Compilations and Collections Containing Shmups

[DragonmasterDan]

Compilations and Collections Containing Shmups do you have any favorites?

One of the first ones that came to my mind was Taito Legends Volume 2 for Playstation 2 which had some excellent shooters on it including Metal Black, G-Darius, Rayforce and Darius Gaiden What are some of your favorites?

[BIL]

It's actually Raystorm on the PS2 version of TL2, I think. I got the NTSCJ Taito Memories Gekan specifically for its ports of Raystorm and G-Darius, and Taito Memories II Joukan for Rayforce.

NTSCJ PS1's Capcom Generation Volumes 1 (1942, 1943 & 1943 Kai), 3 (Vulgus & Exed Exes) and 4 (Senjou no Okami, Senjou no Okami II & Gun.Smoke) are solid. Fully customisable controls and, unlike the PS2's Capcom Classics Collection versions, 240p with TATE. Haven't tried the Saturn versions. Volume 2 (Makaimura trilogy) is excellent as well.

Also NTSCJ PS1, Namco Museums Vols. 1-5 plus Encore have lots of good stuff too, again with custom controls and TATE. Standouts for me are Dragon Spirit and Saber on v5 and Encore respectively. Assault, Baraduke and Gaplus rock too.

Finally, these may not be strictly applicable, being dedicated shooter comps, but: Toaplan Shooting Battle Vol.1 and Zanac X Zanac (PS1 JP), and Fantasy Zone Complete Collection (PS2 JP) are essential.

[MathU]

Taito Legends 2 for the PS2 doesn't have Rayforce actually. That's exclusive to the Xbox and PC versions, while the PS2 version got G Darius, Raystorm, and Sylvalion.

Taito Legends 2 also has Gekirindan, Grid Seeker, Gun Frontier, Insector X, Kiki Kaikai, Elevator Action Returns, and some Space Invaders games. Pretty awesome bang for buck collection in general. I just wish Taito had included Dead Connection and some other Darius games.


MileStone Shooting Collection 2 is one of the bigger collections too, with all five of their shooters.

[EmperorIng]

Legends 2 is good, though without autofire Gun Frontier and Grid Seeker are nigh unplayable.

The Namco Museum releases on the PS1 are some of the nicest packages in terms of cool extras: art, system specs, tips, and more. Shooting-wise, it has the stuff like Galaga, Galaxian, and Gaplus, while also having Dragon Spirit, Assault, and Ordyne. Unfortunately, the games are spread out, and the individual volumes are sort of pricey.

Capcom Classics 2 on PS2 has Varth, which is a big plus in my eyes. It doesn't have as many as the Taito collection, but 1941: Counterattack, Varth, and Side Arms Hyper Dyne are all of good quality. Especially Varth.

Overall I think I like Taito Legends 2 best, since it has Taito's best shooters (G-Darius, Darius Gaiden.... no RayForce though), good shooters (RayStorm, KiKi KaiKai, Gekirindan, Space Invaders '95), an interesting one-off like Syvalion. Not to mention the many other fun games on it (Don Doki Don, Fairyland Story, Qix, Liquid Kids, Raimais and more).

[DragonmasterDan]

Taito Legends 2 for the PS2 doesn't have Rayforce actually. That's exclusive to the Xbox and PC versions, while the PS2 version got G Darius, Raystorm, and Sylvalion.

That's right, I meant Raystorm but wrote Rayforce. Great catch!

[null1024]

The Gradius and Salamander collections on PSP are pretty essential.
Gradius Collection on PSP has Gradius 1-4 and Gaiden.
Salamander Portable on PSP has the Japanese releases of Salmander, Life Force, Salamander 2, Xexex [!], and Gradius 2 MSX.

[DragonmasterDan]

The Gradius and Salamander collections on PSP are pretty essential.
Gradius Collection on PSP has Gradius 1-4 and Gaiden.
Salamander Portable on PSP has the Japanese releases of Salmander, Life Force, Salamander 2, Xexex [!], and Gradius 2 MSX.

I like the Parodius PSP collection as well. The fact you're limited to that narrow hand cramping PSP as a controller is a detriment on those though. But I agree those Konami PSP sets have a great selection of titles.

[Mortificator]

The Konami GB Collections each have a shooter on them.

Japanese releases (Super Game Boy support)

Code: Select all

Vol. 1
Gradius
Dracula Densetsu
Konami Racing
Contra

Vol. 2
TwinBee Da!!
Ganbare Goemon
Motocross Maniacs
Guttang Gottong

Vol. 3
Gradius II
Dracula Densetsu II
Yie Ar Kung-fu
Kekkyoku Nankyoku Daibouken

Vol. 4
Parodius
Quarth
Konamic Sports
Frogger

European releases (Game Boy Color support)

Code: Select all

Vol. 1
Gradius
Castlevania: The Adventure
Konami Racing
Probotector

Vol. 2
Parodius
Block Game
Track & Field
Frogger

Vol. 3
Pop'n TwinBee
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
Bikers
Guttang Gottong

Vol. 4
Gradius II: The Return of the Hero
Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge
Yie Ar Kung-fu
Antarctic Adventure

This is using the titles the collections use, which don't always match previous releases. Like how the same game they call Gradius II was previously called Gradius: The Interstellar Assault in the west and Nemesis II in Japan.

[Kiken]

To name a few...

Simple 2000 Series Vol 37: The Shooting Double Shienryuu (PS2)
Contains the original Shienryuu (with 240p support) as well as the initially cancelled sequel; Shineryuu Explosion. Release in PAL territories as Steel Dragon EX.

Simple 1500 Series Vol 75: The Double Shooting RayStorm X RayCrisis (PS1)
As the title suggests, contains both PS1 Ray games on a single disc.

Psikyo Shooting Collection Vol 3: Sol Divide & Dragon Blaze (PS2)
Contains Dragon Blaze.

Gunbird 1 & 2 (PS2)
Contains a good port of Gunbird and a not so good port of Gunbird 2.

R-Type Dimensions (360, PS3)
Contains questionable ports of R-Type and R-Type II and grants the option of switching back and forth between original 2D graphics and 'enhanced' 3D graphics. Most notable for its inclusion of a 2-player simultaneous option in both games.

R-Types (PS1)
Contains the most arcade accurate home ports available of R-Type and R-Type II.

Eschatos (360)
Contains Eschatos along with 2 WonderSwan games: Judgement Silversword and Cardinal Sins.

Shooting Love 10th Annivesary: XIIZeal and DeltaZeal (360)
Contains XIIStag (rebranded as XIIZeal) along with G-Stream 2020 (rebranded as DeltaZeal).

Raiden Fighters Aces (360)
Contains Raiden Fighters, Raiden Fighters 2 and Raiden Fighters Jet.

[Austin]

All great picks, so as not to be redundant I'll name the Raiden Project (PS1). It's only two games, but damn are they good ones.

[Mortificator]

Xevious 3D/G+ (PS1) has:
Xevious
Super Xevious
Xevious Arrangement
Xevious 3D/G

Konami's PSP collections were mentioned, but not their earlier deluxe packs for PS1 and Saturn.
Gradius & Gradius II arcade
Salamander, Life Force, and Salamander 2
Detana TwinBee & TwinBee Yahho
Parodius Da & Gokujo Parodius

There's also Gradius III & IV for PS2.

[nosorrow]

I'm retroactively disappointed we never saw a Raizing compilation release including the likes of Armed Police Batrider, Battle Bakraid and Dimahoo. How awesome would that have been?

[Axelay]

Can someone tell me what the xmultiply and image fight sega Saturn collection is like ?
Are they perfect ports ?
Or is it easier to bet image fight for the pc engine ? Cheers

[EmperorIng]

Xevious 3D/G+ (PS1) has:
Xevious
Super Xevious
Xevious Arrangement
Xevious 3D/G

Going to take the plunge on this one. While I am not crazy for the original Xevious, Arrange and especially 3d/g look promising. Here's to hoping I don't regret it!

[Mortificator]

I hope you like it too! Arrangement's pretty much replaced the original Xevious in my affections.

Can someone tell me what the xmultiply and image fight sega Saturn collection is like ?
Are they perfect ports ?
Or is it easier to bet image fight for the pc engine ? Cheers

I haven't played enough of the version on the compilation to know if it's arcade-perfect, but it has tate, while the PC Engine version's converted to vertizontal.

[BIL]

I have the PS1 version of AG: Image Fight & X-Multiply. The ports are good (Icarus has vouched for IF, if I remember right), but the presentation carries the caveat of slight resolution chop. The upper extreme and right edge of the display is missing in IF and XM, respectively. It's not so bad as to be fatal, but it is noticeable and requires some adjusting to (riding the screen edge in any game you've not mastered is dangerous, of course, but with the missing visual sliver it's even less advisable).

Note that IF's chop is greatly reduced by playing in TATE. In XM, you need to move the score display down and out of view for maximum visibility.

XING's Wolf Fang PS1 port has the same issue, but it's the bottom edge missing there. Not sure how the Saturn versions of these ports compare, but from limited reading I get the impression they're the same.

On the subject of resolution and PS/SS versions, note that Gradius, Gradius II, Salamander and Life Force are slightly compressed-looking on their respective Saturn discs. The PS1 versions don't suffer from this (unfortunately they're also pricier). Salamander 2 has borders on both systems, however.

[EmperorIng]

I thought that's because konami games ran at a different resolution than normal display monitors. Or at least I seem to recall. Thus a "zoom" feature.

[BIL]

Not sure about the Konami hardware, but apparently the Saturn can't display the required resolution in those four games while the PS1 can.