Personal Favorites

[raigon50]

I almost forgot about Axelay, Phalanx, Salamander (Lifeforce), Metal Black, and Trigon (or in America, "Lightning Fighters". REALLY lame name right?)
Another one would have to be "V-V" (V-Five). I find it kinda funny that the MAME rom for it is damaged and has no sound (they're all like that, trust me, I've looked) and yet, I can find a couple of midi files of songs from it. lol the music was actually pretty good.

[RNGmaster]

Cromzon Clover. I love it in spite of heavy, heavy penalties for ragequitting, and the seeming impossibility of a 1cc. I love it because of lock-on lasers. I love it because scoring in it is amazing.

[spl]

Another one would have to be "V-V" (V-Five). I find it kinda funny that the MAME rom for it is damaged and has no sound (they're all like that, trust me, I've looked) and yet, I can find a couple of midi files of songs from it. lol the music was actually pretty good.

lol you obviously haven't looked hard enough.

V-V can be made to use full sound no problem if you don't mind having a large ~150MB file.

Same with most of the other broken sound shmups.

I believe it's been covered here before - use the search.

[NTSC-J]

If this thread is for games that you like but most other people don't seem to care for (I'm sort of confused by the replies mentioning Cave and Raizing titles since they're generally considered among the best in the genre), then I would like to mention Air Gallet, Twin Cobra II and Fire Barrel, due in large part to how easy they are (Air Gallet is kind of tough but not too bad). Gunbird 2 busts my balls all day long, it feels nice to relax with a shooter for a change.

[professor ganson]

Twin Cobra II

Yeah, I'd like to get this game. I played the Saturn port years ago, and I'm thinking that I'll like this more than most people. I've been looking for the arcade version for well over a year and have had no luck so far.

[Aquas]

Salamander (Lifeforce),

Hell yeah. *brain falls down from destroyed apparatus'* "AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Worth it.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Thunder Force V Perfect System (PlayStation)
Gradius V (PlayStation 2)
Blazing Star (Arcade, Neo-Geo)
Axelay (SNES)
Triggerheart Exelica Enhanced (PlayStation 2)

[Obiwanshinobi]

Sky Adventure

Yay! I've got a helluva soft spot for ADK, and yet I haven't played it before. Looks fabulous.

[esreveR]

1944
Air Gallet
Blazing Star
Boogie Wings
Brave Blade
Change Air Blade
Cyvern
Dimahoo
Dogyuun!
Dolphin Blue
Fire Barrel
Gekirindan
Gunforce 2
Ironclad
Last Resort
Metal Slug 6
OutZone
R-Type Leo
Sengeki Striker
Shock Troopers: Second Squad
Space Bomber
V-Five

[KindGrind]

Border Down, Zanac Neo, Harmful Park and Twinkle Tale.

[Sushi Assassin]

Steel Empire, Under Defeat, Thunder Force VI, and Gradius ReBirth.

[Kollision]

Mushihimesama, Darius II, Mars Matrix and Axelay.

[Vyxx]

<3 Xexex

[JGcontraman]

Time Pilot
Galaga
Gradius 3
Galaxian
Darius 2
M.U.S.H.A.
Thunderforce 3 & 4
Axelay
Nanostray 2

I'm convinced to search for a Neo Geo emulator once again.

[Thjodbjorn]

Lately I've found myself REALLY getting into Daioujou. I'm still terrible at it, but I put in Espgaluda 2 the other day (testing out a tate set up. I just need a TV stand now), and I did MUCH better than I am used to doing. So I still suck, but noticeably less.

[Vyxx]

...So I still suck, but noticeably less.

Haha, I love that feeling

[Clessx]

Twilight Insanity and Refrain
Stella Vanity
Touhou (6,7,8-especially,10)
Esp ra de
Don-Dodonpachi
Vasara
shikigami no shiro II
Blue Wish Resurrection
Progear
Banshiryuu
PatriotDark
Strikers 1945 series (especially II)
Dragon Blaze
...

[raigon50]

Stella Vanit...

I have that game downloaded, but I haven't gotten around to really play it yet.

[peace4myheart]

Even with all the new shmups coming out, I still go back to my favorite old school shmups, Raiden II.

[louisg]

Some nostalgic favorites: Thunder Force III, Battle Squadron, and Sidewinder

[gennss]

Triggerheart Exelica
Karous
Ikaruga

are personal faves of mine. I like a lot more shmups but these are personal faves...

[chempop]

Over the moon with these genesis games that I've been lucky enough pick up recently.

- New Favorites -

HellFire
BiohazardBattle
TF3
Gaiares

- Old Favorites -

Lifeforce/Salamander
MUSHA
TF4+5
Layer Section
Batsugun
Soukyugurentai
Gunbird 2
Gigawing 1+2
Under Defeat

I know those games are popular, I could easily make a top 20 list leaving out the last 1.5 years of Cave overdose.

[JGcontraman]

MUSHA is probably my favorite, that game is legendary. One of the best on the Genesis for sure. Possibly the best on the console.

[dunpeal2064]

I don't see a whole lot of love for River Raid on the Atari 2600. Even after playing Mushi futari I can still come to this game and enjoy it. Then again, its the only shmup I can play with a stick atm =)

Also, Truxton is a sweet game. Trying to get into Legendary Wings on the nes, but my controller just sucks too much to play a shmup.

[PinkSweets]

DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu
Mushihimesama
DoDonPachi DaiOuJou
Ikaruga
DeathSmiles
Raiden Fighters Jet

[Deca]

I love both Rayforce and Lightening force, but those are pretty popular games...I definitely have a big soft spot for S.T.G. I'm fond of both Gun Frontier and Metal Black as well. If we wanna get lenient with the definition of shooter, Lock-On is one of my favorites

[-SD-]

Under Defeat
Blazing Star
Armed Police Batrider

[kamiboy]

So, basically my moms took us kids down to the store to get us a gaming system. For reasons I can only speculate at, because none of us knew anything about anything regarding games, the random choice fell upon the Master System. As for games a couple were selected equally at random from the shelve of available choices. Among them were two shmups which we, as undiscerning youths, played to death irregardless of quality. Later I discovered that one was rather terrible, while the other rather well regarded.

Later I discovered another shmup which upon witnessing run I had to have damn be the cost, so I guess that interest was based on perceived quality alone.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

Ever since i got back into playing mars matrix Im really apreciating the chaining score system. Especially as im also playing for a 1CC which with games like DDP where I hated learning how to chain stages and going for the 1CC at the same time. The difficulty was too high for me that it sucked all the fun out of the game. Mars matrix is allot easier to chain which makes learning both scoreing and suvivial techniques fun.

[raigon50]

I finally found the tv cable for my Mega Drive and started playing Raiden Trad. I never realized how boring it was on easy. I guess I've been playing to much bullet hell...
Now all I need to do is get myself a new snes controller and I'll be able to play Super R-Type, Gradius III, and Darius Twin again.