Best Sharp X68000 shmups?

[Synnae]

Hello... since I'm new to this forum, I don't know if this was discussed before already, so, I'm sorry if it already was. But the Sharp X68000 system has quite a number of decent shmups. I know at least one good game of the genre called Nemesis '90, and have played it a bit as well... but never got too deeply into it.

So... I'd like to know you guys' opinions about some of them. And which ones would consider to be the best? Some recommendations would be nice to hear as well.

[KAI]

Star Trader and Sol-Feace fucking rule.

[trap15]

ChoRenSha 68k and Direct-X

[Damocles]

Undeadline - Did you expect anything else from me?
Phalanx - Better than SNES version.
Last Battalion - Sequel/Remake/etc. to Override on the PCE.
Scorpius - Interesting claw mechanic.

Oddballs:
Viewpoint/Mahou Daisakusen - Ports. MD needs beefy hardware.
Cotton - Well, it's Cotton.
Code Zero - Interesting take on Raiden by Enix.
Hatenkou - Bullet hell on the X68k? Yep. Horizontal, too.
Mid-Garts - Very odd take on shmups by Wolfteam. Different. Good? Maybe.
Zero Master-Striker - 3min caravan.
Cross Fire EX - Layer Section clone.

[Ed Oscuro]

Undeadline - Did you expect anything else from me?

Haha, I saw your name by the last update, and immediately thought "hmm, I lost a chance to mention Undead Line"

I'm reserving judgment till I've played some more things.

Scorpius looks neat. I liked that caravan game we played for an STGT recently.

Speaking of ports, no mention of Hisho Zame? There's other shooter ports as well (a very good system for fans of the Konami way) but that game might be one of the most accomplished. Wonder why Twin Cobra didn't get a port, the system should have been fast enough.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Not "pure" shmups, but technically better than MD ports: Granada and Final Zone. I read ChoRenSha 68k is technically inferior to the PC port (that could use some scanlines still).

[SuperDeadite]

Besides the above, Cotton is a must play. It's not a direct arcade port, contains exclusive bosses, lots of extra animation, backgrounds, it's more of Cotton Dash really. Plus playing it on YOU DO! difficulty is the hardest shooter I've ever played.

Others
Cynthia (1 disk version, avoid the 2 disk version) fantastic MIDI.
Dragon Spirit (supports true tate in both 31 and 15khz, and has both the Original and New Version Rom sets)
Fantasy Zone (supports 3D glasses)
Y2
Atomic Robo Kid
Gemini Wing (if you have the right MIDI rig)
Zero Rei (caravan game)
Cyber Core

Neat thing about the X68 is that even a lot of the arcade ports have neat extras thrown in for the fun of it.

[SuperDeadite]

Undeadline - Did you expect anything else from me?

Haha, I saw your name by the last update, and immediately thought "hmm, I lost a chance to mention Undead Line"

I'm reserving judgment till I've played some more things.

Scorpius looks neat. I liked that caravan game we played for an STGT recently.

Speaking of ports, no mention of Hisho Zame? There's other shooter ports as well (a very good system for fans of the Konami way) but that game might be one of the most accomplished. Wonder why Twin Cobra didn't get a port, the system should have been fast enough.

Are you high? Kyukyoku Tiger was released on X68000, great port. But it and Hishouzame are both better on the Towns, so not too many people find them interesting. What is disappointing though is that Kaneko had proudly said that they were also going to port over Tatsujin and Same! Same! Same! to the system. In fact they were promising a present if you mailed in the point symbols included with all 4 games. But those 2 were cancelled in the end, rumor is they lost the license to Ving.

[Synnae]

Awesome guys. Gotta try those shmups later... once I finish playing some PC ones.

I've also played one called Akazukin Chacha. Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRX56oULvws

It's pretty cute, but doesn't seem to be that special.

[Ed Oscuro]

Are you high?

No. They practically might as well not have released it because I can't remember ever having seen a copy on sale. Even shots of the box online are rare (just a tiny one on GameFAQs).

I've played KT on an FM Towns - don't remember it having a screen rotation mode, which is needed to even begin to hold a candle to playing the arcade original (I'd rather have the board's music than a remixed soundtrack, too).

[SuperDeadite]

It's rare for sure, but I have a complete copy sitting on my shelf.
And there's been another one sitting on yahoo for months now:
http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r96204066

Besides the music remixes, the Towns port of Hishouzame has a few details the X68 version lacks. Such as the tanks inside the big gun turrets on stage 1. And the ability to blow up the rock bunker things on stage 2. For Kyukyoku, I only have the stage 1 demo on Towns, but damn that music! Towns version does also have a cheesy mini-game called Kyukyoku Tire on the disc as well.

Are you high?

No. They practically might as well not have released it because I can't remember ever having seen a copy on sale. Even shots of the box online are rare (just a tiny one on GameFAQs).

I've played KT on an FM Towns - don't remember it having a screen rotation mode, which is needed to even begin to hold a candle to playing the arcade original (I'd rather have the board's music than a remixed soundtrack, too).

[Ed Oscuro]

Towns version does also have a cheesy mini-game called Kyukyoku Tire on the disc as well.

Oh, I guess I'll take another look because that sounds interesting

Really I have to admit: With both PCBs in their original Japanese regions, these ports don't interest me much. The Towns music is serviceable but doesn't really grab me - it gets the job done but with guitars it could use license to be wilder. Down note about the X68000 Hisho Zame, well, I guess the fact I'm still waiting on a working X68000 despite having that title for nearly 10 years shows, doesn't it?

Makes me more excited about the original efforts on the system.

[louisg]

At the last shmupmeet, I played a Galaga clone on x68k which was awesome. It was practically a manic scoot n' shoot. I can't remember the name, though.

From my limited experience, I second ChoRenSha and Cotton. And WolfTeam games have their shortcomings, but I'm a fan (Granada!!!). They have a computery charm to them, and their games are usually pretty distinct.

And it's not a shmup, but if you want your mind blown by awesome looking early 3d, try Geograph Seal.

[Zeether]

Zero Rei > Zero Master-Striker just for the fact that it's fast (and you can make it even FASTER in the options) and the bosses taunt you by saying stuff like "YOU BIIIITCH" (seriously) and "LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED"

[MathU]

Phalanx - Better than SNES version.

Graphics and presentation aside, I have to disagree with this. I like the SNES version's subtle changes and inclusion of Funny mode more. I also think it has a catchier soundtrack on the SNES even though the sampling quality is lower.

[gameoverDude]

Speaking of ports, no mention of Hisho Zame? There's other shooter ports as well (a very good system for fans of the Konami way) but that game might be one of the most accomplished. Wonder why Twin Cobra didn't get a port, the system should have been fast enough.

X68000 Hisho Zame's BGM is 10x better than the arcade version.

One minor gameplay difference from the arcade is in regard to destructible objects. The large green bunkers in stage 1 where tanks come out, the carriers at the start of stage 2, etc. can not be busted open. On the arcade, you can do this to trash the tanks inside BEFORE they come out and start shooting. This change does make the X68 one a little more challenging though.

[Ed Oscuro]

I really don't know what you guys are seeing in all these MIDI remixes. It's different, sure. Better? Don't know about that. The one at 4:45 or so is a nice remix though.

The game also just isn't the same without shooting in the roof of those caves.

[SuperDeadite]

I really don't know what you guys are seeing in all these MIDI remixes. It's different, sure. Better? Don't know about that. The one at 4:45 or so is a nice remix though.

The game also just isn't the same without shooting in the roof of those caves.

? Hishouzame does not support MIDI. That video is the normal internal sound hardware.

[Ed Oscuro]

Maybe you could list that in the video information then. Whatever it is, it's not as good as the original (overall).

[SuperDeadite]

Angel Dive is another great one I forgot to list.

[Ed Oscuro]

Not exactly a shmup, but is Knight Arms any good (especially on 16MHz systems)? Thought it was just a kind of jerky Space Harrier-like, but it has some freescrolling, semi-platformer (no jumping as far as I can see, just jumping) segments as well.

[SuperDeadite]

Not exactly a shmup, but is Knight Arms any good (especially on 16MHz systems)? Thought it was just a kind of jerky Space Harrier-like, but it has some freescrolling, semi-platformer (no jumping as far as I can see, just jumping) segments as well.

Knight Arms is one of those games you want to love, but you know it's really shit. Playing it at 16mhz makes the 3D sections a lot more fun, however it makes the side-scrolling parts unplayable as enemies go into hyper auto fire mode. Also playing at 16mhz breaks the analog controls which is one of the main reasons to play it honestly.

[Ed Oscuro]

Doh

I'll emulate it sometime then. Whenever I've seen it on sale it's been rather too expensive.

Edit: How about other Space Harrier-alikes, like Neural Gear and Metal Sight?

[SuperDeadite]

A few more good ones:

Gikadiver (caravan style)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRVf-RMzsRc

Galseed II , some of the best effects on the system, can't do a real capture as it uses 31khz for the menus,
and 15khz for the game..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_QRHYC7v_c

[SuperDeadite]

Doh

I'll emulate it sometime then. Whenever I've seen it on sale it's been rather too expensive.

Edit: How about other Space Harrier-alikes, like Neural Gear and Metal Sight?

Neural Gear is awesome. Fantastic MT-32 MIDI as well. But control wise, you really need to
be using a Cyberstick controller. Can't imagine attempting to play it otherwise.

Metal Sight is decent for what it is, good MIDI mix, but gameplay pales compared to other such games, very
straight forward design.

Oh, and I put up a full run through Angel Dive, certainly one of the best looking shooters on
the system, though the prerendered sprites are showing their age a bit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcUVQ95QTGU