I don't really see the appeal of shmups.

[Dart]

It seems like you guys have a major bias toward 2D shoot-em-'ups. I've tried playing some of them, but they're just way too difficult, way too repetitive, and not much fun IMO. I just don't "get" them. Can you please enlighten me about why shmups are so good?

[PingvinBlueJeans]

Because they make you sweat. ^^;

[Arthur-Otaku]

Because people are different, and have different opinions

[evil_genius]

Maybe you're not playing the right ones. Which have you played?

[Dart]

Well, the first shmup I ever played was Ikaruga, which is known for being difficult even by shmup standards, so maybe that's why.

[NE146]

Competing against someone else for high score sometimes brings it up a notch.

[Abman]

I love 2-D shoot em ups. Mainly because they all non-stop action. I can just load them up and I don't have to sit through and long cut-scenes or anything. I mainly play them when I just feel like shooting stuff. Then they all most always have massive challenge levels, which I think makes them more fun.

I would suggest you try out the R-Type series (my favorite being R-Types for the PSX) and 1943 (NES). 1943 is a blast when you have a NES Advantage.

[FantasiaWHT]

Also, try both vertical and horizontal shmups. Some people (like me) love one but can't stand the other.

I've been rotten at every sidescroller i've tried, but I have a ton more fun at vertical ones.

[digitalpress]

I have two of them running right now in my store - Blazing Star and Prehistoric Isle 2 (Neo-Geo cabs). Even the kids get into them. I guess they're not for everyone, but SHMUPS to me are the purest form of gaming's "adrenaline rush". You against too many enemies, dodging too many bullets, and mowing down the hordes of bad guys with too much firepower. It's the excess that leads to the excitement. Not everyone can see it, but those who do understand.

At its worst, a SHMUP is a frantic, satisfying blast-fest. At its best, it is a religious experience.

[7th lutz]

I love shumps since I saw my dad played Demon Attack and Atlantis on the intellivision 2, when I first got interested in video games back in 87 or 88. I love to play them due to the intense action on screen. I got true start on them in the 2600 jr. and the 7800. Besides the rush, You can use rapid fire controls, something that makes up for reflexes for pressing a button to shoot. I played shumps games from space invaders to r-type and had great times with them.

[Ed Oscuro]

Depends on the game and whether I'm going for highscores against others or what. I wouldn't have clocked dozens of hours (and still counting) out of Scramble if I hadn't been trying for highscores.

Many classic vertical shooters are pretty blah to me (partly due to the fact that everybody and their brother was making them, and not necessarily very well), but I enjoy Guwange and many other classic titles (Twin Cobra, probably A-Jax, etc.). Sidescrolling shooters tend to do pretty well by me; my favorite series is Gradius and the R-Type games aren't terrible either. Also spend a lot of time with games like Out Zone and Ninja Emaki which are pretty close to a SHMUP.

[Haoie]

They're totally over the top action, with hardly a trace of story to 'bog' you down.

I mean, what's the logic in sending 1 ship against a zillion bad guys?

[roushimsx]

It's all about learning the scoring systems and exploiting the hell out of them.

It's about the competition.

It's about the cooperative play styles some of them encourage (Ikaruga, Gigawing, etc).

It's about the rush of diving into a bullet cloud and coming out alive.

It's about blowing shit up.

It's about the challenge of single credit clearing 'em.

That's pretty much why I like 'em.

[Ed Oscuro]

They're totally over the top action, with hardly a trace of story to 'bog' you down.

I mean, what's the logic in sending 1 ship against a zillion bad guys?
Hey now, Gradius has a story, and while it's not Pulitzer Prize material, it's not bad.

[Kamino]

All your base are belong to us.
You have no chance to survive make your time.

now, please sell me your shmups.

[GrandAmChandler]

Play Fireshark for Sega Genesis. It will make you cream your jeans.

[Captain Wrong]

I have two of them running right now in my store - Blazing Star and Prehistoric Isle 2 (Neo-Geo cabs). Even the kids get into them. I guess they're not for everyone, but SHMUPS to me are the purest form of gaming's "adrenaline rush". You against too many enemies, dodging too many bullets, and mowing down the hordes of bad guys with too much firepower. It's the excess that leads to the excitement. Not everyone can see it, but those who do understand.

At its worst, a SHMUP is a frantic, satisfying blast-fest. At its best, it is a religious experience.

Amen.

Shmups are everything I love about videogames. There's this particular place that a good shmup on a good day can put me in. It's like this total zen thing where I'm not thinking about what I'm doing, I'm just doing it. Sometimes I can do things when I'm in that zone that completely amaze me. It's like I'm connected to the game at some cellular level and I'm not reacting, I'm just flowing with it.

Man, that sounded cheesy.

BTW, I'd consider myself a bit of a shmup fanatic and frankly Ikargua bores me to tears. Not that I think it's easy or anything like that, I just think the play mechanics suck. So, if Icky is the only shmup you've played and you don't like it, there's a whole mess of other games out there to try that play differently than that one. Maybe something else will click with you.

If not, hey, more for me.

[delafro]

They're totally over the top action, with hardly a trace of story to 'bog' you down.

I mean, what's the logic in sending 1 ship against a zillion bad guys?
Hey now, Gradius has a story, and while it's not Pulitzer Prize material, it's not bad.

The R-Type series actually has a bit of a story behind it as well, some of which can be seen on the R-Types compilation. I like shmups because of the instant thrills- no need to learn complicated controls (usually), or sit though 20 minute long CGI, or level up for hours on end. The best games usually show quite a bit of creativity in the design, enemies, environments, etc as well.

[nebrazca78]

Try this if you can:

Get a Sega CD and Silpheed. Get a decent T.V. and a surround sound receiver. Make sure it has a good sub that BEATS. As in you can really FEEL the bass pounding you. This game has awesome and engrossing music plus the game itself is naaaassssty. It's not too hard until you get deeper in the game - it has a great learning curve to it. One of the games that can put me on the verge of tears.

And you can skip through the cut-scenes but it does have a long story.

I gotta go, Silpheed is calling for me.

"Shit! They've got the carrier!"

[Synergy]

I'm also a sucker for SHUMPS. 1943, Gradius, R-Type, Abadox, Thunder Force, etc., etc.; all sweet stuff.

My absolute favorites are U.N. Squadron and Radiant Silvergun though. You should at least play those two to get "enlighted".

;)

[retroman]

That is your opinion, and its just not your style of game. Lots of other people love em. I for one hold a few near and dear to me...for example...Life Force, Gate of Thunder and Lord of Thunder, and the list could go on forever.

[Pantechnicon]

At its worst, a SHMUP is a frantic, satisfying blast-fest. At its best, it is a religious experience.

I'm not the biggest shmup fan, but I firmly believe that to know Galaga is to know the tao.

[RegSNES]

OFF WITH HIS HE-- oh, um, er... Well, different strokes for different folks. If you aren't into SHMUPs, that's cool.

Why those of us that enjoy SHMUPs love them? Well, here what I think.

1. They make you sweat. Tons of enemies on the screen, lots of bullets to dodge, exploting a bosses weakness/paterns, it may not sound like much to some, but it really is A LOT of fun.

2. These are games of skill. Your overall skills plays a large role in whetehr you'll be good at a SHMUP or if you'll suck at it. Should you move left, rigt, up or down? Good old hand eye corrdination skills go to work here.

2. The old-school feel. The story of every SHUMP is the same, really. Universe is in perril, you are the last hope, blah, blah, blah. These games aren't about deep storylines. It's about shooting as much as you can and getting a high score.

I may have missed some other reasons but that all I can think of at the moment.

[Iron Draggon]

They're like pinball games. All the same to casual onlookers, but all unique to true afficionados. Also, you don't really have to think or have a strategy to play them, you can just dive right in and start playing without an instruction manual.

[Anthony1]

When it comes to genres, I would have to put shmups pretty high on my list. The pure fun of a good Shmup is hard to beat. I actually prefer horizontal shooters for some reason. Some of my favorites are:


U.N. Squadron - SNES
Darius Gaiden - Saturn
Gaiares - Genesis
Axelay - SNES (actually a mixture of horizontal and pseudo 3d vertical)



I'm sure there are tons and tons of great shooters I'm forgetting, but those are some of my favorites.

[lordnikon]

Shooters are games that I play, and feel accomplished when I top my high score, or 1CC clear a game. They are all about striving for perfection. Completing a level with the utmost accuracy and precision, and coming out on top unscathed. Some people have a self-defeating way of playing video games. When they lose in a game they, put themselves down, even when they are alone. This is a big reason why some people hate shooters. They don't like to lose. To enjoy shooters you need to have the will power to better yourself, and want to improve. Once you realise this, you will accept your fate that you will die over and over again, and then you can concentrate on trying to do better. This is when shooters become fun.

Besides the fantastic gameplay, shooters also have amazing artwork because they are scaled down worlds. Since the ships are smaller, you can make incredibly detailed environments. Shooters were reaching their peak during eras where many other genres such as action adventure games were struggling with the technology to output good enough graphics.

One also can't forget the music. Shooter soundtracks are some of the BEST in gaming.

Shooters are the complete package.

[dreamcaster]

I think it all comes down to whether or not Space Invaders 'clicked' with you when you first played it.

[smork]

I think it all comes down to whether or not Space Invaders 'clicked' with you when you first played it. Dunno, I always disliked Space Invaders for some reason (and yes, I grew up with it).

I'm a big shootie fan these days. Ikaruga is not a good introduction to the genre. Not to say it's not great, coz it is, but it's not typical of a shmup. I think the best way to start is to pick something classic, like a Raiden-type shooter. (I'd suggest the original Raiden, or maybe Shienryu for the SS). There's something about these games giving you a challenge that you have to beat. You can't just pick up a shootie and knock it out in one go, they take reflexes, and learning. At the same time you get to blow the hell out of stuff. What could be wrong with that?

[alexkidd2000]

I love the fact that I can pop in a game and play for 10min and feel totally satisfied. Thats why I love classic gaming so much I think, I can load up a game and play it instantly without having to do a tutorial, watch 20min of boring story setup or figure out what the 20 different buttons do.

Plus I dig the non stop twitch gameplay! No game gets you pumped like a Shoot em up!

[Nick]

Oh my, SHMUPS...They really are a love hate kind of thing. But it's only because the majority of people don't understand them. I've said it before and i'll say it again: The object of these games isn't to play 'til it's over and you get to see the credits. 700 continues and a final score of 8,475 points is not the way to enjoy a SHMUP.

Instead, play the game on 1 credit. See how much destruction and points you can rack up on one quarter. :) Even a bad shmupper gets better by playing this way. The feeling of personal improvement and the rush of dodging swarms of bullets to beat your highscore or the current high is what it's all about.

I am seriously happy I finally saw the light. I never REALLY enjoyed games until I found classic shmup action. I find that all I ever want to play are shooters and the majority of the time I end up talking myself out of playing your everyday action/adventure/rpg etc. SHMUPS are a pure burst of gaming goodness.

I must recommend the following games:

Strikers 1945
Strikers 1945 II
Donpachi
DoDonpachi
Battle Garegga
ESP RaDe
ESPGaluda
Mushihimesama
Dragon Blaze
Raiden II
Progear

This is what it's all about...no question. LOL

[TurboGenesis]

I think it all comes down to whether or not Space Invaders 'clicked' with you when you first played it.

Space Invaders never "clicked" with me but I still love shooties.

As it was previously stated I feel it is the purest form of gaming. I play for different reasons depending on mood. Things like how far I can get on one credit, how high a score I can get, or just to finish the game.

I would honestly not recommend any type of manic style shootie to someone new to the genere. They are fustrating for even seasoned players.

In the end it is all in personal taste. Sometimes I don't get some shooties (like Dodonpachi) but I still enjoy them for a quick fix. Other things I don't get - FPS, 3D.

[8-bitNesMan]

I think shmups are great because they appeal to the casual and hardcore gamer alike. I've loved them ever since I've been a gamer because they were simple to learn and tough to master. But they were great because you can play one for 20 minutes to kill some time or play for hours on end till your thumbs are blistered and your eyes are watering. Shmups are one of the most underrated genres in gaming. My personal faves include: The Raiden Project, Gradius III, Gun Smoke (albeit unconventional) and the king of the hill (imo) Galaga.

[ianoid]

I'm not that into Shmucks, but I can see the appeal. I would like to spend some time with something other than Xevious one of these days. I simply fear the complex ones like Ikaruga. White/Black? I just want to shoot stuff.

What should I check out? Raiden on Jag seems tempting. I guess to make life complete I should bust out my Neo Geo for shmupping. If I'm not going to play the fighters on it, why even have it if not for the shmups?

I would rather get into shmups than platformers. I love SMB, but who doesn't? I just can't imagine playing most of the platformers I have, which accounts for alot of SMS and TG titles. I'd rather shoot than jump.

[Nick]

Sometimes I don't get some shooties (like Dodonpachi) but I still enjoy them for a quick fix.

I guess you just have to be up to the challange of the manics etc. I just dove right in to the genre...got a taste of everything and I love 'em. I don't enjoy a game at all unless it's tough enough to make me think/work/etc..

:D

[RetroYoungen]

I have two of them running right now in my store - Blazing Star and Prehistoric Isle 2 (Neo-Geo cabs). Even the kids get into them. I guess they're not for everyone, but SHMUPS to me are the purest form of gaming's "adrenaline rush". You against too many enemies, dodging too many bullets, and mowing down the hordes of bad guys with too much firepower. It's the excess that leads to the excitement. Not everyone can see it, but those who do understand.

At its worst, a SHMUP is a frantic, satisfying blast-fest. At its best, it is a religious experience.

I was trying to think of a way to put what I was thinking, but that said it better than I could have.

SHMUPS are the truest (I think) of the "you against the world" games. You go out, you've got one ship, you're fighting thousands (millions?) more ships of all sizes, and you prove yourself more capable with the firepower you have. Ikaruga is a great example of this, because all of the ships have a lot of power in them, in some cases more than you do, but you're the better pilot and maneuver around to hit them when they can't hit you. And even if they DO hit you... you can absorb half of the power (if you're the correct color at the time).

It's... it's beautiful... when it's done right. I stick to mostly the vertical scrollers though, that's my bias.

Horizontal... meh. No thanks. LOL

[Aussie2B]

I think the problem for someone who isn't into shooters much is that if you ask the hardcore shmup fans for recommendations, they'll suggest mostly the same kind of stuff. They usually prefer the more modern, fast, "bullet hell" shooters and playing them for high scores or to beat them with 1 credit or such. However, I can speak from experience that that kind of shmup and that style of playing isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea. There isn't one "right" way to play shmups, so experiment and try to find something that suits you. Try horizontal and vertical, new and old, and anything else you can think of.

I know for myself that modern shooters largely aren't for me. I don't care for super-fast, zipping all over the place, millions of bullets to squeeze through, and little more sorts of shooters. I actually LIKE shooters that have backgrounds that must be dodged, otherwise I just feel like I'm flying in boring empty sky with no changes besides the bullet patterns to dodge in front of me. I like classic shooters that are slower-paced, where it's more about planning, strategy, and slow calcuated movements instead of just quick reflexes. I also like dual planes where I have to worry about both ground enemies and airborn ones (and I mean games where you have a different attack for each, not the ones where you can hit everything with the same gun). And while it's largely insignificant, I gravitate towards shooters that break from the norm in style and theme. I also play my shooters like anything else - to beat them - so I prefer ones developed for consoles or converted over to consoles well so they have a reasonable difficulty and a predetermined limited amount of lives/continues.

If I went with the average hardcore shmup fan's recommendations, I probably would've never discovered all my favorite shooters (sadly, the hardcore fans tend to view my favorites as just average). If you're interested in playing my prefered style of shooters, I recommend Dragon Spirit and just about any game from the TwinBee series.

[briskbc]

I didn't get to read all of the responses here but for me the real appeal is that you can just pick it up and play it. You don't need to invest inthe story and the controls are usually simple enough. It's just a base form of gaming that has endured into age of polygons and 75 button controllers ;) .

[Ed Oscuro]

They're totally over the top action, with hardly a trace of story to 'bog' you down.

I mean, what's the logic in sending 1 ship against a zillion bad guys?
Hey now, Gradius has a story, and while it's not Pulitzer Prize material, it's not bad.

The R-Type series actually has a bit of a story behind it as well, some of which can be seen on the R-Types compilation. I like shmups because of the instant thrills- no need to learn complicated controls (usually), or sit though 20 minute long CGI, or level up for hours on end. The best games usually show quite a bit of creativity in the design, enemies, environments, etc as well.
Lions, Tigers, and Bacterions, oh my!!!

As Bloodreign said, the pilot of the Vic Viper saved an entire Galaxy (or even a universe)...Link saved what, Hyrule? (Actually I don't really like that quote, but it's one way of looking at things).

Anyway, after I commented in this thread I played some SHMUPS:

Twin Cobra, got better at it. I have trouble at the beginning of the second level, but I can breeze through the first pretty well...played this one for hours on end and made my thumb ache.

Twin Cobra II - way easier than Twin Cobra, especially with all the slowdown on my current MAME machine :p Very good looks and a high fun factor, though.

Tiger Heli - managed to get the car to appear in stage one, but I really hate trying to get those 10,000 point bonuses (even the first two - the other one's the drum on top of a building that makes a 'ping' noise when you shoot it). No fun if you play it that way.

Tatsujin Oh - hadn't played this before...holy cow, I wish I'd picked this up for FM Towns when I had the chance. On my second day playing this I can get to the first boss...and I even managed to do it in one life, too! Takes forever to get all powered up, though.

[6502]

Aussie2B summed up my feelings on shoot-em-ups almost perfectly. I find modern shooters hard to get into, and anyone just starting out in the genre shouldn't be turned off by their experience with a game like Ikaruga. I'd suggest going back further and trying out some 16-bit shooters. Modern "bullet hell" style shooters don't appeal to me at all, but that's what the hardcore shoot-em-up aficionados seem to prefer so that's what is made. Ironically, I think the preferences of the hardcore are one of the factors in the declining popularity of shooters as a genre (along with fighting games, especially 2D fighters). As developers catered more to the hardcore and made the games more complex, many casual pick-up-and-play gamers were turned away from the genre.

Speaking of bullet hell style, I always thought of DoDonpachi as the tipping point for when I was no longer able to keep up with the way shooters were evolving. I loved Dopanchi, but when DoDonpachi came out...damn, it was too hard! I still enjoyed playing it, but not nearly as much as Donpachi, where I could actually survive for a decent bit. :D

[Overbite]

They are fun because they are so hard.

My fave shooters are-

Einhander - PS1
R-Type Delta - PS1
G-Darius - PS1
R-Type Final - PS2
Viper Phase 1 - Arcade
Metal Black - Arcade


there are so many different shooters so you'll probably be able to find at least one you like.

Also, here is a link to a freeware shooter a guy in Japan made.

http://www18.big.or.jp/~hikoza/Prod/

Download "Warning Forever" and try that. It's pretty neat :)

Ray-Hound is also good, but its unfinished and rough right now.

[CosmicMonkey]

What should I check out? Raiden on Jag seems tempting. I guess to make life complete I should bust out my Neo Geo for shmupping. If I'm not going to play the fighters on it, why even have it if not for the shmups?

My top picks for the Neo:

Blazing Star (pref MVS, unless you're feeling rich)
Pulstar
Last Resort
Strikers 1945+ (MVS only, !Arcade! did a run of AES conversions too)
Twinkle Star Sprites (again, MVS with this baby)
Prehistoric Isle 2 (MVS only)
Aero Fighters / Sonic Wings 2 & 3
Viewpoint

And if you have a Neo CD theres also Ironclad / Chotetsu Brik'inger. And you best be feeling rich for that one too. Damn.

[klausien]

Well, the first shmup I ever played was Ikaruga, which is known for being difficult even by shmup standards, so maybe that's why.

Ikaruga is a poor choice for test drive. That one is for the most accomplished, or masochistic of aficionados.

There have been several good recommendations, so I will give my philosophical argument.

I consider Shoot 'em ups (shmups) to be an example of the purest form of video gaming. There is no camera, no need for exposition, and no necessary understanding of arcane rules or concepts. Graphics and music can be basic or extravagant, but should not hinder, only enhance a good shmup. The focus is on a set of simple rules of collision. It is, fundamentally, move avatar to avoid coming into contact with projectiles and (usually) enemy ships/ return fire to neutralize threat. Score, scrolling, power-ups and boss characters add seasoning to the mix, but are not necessarily essential, nor always used. Pure, unadulterated "twitch" is the name of the game.

A game like the aforementioned Ikaruga expects an abject mastery of the core skilis required for survival, and injects an interesting variable, the black/white vulnerability/invulnerability, to increase challenge and attempt to reinvent the genre. It is a barleywine to the average shmup's Budweiser. An acquired taste that is simply not for everyone.

The beauty of a good shmup comes from execution. This is why, like the best games in all genres, the best shmups don't become stale. They age like fine wine. The perfect example of this is the manic vertical shmup DoDonPachi. While not universally lauded or even known, those who have experienced it will usually agree that it is seems to do almost everything right. The graphics are "worse" than something like the recent Gradius V or R-Type Final, but the game is a masterpiece. That laser is just so completely gratuitous. F*cking fantastic.

A shmup doesn't require a huge time commitment unless one seeks mastery. It can be fun in small spurts, and credit-feeders can usually experience the totality of the aesthetics. Where they may miss the point, as many video game journalists do as well, is in making the mistake of not evaluating said shmup by the standards of its genre. They love to compare apples to oranges. A shump will never give a 100 hour quest like a Final Fantasy game unless you practice to attain virtuousity, but this is not a detriment. Shmups are mindless fun and is one of the only remaining genres that hearkens back to the "golden age" of arcades.

[dreamcaster]

Seems my space invaders theory got shot down pretty quickly. LOL

I said it because I figured it was the original 'shooting' game (although it lacks many conventions of the 'SHMUP') and if you like it, it would eventually pave the way for people liking other shooting games.

[diskoboy]

Sorry - when I think shooter, I think Robotron.

Ah, Robotron...... The 'different' shmup :)

[swlovinist]

When it comes down to it, it really matters what type of game you like. Of coarse, many on this board GREW up with classic shooters everywhere and thus, many here connect with the culture on a personal level. On one end, I will say that if you didnt grow up with shooters, you may never like them. It all depends on what you like to play, and it does matter and what you have been exposed to. Shooters when I grew up were about at least 30% of all arcade machines...back when they had arcade machines that worked right. I grew up with playing a CRAPLOAD of them and sucking at them hard. I still like them, but dont ask me to pass a level for ya. A personal favorite of mine is Zanac for the good ol NES. If you dont understand shooters, that is ok...I sure as hell dont understand Pokemon among other game stuff...and I might never.

[nebrazca78]

Seems my space invaders theory got shot down pretty quickly. LOL

I said it because I figured it was the original 'shooting' game (although it lacks many conventions of the 'SHMUP') and if you like it, it would eventually pave the way for people liking other shooting games.

I thought Space Invaders sucked from the moment I first played it when I was 8 or so. Compared to "real" shooters, it's like shooting water guns at the carnival. If I remember correctly, there were already awesome arcade shooters at the time, or shortly thereafter. I remember a bar and grill that my dad used to take us to that had a shooter my brother and I were addicted to. I wish I could remember the name so much, but I can barely remember the specifics of how it was played. What I do remember was that it kicked ass and the resulting rush pretty much killed any chance I had of liking games like Space Invaders (or 95% of the other 2600 games).

But wait! They go real fast when they get close to the earth! Alas it wasn't enough...but I guess thanks to SA if it fostered better games though.

[rbudrick]

Don't like shmups? Think they are too difficult?

Thunder Force III for Genesis.

That is all that is needed to convert someone and reel them in. The challenge is right (not too hard, not totally wussy...hell, I beat it in a day, and used to beat the SNES version with one hand), and the music and graphics are awesome.

If you don't like shmups, spend some time with this one.

-Rob

[NE146]

Seems my space invaders theory got shot down pretty quickly. LOL

I said it because I figured it was the original 'shooting' game (although it lacks many conventions of the 'SHMUP') and if you like it, it would eventually pave the way for people liking other shooting games.

I thought Space Invaders sucked from the moment I first played it when I was 8 or so. Compared to "real" shooters, it's like shooting water guns at the carnival. ...
But wait! They go real fast when they get close to the earth! Alas it wasn't enough...but I guess thanks to SA if it fostered better games though.

Well.. most people who have never seen people do it don't really have a clue as to how to really play Space Invaders right (like those who obsessed over it did). There's a lot more to it than "shoot aliens, avoid shots" which is the way to play Galaxian for example :P

But yeah, I wouldn't consider Space Invaders, and especially SI pt 2 a regular shmup. it's more a deliberate pace strategic shooter where it's less about shooting aliens and surviving, and more about executing planned strategy with primary techniques like the wall of death and counting shots. If you've never seen it done by someone and come into the game looking for a shmup, then yeah, you'd think it'd suck.

If you're looking for fast action, it aint there. But then again, there wasn't exactly any other fast shooters when it came out either :P And there is definitely more depth in it than at first play :)

[Steven]

It seems like you guys have a major bias toward 2D shoot-em-'ups. I've tried playing some of them, but they're just way too difficult, way too repetitive, and not much fun IMO. I just don't "get" them. Can you please enlighten me about why shmups are so good?

It's all good but to me shmups have a certain 'purity' to them. It is about one last great hope vs. an ARMY of evil, in hopes to save the galaxy. Then there's that nostalgic value of playing a shooter... I can't really put it into words.

The gameplay is simple and as pure as you can get: Kill and don't get killed. Dodging, using different weapons when and where, big nasty bosses, outer space, etc. It's not my favorite genre but every once in a while there's nothing like playing a good shooter.

Also, it is the one genre that comes to mind first when I think about the term "getting in the zone." It's just not quite the same as in say, a platformer. A puzzler and a shmup are the 1st two I think of "getting in the zone."

I've seen a fair girl or two get in the zone with Puzzle Fighter, not pretty for the rest of us! :P

[fishsandwich]

The original Xevious was the one that pulled me in so many years ago. Those graphics, man.... and that funky music! The damned "dink, dink, dink" sound when your bullets were blasting an invulnerable pseudo 3-D object, those bomb blasts, that mothership... I was hooked. I still love that game and others like it.

[RetroYoungen]

The great thing about shmups too is that they're easy to come by I guess as freeware... one really good one is PARSEC47 (http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cs8k-cyu/windows/p47_e.html is the linkie-poo). It's not too difficult in the earlier difficulty levels, but one can crank it up really, really high... dubbed the "Extreme" difficulty. Which I recommend trying just to see if you can last 30 seconds without dying... I don't think I've done it yet. LOL

[Damaramu]

Word. While not my favorite, I can tolerate "bullet hell" shooters but I much prefer the older style.

Some of my favorites are:

Parodious series (I absolutely love this series)
Gradius series
XX Mission
Trouble Shooters (aka Battle Mania)
Cotton series
Bangaio

and a whole bunch more.

Like someone else said, I can play a shmup for 10 minutes and feel satisfied afterwards. Love the genre.

[2Dskillz]

Only the last few years did I finally really begin appreciating shmups.

I felt the same way growing up, too difficult what is the point. Then a Friend showed up with Ikaruga and the Appreciate DVD. And it all made sense.

I recommend watching someone or watching footage of someone that is really skilled at shmups. The grace and timing and pixel skimming are amazing.

It is really a very pure form of gaming and I am extremely happy that I now see and enjoy what so many others have before me.

[jobowyer]

I have started enjoying shoot em ups since they have started to become unpopular, forcing the developers to come up with new ideas to sell their product. Current faves are Treasure's posse (Gradius V, Ikaruga, Radiant Silvergun) but I did play the living HELL out of R-Type Final. Guess I need to try and find a copy of R-Type Delta....