Advice: Shmups to get from PlayAsia...thanks for your help!

[dnbiola]

Play-asia is currently having a 15% off sale off of all in-stock items.

Here is where I could use your expert advice. As of a week ago, I am able to play Japanese PS2 games and I am trying to decide what to buy (I have a very limited budget). The only Japanese PS2 game I have (or will have on Saturday) is Fantasy Zone Collection. Below are some games I'm looking at. Which Jpn PS2 games should I buy?

Shmups:
Do Don Pachi Daioujou DV I've never owned or played any Cave games...please don't ban me from the forums.

Espgaluda

Twinkle Star Spirits: La Petite Princesse (SNK Best Collection)

Others?

Non-shmups I'm looking at (just in case you have an opinion any of them):

Guilty Gear XX Accent Core
Sega Ages 2500 Vol. 30: Galaxy Force II
Sega Ages Vol. 25: Gunstar Heroes: Treasure Box (I already have Gunstar Heroes and Dynamite Headdy for MD though)
Sega AGES 2500 Series Vol. 13 Outrun

[ave]

Shmups:
Do Don Pachi Daioujou DV I've never owned or played any Cave games...please don't ban me from the forums.

Espgaluda

Twinkle Star Spirits: La Petite Princesse (SNK Best Collection)

Twinkle Star is maybe not the best shmup to start with as it plays very untypical for a shooter. I think the best would be to buy Espgaluda and see how you like it. It offers easily accessable gameplay (normal mode) and advanced gameplay if you want to try out maniac shooters (arrange mode). It's easy for a start, but also offers very deep tactics for advanced players. And I don't need to mention that graphics and sound are absolutely top-notch, everything a shooter fan needs.

DDP DOJ is a fantastic masterpiece with absolutely stunning gameplay and action, the soundtrack is outstanding too. Actually you can order it right away with Espgaluda, but consider it as not as accessable as Espgaluda. DDP DOJ is really tough and needs a lot of practice and memorization to achieve good scores.

Others?

Ibara and Mushihimesama are good as well, but there some issues about the ports like no true low-res (weird picture with rgb).
There's also Thunder Force VI to be released end of october, Raiden III, Homura (rather specific), Thunder Cross (Oretachi GeeSen Series) and some more ps2-only shooters I don't remember now.

Sega Ages 2500 Vol. 30: Galaxy Force II
Sega Ages Vol. 25: Gunstar Heroes: Treasure Box (I already have Gunstar Heroes and Dynamite Headdy for MD though)
Sega AGES 2500 Series Vol. 13 Outrun

Galaxy Force is a good port. 1:1 to the arcade including some bonus content.
You can pick up the Saturn Sega Ages version quite cheap these days though, I paid 10$ for a like-new copy. And it's also arcade perfect.

Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box would be for Alien Soldier then, which is a fantastic game. If you want to buy it if you already own the other two games though I don't know, but AS is really grand for the MD.

OutRun is a game I wouldn't buy for the PS2. As far as I know the original OutRun is playable, but there's also this butt-ugly remake version which is really a kick in the face for every Sega fan.


Buy OutRun 2 (Wohow!) or OutRun (Saturn) instead

[Taylor]

Play-Asia don't have many things in stock, I'd grab DoDonPachi: Daioujou straight away.

Make sure you get Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus as well, either by grabbing Append or the version with both. The standard Accent Core is busted.

[Jockel]

Another vote for Espgaluda and DDP DOJ.
The Espaluda port made me buy the PCB, and that's saying something (because i am a pretty poor student)

[dnbiola]

Thanks so much guys!!! Because of your recommendations I decided to go with Espgaluda. From the videos I've seen of it, it looks great. Great soundtrack too!

I'll need to pick up the Gunstar collection eventually so I can play Alien Soldier and have a convenient way to play Gunstar and Dynamite Headdy without plugging in the Genesis.

I appreciate your patience with a newbie's questions!

[Jockel]

I appreciate your patience with a newbie's questions!

everybody began as newb sometime

[Never_Scurred]

Another vote for Espgaluda and DDP DOJ.

I'd also try to get that Ibara and Mushi from Ebay if you can swing the funds. Def worth owning.