If you can choose 1 shmup for all others to emulate..

[tehkao]

Which one would it be?

For me it would be Musha Aleste. It had all the ingredients I ever want in a great shmup.

1. A killer techno driven soundtrack
2. At least 7 lengthy stages
3. Cool boss designs and fights
4. Innovative weapon power up system
5. Kick ass intro and ending cinematics
6. Moderate difficulty

I wish more shmups would try to follow the MUSHA model...

[Salem Witch Trials!]

I know this is TOTALLY cliché, but DoDonPachi is a really really well made game. 1)The hit box is right where it feels like it should be, and not a lot longer than it is wide (like ESPrade), so you don't die unexpectedly during sideways weaving. 2)it rewards you (a lot) for not bombing. 3)Your first lives are given less bombs than the later ones, so while you're still on your first life, and have all of your other lives left to spare, it encourages being risky and exploiting the max bomb bonus, b/c if you die, you've only wasted 3 bombs, rather than 5 or 6. 4)There are no parts that end up being next to impossible without bombing. Every difficult part of the game is learnable without any insane amount of difficulty. There are no "cheap" psikyo-type patterns. 5)Very deep scoring system provides for huge learning curve. 6)Its extremely hard to get so good at it that it becomes boring, so that fact combined with the depth of scoring give it lots and lots of replayability.

I also love Batsugun spec. version for some of the same reasons. They made it a bit too easy with the whole "you're allowed to get hit by bullets after leveling up" thing, but all around its an amazing game too.

But DDP in particular really helps with imroving your general bullet-weaving skills. The bigger the hitbox, the more you have to learn the specifics of each game because less improvisational weaving is possible. Practicing games with small hitboxes improves your ability to quickly spot potential routes through crazy walls of bullets. Also, in games with some kind of bullet-cancel or bullet-absorb system, getting good at the game is more about learning the game's specifics than about general skill at weaving. While you do have to be good at weaving for things like mars matrix & giga wing (bullet absorb) or progear/esp galuda (bullet cancel), I've learned a lot more from playing stuff like DDP.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love mars matrix, progear, etc. but after having played DDP, everything else I play is up against a pretty high standard of judgement.

[professor ganson]

What I want in a shmup, above all else: (i) depth of gameplay (something I can come back to over and over, always learning something new) and (ii) a mysterious, otherworldly environment. Shiki II is a near perfect fit for me, in spite of its weaknesses.

Though, sometimes I just want a straight shooter, without a complicated scoring mechanic. In that case Gunbird 2 is just what the doctor ordered.

And sometimes I don't really want to be thinking much at all, and just want to shoot everything that comes on the screen. When I'm in that sort of mood, I'll take Zanac Neo. (Mostly) mindless fun.

[landshark]

Music the style of Gradius 5.
Gradius 5's difficulty ramp up (in terms of loops).
Multi-part bosses with "extra parts" that are not necessary to destroy the boss much like Armed Police Batrider.
Manic in nature, but not as manic as Mushi.
About 4 ships/players to play as.
NO scoring gimick aside from killing gives you points.
Branching level paths (levels longer than typical Psikyo levels, but shorter than Gradius V levels).

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

I'd like a Gradius Gaiden/5 hybrid. 2D graphics, gradius themes, option types, recoverable options. Ahhh, heaven.

[iatneH]

I like a little bit of variety, I don't think I could live with just one cool game (no matter how good it is) and everything else being just a clone of it.

I DO favour DDP quite a bit, but I like to play some Ikaruga, GradV/gaiden, R-Type once in a while too.

[ROBOTRON]

I think Thunderforce 3 was the pinacle for me....great music, eye popping graphics, sweet stages...everything you need in a shmup.

Zanac Neo and RS get an honorable mention too.

[Tomtom]

Toilet Kids, without a doubt.

[Neon]

5. Kick ass intro and ending cinematics

This is really necessary?

Anyways, if all others emulate the one, then you might as well play that one game. No diversity, ever...what a horrible concept.

A better title would be 'what's your favourite shmup' or 'what do you look for in a shmup,' both of which have been covered pretty extensively anyways.

[tehkao]

I mean emulate as in being similar in structure and style...not meaning that it has to be a complete clone of it....

For example Gley Lancer is similar in many ways to MUSHA, except that the music is not as techno-ish.

[CMoon]

Batsugun!

[Nei First]

More shmups to emulate the Thunder Force style games, only MUCH MORE MANIC.

It's a shame, I think the horizontal shmup library is seriously being neglected in this style, while the vertical shmups are getting all the manic attention.