Two-player vertical shooter idea

[microcosm]

So far I've only considered this in terms of how a vertical shooter could use all the screen area of a yoko TV set, but it might be interesting as a game mechanism in its own right.

Two players in separate shooting areas, displayed side-by-side on a TV. Anything that either player could do to increase his rank will affect the other player's rank instead. Much like the two-player Tetris variants in arcades.

There doesn't seem to be a term for this in the forum glossary. Has it been tried before?

[Ghegs]

Well, there's Twinkle Star Sprites and its sequel, Twinkle Star Sprites: La Petite Princesse though they're more "VS. shmups" than what you're describing.

[Aru-san]

Well, there's Twinkle Star Sprites and its sequel, Twinkle Star Sprites: La Petite Princesse though they're more "VS. shmups" than what you're describing.

I think he's more or less talking about taking a normal shmup (DoDonPachi, Battle Garegga, Mushihime-sama, etc.) and having two single-player games happening on one YOKO-oriented screen with two separate people playing one game. Whatever mechanics that normally raise rank for one player will instead raise rank for the other player instead.

For example, you can play decently on DoDonPachi, but the increase in rank will occur in the other player's game rather than your own. Another example, you can totally screw around in Battle Garegga and jack up the rank as high as possible, but the one who won't be passing that damn turret wall in level 6 would be the opponent.

It's basically like inflicting implicit damage to your opponent by screwing over their game via rank increase.

[ShmupSamurai]

Now that's just bloodly evil...