20th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time - Results

[Steven]

I played Ketsui... like twice. PS5 says I played it for 49 minutes. I barely remember anything about it and I have no fucking clue how to get score, but the lock on thing is cool. More games should have something like that.

I never player any DDP outside of the first (PSX) and DonPachi...yet

Saidaioujou is the best one, or at least my favourite one, although that crazy DDP II that looks like a very amateur bootleg ROM hack but is legit is actually pretty cool, if only because it looks like a bootleg but isn't. It's a super weird game. Only played it once, but I'd love to get the PCB/cart/whatever the fuck it runs on. Apparently both the PS1 and Saturn versions of DDP are terrible or something, but I've never played them.

[To Far Away Times]

Ketsui is pretty damn cool. The stage 4 song is an all timer.

I got as far as the backwards scrolling section in stage 5 but the game just starts asking so much from the player. Maybe a little too much for my skill level.

[ryu]

Only played it once, but I'd love to get the PCB/cart/whatever the fuck it runs on. Apparently both the PS1 and Saturn versions of DDP are terrible or something, but I've never played them.

I hope M2 will eventually release a collection of Donpachi, Dodonpachi and Dodonpachi II. That selection should also cover a good range of skill levels without need for any fancy arrange modes.

How is the Saturn port of Donpachi anyways? Though, I don't dare to look up for how much it goes these days.

[BulletMagnet]

How is the Saturn port of Donpachi anyways?

Rather slowdown-riddled if memory serves, the PS1 version is generally recommended over it.

[ryu]

How is the Saturn port of Donpachi anyways?

Rather slowdown-riddled if memory serves, the PS1 version is generally recommended over it.

Thanks! But I really hope M2 gets to work on this. On ebay there's a copy for 90€ and one for, wait for it, 180€. The Saturn prices are all close to the latter. I remember this used to be one of the cheaper retro shmups that nobody wanted. :/

[Steven]

Only played it once, but I'd love to get the PCB/cart/whatever the fuck it runs on. Apparently both the PS1 and Saturn versions of DDP are terrible or something, but I've never played them.

I hope M2 will eventually release a collection of Donpachi, Dodonpachi and Dodonpachi II. That selection should also cover a good range of skill levels without need for any fancy arrange modes.

A while ago Horii mentioned that he wants to do DDPII. That would be cool.

[Lethe]

I've legitimately considered voting for DDP2 at times. Fundamental example of how scaling systems can salvage a game even if nothing else the design intends goes right; bizarro world DDP1. Of course it's still highly stupid in practice, but it's a happy sort of accident.

[Lemnear]

Apparently both the PS1 and Saturn versions of DDP are terrible or something, but I've never played them.

No slowdown on PSX version of DoDonPachi.

Saidaioujou is the best one, or at least my favourite one, although that crazy DDP II that looks like a very amateur bootleg ROM hack but is legit is actually pretty cool, if only because it looks like a bootleg but isn't.

Ahahah after this i'm not sure i'll ever try it

[Steven]

I think I read somewhere that DDPII might have saved CAVE from bankruptcy because of its success, but while I am not sure where I read it or how true it is, I do know that its success did directly result in Daioujou. I think it's worth playing DDPII just because I like weird games and it's a weird game.

If there is another weird game I'd like to see rereleased it's Bakuretsu Breaker. Saw it at Taito Hey once and was absolutely not disappointed.

[cfx]

I hope M2 will eventually release a collection of Donpachi, Dodonpachi and Dodonpachi II. That selection should also cover a good range of skill levels without need for any fancy arrange modes.

That range must be from just slightly impossible difficulty to totally impossible, at least for me.

I'd much rather M2 do Ibara and Pink Sweets first, which I'll actually buy and at least in Ibar's case hasn't had an acceptable port yet.

[fruitbatsalad]

Thanks once again, Nifty, for keeping the tradition alive.

Hi BulletMagnet - could we get this post pinned? Currently the 2022 Top 25 is still pinned, and this 2024 one is about to fall off the first page. Thanks!

[AyeYoYoYO]

I hope M2 will eventually release a collection of Donpachi, Dodonpachi and Dodonpachi II. That selection should also cover a good range of skill levels without need for any fancy arrange modes.

I'd much rather M2 do Ibara and Pink Sweets first, which I'll actually buy and at least in Ibar's case hasn't had an acceptable port yet.

Co-sign!