Horizontal shmup suggestions?

AGC · Post by **AGC** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:38 am

I've never really enjoyed too many horizontal shmups. I prefer verticals. I'm not too keen on a lot of scenery to crash into and I don't usually like a lot of memorisation in a shmup. But there must be horizontals out there which play more like verticals. I enjoy Progear, and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for other horizontal shmups I might enjoy.

Herr Schatten · Post by **Herr Schatten** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:50 am

You might like Border Down.

If you like Ikaruga, try Gradius V.

superyoups · Post by **superyoups** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:54 am

Progear no arashi is one of the best horizontal shoot ( try Un Squadron too)

eretsua · Post by **eretsua** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:19 pm

darius gaiden
invader (gba-game)

tekneekz · Post by **tekneekz** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:21 pm

r-type delta/final
einhander
border down
gradius 3,4,gaiden,5
sengoku blade

NTSC-J · Post by **NTSC-J** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 12:30 pm

I think he was asking for horizontals that didn't play like Rtype or Gradius.

Try Prehistoric Isle 2, that game kicks ass.

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:26 pm

I'd second Border Down and Gradius V from what was mentioned above, and also add Blazing Star to that list. They don't completely remove the scenery/memorization/etc. aspect from themselves, but it doesn't feel like as much of a factor as in many "traditional" side-scrollers, at least to me.

EDIT: Ack, I can't believe I forgot Harmful Park, as mentioned below...I recommend that one too.

EDIT 2: Aaaaand Cotton Boomerang...

PFG 9000 · Post by **PFG 9000** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:56 pm

What about Harmful Park? IIRC, there isn't too much stuff to crash into there.

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:09 pm

play gradius 5.... if u don't like that something is wrong with you. besides the fact konami put that much money into production on shooter these days is rare...

AGC · Post by **AGC** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm

Thanks for the suggestions. Just played a few. Blazing Star, Prehistoric Isle 2 and Sengoku Blade are just the kind of thing I was looking for.

I do have Gradius V, and it's obviously a good game, but just a bit too much scenery for my liking.

Damocles · Post by **Damocles** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:10 pm

You should try Thunder Cross and U.N. Squadron.

Post by **Icarus** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:15 pm

Where's G-Darius? Hyper Duel? Metal Black? Parodius? Cotton Boomerang? X-Multiply? Salamander? XEXEX?

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:17 pm

Icarus wrote:Cotton Boomerang?

*smacks self*

"Attach the Stone of Shame!"

ill6 · Post by **ill6** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:56 pm

I prefer Verts too... I think its because a lot of horis try to be tactical shooters and it all just gets a bit fiddly and boring for me.

I have had lots of fun with these Horis:

Progear, doesn't really play like a vert, lots of fun
Blazing Star, a nice romp through rendered scenery without worrying (too much about) backgrounds.
Borderdown, very classy.

Gradius V seemed fun too as did Sengoku Blade.

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:57 pm

Another 1up to U.N. Squadron (Area 88 ) love that game. The SNES port is quite good, and you get to buy different airplanes.

Also try...

Section Z
Sidearms
Aeroblasters
Forgotten Worlds
Lords of Thunder
Gate of Thunder
Saint Dragon

DC906270 · Post by **DC906270** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:12 pm

yeah, UN Squadron is the biznizz

also i like

X Multiply
Dragon Breed
Saint Dragon

you could try Carrier Airwing, which i havnt played, but is sequel to UN Squadron. for a modern one, Border Down is good, but very very hard, like, Ibara hard

llabnip · Post by **llabnip** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:26 pm

ill6 wrote:Gradius V seemed fun too as did Sengoku Blade.

Great suggestion regarding Sengoku Blaede (sic). The game was designed by Psikyo and is basically a vert turned on its side. It "feels" like a vert in many ways... and is as far removed from Gradius and R-Type as one can get given they are all 2D scrolling horizontal shooters (ok... I guess Psikyo's other horizontal shooter Sol Divide would be pretty far removed as well... but I assume you want a fun game

I'm a big fan of Sengoku Blaede... definitely worth a try!

Border Down is great too.

al138 · Post by **al138** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:44 pm

While I might sound like a broken record, I would whole-heartedly agree with other posters that the following horizontal shooters are quality:

Gate of Thunder (an absolute masterpiece, albeit a little on the easy side)
Border Down
Gradius V
Einhander
Harmful Park (very fun!)
G-Darius (the ports for the PC and PS1 are great)

Dale · Post by **Dale** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:53 pm

You might like Sky Kid it's the only Horizontal shmup that moves right to left. It's also very intense and play's like nothing else although their is quite a bit of scenery to crash into but I beleive in this case it help's the game.

AGC · Post by **AGC** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:18 pm

llabnip wrote:... I guess Psikyo's other horizontal shooter Sol Divide would be pretty far removed as well... but I assume you want a fun game

I see what you mean about Sol Divide. That is one annoying game, what with the enemies in your face all the time and the constant interuptions.

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:14 pm

Border Down.

AGC · Post by **AGC** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:23 pm

Ceph wrote:Border Down.

I really need to get a dreamcast.

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:04 pm

Where's G-Darius? Hyper Duel? Metal Black? Parodius? Cotton Boomerang? X-Multiply? Salamander? XEXEX?

Where indeed!

Well, they're here now, but it should be a prerequisite for any shmups member to reel those off without hesitation when asked about the horzis.

Poor show, fellas.

Gynoug, Gaiares and Gleylancer on the MD are must-haves. Ish.

Strider77 · Post by **Strider77** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:17 pm

Thunder Force V... can't recommend that enough if you are looking for a fast "reflexes" sort of shooter versus tactical/memorization...

Belmont · Post by **Belmont** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 11:58 pm

Galactic attack (layer section) in tate mode (arcade mode in options) then just keep the standard controlls haha. Bassically just turns the game on its side but controls perfectly.

and as mentioned above thunder force 5 is great as well as thunder force 3 though 3 has quite a bit of scenery.

llabnip · Post by **llabnip** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:49 am

Bal-Sagoth wrote:
Where's G-Darius? Hyper Duel? Metal Black? Parodius? Cotton Boomerang? X-Multiply? Salamander? XEXEX?
Where indeed!
Well, they're here now, but it should be a prerequisite for any shmups member to reel those off without hesitation when asked about the horzis.
Poor show, fellas.
Gynoug, Gaiares and Gleylancer on the MD are must-haves. Ish.

Except that the original request was for horizontals that play more like verticals... without the memorization and typical slower-paced strategy that often comes with horizontal shooters. None of the games above qualify except Hyper Duel. There is no denying the games you mention are great games - but they don't answer his query properly.

neojma · Post by **neojma** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:27 am

llabnip wrote:Except that the original request was for horizontals that play more like verticals... without the memorization and typical slower-paced strategy that often comes with horizontal shooters. None of the games above qualify except Hyper Duel. There is no denying the games you mention are great games - but they don't answer his query properly.

I take exception with lumping G Darius in with the "memorization" and slower paced horis. G Darius is practically manic, with all the bullets flying it's much more reflex oriented than the positioning memorization typified by R-Type, and shown even to an extent by mentioned games Border Down and Metal Black. G Darius also doesn't fall into the Gradius style of "collect a bunch of power-ups then be screwed when you get hit and lose them all".

In fact, I'd recommend Darius Gaiden as well.

Both have really good arcade ports on PS2. Gaiden is on the Taito Memories Vol. 1 Collection (Japanese version) along with Metal Black, and G Darius is on the second Taito Memories (again, Japanese version). Gaiden also has the nice Saturn port, and the PSX G Darius was plenty fun for me (never played any other version, so I can't vouch for the accuracy).

Herr Schatten · Post by **Herr Schatten** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:10 am

Belmont wrote:Galactic attack (layer section) in tate mode (arcade mode in options) then just keep the standard controlls haha.

That's actually how I play it. Back when I got the game, I didn't have a vertical screen to play it on. I got used to it so much that I can't seem to get anywhere when playing in proper tate, but I'm doing quite well playing it on a horizontally oriented screen with standard controls.

Strider77 wrote:play gradius 5.... if u don't like that something is wrong with you.

Oh no. Something's wrong with me.

NTSC-J · Post by **NTSC-J** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:00 am

Einhander blows. It's more Rtype than anything.

Xexex is psychedelic ass.

Avoid Pulstar too.

In the Hunt is pretty much a hori, might want to give that a try.

There's one hori that's pretty cool, can't remember the full name and no one ever mentions it...Ragnarok something. Decent fun.

But I think the real moral of the story is how shitty horis are. After Progear, Darius series, Blazing Star, and the criminally under-appreciated Prehistoric Isle 2, there ain't much else worth a damn.

AGC · Post by **AGC** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 8:39 am

I have 'Taito Legends 2' and agree that Darius Gaiden and G. Darius are both good games. I always like it in a game when you can capture enemies and use them against other enemies.