post what you beleve is the most overrated shmup

[Lander]

I find Ikaruga relaxating, by the way...why instead Toaplan are so praised? what makes their games good? what makes a SHMUP good? I have a feeling, like "something" that is present in every Toaplan game i've tried (Twin Cobra, Batsugun, Tasujin and Teki-Paki), but i can't describe it, i feel like if i'm near some kind of epiphany .

Good design applied over a workmanlike foundation is Toaplan's secret sauce, I think. Their games aren't as flashy or ostentatious as their peers, but are built out of well-balanced interlocking systems that somebody clearly put a lot of thought into.

Taking Slap Fight as an example, the first impression is one of a cheerful vertical Gradius knockoff, but put in some time and it'll reveal nuances like weapon-specific secrets, turret sealing, the powerup-on-respawn trick, and the stage 1 pacifism slingshot, which elevate it from simple fun to really well-designed game.

And K Tiger is like... A thesis in slow shmups. Again, deceptively simple at first, but with super fine balancing that makes the most out of its deliberate pace.

[Lemnear]

Because Toaplan is the best STG developer of all time.

Explain this..."theory"

Toaplan made the best and most influential vertical shooters ever aside from Space Invaders. Go play some Hishouzame and Kyuukyoku Tiger (yes, Kyuukyoku Tiger specifically is the one you want, not Twin Cobra) and you'll see why~

The wiki states that Kyuukyoku Tiger and Twin Cobra are the same game STATUS: Confusion.

Good design applied over a workmanlike foundation is Toaplan's secret sauce, I think. Their games aren't as flashy or ostentatious as their peers, but are built out of well-balanced interlocking systems that somebody clearly put a lot of thought into.

Taking Slap Fight as an example, the first impression is one of a cheerful vertical Gradius knockoff, but put in some time and it'll reveal nuances like weapon-specific secrets, turret sealing, the powerup-on-respawn trick, and the stage 1 pacifism slingshot, which elevate it from simple fun to really well-designed game.

And K Tiger is like... A thesis in slow shmups. Again, deceptively simple at first, but with super fine balancing that makes the most out of its deliberate pace.

What i find unique in their games are "Color Palette" (very odd!), "Hazardous Design"(always), and mostly, that "Glitchy FX and BGM"!!! and that in the complex, their games are like an extremely exasperatedly pushed version of an Arcade of their times!
I'm sure ths stuff was mind blowing for someone who seen that between 85-93 for the first time.
For the gameplay part...they are hard...addicting, but not all are for me, i can't really beat any Toaplan games release before 91 , i really suck with "older shmups" especially if they are on the high difficult side.
The one i like the most is Batsugun, also if some in the forum says that is not a good example of a Toaplan game. Also Dogyuun intrigue me.

EDIT: what is that Ikaruga sucks meme?
Re-EDIT: Wikipedia also states that Pikmin 4 is developed by Eighting D:

[Steven]

Also Toa-bushi and sometimes Tomizawa-bushi.

Explain this..."theory"

Toaplan made the best and most influential vertical shooters ever aside from Space Invaders. Go play some Hishouzame and Kyuukyoku Tiger (yes, Kyuukyoku Tiger specifically is the one you want, not Twin Cobra) and you'll see why~

The wiki states that Kyuukyoku Tiger and Twin Cobra are the same game STATUS: Confusion.

They are definitely not the same game. A significant amount of what makes Kyuukyoku Tiger so badass is just not in Twin Cobra at all.

[Lander]

Twin Cobra is the heavily-localized international release of K Tiger. Same product, but a markedly different game due to various changes and rebalances around 2P co-op play.

Lower shot limit, faster heli, different extends, respawns instead of checkpoints, and so on.

For the gameplay part...they are hard...addicting, but not all are for me, i can't really beat any Toaplan games release before 91 , i really suck with "older shmups" especially if they are on the high difficult side.

Same here, particularly for checkpoint games. The Slap Fight clear seems quite achievable once you know the tricks, but K Tiger feels like one that'd need rigorous training to get anywhere with.

They give me a certain rich-get-richer gamecenter vibe; like getting your ass kicked by Xevious, then glancing across the room and seeing some dude with 20 extends who's been looping the game easy peasy for hours.

[Lemnear]

Twin Cobra is the heavily-localized international release of K Tiger. Same product, but a markedly different game due to various changes and rebalances around 2P co-op play.

Lower shot limit, faster heli, different extends, respawns instead of checkpoints, and so on.

For the gameplay part...they are hard...addicting, but not all are for me, i can't really beat any Toaplan games release before 91 , i really suck with "older shmups" especially if they are on the high difficult side.

Same here, particularly for checkpoint games. The Slap Fight clear seems quite achievable once you know the tricks, but K Tiger feels like one that'd need rigorous training to get anywhere with.

They give me a certain rich-get-richer gamecenter vibe; like getting your ass kicked by Xevious, then glancing across the room and seeing some dude with 20 extends who's been looping the game easy peasy for hours.

This scares me a lot and probably in this moment i'm not prepared for this (i have another gaming schedule).

Xevious is the ONLY one old STG i've finished 1CC 2 Loop (and accidentally, playing while waiting, till i had a dejavu was in the starting loading screen in Ridge Racer 7).
I hate checkpoints, and i ignore every STG with them...i can make few exceptions, only for knowledge purpouses.

Most overrated by my modest opinion? Between the one i played are GG Aleste and Super Aleste. They got a lot of praise, Compile got a lot of praise...the game got also a compilation made by M2 and even a sequel in 2020 !!!
Gameplay wise, it seems to be a "very low entry level" game of its kind. I've finished GG Aleste with 1CC at the second try .
The only nice things in the series are the weapons, various and fun to use...but is the easiest STG i ever played probably, so easy that sometimes was boring.

The other one is JamesTown+. Why every articles suggest this game in their lists? Why it is spammed everywhere? Looks like an indie attempt to the genre...

[Sima Tuna]

Compile seems like a "love it or hate it" shmup. People have very strong opinions in favor of the games or against them. I think this forum is the most negative place I've ever seen regarding Compile games. I'm going to have to chalk that up to you tryhards playing shmups on a more advanced tier than the rest of the internet, so the flaws are more obvious to you. The games seem too easy or simple or whatever.

As someone who sucks massive donger at shmups, I really like Compile and Hudson Soft shmups. They feel a little more breezy. Little easier for me to dedicate the time for a clear, since I know it's not a 50 hour commitment. Raging Blasters was a similar situation for me. A lot of people say that game is too easy. I was just happy the Normal 1cc didn't take me six months to (fail to) achieve.

[sadepisara]

The other one is JamesTown+. Why every articles suggest this game in their lists? Why it is spammed everywhere? Looks like an indie attempt to the genre...

It's got high production values for sure; if we'd go by that alone, something like Cave shooters seem positively amateurish and low budget in comparison.

Of course that's not to say anything about gameplay or system design or balance, but still!

I really like Compile and Hudson Soft shmups.

Haha, Guardian Legend was such a cute concept.. and an absolutely flickery mess when the action got going.

[Lander]

Most overrated by my modest opinion? Between the one i played are GG Aleste and Super Aleste. They got a lot of praise, Compile got a lot of praise...the game got also a compilation made by M2 and even a sequel in 2020 !!!
Gameplay wise, it seems to be a "very low entry level" game of its kind. I've finished GG Aleste with 1CC at the second try .
The only nice things in the series are the weapons, various and fun to use...but is the easiest STG i ever played probably, so easy that sometimes was boring.

Wh-!? How very dare you!

...Nah, I agree Aleste gets a disproportionate amount of attention as Compile stuff goes. I assume because it's the most anime girl-centric of their series, and thus the easiest sell to a modern audience.
Not to knock it as a whole, though; seems like a solid set of Compile shooters from what I've played.

I suppose that's the trouble - next to Zanac's wild mess of secrets and rank systems, their other stuff is merely good!

Compile seems like a "love it or hate it" shmup. People have very strong opinions in favor of the games or against them. I think this forum is the most negative place I've ever seen regarding Compile games.

Always knew I was unfairly maligned!

I'm going to have to chalk that up to you tryhards playing shmups on a more advanced tier than the rest of the internet, so the flaws are more obvious to you. The games seem too easy or simple or whatever.

As someone who sucks massive donger at shmups, I really like Compile and Hudson Soft shmups. They feel a little more breezy. Little easier for me to dedicate the time for a clear, since I know it's not a 50 hour commitment. Raging Blasters was a similar situation for me. A lot of people say that game is too easy. I was just happy the Normal 1cc didn't take me six months to (fail to) achieve.

Breezy is a good term; they're comfy clears that focus on intrinsic fun and still put up something of a fight for non-veteran players. Worthy of a seat at the table, even if it appears to be a high chair I'm still proud of baby's first and second Zanac clears - gotta start somewhere.

I read an interview somewhere where they talked about the company culture and design approach; very much about trying to pack in as much entertainment value as possible to give console players a total package - like letting the programmers run wild adding tons of unplanned weapons - versus the precisely-measured balance the arcade heavyweights had to operate on.

[XoPachi]

Any EuroShmup that ever got any traction. I don't know if the ones I'm thinking of were *super* popular, but I typically see "normies" praise Tyrian 2000, Raptor Call of the Shadows, and Jets n Guns when STG's are a topic. I just always thought all of them were horrible. Especially Tyrian.
Raptor has some cool music though.

Battle Garegga gave me issues when I first played it because particularly in level 1, the bullets blend in with the background more than I'd like. But if I just focused bit more (than should be required), it's not horrible. Tyrian was just...a mess. It's been a long time since I've touched it, but I distinctly remember enjoying absolutely nothing about it.

I don't think I look at Japanese STG's and think "that doesn't deserve praise." I avoid Touhou because it's aesthetic is thoroughly off putting to me. But I cleared Scarlet Devil on normal years ago just to say I played *one* and I'd be an ass to call Touhou bad or not worth it's praises. Any games I don't think are very good are generally considered as such or not talked about like Blazeon or something. I feel the games that are rated massively positively, especially by this forum, generally deserve it.

[beer gas canister]

Had no idea K Tiger is so different from Twin Cobra. I've played mostly TC because it has respawns instead of checkpoints and always have a blast. Will have to give KT another look.

imo Compile is noteworthy because of their unique "house" style from other shmup systems. Their games play so different from their contemporaries, and with a lot of style.

[Steven]

Kyuukyoku Tiger is officially the definitive version of the game and that's the one the devs want you to play.

Originally in the overseas versions you didn't return to a checkpoint when you died, and simultaneous play was a must. The players at that time in America were always playing in a somewhat drunken fashion, not making strategies or plans.

The shooting game I envisioned is over when you don't return to a checkpoint after a miss because you are no longer creating a pattern.

There's always a recovery pattern in the games I make. Even if your weapons go to zero, you can always recover.

It's also way better than Twin Cobra.

Remember, kids: don't play like an American drunkard. Do play Kyuukyoku Tiger instead of Twin Cobra.

[Lemnear]

The other one is JamesTown+. Why every articles suggest this game in their lists? Why it is spammed everywhere? Looks like an indie attempt to the genre...

It's got high production values for sure; if we'd go by that alone, something like Cave shooters seem positively amateurish and low budget in comparison.

Of course that's not to say anything about gameplay or system design or balance, but still!

IDK, maybe is that design...so "clean" for a 2D STG...i have the impression that is a "wannabe-Shoot Em Up" and not a real one. Maybe is the absence of a famous dev behind it, that disincentivizes me or that is not "historically" acclaimed.

I'm going to have to chalk that up to you tryhards playing shmups on a more advanced tier than the rest of the internet, so the flaws are more obvious to you. The games seem too easy or simple or whatever.

As someone who sucks massive donger at shmups, I really like Compile and Hudson Soft shmups. They feel a little more breezy. Little easier for me to dedicate the time for a clear, since I know it's not a 50 hour commitment. Raging Blasters was a similar situation for me. A lot of people say that game is too easy. I was just happy the Normal 1cc didn't take me six months to (fail to) achieve.

Breezy is a good term; they're comfy clears that focus on intrinsic fun and still put up something of a fight for non-veteran players. Worthy of a seat at the table, even if it appears to be a high chair I'm still proud of baby's first and second Zanac clears - gotta start somewhere.

I read an interview somewhere where they talked about the company culture and design approach; very much about trying to pack in as much entertainment value as possible to give console players a total package - like letting the programmers run wild adding tons of unplanned weapons - versus the precisely-measured balance the arcade heavyweights had to operate on.

Excactly! Breeze Shooter !!! The kind of STG you want with a lemonade and a chill session

Any EuroShmup that ever got any traction. I don't know if the ones I'm thinking of were *super* popular, but I typically see "normies" praise Tyrian 2000, Raptor Call of the Shadows, and Jets n Guns when STG's are a topic. I just always thought all of them were horrible. Especially Tyrian.
Raptor has some cool music though.

Battle Garegga gave me issues when I first played it because particularly in level 1, the bullets blend in with the background more than I'd like. But if I just focused bit more (than should be required), it's not horrible. Tyrian was just...a mess. It's been a long time since I've touched it, but I distinctly remember enjoying absolutely nothing about it.

I don't think I look at Japanese STG's and think "that doesn't deserve praise." I avoid Touhou because it's aesthetic is thoroughly off putting to me. But I cleared Scarlet Devil on normal years ago just to say I played *one* and I'd be an ass to call Touhou bad or not worth it's praises. Any games I don't think are very good are generally considered as such or not talked about like Blazeon or something. I feel the games that are rated massively positively, especially by this forum, generally deserve it.

I'm sure that Arcade STG are always better, more calibrated and pixel-perfectly programmed, because they ask you to PAY for every credits. And because of that, they can't commit errors or inpreciions, if you lose, would be ONLY for your errors, and never for game faults.
Meanwhile, STG for consoles are (usually but not always) more friendly, with pushed graphics for their hardware, good soundtracks (Gleylancer, Thunder Force IV) and with some extra mechanics to the gameplay, or at least they tried.

As an European, the first 2 SHMUPS i've played are Super Space Invaders and Apidya (don't touch my Apidya!).
EuroSHUMPS are clearly all amatourish games, the devs normally developed other kind of games, so they can only have been "inspired" by japanese STG's , and only by the few that were released worldwide probably, and they developed them without all the knowledge necessary for a good STG...BUT, i like how they tried, and i like all their errors, in the same way which i like the bugs in Oblivion.
Not mentioning about their really odd, and mostly creepy, design, i think that is one of their trademarks.

Kyuukyoku Tiger is officially the definitive version of the game and that's the one the devs want you to play.

Originally in the overseas versions you didn't return to a checkpoint when you died, and simultaneous play was a must. The players at that time in America were always playing in a somewhat drunken fashion, not making strategies or plans.

The shooting game I envisioned is over when you don't return to a checkpoint after a miss because you are no longer creating a pattern.

There's always a recovery pattern in the games I make. Even if your weapons go to zero, you can always recover.

It's also way better than Twin Cobra.

Remember, kids: don't play like an American drunkard. Do play Kyuukyoku Tiger instead of Twin Cobra.

But...i give my best in an altered-state-of-consciousness
By the way...i hate checkpoint

[Steven]

But...i give my best in an altered-state-of-consciousness
By the way...i hate checkpoint

Checkpoints are actually good game design when done properly (i.e. the opposite of Raiden, R-Type, R-Type II, and Image Fight). Fortunately most of the Toaplan guys know how to do checkpoints properly, and when you remove checkpoints from games that are supposed to have checkpoints (Hellfire, Same! Same! Same!, and to an extent Kyuukyoku Tiger), it fucks up the game balance, especially in games that have speed powerups, although the extent of the damage depends on the game. Some games are arguably better when you play the versions that remove the checkpoints (overseas Raiden and 2P Zero Wing), but those games' 1P Japanese versions have awful checkpoint implementation anyway.

So, yeah, go play Kyuukyoku Tiger and witness the radiant glory of how good it is. I have extreme difficulty not calling it the best Toaplan game outright and possibly the greatest shooting game ever made, even though I know Hishouzame and Out Zone are technically better games.

[Lemnear]

But...i give my best in an altered-state-of-consciousness
By the way...i hate checkpoint

Checkpoints are actually good game design when done properly (i.e. the opposite of Raiden, R-Type, R-Type II, and Image Fight). Fortunately most of the Toaplan guys know how to do checkpoints properly, and when you remove checkpoints from games that are supposed to have checkpoints (Hellfire, Same! Same! Same!, and to an extent Kyuukyoku Tiger), it fucks up the game balance, especially in games that have speed powerups, although the extent of the damage depends on the game. Some games are arguably better when you play the versions that remove the checkpoints (overseas Raiden and 2P Zero Wing), but those games' 1P Japanese versions have awful checkpoint implementation anyway.

So, yeah, go play Kyuukyoku Tiger and witness the radiant glory of how good it is. I have extreme difficulty not calling it the best Toaplan game outright and possibly the greatest shooting game ever made, even though I know Hishouzame and Out Zone are technically better games.

I've tried Hellfire, and it has the same "Curse" of Teki-Paki ... They are extremely difficult, engaging, and you can't stop to play them also if this mean a masochistic amount of retry....i label them as "Dangerous".
Kyuukyoku Tiger seems more and more a very impegnative STG, that requires rigorous training even to be completed because of its unforgivness
I'm sure that checkpoint are usefull to learn the game, but i hate when the action is stopped D: and more when i die several times at the same checkpoint XD!
I still more sure than before that all those flashes and glitchy sounds are all scientifically designed to give you a synapse overload.

[Steven]

But...i give my best in an altered-state-of-consciousness
By the way...i hate checkpoint

Checkpoints are actually good game design when done properly (i.e. the opposite of Raiden, R-Type, R-Type II, and Image Fight). Fortunately most of the Toaplan guys know how to do checkpoints properly, and when you remove checkpoints from games that are supposed to have checkpoints (Hellfire, Same! Same! Same!, and to an extent Kyuukyoku Tiger), it fucks up the game balance, especially in games that have speed powerups, although the extent of the damage depends on the game. Some games are arguably better when you play the versions that remove the checkpoints (overseas Raiden and 2P Zero Wing), but those games' 1P Japanese versions have awful checkpoint implementation anyway.

So, yeah, go play Kyuukyoku Tiger and witness the radiant glory of how good it is. I have extreme difficulty not calling it the best Toaplan game outright and possibly the greatest shooting game ever made, even though I know Hishouzame and Out Zone are technically better games.

I've tried Hellfire, and it has the same "Curse" of Teki-Paki ... They are extremely difficult, engaging, and you can't stop to play them also if this mean a masochistic amount of retry....i label them as "Dangerous".
Kyuukyoku Tiger seems more and more a very impegnative STG, that requires rigorous training even to be completed because of its unforgivness
I'm sure that checkpoint are usefull to learn the game, but i hate when the action is stopped D: and more when i die several times at the same checkpoint XD!
I still more sure than before that all those flashes and glitchy sounds are all scientifically designed to give you a synapse overload.

Kyuukyoku Tiger is actually way easier than people think it is. It showers you in extends and it's highly playable even without autofire; I have about twice as many no-auto clears as I do clears where I did use autofire. It's a brilliantly designed game and most of that brilliance is thrown away in both Twin Cobra and the various console versions of the game, leaving the 1P Japanese arcade version as the best version by far. It's specifically designed the way it is for a reason, and checkpoint recovery is a lot of fun in this game. Yes, that's right, it's fun in this game.

Also, Teki-Paki is ultra badass. I almost bought that as my first arcade PCB because it's that good.

[Lander]

I guess Tyrian counts - it's certainly well known enough to be considered overrated.

Though I had fun with it last time I played; certainly not a mechanically precise shmup by any measure, but an interesting exercise in campaign structure and 90s shareware silliness. Could probably enjoy it again now I have some Real And Proper Clears under my belt, with the appropriate DOS game mindset.

Checkpoints are actually good game design when done properly (i.e. the opposite of Raiden, R-Type, R-Type II, and Image Fight).

My head recognizes the logic and agrees with it, but my heart still breaks whenever I drop a life and have to claw out of a nasty corner with a weak shot.

Though I'm still biased from a recent reattempt at appreciating Tatsujin, and seeing 10 P icons worth of shot go up in smoke after stages of still-grueling savestate checkpointing. Expert indeed

Kyuukyoku Tiger is actually way easier than people think it is. It showers you in extends and it's highly playable even without autofire; I have about twice as many no-auto clears as I do clears where I did use autofire. It's a brilliantly designed game and most of that brilliance is thrown away in both Twin Cobra and the various console versions of the game, leaving the 1P Japanese arcade version as the best version by far. It's specifically designed the way it is for a reason, and checkpoint recovery is a lot of fun in this game. Yes, that's right, it's fun in this game.

Is that before or after many hours of area and recovery memo?

Though KT certainly feels fair as checkpointing systems go; good powerup distribution (I think it even swaps in shot upgrades for certain powerup carriers after death?), and restart points that can be puzzled out with the basic red shot.

[Lemnear]

Based on the 19th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time - Results.
Is Batsugun overrated? i've read some really negative comments about it, or, what's special about Gunbird 2? What's wrong with DariusBurst? Is G-Darius so underrated? Is RayStorm so bad to not be in the top 50? and so on...

[Steven]

Is that before or after many hours of area and recovery memo?

Uh... kind of both lol.

I think it even swaps in shot upgrades for certain powerup carriers after death?

It does; Otakebi and possibly the long range bombers will always drop shot items if you are not at full power, no matter where you are in the item table. Need to test the long range bombers some more, though, and I am not sure about the hovercraft item carrier at all. I think there are only five hovercraft in the entire game: two on stage 2, one on stage 3, and two (very dangerous ones that you need to destroy immediately) at the very beginning of stage 9. Might be more, but those are the only ones I can remember right now.

Actually, now that I think about it some more, the hovercraft should follow the item table because the first one you destroy on stage 9 will drop a bomb if you recovered from the final checkpoint on stage 8.

[mycophobia]

image fight loop 1 has good checkpoints imo. definitely not loop 2 though

[Lemnear]

Ok Steven, your devotion to Toaplan is so admirable, that tomorrow i'll purchase Batsugun S-Tribute (i've only played the arcade rom for now).
But i need to know how the PS4 game icon looks ... take that like a sort of authism, one of the many .

[Steven]

Ok Steven, your devotion to Toaplan is so admirable, that tomorrow i'll purchase Batsugun S-Tribute (i've only played the arcade rom for now).
But i need to know how the PS4 game icon looks ... take that like a sort of authism, one of the many .

No, don't; bag lag. Save your money and play it on MAME or something. It's better there. Wait until M2 releases it.

[Lemnear]

Ok Steven, your devotion to Toaplan is so admirable, that tomorrow i'll purchase Batsugun S-Tribute (i've only played the arcade rom for now).
But i need to know how the PS4 game icon looks ... take that like a sort of authism, one of the many .

No, don't; bag lag. Save your money and play it on MAME or something. It's better there. Wait until M2 releases it.

but i like the extra options.
I don't know, i play MIDI piano with 50ms, i will notice that?

[Steven]

Ok Steven, your devotion to Toaplan is so admirable, that tomorrow i'll purchase Batsugun S-Tribute (i've only played the arcade rom for now).
But i need to know how the PS4 game icon looks ... take that like a sort of authism, one of the many .

No, don't; bag lag. Save your money and play it on MAME or something. It's better there. Wait until M2 releases it.

but i like the extra options.
I don't know, i play MIDI piano with 50ms, i will notice that?

It has about 100ms of lag or more, if I remember right. I like the extra options too, but then I went and played it on PCB at the arcade and made me realize how gross and wrong the Shit Tribute PS4 version is.

[Lemnear]

No, don't; bag lag. Save your money and play it on MAME or something. It's better there. Wait until M2 releases it.

but i like the extra options.
I don't know, i play MIDI piano with 50ms, i will notice that?

It has about 100ms of lag or more, if I remember right. I like the extra options too, but then I went and played it on PCB at the arcade and made me realize how gross and wrong the Shit Tribute PS4 version is.

100ms???
Wait, for now i have only the Psikyo games released by "Shitty-Connection", they have lags? i can't recognize it...for me works "well" in that case.
Never tried an M2 game, the only ones available here without imports are the Taito games, so i don't have a paragons for a good ports and a bad ports..maybe it will enlighten me, a cozmic revelation.

[Stevens]

Not Mars Matrix. Go play Mars Matrix.

[Lemnear]

Not Mars Matrix. Go play Mars Matrix.

I think that the arcade version with ONLY 1 button is the stupidest and most convoluted artificial layer of difficulty added to a game .

[Bassa-Bassa]

It's hardly an "added artificial layer" when the game was originally designed as a single-button shooter. They don't want you to use autofire, they want you to get used to pacing your fire, and they want you to use an arcade panel. They just weren't brave enough to tell you so with the home version.

I never liked the game much, myself, but always found the control system really satisfying.

[Lemnear]

It's hardly an "added artificial layer" when the game was originally designed as a single-button shooter. They don't want you to use autofire, they want you to get used to pacing your fire, and they want you to use an arcade panel. They just weren't brave enough to tell you so with the home version.

I never liked the game much, myself, but always found the control system really satisfying.

The whole concept to give to a single button 4 commads is the artificial layer, is like playing with morse code as trigger.
I prefer Ikaruga/Giga Wing, one extra button for a real game changing mechanics, without overcomplicating it.

[To Far Away Times]

Mars Matrix just has too much shit going on, but I don't think its nearly as popular as GigaWing so I guess it's properly rated?

[Bassa-Bassa]

It's hardly an "added artificial layer" when the game was originally designed as a single-button shooter. They don't want you to use autofire, they want you to get used to pacing your fire, and they want you to use an arcade panel. They just weren't brave enough to tell you so with the home version.

I never liked the game much, myself, but always found the control system really satisfying.

The whole concept to give to a single button 4 commads is the artificial layer, is like playing with morse code as trigger.

Yeah well, my point was that it's not "artificial" if the game is designed around that. Unless you also call, say, Ikaruga's dual system "artificial".