Which shmups have the best intro/cinematics?

tehkao · Post by **tehkao** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 5:23 am

I know it's kind of silly to talk about cinematics in a shmup since they have so little to do with the enjoyment of the game...but still I appreciate it when a developer makes the effort to add a little "spice" to the shmup...

Anyways here are my nominations for best intro/ending cinematics in a shmup:

Gley Lancer (Megadrive)
Sexy Parodius
Armed Police Batrider
Hellfire (PCE CD)
Elemental Master
Gaiares
MUSHA

IlMrm · Post by **IlMrm** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:30 am

A few that comes to mind are:

Philosoma
Giga Wing 2
Mars Matrix
Shooter Space Shot(I had to include this since POSS is so cute).

Omega Boost(not a shmup, but very cool intro).

BenT · Post by **BenT** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 8:36 am

Silpheed Sega CD, hands-down. Especially for 1993.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 8:48 am

Philosoma wins hands down imo.

Its about 5 mins long, totally cinematic. If that game got re-released on PS2 or PS3 in hi definition and had a decent English dub it would be unbeatable. And there is about 15 mins of cut scenes and endings to go through as well.

Gradius Gaiden
Gradius 3 & 4
Raiden DX
TSB1

Thunder Force · Post by **Thunder Force** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 11:05 am

Philosoma (PS1) & Gradius 3 & 4 (PS2) intros win, imo nothing else I've seen comes close.

Post by **system11** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 11:21 am

Silpheed on PS2. I still need to get hold of a JP copy of that, the euro one is a terrible port.

freddiebamboo · Post by **freddiebamboo** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 11:26 am

I always thought dimahoo had a nice strange intro

WarpZone · Post by **WarpZone** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 1:49 pm

Ikaruga- I'm talking about the chapter 'fly-by' cinemas, and the ending sequence. Their overall elegance and significance at tying in the themes of the game, through the stanzas, subtle symbolism, etc- is outstanding.

Axelay- Hard to forget seeing the pilot's family in the locket at the start. Is he trying to save them? Avenge their murder? Doesn't matter, what does is the image of them is in his heart, and the player's, as the game begins.

Frogacuda · Post by **Frogacuda** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 2:55 pm

Dimahoo/Great Mahou's campy intro is one of my very favorites. Space Bomber's made me chuckle as well. "No!! Go to star!!"

Kiel · Post by **Kiel** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:09 pm

I'm suprised nobody has mentioned the Saturn version of RSG. Nice little anime sequence.

Super Laydock · Post by **Super Laydock** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:16 pm

The unchallenged winner (imho) in this category is Gradius III&V,
especially the trippy intro is absolutely stunning.I love turning up the volume for that one and just watch it several times, it gives me an adrenaline rush somehow.

Stormwatch · Post by **Stormwatch** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 9:57 pm

Pulstar is very good, Thunder Force IV is great, Blazing Star is awesome, Gunlock is teh best!

Post by **BulletMagnet** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 10:09 pm

Kiel wrote:I'm suprised nobody has mentioned the Saturn version of RSG. Nice little anime sequence.

The quality of the animation and all was good, but the sequence itself was very silly (methinks that Creator must be in the running for Stupidest-Looking Robot Ever, a friend of mine who saw him thought he looked like a "possessed toaster"); it seemed to clash, IMHO, with the sense of "grandeur" or whatnot that the actual gameplay exuded. Perhaps Treasure did that on purpose, since the plot of RSG, like Ikaruga's, was quite overbearing and they wanted to lighten things up a little, but it definitely caught me off guard, if nothing else...

In any case, although I'm not completely sold on its gameplay, I do have to agree with WarpZone that Axelay's opening sequence has always been one of my favorites. That game always did have quite a knack for presentation overall...

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 12:24 am

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Zero Wing yet. Who could forgot such memorable lines as "All your base are belong to us!" and "Someone set us up the bomb!"?

Twinbee Yahho has a cool intro. If you let the game set during attract mode, there is even a fully vocalized song.

gs68 · Post by **gs68** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:01 am

Gradius Gaiden. Great demonstration of the ships' weapons. Now if only they remade that video with today's CGI graphics technology.

tehkao · Post by **tehkao** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:12 am

OMG, I'm such a doofus for forgetting Zero Wing...that has to be the #1 ALL TIME INTRO for ANY VIDEO GAME....

"YOU HAVE NO CHANCE TO SURVIVE MAKE YOUR TIME!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

LoneSage · Post by **LoneSage** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 7:56 pm

WarpZone wrote: Axelay- Hard to forget seeing the pilot's family in the locket at the start. Is he trying to save them? Avenge their murder? Doesn't matter, what does is the image of them is in his heart, and the player's, as the game begins.

Glad to see I'm not the only who thinks this. A few guys I know say I'm expanding on it too much, but I still like to think the pilot is saving the earth not because he's ordered to, but mainly because his family's life is at stake.

I said this at the old forum and I'll say it here: The PS2 Gradius III & IV intros pump me up like no other. Only other cinema that does me like that is the opening to Contra Shattered Soldier and Neo Contra.

Gradius V's intro has an incredibly different tone to it from the G3&4 intros, but nonetheless it is incredibly epic and sets the stage for the game...that scene where the lone Vic Viper laser beams that huge ship is amazing.

Tomtom · Post by **Tomtom** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:09 pm

INVASION FROM UNDERGROUND!
THE EARTH WAS REALLY HOLLOW!
FROM THERE COMES THE...
EVIL GOBLIGAN EMPIRE!

HERE COME THE...
FEARLESS BOUNTY HUNTERS!
ARE YOU GREAT?
WE ARE GREAT!

DIMAHOO

theevilfunkster · Post by **theevilfunkster** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:50 pm

both of gradius 3+4s intros rock, gradius v is good but its too short. thunder force iv gets a mention for its awsome music

worst intro? sol feace. some guy talking for about 10 minutes, wow

U K Narayan · Post by **U K Narayan** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 2:26 am

Tomtom wrote:INVASION FROM UNDERGROUND!
THE EARTH WAS REALLY HOLLOW!
FROM THERE COMES THE...
EVIL GOBLIGAN EMPIRE!

HERE COME THE...
FEARLESS BOUNTY HUNTERS!
ARE YOU GREAT?
WE ARE GREAT!

DIMAHOO

WOO~!

ccovell · Post by **ccovell** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 3:08 am

Star Parodier

It's awesome and it's funny.

MadSteelDarkness · Post by **MadSteelDarkness** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 3:14 am

Sexy Parodius

Post by **nZero** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 4:41 am

Commenting on what's already been mentioned: Gley Lancer's intro is freaking epic, even though it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Axelay's intro was wonderful, setting the theme for the entire game to come.

Other very artistic ones:

Raiden II and Raiden DX in the arcade have that cool "ship flying out of the cherry blossoms" section of the attract mode.

Thunder Force V: Perfect System had a pretty slick intro movie, with the background of the Human/AI war

I kind of liked the semi-ominous pre-title sequence to Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth, as well.

bloodflowers wrote:Silpheed on PS2. I still need to get hold of a JP copy of that, the euro one is a terrible port.

I heard the JP version suffered from terrible slowdown. Maybe you should consider the plentiful, cheap, and decent U.S. port?

FatCobra · Post by **FatCobra** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:02 am

I thought R-Type Final had a pretty cool introduction. The music used made me want to get hyped up and ready to play the game, plus seeing all those R ships in space charging up and firing their wave cannons was a sight to behold. That's the intro that sticks the most in my mind.

Honorable mention goes to:
Gradius V
Eihander
Raiden II Arcade

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:04 am

Gaiares. If only more non-PCE shooters had anime intros rather than that CGI they use nowadays...

Blade · Post by **Blade** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:49 am

Call me nuts, but I liked the ole' Arrowflash Intro, the music bumps, a sexy girl in a pink space outfit running down a corridor....you just can't outdo that...

If only the Ace Combat series was a Shmup....

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 5:46 am

Nothing beats Battle Garegga's intro for me. It's not very long, granted, but it's freakin' awesome!

llaoyllakcuf · Post by **llaoyllakcuf** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 6:30 am

I always thought the opening to NEXZR was great..
brief & tragically-hip!

-- also Gate of Thunder, if only for that terrific BGM.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 3:16 am

I just picked up PS1 Space Invaders today, and the intro rocks!

There's a movie of a guy in a "modern" Space Invaders tank who drives his tank up to this grave yard full of old Space Invaders tanks. There's a fence around the grave yard, and a sign on top of the fence gate that says "In Memory Of Those Who Died 1978". Then the guy's alarm starts going off, and he spots new Invaders, whom he shoots at.

Pretty dramatic intro for a shmup, but it looks fantastic, and it's amazing how Activision was able to add such drama to an otherwise simple shmup.

BrianC · Post by **BrianC** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 3:42 am

Aleste MSX has an awesome intro. It's too bad it was removed from the SMS version.