Cute 'Em Ups

[drauch]

I'd really like an extensive list on ALL cute 'em ups you guys can think of. Any system, arcade, etc. Talking about Cotton, Coryoon, Magical Chase, ETC. I need more cute 'em ups. Thanks all.

[saucykobold]

This thread should be of interest.

[drauch]

Aye, thanks mate. I kinda pulled a lazy noob and said "nah, I won't search this". Honestly didn't think there would be one. Next time a searching I will do, then.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Cute 'em up is too imprecise a term for me to come up with a "complete list". I for one don't consider Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams a cute 'em up. It's bleak and ghastly rather than cute. The only game resembling Cotton in this regard I can think of now is Wonder 3/Three Wonders (Don't Pull excluded). Gun Hohki/Mystic Riders is kind of similar, but just kind of (it's more of a genuine cute 'em up). Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams makes me think about hazel groves and mosquitos, whereas Wonder 3 brings psilocybin mushrooms to mind (like many CPS1 games thanks to the colour palette and then some). Than what about Ordyne? It's gorgeous, colourful and cartoony, but calling it a cute 'em up would be a stretch if you ask me. I don't want another cool term to become another buzzword.
Twinkle Star Sprites, now that's what I call cute 'em up. Parodius games are not only cute, but also funny (not many games have this much vis comica in pretty much every major sprite), so they are cute 'em ups in my book.

[drauch]

Yeah, I see your point. I guess let me narrow down a bit...I mean cute 'em up as an anime girl blasting baddies. That's a pretty broad statement, but yeah. Non-traditional ship in the place of a silly creature or an anime girl blasting non-traditional enemies (pigs, raccoons, evil pumpkins, etc.) I'd consider Cotton in this crowd, Keio Flying Squadron, Parodius and the like.

[Opethian]

PC Denjin/Air Zonk
L-Dis
Star Parodier

[Lunchbox]

Game Tengoku.
Twinbee series.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Consider the classic 1991 Quest released Magical Chase Hu-Card on the PCE platform as another cute-em' up. Even TTI released MC for the TG-16/Turbo Duo platfforms as well. Is considered the holy grail of TG-16 games indeed due to it's relative small print run distributed at retail in the USA. Even Toys-R-Us sold it new at discount for a mere $19.99 USD...considered chmup change back in the day.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[drauch]

Consider the classic 1991 Quest released Magical Chase Hu-Card on the PCE platform as another cute-em' up. Even TTI released MC for the TG-16/Turbo Duo platfforms as well. Is considered the holy grail of TG-16 games indeed due to it's relative small print run distributed at retail in the USA. Even Toys-R-Us sold it new at discount for a mere $19.99 USD...considered chmup change back in the day.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

You slay me good sir! Chmup change is godly.

[iluvmonsterz]

i see your point but i usually go by the character designs, are the main characters presented in a cute and cartoony way? then i slip it into the cut'em up category...i understand the grey area but with presentation comes a feeling and typicaly a cute character is not meant to be depressing even if presented in a darker or more ominous setting, ala some of the 70 disney cartoons(black cauldron). the parodious games are easy to cite and ordyn seems awfully candy coated and even has cute and comedic sound effects to NOT call it a cut em up is a stretch.

Cute 'em up is too imprecise a term for me to come up with a "complete list". I for one don't consider Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams a cute 'em up. It's bleak and ghastly rather than cute. The only game resembling Cotton in this regard I can think of now is Wonder 3/Three Wonders (Don't Pull excluded). Gun Hohki/Mystic Riders is kind of similar, but just kind of (it's more of a genuine cute 'em up). Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams makes me think about hazel groves and mosquitos, whereas Wonder 3 brings psilocybin mushrooms to mind (like many CPS1 games thanks to the colour palette and then some). Than what about Ordyne? It's gorgeous, colourful and cartoony, but calling it a cute 'em up would be a stretch if you ask me. I don't want another cool term to become another buzzword.
Twinkle Star Sprites, now that's what I call cute 'em up. Parodius games are not only cute, but also funny (not many games have this much vis comica in pretty much every major sprite), so they are cute 'em ups in my book.

[Obiwanshinobi]

The characters in Ordyne are deformed as it was the easiest way to endow lo-res sprites with distinctive features (see the original Mario sprite). Non-deformed characters of the era used to be somewhat featureless (see the original Contra). Ordyne has more of an SF macho feel to it (Mega Man, Gunstar Heroes etc.), it's full of badass machinery and "cool" weapons, and the characters' mugs sport actually rather gritty expressions. I just associate cuteness in shmups with more, um, psychedelic vibe (by "psychedelic" I mean this kind of stuff, "spaced out" like that rather than just weird).
Come to think of it, Konami used to be masters of such atmosphere. Been playing Penguin Adventure lately and I totally suck for the look and feel of it.

[iluvmonsterz]

i definatly see your point on that one, and i do remember alot of stuff strangely being (i loath to say it) "kiddie" looking and me scratching my going "why"...you go more by atmosphere whereas i tend to use aesthetics and music/sound....i may have to replay and recategorize suma my stuff...

The characters in Ordyne are deformed as it was the easiest way to endow lo-res sprites with distinctive features (see the original Mario sprite). Non-deformed characters of the era used to be somewhat featureless (see the original Contra). Ordyne has more of an SF macho feel to it (Mega Man, Gunstar Heroes etc.), it's full of badass machinery and "cool" weapons, and the characters' mugs sport actually rather gritty expressions. I just associate cuteness in shmups with more, um, psychedelic vibe (by "psychedelic" I mean this kind of stuff, "spaced out" like that rather than just weird).
Come to think of it, Konami used to be masters of such atmosphere. Been playing Penguin Adventure lately and I totally suck for the look and feel of it.