Pretty Pretty Shmups

mjclark · Post by **mjclark** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:58 am

I've just been playing R-Type Leo and was struck by just how visually appealing it is.Likewise Cyvern,I remember a thread about the graphical loveliness of Steel Saviour too,
We're not talking about gameplay here, just eye candy so what other really pretty shmups are out there?

gundamalpha · Post by **gundamalpha** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 8:14 am

I really love the graphics of Sol Divide.. and the sole reason I put in some effort (there's no other reason I guess).

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 9:11 am

Some Touhou games are pretty eye-candy. Namely Mountain of Faith and Undefined Fantastic Object (most polished visuals, imo).

P_HAT · Post by **P_HAT** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 9:32 am

I think IN have awesome visuals. Boss battles (look at backgrounds!) looks beautiful.
Shinkigami no Shiro 2 also looks good.

And Zero Gunner 2

Zaarock · Post by **Zaarock** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 9:50 am

Hellsinker has excellent graphics IMO, though I don't really like the player sprites much.

moonblood · Post by **moonblood** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:49 am

Raiden 2/DX
Viper Phase 1
Pulstar

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 10:55 am

Flying Shark equals Cool Visuals

Realistic Deserts, Lush Jungle canopies

ROBOTRON · Post by **ROBOTRON** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 11:59 am

Soldner-X is visually stunning, but in earlier days of shmupdom, I'd have say Thunderforce 2 shocked me the most...it was gorgeous (for the time).

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:04 pm

After playing a bit of it, Halley's Comet

Don't you like that Slimer Green too?

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:11 pm

Death Smiles
Batsugun
Batrider
Imperishable Night
Battle Garegga
Mushihimesama Futari
Ketsui
Daioujou
Guwange
Mushihimesama
Ikaruga
Thunder Blaster
Raiden DX

Pulstar has really ugly explosions, I'm not sure why someone brought it up. Anyway, these are my immediate picks. Usually anything Raizing has a fair bit of attention to detail in it, but only Garegga and Batrider really capture my attention with it.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:18 pm

I'll add Cotton 2 and Boomerang to the list, I always thought they looked pretty nice. Axelay and Space Megaforce/Super Aleste also still look pretty good even now, if you ask me.

Lloyd Mangram · Post by **Lloyd Mangram** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:32 pm

Purty.

sven666 · Post by **sven666** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:38 pm

r-type delta still rocks.. ages like fine wine.

the more poor 3D shmups that are released the more i appreciate deltas visuals too (see deathsmiles 2, triangle service and latter g-rev games for instance)

Kollision · Post by **Kollision** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:04 pm

Beautiful ones?

Cotton Boomerang is gorgeous
Fantasy Zone is awesomely crafted
Kolibri comes to mind, albeit the hindered gameplay
Sexy Parodius is the top Parodius game ever
I love the textures in Einhänder
A special nod goes to R-Type Final, despite the awful gameplay
Border Down is also awesome

mjclark · Post by **mjclark** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:11 pm

It's noticeable that Soldner-X, Steel Saviour ,X2 (on the Playstation), Thunder Force VI and R-Type Final all look gorgeous but play like shit, whereas Recca plays beautifully but looks like crap.
I wonder where aesthetics and gameplay both peak in a single game...and don't say Cave

Davey · Post by **Davey** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:18 pm

in b4 Cho Aniki

jonny5 · Post by **jonny5** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:20 pm

mjclark wrote:It's noticeable that Soldner-X, Steel Saviour ,X2 (on the Playstation), Thunder Force VI and R-Type Final all look gorgeous but play like shit, whereas Recca plays beautifully but looks like crap.
I wonder where aesthetics and gameplay both peak in a single game...and don't say Cave

CAVE

Post by **Shatterhand** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:02 pm

One more nod to Cotton Boomerang. It looks amazing, and it plays incredibly well.

It deserves to be more well known.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:56 pm

Shatterhand wrote:One more nod to Cotton Boomerang. It looks amazing, and it plays incredibly well.

It deserves to be more well known.

Next year I think you and I need to counter the top hats with some goofy talking witch hats.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:00 pm

The TTI version of Magical Chase looks great on the ol' Turbo Grafx-16/Turbo Duo/Turbo Express hardware. It's been ages since it's last appeared for sale on eBay though but the original Japanese PC Engine counterpart of the same name appears from time to time as well. ^_~

Suppose if Hudson Soft and Red managed to make an arcade PCB version of Air Zonk, it would've done quite well. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Kiken · Post by **Kiken** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:04 pm

Under Defeat
Last Resort
Kaitei Daisensou/In The Hunt
ESPGaluda
ESPGaluda II

Leandro · Post by **Leandro** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:16 pm

Truxton II - toaplan's finest graphics

Air Gallet - beautiful

fogelmir · Post by **fogelmir** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:12 pm

Stage 4 on the original Mushihime.

and any of the espgaluda games.

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:30 pm

ikarumba

evil_ash_xero · Post by **evil_ash_xero** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:46 pm

Well, in the polygonal world, nobody beats Ikaruga and Gradus V. They just look phenomenal. Under Defeat looks pretty great too.

In the world of sprites, i'd have to go with Guwange(TONS of eye candy), Dimahoo, In The Hunt(once again, lots of eye candy), and Soukyugurentai(has some polygons, I know).

Old school, i'd have to give it up to Thunder Force IV, for being one of my favorite designed(lookswise) ever. R-Type III looked great for it's time, and as the OP said, Leo has some really stunning stages.

From what i've seen of Death Smiles, it looks to be an amazing looking game too.

MathU · Post by **MathU** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:50 pm

Darius Gaiden

clp · Post by **clp** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:11 pm

last resort .

agustusx · Post by **agustusx** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:14 pm

Galactic Attack/Rayforce/Gunlock. There are a lot of great environmental visuals in this game, many layers of parallax and a great use of colors. The background definitely look like a world(or deep space) lives below you.

I don't find many space shooters as visually appealing as this game.

ncp · Post by **ncp** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:23 pm

I really, really like the visuals in Ibara for some reason. Also agreed with fogelmir on Mushi stage 4, one of my favorite stages in any game (and not just for its visuals). For mid-90s era games I'd have to go with Darius Gaiden, especially if you consider the music along with it.

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 7:58 pm

mortal kombat 1