Good Hishouzame/Raiden style games?

[Obscura]

So, trying Raiden IV, and then getting hooked on Raiden III again from there, has me wondering: are there any good examples of this style of "fast aimed shots with fairly simple patterns" shmups aside from the obvious?

Here's a list of games in this style that I've played, in no particular order:
Hishouzame
Same! Same! Same!
Kyukyoku Tiger
Kyukyoku Tiger 2
Raiden
Raiden DX
Raiden III
Raiden IV
Air Gallet
Wolflame
Mushi Original
Futari Original

Games of this style I know of and haven't played:
Viper Phase 1 (this one has been high on my "I need to play this" list for a long time...)
Raiden II (Isn't this pretty much obsoleted by Raiden DX?)

Is there anything worth playing in this general style that I've missed? (Note, I'm aware of Psikyo's "Strikers" series, but I consider those to be a very different beast, despite having a lot of fast aimed bullets. Same with Mahou Daisakusen.)

[EmperorIng]

Shienryu (Warashi) is very much inspired by Toaplan and Seibu Kaihatsu. It received a perfect Saturn port, a good PS1 port (titled Gekioh Shooting King)* and a PS2 port that I don't know much about (supposed to be good?).

Mushihimesama is pretty different from Raiden - it's less of a stretch to include Mahou Daisakusen, Strikers (perhaps Sengoku Ace is more your style), and Aero Fighters/Sonic Wings.

There are a lot of arcade old-style shmups out there - many especially aping Raiden after Raiden's release. For fun I would try looking up Rob's old arcade shooter countdown for stuff that could be up your alley.

*ten years later edit: the ps1 port is terrible, do not get! The ps2 port is beyond bad as well, like 10 frames of input lag! Emulate on mednefen or get the saturn copy. Mame is ok, just with glitches

[Xyga]

Try Raiden II 'harder' set in MAME. ^^

[emphatic]

Daisenpu. It's like a proper Hishouzame sequel.

[Perikles]

Since EmperorIng already mentioned Shienryu: its predecessor Daioh also fits the bill quite nicely. Tatsujin/Truxton would also be a prime candidat for that category.

[gameoverDude]

Shienryu (Warashi) is very much inspired by Toaplan and Seibu Kaihatsu. It received a perfect Saturn port, a good PS1 port (titled Gekioh Shooting King) and a PS2 port that I don't know much about (supposed to be good?).

Mushihimesama is pretty different from Raiden - it's less of a stretch to include Mahou Daisakusen, Strikers (perhaps Sengoku Ace is more your style), and Aero Fighters/Sonic Wings.

There are a lot of arcade old-style shmups out there - many especially aping Raiden after Raiden's release. For fun I would try looking up Rob's old arcade shooter countdown for stuff that could be up your alley.

The PS2 port is good and also includes a sequel, Shienryu Explosion (probably originally planned as a Naomi title but cancelled).

There's another Raiden-alike from Irem called Fire Barrel which isn't bad.

[Xyga]

Trigon : http://www.shmups.com/reviews/trigon/index.html

[BIL]

Raiden II (Isn't this pretty much obsoleted by Raiden DX?)

I used to think so, but its combination of the original's simplicity and DX's higher difficulty+killer graphics makes it a happy medium of sorts. Sometimes I just want to mow through screenloads of enraged zako and demolish a building or two without fretting over medal fallout.

Strictly speaking I think it's more that I is obsoleted by II, though I'd never actually say that. ;3

[TransatlanticFoe]

Gekirindan is inspired by Truxton, Fire Shark and Twin Cobra.

Triangle Service's games have an old school feel to them but are a bit busier than your classic Toaplan aimed shots. Might be worth a look and I wouldn't discount Mahou Daisakusen and Strikers 1 & 2 so easily either.

Also, look up Slap Fight MD.

[BIL]

Slap Fight MD plays like a hybrid of Fast Aimed Shots™, Compile's invincibility surfing and Yagawa's weaponised BOMBA. Plus space gardening and Yuzo Koshiro. It's really cool. Almost feels like the console shooter they sometimes mentioned but never got to make. Use TOAPRAN MODE to jack up the starting loop as desired.

[Obscura]

Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to dismiss Mahou Daisakusen or Strikers; I'm especially fond of Mahou. I just consider the style of those games (especially Mahou), which tends to be based more around mid-tier enemies, very different than the asshole popcorn and tank fields that create most of the challenge in Seibu/Toaplan games.

Anyways, thanks for the suggestions! I've definitely got tons of stuff to try now. In particular, I wasn't aware that Raiden II didn't have the medal-flash system of Raiden DX... I may have been wrong to just dismiss that one out-of-hand.

[city41]

Not sure if this is what you're after, but I'd argue that "fast aimed shots with fairly simple patterns" is an apt description of Dangun Feveron.

And if fast is what you're really after, they are blisteringly fast in Dangun.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Why has Rapid Hero not been mentioned yet?

Patterns are relatively simple, aimed shots, the occasional fast attack, nothing blatantly unfair, hitbox is fairly large. Boss attacks are a bit more elaborate, but still very simple compared to a bullet shmup. It also does a few things refreshingly different from Raiden games, namely a weapon system where you get a total of 4 different attacks firing at once when fully powered, bombs that fire off immediately (instead of a delay before you get any safety), and some gorgeous looking animation and visuals.

Go play Rapid Hero. Now.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I can't think of a non-Seibu/MOSS shmup that would combine particulary FAST bullets with AIMED shots and sniper tanks quite like Raiden (I suppose the "ship" needs to be Raiden-slow for it to feel Raiden-like), but if you want A.I. behaviour reacting to your behaviour, I can recommend Solar Striker.

[coturnixx]

Trigon by Konami

[GSK]

Vapor Trail?

[trap15]

A lot of NMK's games. Thunder Dragon 2, Macross, Rapid Hero in particular.

[SuperDeadite]

Code Zero

[Shepardus]

DonPachi, Hong Kong version.

[gameoverDude]

Code Zero

Seconded. Very good one. This one also has a "brake" feature where you can slow the ship by pressing down while you're at the bottom of the screen. Useful for saving star medals or buying yourself a tad more time in some spots.

[IseeThings]

Sand Scorpion and Double Wings both really want to be Raiden...
Sky Smasher also seems close to these to my rather non-expert eyes.

[pegboy]

Wouldn't say it's a great game or anything but Strike Gunner STG (SNES) on the hardest setting has very fast bullets. It's also an extremely unfair game.

[OmegaFlareX]

Daisenpu. It's like a proper Hishouzame sequel.

Seconding this. It's literally sniper_tanks.exe, brutal stuff. Not generally regarded as among Toaplan's best, but I think it has redeeming qualities. Good PC-Engine and Mega Drive ports.

[emphatic]

Daisenpu. It's like a proper Hishouzame sequel.

Seconding this. It's literally sniper_tanks.exe, brutal stuff. Not generally regarded as among Toaplan's best, but I think it has redeeming qualities. Good PC-Engine and Mega Drive ports.

Exactly. Just don't watch super play videos where they exploit the helper planes, or the game will be completely broken.

[Nguyen VinhLOC]

Sharks, Cobras, Raidens, Hawks as well as Capcom 1940 series was OK, and like you mentioned, Banpresto Air gallet was decent as well, but i feel like it mixed with Batsugun style hitboxes make it slightly a little bit different from others

[EmperorIng]

Wow, it's sometimes fun to read these topics after so long, especially with me still in them

Have there been any good raiden style (MOSS or otherwise), or "old school" shmup releases on steam or the indie circuit that are of note in this intervening time? Everyone and their mother makes an indie danmaku.

I can't speak to the quality of all of these, but all I can think of

-MOSS games (Raiden III/IV/V and Caladrius, never played Dragon Maid) - these are in a tier of their own of course

-Wolflame (never played it; I hear it's good)
-RAIOH (modeled sorta after Daioh, but all the videos I've seen of this one look bad tbh)
-Crisis Wing (after Tatsujin, not really my thing, and the bullets are too slow!)
-Don't care about any TERARIN game, they all play and look the same to me (and I don't find them very good). I guess if you have fond memories of beating PC Engine caravan modes on easy mode...
-Anger Force Reloaded (apparently psikyo inspired)

[Sengoku Strider]

Ghost Pilots on Neo Geo is a Same clone that I find as pleasurable to pick up & play as its inspirations. It's overlong, I'll totally grant that, but the artwork is wonderfully done - they pull off the trick of making everything feel big & chunky without clogging up the screen with overlarge sprites. I've never quite been sure why it's so forgotten despite being on a popular platform, and in a style that has a cult following.

[Sturmvogel Prime]

Mad Shark, Allumer-MOSS obscure yet good Raiden clone.
Daioh. You can't mention Shienryu without Daioh.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Mad Shark, Allumer-MOSS obscure yet good Raiden clone.
Daioh. You can't mention Shienryu without Daioh.

The American Sammy jamma pcb of Daioh has both the JPN version with 2-button support + 6-button support with the USA revision. How cool is that?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Nguyen VinhLOC]

oh i just founđ out on Youtube today, the game is Trigon, a Hishouzame style gameplay with Contra/Gradius graphics, why won't you try