku Tanaka is explaining the charm of DoDonpachi, and manic shmups in general, he says something like, "It's a glorious feeling to realize that in spite of all the bullets, and in spite of the Hell raging furiously around us, we can survive and fight."

That's a nice quote, even if it isn't the one written. Would you mind if I sig'd it?

Enhasa · Post by **Enhasa** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 4:54 pm

Super Laydock · Post by **Super Laydock** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 5:37 pm

being a lone fighter against mostly tremendous odds.
Me vs the world so to say.

Also i like shmups giving me the feeling of a flow.
Giga Wing being the main example. I could start off dreaming while playing.
I like playing for survival more than for score for this reason alone.

PROMETHEUS · Post by **PROMETHEUS** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:09 pm

Necronopticous wrote:In the French documentary, Japon : Histoire Du Shooting Game, while Saku Tanaka is explaining the charm of DoDonpachi, and manic shmups in general, he says something like, "It's a glorious feeling to realize that in spite of all the bullets, and in spite of the Hell raging furiously around us, we can survive and fight."

I thought that this was a very beautiful analysis of the genre, and mentally spot-on. It is a very glorious feeling to play these games well; a unique feeling that no other form of entertainment has ever instilled in me.

That's what I love about shmups.

Yeah me too, and that's why I like danmaku most of all.

gabe · Post by **gabe** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:13 pm

I'm not sure there is much to be said on this topic that hasn't already been said... But I will add this:

I think of shmups as "casual games" for the "hardcore gamer."

EXAMPLE: I can head home on my lunch, fix myself a sandwich, play through 1 credit on (insert shmup here), get an amazing feeling of satisfaction, and make it back to the office with time to spare.

In many modern "epic" games, gaining any feeling of accomplishment takes an hour or more.

Shmups do a great job of conforming to my otherwise busy schedule. While mastering them takes many hours, I like the fact that I can sneak in "practice sessions" here, and there.

Necronopticous · Post by **Necronopticous** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:13 pm

LGB wrote:
Necronopticous wrote:In the French documentary, Japon : Histoire Du Shooting Game, while Saku Tanaka is explaining the charm of DoDonpachi, and manic shmups in general, he says something like, "It's a glorious feeling to realize that in spite of all the bullets, and in spite of the Hell raging furiously around us, we can survive and fight."
That's a nice quote, even if it isn't the one written. Would you mind if I sig'd it?

I don't mind, of course.

clp · Post by **clp** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:25 pm

shmups are great for many reasons personally love those super tense moments of survival twitch dodging the sheer concentration required at times and progressing ultimately are the ultra addictive qualities .

Aquas · Post by **Aquas** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 8:08 pm

The adrenaline rush, the artistic design, the whole experience and it's purity, the arcade mentality. When I think of the gameplay in shmups, I can't ask (for) or find anything more exhilirating and instantly rewarding.