Shumps! Whats your flavour?

[Cauterize]

Well Horizontal Or Vertical!?

I just thought this could make a good poll as 99% of us here like/play shumps (from my assumptions)

So lets see which out weights which!

My vote goes for Vertical!

IMO easily the best, i find them much more challenging and graphically more entertaining... (i find there is a limitation to backgrounds on Horiz Shumps (feel free to argue me out on that one!))

Favourite Vertical Shumps:

Aero Fighters (Series), 1945, Strikers 1945 II, Ikaruga (Of Course!) and Gunbird 2

[Mr.FoodMonster]

I love both of them, but I'd take Vertical. They just look nicer overall.

[Snapple]

Hehe. To answer your question, first you'll have to tell me what a shump is.


As for shmups, I actually prefer vertical to horizontal. Like Twinbee and MUSHA.

What I'd love to see though is a shmup that integrates vertical AND horizontal seemlessly in the same level. So that it feels like there's actually a worldly element to the game. Maybe even a bit of decision making.

[towerofsong]

Used to prefer vertical but thanks to Gradius V it's horizontal all the way.
Never have I enjoyed a shmup so much
And Cotton 2 is amazing

But maybe when I get Ikaruga that will change

[Leroy]

Vertical. I'm not sure WHY, they just seem to play better.

[evildead2099]

I prefer horizontally scrolling SHUMPS like Rayxanber II to vertical ones like Axelay.

[CasualCoreGamer]

I couldn't vote 'cause I dig both. I love Border Down just as much as Ikaruga. Same w/Salamander to Dragon Spirit and on and on and on... I also want to take this opprotunity to say that Layer Section in TATE mode is pretty goddamn fabulous. Thank you...

[dreamcaster]

I prefer horizontally scrolling SHUMPS like Rayxanber II to vertical ones like Axelay.

Axelay isn't 100% vertical. Some levels are vertical, and some are horizontal.

As for the topic, do I prefer horiz or vert? Well, to me a good shmup is a good shmup, regardless of their orientation.

That said, the R-Type series is my favourite series of shmup - and they're strictly horizontal.

[Policenaut]

I love Thunder Force III wich is horizontal, same with Blazing Lazers, Axelay, ,Raiden, M.U.S.H.A.wich are vert...I love shmups in general, being it horizontal or vertical.

[Aussie2B]

Well, since most of my favorites are vertical, like Dragon Spirit and the TwinBee series, I'd have to go with that, but honestly, I've always considered myself a horizontal gal (that sounds weird O_o ).

[XxMe2NiKxX]

Vertical, if only beacuse of Truxton.

[blissfulnoise]

Vertical all the way.

[Richter]

vert!

havent played too many horizontals though

[SRC]

Vertical, especially Aero Fighters!
Gradius is an excellent game too.

[demen999]

Gradius, Parodius, darius twin, and IKARUGA (TV sideways :P ) Can;'t beat that!

[Drexel923]

Vertical...for some reason I could never get into horizontal shumps (minus one or two games)...that and they always seemed harder to me.

[DDCecil]

I enjoy horizontal ones more (Gradius/Parodius series), but I do like a good vertical shooter once in awhile! (Dragon Spirit and Twinbee)

[rayearthknight]

What I'd love to see though is a shmup that integrates vertical AND horizontal seemlessly in the same level. So that it feels like there's actually a worldly element to the game. Maybe even a bit of decision making

Philosoma had a bit of this as I think Einheinder (spelling's off, I know) did too.

I prefer the side scroller games such as Psychosis, LifeForce, Stinger but the vertical games like Super Star Solider, Time Warriors, The Guardian Legend and even Elemental Master allow for a lot for background depth, with multiple scrolling backgrounds and, seemingly, a lot more room to move around in.[/quote]

[sisko]

Vertical!

Ironically my favorite shmup is horizontal though (G-Darius -PSX)

[djbeatmongrel]

verical, i SUCK at horizontal shumps. also enemy patterns and bullets look better veritcal.

[Slimedog]

I voted vertical, but the real difference is in gameplay, not orientation. I think vertical/horizontal has little effect on the overall quality of the shump as there are excellent examples on both sides of the fence.

[SuperNES]

vertical!

my favorites are definetly Giga wing and Xevious... i cant beleive nobody has mentioned them yet!

[Videogamerdaryll]

Vertical

[max 330 mega]

vertical all the way

[DTJAAAAMJSLM]

Horizontal. I'm just used to this style since most of the ones I have played were like this.

[Berserker]

I prefer vertical. Playing shooters like that just feel a little more even, going from up-to-down as opposed to left-to-right. A little more even, a little more natural, if that makes any sense.

That said, I wouldn't hesitate to break out a good horizontal shooter either. Good games is good games, regardless of screen orientation.

[Dire 51]

I prefer horizontal over vertical, but only by a few percentage points.

[Captain Wrong]

Vertical because they seem to be more about palm sweat twitch gaming and less about rote memorization and accuracy, though exceptions exist.

[Mianrtcv]

Vertical. In the arcade it always got my eye and my .25

[bargora]

Vertical. Because you can't smash into the scenery!

[robotriot]

I think my favorites are vertical, but I really love any kind of shmup ^^ Horizontal ones mostly have asymetric enemies, which is a nice change from the usual.

[googlefest1]

vertical

always like vertical better - i feel constricted when playing horizontal - like i should beable to go in the Z direction

even though i like both

if two machines stood side by side one H and one V - id play the vertical

- i think you should have included isometric -- like viewpoint

[XYXZYZ]

I'll play any shmup that's fun, the vertical/horizontal thing never really made a difference to me. But now that I think about it, I like the horizontal ones like Gradius and Area 88 because you get interaction with ground enemies (I love dropping bombs on them) and those games tend to have walls and stuff to fly around.

Then there's the fact that most vertical shooters had vertically oriented monitors, so it doesn't really translate right when you do an arcade port. They either have to cut off a portion of the playing field or squeeze it inward and surround it with filler stuff like scores and things.

[klausien]

Definitely vertical. See avatar on left.

DoDonPachi is absolute gaming bliss.

Love shmups of any flavor.