so...Imperium

[Captain]

Anyone ever played this underrated SNES gem?

Other than slightly boring stages and pauses in action, i remember it being a very cool game, what i liked the most was that no weapon was "the strongest", and each had some advantage to the others.

also has a short and unique plot.

[CStarFlare]

Just looked it up. Interesting.

Based on Youtube videos it looks like players are getting variable point amounts for enemies of the same type. Is there some sort of proximity or other system in the mix?

[Kollision]

A bit jerky but playable, it has a Compile vibe to it but it's not up to Compile standards.
Upgrades are based on score, and there's a kinda brutal difficulty spike halfway.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I think Imperium is underrated. It's a total knockoff of Musha, but I think it offers a little more challenge than most 16-bit shooters. Plays pretty well. Stages are probably way too long. Pretty uncreative, but I think the increased challenge makes up for some of it's shortcomings.

[BulletMagnet]

A good deal of potential in this one, but I seem to recall that getting hit and having your weapon power lowered could absolutely cripple you. It's been awhile though...I also recall reading that there are differences between the Japanese and US releases of this, but off the cuff I couldn't say how major they were.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Plus every now and then the game will actually throw out a interesting pattern. It doesn't do it constantly like more modern shooters. Whenever it does do that I think was actually probably a pretty good setup for the time. But it happens so few and far between. Enemy placement is painfully predictable most of the time though. If an enemy approaches on the left side almost every time it will be the same thing on the right.

[Despatche]

dion is even worse than general compile. on top of the usual completely pointless ten minute long stages of anti-challenge, you've got an extremely punishing powerup system for the rare times you do get hit... absolutely disgusting. i really don't know why anyone would dare to do such a thing.

please do not even try to appreciate this game. please. it is a lost cause.

[Sinful]

Underrated gem? For real?! ... Something tells me it's not the Darius 1 super duper quality of an underrated gem? I mean, come on, this is the SNES we're talking about. I'm still very dissapointed this system missed the shmup boat by so much (I want more 16-bit shmups). If it weren't for Konami (3 Parodius, Twinbee... er, Axelay? It's taking it's sweet time grabbing me by the balls, unlike everybody else >_<), Irem (2 R-Types), Taito (Darius Force)... I think that's it? (Well, Phalanx seems cool? I don't yet get Macross either )... But back to this Imperium fellow, at least the Japanese version seems better?

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

It seems like Nintendo systems always miss the shmup boat. I guess the nes did alright. Shmup developers probably hate Nintendo for some unknown reason. Maybe it's because they never had much of an arcade presence.

[Squire Grooktook]

If it weren't for Konami (3 Parodius, Twinbee... er, Axelay? It's taking it's sweet time grabbing me by the balls, unlike everybody else >_<), Irem (2 R-Types), Taito (Darius Force)... I think that's it? (Well, Phalanx seems cool? I don't yet get Macross either )... But back to this Imperium fellow, at least the Japanese version seems better?

There's also Super Aleste/Space Megaforce and Gradius III.

[BrianC]

and Area 88/UN Squadron from Capcom

[Ed Oscuro]

Hated the opening, persisted a bit to the raised city highway section, which was more fun. Losing power at the boss - not so fun. Died there but got the boss most of the way gone without bombs. Interesting game, might give it another try, but the opening certainly didn't hook me immediately.

[Captain]

Underrated gem? For real?! ... Something tells me it's not the Darius 1 super duper quality of an underrated gem? I mean, come on, this is the SNES we're talking about. I'm still very dissapointed this system missed the shmup boat by so much (I want more 16-bit shmups). If it weren't for Konami (3 Parodius, Twinbee... er, Axelay? It's taking it's sweet time grabbing me by the balls, unlike everybody else >_<), Irem (2 R-Types), Taito (Darius Force)... I think that's it? (Well, Phalanx seems cool? I don't yet get Macross either )... But back to this Imperium fellow, at least the Japanese version seems better?

All of those games are non-underrated gems.