What's YOUR Favourite level of all time?

[seif]

What's your favorite SHMUP level and why?

Feel free to give several examples if you can't narrow it down to one.

This way we can all get great play tips for really specific experiences.



I'll go first as an example.

Mine is probably the first level of Ikaruga because it set the theme and style of the entire rest of the game.
Seeing the last level be so cold and isolated felt like the perfect polar opposite to the first world where you learned all the basics and final level put those skills to use.

Oh and hi everyone I'm new to this forum=D *wave*

[Illyrian]

Oh hai!

Anyway, mine are, and these are all primarily because they're levels I specifically remember as being important in my own shmup development back when I was a little shmup noobie:

1. Imperishible Night, stage 5 - When I was starting out playing these games on easy, this level caused me so many problems. From the bullet spamming enemies to the boss with the most unique and interesting bullet patterns I'd ever seen, this stage is a personal favourite of mine to this day

2. Ketsuipachi stage 1 - Specifically ketsuipachi because of the way the guitar section of the music kicks in just as the URA midboss gets it's teeth kicked in. Such an invigorating, enjoyable way to start a game

3. Gokujyou Parodius Road Chase stage - The awesome William Tell overture playing in the background, the awesome "stop sign" boss fight, and the enemy placement made this level a joy to learn and play

4. Subterranean Animism Stage 6 - My favourite final stage of all time, pretty much entirely due to it having the most epic feeling final boss ever. Utsuho is a fantastic boss fight that kept me on the edge of my seat, with a real feeling of exhileration when I beat her

[AntiFritz]

Stage 3 - DFK 1.5

Its the only one of the stages i can chain somewhat at all (from near the start to just past the midboss usually) and i find it the most fun of the 5 stages overall.

Ice palace - Deathsmiles MBL/MBL 1.1

When your able to glitch the game out by having too many sprites on screen so that it dumps a random sprite sheet a split second, you know your having fun.

[Age of Kings]

Stage 3 of Mushihimesama. Taking apart the pieces of the giant bug one by one was pretty satisfying. The stage design is all-around stellar and creative.

Einhander stage 1. It's absolutely gorgeous and fighting through this dark city against enemy government forces provides an awesome atmosphere that sets the tone for the rest of the game.

[Gespenst]

-Ketsui Stage 3 because of its hecticity and moar battleships
-Ether Vapor stage 1 because it's frickin' beauty and BGM
-Thunder Force V's stage 5. Who doesn't like THAT BGM while blowing the sword fleet?
-RefleX stage 1 because of the BGM.
-Any stage with oversized bomber plane in Raiden Fighters series.
-Raystorm stage 4, because it's just fun mopping entire fleet including the command ship itself single (or maybe two) handedly.
-Gigawing's (the first game) train stage.

[matrigs]

+1 for mushi stage 3. so satisfying. and getting that 1up is so thrilling.

[stryc9]

* The asteroid stage in Gradius V, actually aesthetically speaking just about any stage from Gradius V.

* Stage 3 of Mushi Futari is particularly awesome with the insect theme, and the level design is just about pitch perfect in all modes.

*The train stage in Raiden Fighters 2. You know what I'm talking about.

[trap15]

Another vote for Mushihimesama stage 3, and Raiden Fighters 2 train stage.

[1up]

Stage 3 of Mushihimesama. Taking apart the pieces of the giant bug one by one was pretty satisfying. The stage design is all-around stellar and creative.

This was the first thing that popped into my head.

[sven666]

stage 4 in DFK black label ofcourse?

why? look! listen!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTnWgMhCb0g

[seif]

Awesome. Keep them coming. I don't know about you but I'm stoked about playing and replaying these levels and paying more attention to those things that spoke to you.

I also like Dodon Pachi Resurrection 3rd stage (night city). Not only visually but it's where the balance of beams and bullets feels just perfect and the middle section with the framerate breaking explosion gets me every time.

[Nifty]

The final stage of Zed Blade

[BarfHappy]

RType 1, level 1... i cannot describe the impact that game had on me (perhaps because i was in my early teens).
I was blown away, shivers going down my spine.
The music, the design, the pace and overall mood, well... just wow.

I spent the following days at school drawing rtype-like levels on paper (and ended in retention to recopy my lessons, as it was too much decorated with bydo love xD).

I had tons of fun on loads of shmups levels since Defender, but RType L1 was a wowwowwow.

[cools]

Pink Sweets level 6

[Cagar]

-

[astroid]

Ibara train stage and "Endless Train" music on it. This looks gorgeous!

[Sapz]

DFK1.5 stage 5, obviously. There are so many awesome setpieces in this level both for survival and chaining, and then there's the laser wheels.

[trap15]

stage 4 in DFK black label ofcourse?

why? look! listen!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTnWgMhCb0g

Wow, that gave me the chills!

"THE WAR IS HERE, IS THERE NO MORE HOPING?" as the screen is completely covered in bullets and he's in a framerate-crippling hyper

[mice]

First level of Thunder Cross (jp). Just look at it.

[O. Van Bruce]

DFK1.5 stage 5, obviously. There are so many awesome setpieces in this level both for survival and chaining, and then there's the laser wheels.

That's not 1.5 music

I allways liked more the Black Label BGM but regular DFK stage 5 BGM is really good.

PD: Still deciding...

[matrigs]

stage 4 in DFK black label ofcourse?

why? look! listen!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTnWgMhCb0g

Wow, that gave me the chills!

"THE WAR IS HERE, IS THERE NO MORE HOPING?" as the screen is completely covered in bullets and he's in a framerate-crippling hyper

gotta love that sound when the game slows down so much. like an old diesel engine. pr pr pr pr

[O. Van Bruce]

Why aren't you worshipping goddes Reco while she destroys a whole village and bullets rain at you at the speed of light? Stage 5 of Mushi-Futari... though it's close to Daifukkatsu Black Label Stage 5...

http://youtu.be/RCJ7Yw9sChY?t=18m4s

[Gespenst]

Now you guys really reminds me of this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq8TJmAAbB4

[matrigs]

Why aren't you worshipping goddes Reco while she destroys a whole village and bullets rain at you at the speed of light? Stage 5 of Mushi-Futari... though it's close to Daifukkatsu Black Label Stage 5...

http://youtu.be/RCJ7Yw9sChY?t=18m4s

srsly ? that stage is dead boring. i think the only worthwhile moment is getting that 1up.

[Sapz]

DFK1.5 stage 5, obviously. There are so many awesome setpieces in this level both for survival and chaining, and then there's the laser wheels.

That's not 1.5 music

I allways liked more the Black Label BGM but regular DFK stage 5 BGM is really good.

PD: Still deciding...

Yeah, the 1.5 music is nice but I prefer the BL OST overall, so I did a full switch. The BL stage 5 music didn't grab me at first, but it grew on me quite a bit as I played.

[O. Van Bruce]

Why aren't you worshipping goddes Reco while she destroys a whole village and bullets rain at you at the speed of light? Stage 5 of Mushi-Futari... though it's close to Daifukkatsu Black Label Stage 5...

http://youtu.be/RCJ7Yw9sChY?t=18m4s

srsly ? that stage is dead boring. i think the only worthwhile moment is getting that 1up.

Is boring if you are not trying to score... otherwise I find it really intense specially in upper difficulties.

[O. Van Bruce]

DFK1.5 stage 5, obviously. There are so many awesome setpieces in this level both for survival and chaining, and then there's the laser wheels.

That's not 1.5 music

I allways liked more the Black Label BGM but regular DFK stage 5 BGM is really good.

PD: Still deciding...

Yeah, the 1.5 music is nice but I prefer the BL OST overall, so I did a full switch. The BL stage 5 music didn't grab me at first, but it grew on me quite a bit as I played.

Even so, I find 1.5 original more fitting for this stage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQOtLRa8Phw

the title gives you all the hints to know why, plus it has that sad and nostalgic feeling about repeting History, which becomes tragic when you know the whole story. At gameplay, the 1.5 BGM relaxes me much more: I can get more easily through the rings of death with this BGM.

i still prefer BL stage 5 BGM more, simply for that "Welcome to shmups heaven/hell" feel.

[CptRansom]

Hellsinker - Shrine of Farewell - Just fucking awesome. Music is over the top, the bosses are over the top, the patterns are absolutely insane; it's everything I love about Hellsinker put into one stage. Glorious.

Mars Matrix - Stage 5 or 6 - Stage 5 is really easy to survive while having a GREAT feeling of "flow" for scoring. The music is subtle but driving. Stage 6... Tough as nails, bullets fucking EVERYWHERE, and the final boss is no joke even IF you know the safespot on the third form (because the 1st, 2nd, and 4th forms will fuck you up many, many times).

Futari - Stage 5 - Big ass dragons. Little ass dragons. Motherfucking dinosaurs and shit. Exploding lanterns full of delicious gold. DAT MUSIC. Yeah, most of the stage (on Original, at least) is just sweeping across the screen, but it's somehow FUN in this game.

Eschatos - Last "Stage" (Areas 21-26) - Do I really need to say anything about this one? If you've played Eschatos and you've made it this far, you know why it rocks tits.

[Naut]

DOJBL 2-4. It's sectioned amazingly and the dodging is kick ass. Ink cartriges while hypered is my favourite stage dodging of all time.

[malchitos]

RType 1, level 1... i cannot describe the impact that game had on me (perhaps because i was in my early teens).
I was blown away, shivers going down my spine.
The music, the design, the pace and overall mood, well... just wow.

Yeah that's the first one I thought of...I was a senior in high school when that came out in the arcades. Don't forget stage 3 when you have to take down the giant ship piece by piece.