What shmups had the best art design?

[evil_ash_xero]

I'm pretty critical of art design in shmups, so I was thinking of the better ones.

One of my all time favorites is Thunderforce IV, as I love the way the stages look and the ships and bosses. Just awesome looking.

Gradius Gaiden I think looks great, and has so many different and cool looking stages. It always kind of kept you wondering what was next. It's obvious it came out at the same time as SOTN(which had the same effect).

G Darius, even though it's Polygons have aged poorly, had a lot of wicked looking stages and bosses. Would LOVE to see Taito remake this for XBLA.

Guwange is my favorite looking Cave game. It had tons of eye candy, and a great theme. Really twisted bosses.

Ikaruga has a wonderful overall aesthetic, but obviously doesn't have tons of variation. It is really pretty though.

ESPGaluda II looks phenomenal with it's cool machinery and cities(stage 3 looks amazing).

other favorites

ESPRa.de.(reminds me of Akira)
Radiant Silvergun(not for backgrounds so much..nice use of color in them though...but for everything else)
Musha Aleste
Deathsmiles(minus the lolis)
R-Type series(loved the Aliens inspired stuff)
Battle Garegga(not really pretty, but I like it's dirty machinery look)
Dimahoo(very colorful and interesting to look at)
Cho Aniki for the PS......j/k

[Observer]

If you mentioned G-Darius then Darius Gaiden should go next to it. Both have incredibly wicked and surreal designs, I love them.

RayForce is pretty as hell, especially with the stages flowing without interruption. The descent to Earth is superb and parts of the final stage really leave you speechless just when imagine the immense size of things.

Not sure many might agree here but Einhänder art direction is excellent. And bosses taunt you in german, can't get any better. ACHTUNG!

[MathU]

Everything by Irem had this fantastic post-apocalyptic industrial style with extremely detailed sprites.

Radirgy has an incredibly unique style, both in the cel-shading and setting. The second boss drops sports balls on you when you break open one of its containers. Karous has a very neat style too which uses mostly very dark colors. Surprisingly, it doesn't really aggravate your eyes during play, though I don't like it quite as much.

Darius Gaiden is a truly surreal experience. The combination of 3D and 2D is the most seamless I've ever seen. I am correct in assuming most of the sprites are pre-rendered 3D, right? Also G-Darius looks hideous, how could you list that? Here they had this amazing thing going with Gaiden and then they puked all over it.

[evil_ash_xero]

Everything by Irem had this fantastic post-apocalyptic industrial style with extremely detailed sprites.

Radirgy has an incredibly unique style, both in the cel-shading and setting. The second boss drops sports balls on you when you break open one of its containers. Karous has a very neat style too which uses mostly very dark colors. Surprisingly, it doesn't really aggravate your eyes during play, though I don't like it quite as much.

Darius Gaiden is a truly surreal experience. The combination of 3D and 2D is the most seamless I've ever seen. I am correct in assuming most of the sprites are pre-rendered 3D, right? Also G-Darius looks hideous, how could you list that?

Well, I think it would look good if remade. The only problem with it is it's old polygons. I think the stages and whatnot look pretty good though. I guess I just like all the variety. I never liked the way Darius Gaiden looked.

[boagman]

I totally agree with the suggestions of Einhander, Ikaruga, and at least one of the Dariuses...I can never keep them straight.

My first choice would be View Point for the Neo. I happen to believe that its polygons have aged *tremendously* gracefully, and don't ever go out of style. I know...it sounds like I'm just shilling my favorite game, but it's still an absolute aesthetic feast for the senses. All of them.

[ncp]

Dangun Feveron.

[TodayIsForgotten]

Soldner X!

seriously I never really noticed this much in shootem ups. But there are times where I'm like oh ya those buildings or that canal or whatever looks nice.

I personally loved Gradius V that was my first high quality shoot em up in years after being on hiatus from games.

[honorless]

Well there really can't be a "best" if you're suggesting multiple games...

Fantasy Zone, especially 1 and 2 DX. Those crazy little cartoon worlds always put a smile on my face.

[chempop]

Dimahoo - I absolutely love the art design. Fire and Ice elemental attacks, Robotic Dragons, Bounty Hunters with personality... just the combination of fantasy and technology is really well done in this game. Plus it has the most shiny and valuable looking medals in any game bar-none.

Rayforce - As someone else already said, I have to agree. The game is a seamless epic journey, right before the last boss.... nothing else like it I tell ya.

Deathsmiles - A cross between dungeons and dragons, ghosts and goblins, and legend of mana (okay, thats pushing it I suppose). Such a colorful explosive game - organic and atmospheric.

[neojma]

Kinda surprised to not see Metal Black already mentioned, as it's what instantly popped in my head when I saw the topic. Taito nailed the desolate and gritty feeling they were going for, in my opinion.

Progear's Miyazaki-esque style is also a personal favorite.

And though I'm saying nothing of the actual gameplay quality, Radilgy has a really distinctive look and coherent visual design.

[BulletMagnet]

Kinda surprised to not see Metal Black already mentioned, as it's what instantly popped in my head when I saw the topic.

Definitely - I don't like how the game plays very much, but in terms of visual design it's a sight to behold.

Quite a few of the other good ones have already been mentioned, though I might also toss the 32-bit Cotton games in there.

[lgb]

the Nazca team and Raizing

[Herr Schatten]

Everything by Irem had this fantastic post-apocalyptic industrial style with extremely detailed sprites.

Exception: X-Multiply. Horrible, horrible pillow-shading all over the place. (Lots of creativity, though.)

[Dragoforce]

Metal Black. Ranges from beutiful (stage 1) to bizarre (stage 5)

[Rob]

Dogyuun, Dragon Blaze

[Barvok]

Chikyuu Kaihou Gun ZAS

http://www.vgmuseum.com/images/gb/01/zas.html

ZAS has excellent sprite work, and very attractive (if not particularly original) art direction. Considering the limitations of the Game Boy it's very impressive, quite possibly the best graphics produced on the system - and they still look good today.

It plays very well too, I'd go so far as to call it the best handheld shmup (thought the GG Aleste games provide some fierce competition).

Go play it.

I also really like the art design of Pixel's shmup Guxt. The fellow really knows how to design a good looking game.

http://db.tigsource.com/games/guxt

Also R-Type Dimensions.

[evil_ash_xero]

the Nazca team and Raizing

Yeah, In The Hunt did look pretty great.

[null1024]

Dangun Feveron.

+1, I love how all the ships [SANS YOUR OWN, which is either a phallus, some weird ball of trash, or a rather plain ship] look, the BG is nicely detailed, and it's all FUNKAAAH DISSCOOO!

Also, Darius Gaiden [especially this one], RayForce, R-Type, Ikaruga, RSG, and Progear all look sweet.

[EinhanderZwei]

Here come my picks:
- Pulstar / Blazing Star
- (Do)DonPachi series
- Ikaruga
- Einhander
- Irem shmups starting from R-Type Leo
- Cho Aniki series
- Raiden 2
- Soldier Blade (I know it's actually generic, but smokin' GOOD generic!)
- MUSHA Aleste (same as Soldier Blade)
- Batsugun?

[BIL]

Battle Garegga's machine designs. Great balance of style and brutal function, particularly the bosses. Many seem almost animalistic, the way tails, arms and decapitated heads thrash amongst bristling weapons and armor plating.

[emphatic]

Three Wonders (Chariot). I always thought that DeathSmiles took that vibe and added the goth theme to it.
Ketsui. The whole perspective of everything + the color palette. Just look at the red sky reflecting in the sea port with that battleship in stage 3.

[Battletoad]

In contrary to many people here, I love all about Gunbird 2´s art. The character portraits, the nice backgrounds, the boss sprites and animations and the general cute look. Same can be said for Dragon Blaze (except for the cuteness maybe ), although I don´t know this one too well.

Parodius is brilliant, too.

And I also want to mention Bio Hazard Battle. Simply love the giant insects. Together with some of the backgrounds and music the game provides a great somewhat dark atmosphere.

Last but not least Thunder Force IV. Ship looks better than in TF III, especially with the special drones you get in the later levels. Awesome boss designs and outstanding backgrounds.

[Schrodinger's cat]

And I also want to mention Bio Hazard Battle. Simply love the giant insects. Together with some of the backgrounds and music the game provides a great somewhat dark atmosphere.

I was totally going to mention this. Everything is just so ugly, hideous, or bizarre, but it works so perfectly in that game. It's probably the only shooter that made me feel like I was in some lonely dilapidated world as a kid. To me, there's still nothing like it.

[EinhanderZwei]

And I also want to mention Bio Hazard Battle. Simply love the giant insects. Together with some of the backgrounds and music the game provides a great somewhat dark atmosphere.

I was totally going to mention this. Everything is just so ugly, hideous, or bizarre, but it works so perfectly in that game. It's probably the only shooter that made me feel like I was in some lonely dilapidated world as a kid. To me, there's still nothing like it.

Yeah, totally agreed. If Philosoma is the darkest, then Bio-Hazard Battle is the creepiest shooter I've played

[Zweihander]

R-Type Delta, Radiant Silvergun, and Gradius V get my votes. I especially love the detail put into Gradius V's monstrous bosses.

[Dragoforce]

You two should not be allowed to post right after each other in the same thread. Ein, Zwei mindfuck.

Dogyuun

Have you played the later stages? It gets really weird at stage 6 (I think) The colours get very bright and the detail level drops significantly.

[ChurchOfSolipsism]

Although it's already been mentioned, Pulstar doesn'T get enough love usually. The polygon models are well integrated and the bitmap graphics look totally gorgeous.
But yeah, I'd say one of the newer Cave games (DonPachi? haha, c'mon man) like Death Smiles. Or Ikaruga.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Blazing Star
Darius Gaiden: Silver Hawk
Metal Black
Thunder Force V/Thunder Force V: Perfect System
Raiden III
Triggerheart Exelica/Triggerheart Exelica Enhanced

[linko9]

I personally like DDP the best (some of the coolest sprites ever), and a lot of the later Toaplan games, especially Dogyuun!!. I think Phalanx looked really cool too, but that's probably nostalgia on my part.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I'm going to name only a few that have yet to be mentioned:
Last Resort - so super-slick, just too cool for school, and the music in stage 2 is mesmerizing.
Twinkle Star Sprites - looks too good to be true and indeed, the framerate issues (when things get hectic) somewhat strenghten that impression.
Koutetsu Teikoku/Steel Empire/Empire of Steel - seems to be made of pure love.