Shmups Forum Top X Video Games of All Time?

[szycag]

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/15 ... -all-time/

These lists are always a laugh, but this one in particular truly made me want to see what kind of list shmups forum members would make. It's embarrasing seeing Ikaruga get a ranking when there's no Gradius or R-Type. Not even casual offhand favorites like Einhander or UN Squadron. Such ridiculous gaming press posturing. But that's not even the start. Only four Genesis games: Two Sonics, NHL 94 (heh) and Gunstar Heroes. Adventure gains a spot but no Pitfall... tons of questionable Nintendo-biased inclusions like Kid Icarus and Metroid Fusion. Do many of these deserve to be considered as video game canon?

How interested would you be in seeing a list like this, but made up of votes from shmups forum members? We've voted on our favorite shmups, but what other games float up to the top when considering the taste of arcade action gamers? 200 is obviously too big a list for a forum, but would 100 games cut it? And how many games would people include in their ballots? Perhaps a choice of 25/50/100 with weighted results to the final poll?

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

Lists are subjective and no one has played every game ever created.

[szycag]

Our list would be far from perfect and likely too subjective, just like all these game publication lists. I acknowledge no list like this holds up under scrutiny. I would just be curious what ours would look like. Not that the whole thing would be a total wank, it would be a good opportunity to see what genres shmuppers branch out to, and what well regarded games we can agree on.

[saucykobold]

Here's something that's bothered me for a while. SF2: The World Warrior was influential, but SSF2T is much more fun to play. Which should go on the list? In other words, when does influence trump quality?

I think the problem goes away when we distinguish between the "best" games of all time and our personal favorites.

[szycag]

I like lists that tend towards lasting quality instead of historical/influential importance, definitely... when the first Metroid ranks that high above Super Metroid you know you're doing it wrong. Have any of these people PLAYED the original Metroid in the last ten years?

[moozooh]

Well, if you're talking about lasting quality/fun instead of historical/influential importance, then I can totally see how Ikaruga ranks higher than Gradius and R-Type (which aren't even present in the list).

[szycag]

The original R-Type wouldn't meet both of those requirements? Point taken for Gradius, even though Gradius V is the better game over Ikaruga when you put hype aside :p

[moozooh]

Well, following your above example with Metroid and Super Metroid, I'm going to assume there are at least a more fun/higher quality Gradius game (definitely) and a better R-Type game (though I'm not really fluent in the latter series). Then again, I might well be wrong with R-Type; I don't remember any of the subsequent games being as popular as the original.

However I can still see an R-Type game ending up below Ikaruga if only because the latter does allow more tactical freedom.

[BrianC]

I can't believe there isn't a single Sega coin-op game on the list. Lots of good stuff there, including games that never made it home.

[bkk]

total wank

Probably. Comparing hugely different shmups is hard enough, comparing different genres is an exercise in futility. Let's stick to what we know

[BulletMagnet]

Comparing hugely different shmups is hard enough, comparing different genres is an exercise in futility.

Yeah, the annual Top 25 around here is more than enough list-based trouble and strife for my tastes, I'd rather not even think about how things would be if there was any more of it.

[gameoverDude]

My list? OK.

Razing Storm (AC) - Great spiritual successor to Crisis Zone. Thanks to Nex Entertainment (Ranger X) for yet another good game.
Border Down (DC) - Great spiritual successor to Metal Black.
Granada (Gen/X68000)
Gaiares (Gen)
Thunder Force IV (Gen) - Best of the TF series IMHO.
Turrican (Amiga)
Super Turrican (SNES)
Super Aleste (SNES) - The vertical scrolling equivalent of Thunder Force IV in terms of quality.
Mega Turrican AKA Turrican 3 (Gen)
Turrican 2 (Amiga)
Battle Squadron (Amiga)
Pulstar (Neo-Geo)
Blazing Star (Neo-Geo)
Pac-Mania (AC)
Galaga '88 (AC)
Time Crisis 4 (AC)
Ranger-X (Gen)
Majestic 12 (AC)
Darius Gaiden (AC)
Ketsui (AC)

[Acid King]

Lists are subjective and no one has played every game ever created.

True, which is why any list that claims to be definitive is bullshit but they can be interesting as a reflection of taste. That's why I think a general forum top 100 would be interesting if we dispensed with the bullshit and just made a list of favorites.