Snes vs megadrive vs saturn

[The_EniGma]

Which of these are the best for horizontal and vertical shooters and also metal slug type shooters?

which ahs the most and best

Enigma

[classicb]

Well I would say Saturn for quality but the down side is to get the good stuff your going to need to import and spend more.

[evilmess]

You pretty much need all three platforms.

Each platform has a wide selection of high quality shmups. See link

http://www.classicgaming.com/shmups/archive/xenofiles.htm

Some of my favorites.

Nintendo: Axelay, UN Squadron, Phalanx, Macross Scrambled Valkyrie
Genesis: Thunder Force 3, Thunder Force 4, Rolling Thunder 3
Saturn: DonPachi, DoDonPachi, Galactic Attack and many many more. :D

[klausien]

I would delete SNES from that list and add PCE/Turbografx + CD if you are interested in serious shmupping. SNES only has a few shmups that are better than average. (Space Megaforce, Axelay, U.N. Squadron, R-Type III, Gradius III... and not much else of real note unless you care looking for Run 'N Gun games. Contra III is sublime)

Genesis/Megadrive has some of the best horizontal shmups available. The ThunderForce series, Gaiares, HellFire and the pricey but fantastic Eliminate Down & GleyLancer are all worth noting. The only two verts that are truly transcendental are the classic M.U.S.H.A. & Elemental Master. Sega CD adds the excellent Robo Aleste and Bari Arm, as well as the overrated (for its time) Silpheed and a good, but less colorful conversion of Lords of Thunder

When it comes to vertical shmups, it depends on your taste in bullets. If you like the more modern "manic" approach, you need to pick up a Saturn & a Dreamcast to get the best there on offer. Saturn has decent conversions of DonPachi & DoDonPachi, Soukyugurentai, Battle Garegga, Radiant Silvergun... vertical shmup paradise. DC gives you all the good Takumi stuff (GigaWing 1 & 2 and the incredibly crazy Mars Matrix) as well as a nice smattering of prime Psikyo (GunBird 2, Zero Gunner 2) and Ikaruga, of course.

For the the more "old-school" vert style, the PCE is #1. All of the Soldier games, Blazing Lazers, Spriggan, Nexzr... the list continues almost ad infinitum. Add the excellent conversions of R-Type & Aero Blasters, Gate of Thunder and Lords pf Thunder and you have a great group of horzies too. Like a fine wine, PCE shmups age to perfection.

Hope I've helped a bit. I've devoted several years to hardcore shmupping.

And I am also going to plug shmups.com for some great info.

[Azazel]

I'd go with Megadrive.

[Dreamscape]

Lets not forget about Undeadline for the Genesis.

[The_EniGma]

problem is pce wasent offically released in europe and i dont really wanna import anything running up high costs

basically i have 27 quid to spend on a console and 3 or 4 games

[dreamcaster]

Get the Mega Drive/Genesis

It's cheaper than the other two (both the console and the games) and also you have the ability to later get a Sega Mega CD.

Plus Mega Drive/Genesis has Gunstar Heroes.

Best. Game. Ever.

[The_EniGma]

is it like metal slug?

[Azazel]

Yes and no. It's kind of the same genre but has some differences like you can throw enemies, it has a shrump shooting level thorwn in there etc.

[bluberry]

SNES is bad for shmups. Most of the <strike>good</strike> popular ones are just excuses to go nuts with Mode 7, like Axelay and Space Megaforce.

LOL , <del /> doesn't work. Someone isn't used to XHTML.

[dreamcaster]

SNES is bad for shmups. Most of the <strike>good</strike> popular ones are just excuses to go nuts with Mode 7, like Axelay and Space Megaforce.

Maybe.

But Axelay is one of the best shmups ever. Every second of that game is a work of gaming art.

The last word I would apply to it would be 'gimmick'.

[evilmess]

SNES is bad for shmups. Most of the <strike>good</strike> popular ones are just excuses to go nuts with Mode 7, like Axelay and Space Megaforce.

I totally disagree. There are plenty of shooters that play well on the SNES.
Besides the titles I mentioned previously you should look into getting Metal Warriors and Cybernator, plus you have your required Darius and R-Types that needs to be in your collection if your serious about shmuping and series collecting. Oh and lets not forget Gradius and the Parodius series and to a lesser degree the Twin Bee's if you're into cutem' ups.

Owning all three systems will give you a better understanding of how shmups have progressed thru video gaming history. The TF series is an excellent example of this and theres nothing wrong with owning a game or two that's consider blah by other gamers *cough* tf2 *cough*, it just makes you appreciate the really goods one that much more.

I'm guessing that most of you guys giving opinions own at least 2 out of three systems and thats why you're able to give The_EniGma such useful(?) insight. ;)

Compile a list of 5 or 10 "must have" games for each system and based on those lists decide which system has the games you want to play the most right now and as time rolls by pick up the other consoles and games as you run across them in the wild or find them on the internet. 8-)

[Azazel]

If you take away the so called gimmick games like Axelay don't have much to offer.

[The_EniGma]

Which console has the best mix of shootemups and Run and gunners (like metal slug) i want one with decent graphics and a bit of realism and comedy (again like metal slug)

Any suggestions now?

[fishsandwich]

i though i would add my 2 cents on the super nintendo shooter debate.

while i think the super nintendo is a sucky machine overall compared to the genesis, saturn, and pc-engine IN REGARD TO SHOOTERS, it still has some good ones, some of which have not been mentioned.

aero fighters
axelay
blazeon
firepower 2000 ******************
hyperzone
phalanx


super smash tv, while not this type of shooter, is the shit! much better than the nes, genesis, or even psx emulated version i think.

[bluberry]

I wouldn't exactly call Cybernator a shooter. It's a run and gun game, like Contra 3, but with mechs.

Personally, the only good SNES shmups were Gradius 3, both R-Types (although SRT had a horrible continue from death system), Metal Warriors, and the vastly underrated Firepower 2000.

As for Axelay... well, it pioneered a lot of technology, in a way. Fogging for 1/3 of the screen? Draw distances? We don't even need an N64 for that! LOL The weapons were also horribly unbalanced, IMO, and I though the bosses were easy and poorly designed. Especially the lava monster.

[Azazel]

Which console has the best mix of shootemups and Run and gunners (like metal slug) i want one with decent graphics and a bit of realism and comedy (again like metal slug)

Any suggestions now?

The Megadrive is probably the best of the 3 choices.