The game is simple:
Given a screenshot, or part of it, we must guess what shmup it is taken from. The first who guesses right earns the right to post the next screenshot, or part of it, and so on.
Here's the rules:
- 1: It MUST be a shmup. 1D, 2D, 3D, 4D, borderline, on rails, Metal Slug style, from every possible platform: arcade, home computers, consoles, portables, game & watch... We know what's a shmup and what's not a shmup, right?
Exception: shmup stages from a non-shmup title (Beautiful Katamari, Segagaga... you get the drift).
2: Crops are allowed. As those boards are full of shmups professionals, it doesn't necessarily need to be a full screenshot. A meaningful snippet of a screenshot is accepted... for example a Mushihimesama lamppost, a bathing tako from Parodius Da!, the ninja portrait from Aero Fighters II, a house from the first level's background of Espgaluda II, and so on. DO NOT MAKE IT TOO OBSCURE!! Don't post a white pixel in a black field assuming that everyone would understand that it comes from the background of Einhänder's final boss. Please be sensible.
3: It must be an ingame screenshot. No title screens, no option screens, no staff roll. We want action.
4: Don't stall the game. If people seem visibly confused and noone seems to get your entry, please post a couple of hints. If, given a few days, it is deemed impossible, please post the solution and post a new (possibly easier) screenshot.
5: Make it unique. If you choose a detail that could come from a million different Dariuses or Gradiuses or Thunderforces, avoid it, as many could come up with a different game and still be right.
6: Don't link it from the producer's page! Take your screenshot or your detail and put in on your personal space or on imageshack. If your jpg is called trizeal.jpg and it is linked directly to Trianglesevice.co.jp, well, maybe you gave away a bit too much
7: The platform is NOT discriminating! If your screenshot comes from R-Type, arcade edition, and someone writes "this is R-Type, well, it looks like the Amiga version to boot", he's still right. The important thing is to get the exact game right.
Rules suggested by the public:
8: Contribute! Right guessers will earn points only if you post a screen after you've guessed yours. "Sniping" and not contributing isn't fair to the players, it means that you're deliberately stalling the game. If you guess but don't post after an hour, anyone can post another screen and you won't get your point.
9: Be attitude for gains! If you're 100% sure that your guess is right, you can avoid waiting for a confirmation by the poster, and you can post your screen right away. Your point will be added asap.
10: Patience is a virtue. If you notice that the ranking isn't updated by the second you make the right guess, don't panic. It's going to be updated, sooner or later. I (or a mod, if they feel like it, no problem for me) will eventually catch up.
Everybody can enter, and if you want to be ranked with a typical shmup three-letters alter ego, just give me a shout.
Finally, remember: this is for fun and can be very entertaining.