These are my Shmup confessions...

[Erppo]

I've flipped several horis 90° to play them.

[TransatlanticFoe]

-I've never liked anything Komani have done, ever.
-Likewise Irem.
-Battle Garegga's rank system is dumb.
-I can't be bothered with the shmups that are on 360 because I'm not paying current prices for something I'm not convinced is reliable. And anyway, I tend to prefer my shmups non-bullet hell/manic/danmaku/whatever you want to call it. Also, I'm not made of money!
-I think scanlines, being upset that something isn't a consistent 60 frames per second and crying about a frame of input lag are all dumb.

[ratikal]

the Japanese also use the abbreviation SHT.

It's like this genre can't escape being misheard. Shmup sounds like shmuck, STG sounds like STD, shooting game makes people think of Halo, and it turns out all this time, its been SHIT.

[KAI]

I've tried and tried, but I can't like Batrider.

[rancor]

- Until I started actively playing them, I thought Mushihimesama and Futari were the same game.
- I have never played a Deathsmiles game. I hope I never do.
- I like Akai Katana.
- Few things in this world anger me more than child abuse, animal cruelty, and the Cave restart bug.

[gs68]

- I'm bored of CAVE, or at least their modern, non-YGW offerings. If it's newer than Espgaluda 1 I'll probably play it once and then beg to play something else.
- I'll play games of almost any aesthetic unless it's something extremely gross or outright pornographic, which is why I'll handle anything from Muchi Muchi Pork to ALLTYNEX.
-- With that said, I wouldn't mind the fanservice in Otomedius X if the game itself wasn't terrible. I'm convinced the fanservice is the only reason people care about the game.
- I like bombspamming.
- I don't find anything extremely flawed about Gradius Generation, but for some reason I find it to be one of my least favorite Gradius games that isn't a port.
- I am not convinced that Space Invaders: Infinity Gene isn't a comedy.
- For some reason people get particularly defensive when I say I don't like Raptor: Call of the Shadows.
- Whenever people talk about how Ikaruga is one of the hardest shmups ever made, I feel extremely tempted to show them Radiant Silvergun or Gradius III AC.

[Skykid]

I'm optimistic now Asada has left Cave.

[gs68]

- I hate saying "shmup". I'd rather use "shooting game" or "STG" but sadly I live in a country where it's a federal offense to dislike first-person shooters.
- Accuracy-based scoring systems are garbage. Welcome to Iridion II, there is only one weapon out of 5-6 that is worth giving a shit about. Have a nice day.

[Skykid]

I thought GUS sounded more like Buffalo Bill, myself.

We all know he didn't sound like that before he started playing Futari.

[SuperSoaker360]

I think trap15 has shit taste in STGs.

EDIT: Okay okay, maybe not entirely. I do love me some Taito.

[Skykid]

I think trap15 has shit taste in STGs.

ON the contrary, I think he has exemplary taste in STG's. The fact he's in such a minority proves it!

[ptoing]

I think trap15 has shit taste in STGs.

The fact he's in such a minority proves it!

Hipster logic! (Not saying anything about trap15's taste though.)

[Skykid]

I think trap15 has shit taste in STGs.

The fact he's in such a minority proves it!

Hipster logic! (Not saying anything about trap15's taste though.)

Ha ha definitely. Although being into shmups is so niche it's hipster enough. Just ask hzt.

[ptoing]

No clue who htz is.

Also, I already liked shmups when they were not niche (back in the 80s/early 90s). So I guess that does not make me a hipster. All of them younguns though! Damn hipsters!

[gs68]

And I at least liked them before the advent of YouTube and viral "hardest boss ever" videos.

[ACSeraph]

--- With that said, I wouldn't mind the fanservice in Otomedius X if the game itself wasn't terrible. I'm convinced the fanservice is the only reason people care about the game.

I like Otomedius because I like the Gradius style of play, but real Gradius kicks my ass hard. Otomedius is an easy relaxing way to enjoy the Gradius style, and I really appreciate that like Gradius 5 it doesn't have death checkpoints and lets you grab your options after death. I think regular Gradius is way cooler, but when I just want to chill I go to Otomedius. Its not about the fan service either; I actually like fanservicy games, but I don't care for the Otomedius art style much. I recognize it has a lot of glaring flaws though, especially X. It's a sort of guilty pleasure. The Arcade mode in G seems pretty legitimately solid though.

[Cuilan]

The Arcade mode in G seems pretty legitimately solid though.

Because it is. And anyone who says otherwise doesn't know how to play it.

[Sapz]

Off the top of my head:

-I believe DFK Stage 5 to be the greatest STG stage I've played bar none, particularly in a scoring context. Laser wheels are the best. You guys are all crazy!
-Relatedly, I don't really like DFKBL much, aside from the OST.
-Spread shot ships are way too hard for me to use. Same for slow ships, which are usually the same thing, I guess.
-I've never achieved a good score in a Touhou game.
-I've got Akai Katana and have never tried the Shin mode.
-I'm pretty sure X-Multiply is the best IREM game.
-I've never played a main series Gradius game, a tradition I intend to keep.
-Pink Sweets (vanilla, not arrange) is my favourite Yagawa game. You're supposed to go nuts with the crackers and forget about the rank after stage 4, people, rank is going to get really high whatever you do.
-I'm still not sure if I want to get SDOJ.
-I don't really like Dragon Blaze.
-I'm not really sure why I like Strikers 1999 so much.

I think I'm too lazy for shmups these days. Too many strong players over the last year or two to be able to get away with half-assed stuff anymore.

[moh]

I think ibara is the worst game that yagawa ever shat out. (I'm sorry Vyxx, and trap15)

[Giest118]

-I'm still not sure if I want to get SDOJ.

You want to get SDOJ.

[trap15]

I think ibara is the worst game that yagawa ever shat out.

HEATHEN!

[daigle]

never 1cced any game ever. Spent way too much time jumping from shmup to shmup and never really trying to get better.

[gs68]

I loved Raiden Fighters when I grew up playing it as a kid. Then came Raiden Fighters Aces and trying to play for score. Now I won't touch it.

[Obscura]

I think ibara is the worst game that yagawa ever shat out. (I'm sorry Vyxx, and trap15)

Second worst. It's still hella-better than Pink Sweets.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

It rubs the lotion on its skin. It does this whenever it is told.

It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets Gus' hose again.

[KAI]

I think ibara is the worst game that yagawa ever shat out.

2 deep & manly 4 U

[Softdrink 117]

I think ibara is the worst game that yagawa ever shat out. (I'm sorry Vyxx, and trap15)

You are a terrible person.

My confessions:
Ibara is amazing. Anyone who disagrees is wrong.
Mushihimesama would be my favorite non-Ibara game if I understood the scoring at all (though I'm getting closer).
Mushihimesama Ultra is a lot of fun, and I would go for a clear. But the simple fact that TLB Aki exists has deterred me from ever actually trying.
I finally had a week alone with my cab and my Ibara PCB... And I barely had time to play a dozen credits, none of which even broke B. Infinite sorrow.
I love DOJ, but I am convinced it hates me.
I fail hard at Batrider. Love the idea of the game, but can't play it worth a damn.
I like Akai Katana. Don't really understand the Shin hype though.
My first Cave clear was one of the iOS ports.
I respect the hell out of Ikaruga. Coming back to it after a two year break has reignited my interest in actually trying to clear the game.
I'm a big fan of the R-type series. Including Final, which is actually much more fun than it gets credit for.

Mock me now pls.

[Stevas]

I masturbated to Shuri and Maria several times

I... don't think anyone has got even close to beating this one (off).

[Mero]

Deeply shocking confessions:

The only Cave game that I really like is DonPachi.
Mamoru-Kun is my fave shooter on 360.
I shelved Under Defeat HD in 3 days.

[Kollision]

Mock me now pls.

Nah, your confessions are pretty tame compared to the rest.