New Konami Horizontal Scrolling Shooter In The Works--Not Gradius!?!

[agbulls]

Good news for shooter fans, Konami is getting ready to unveil a new horizontal scrolling shooter.

Apparently, Konami will be showcasing a new horizontal side-scrolling shooter at this years Japan Arcade Operator's Union show. The new arcade title, called "Otomedius," will feature female characters as the name implies ("Otome" is Japanese for "young lady" according to our info). You can bet this game shows up in the Xbox Live Arcade or PS3 Store lineup for 2007, or maybe even its very own retail package.

This is fantastic news. With Ikaruga on Live and this announcement, shmups continue to live on. I'm not a fan of playing a shmup that has you controlling a person(s). With the exception of Cotton, shmups gotta have kick-ass looking ships.

[goemon]

Awesome! Judging from the name, it might be similar to Parodius, which is always good. I was hoping for another Salamander game, though. 11 years overdue...

[theshizzle3000]

Konami + Schmup = A good ass I game...I hope

[spanks_4]

wtf is a damn smup?(spelling?)

[goemon]

wtf is a damn smup?(spelling?)

"shmup" is an abbreviation for "shoot 'em up." I never liked the term myself -- it's one of those words that sounds "ugly" to me, like blog and tween.

[rbudrick]

"shmup" is an abbreviation for "shoot 'em up." I never liked the term myself -- it's one of those words that sounds "ugly" to me, like blog and tween.

God, I thought I was the only one who thought that of those words...damn!

-Rob

[XYXZYZ]

I hope it doesn't play like Gradius. I mean, I like Gradius, but at the same time I don't like it. (I didn't like Parodius)

So this is great news, but it won't be really great news until they announce a console port; $1,200.00 or whatever for an arcade board doesn't do most of us any good.

Wait, maybe every arcade in the US will have it!

[Captain Wrong]

Awesome! Judging from the name, it might be similar to Parodius, which is always good. I was hoping for another Salamander game, though. 11 years overdue...

Agreed on both thoughts. New Salamander would be sweeeeet. :D

[Kamisama]

Otomedius does not really sound like Salamander :P
But great news anyway. Long life the shmups!

[Haoie]

Another Parodius is 10 years overdue.

You don't see enough gaming firms doing self-depreciating humour anymore!!

[Kamisama]

Muchi Muchi Pork might be that style aswell :)

[spanks_4]

thanks for the info on smups.

[Captain Wrong]

Muchi Muchi Pork might be that style aswell :)

I am SOOOOO looking forward to Muchi Muchi Pork.

<-- digs cute 'em ups.

[agbulls]

I am SOOOOO looking forward to Muchi Muchi Pork.

<-- digs cute 'em ups.

So I assume you're a fan of the Cotton series? I really hope this is a return to form for Konami in many ways. We've seen a long downhill decline in quality arcade-style games since the death of US arcades. Many of us are looking for games that are fun, challenging and have great control. Konami and Capcom use to be the arcade kings.

Maybe this is a potential rebirth? Here's to hoping.

[Kid Fenris]

I am SOOOOO looking forward to Muchi Muchi Pork.

<-- digs cute 'em ups.

What about creepy-anime-fetish-'em-ups? Because that's what Otomedius resembles (http://plusd.itmedia.co.jp/games/articles/0702/16/news074.html).

Ugh. First Cave made Mushihime-sama and Ibara, then Warashi made Trigger Heart Exelica. Now Konami's doing their own frilly cute-girl shooter, though at least they could afford to hire the artist behind Sgt. Frog.

Majoria's News (http://www.guardcrush.net/majoria/) has more info.

[Fighter17]

There's a video on the game on Youtube.

It plays like Gradius but with some weird things in it.

Read here for more information:

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=12671&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[goemon]

HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig02veyZoDY) is the video. Are those penguins running on the ground? Is this the sister series (heh) to Parodius? It looks good, but I can barely hear the music from the noise of the convention.

[jajaja]

HERE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig02veyZoDY) is the video. Are those penguins running on the ground? Is this the sister series (heh) to Parodius? It looks good, but I can barely hear the music from the noise of the convention.

This game looks great! :)

[Fighter17]

Here's some various photos of the game at the AOU show.

If you look at one of the gameplay photos at the right side, you can see some Gradius II influences. ;)

http://monkeyuploader.dyndns.org/Offering/mnkyup1337.jpg

[Captain Wrong]

So I assume you're a fan of the Cotton series?

I've only played a little Cotton, but yes, I like what I've tried.

And what's wrong with Mushihime-sama and Ibara?

*hugs Ibara PCB*

Personally, I like a little variety. Sure, badass Raiden or Gradius style is all well and good, but there's millions of those. I appreciate the companies that go out on a limb Dangun Feveron or Harmful Park style. Man can not survive on helicopters/jets/spaceships alone. :)

And I see no problem with creepy-anime-fetish-'em-ups either. LOL

[agbulls]

The more I look at this game the more I'm sure it will NEVER get released in the states. Sigh...can't US gamers buy more weird shit like the Japanese? People bought Katamari, didn't they?

[Kid Fenris]

I've only played a little Cotton, but yes, I like what I've tried.

And what's wrong with Mushihime-sama and Ibara?


In Mushihime-sama's case, it's stuff like this THOROUGHLY UNSAFE FOR WORK figure that came with the official soundtrack (http://esprade.hp.infoseek.co.jp/reco2.htm).

Actually, Mushihime-sama disappointed me. It was okay, but not really ESPrade or Galuda caliber. And that, combined with Cave's alarmingly rapid descent into unwholesome lolita-fan pandering, kept me away from Ibara and that Pink Sweets thing. I can laugh off conventional, cartoony T&A in games, but Cave's really aiming for the icky shut-in Japanese fans, if the art for stuff like Muchi Muchi Pork is any indication.

[Xexyz]

I don't know who sanafe is, but he's doing a good job recording gameplay of all the games at the AOU07 expo. Some other highlights include:

Exziel - A sequel to Triangle Service's Trizeal shooter. They also have another shooter related game on display (forgot the name).

Dynamite Deka X - A new entry to Sega's quality 3D beat em up series.

and...

Chase H. Q. 2 - A big suprise from out of nowhere! Not only does this mean that Taito is back at making arcade games, but they're making a long overdue sequel to a 20 year old classic!

All these games have video footage from this sanafe guy.

[Cryomancer]

I'm looking forward to this mostly because i'm a fan of Mine Yoshizaki's artwork. Most of the games he's done art for are fairly interesting/fun too, as he himself is a videogame fan and did fan comics of games for awhile. He even made an entire manga/anime about playing arcade games. Shooter is a plus for sure though.

[Tron 2.0]

If it ends up as fun as parodius i'm interested.

Still i just hope there's a port of it planed later on.

I'd love to give it a try.

[Iron Draggon]

well if you ask me, the most overdue Konami sequel is Axelay 2, not another game in some other series of theirs that's had several sequels made already!

[vgc]

Game Looks Great, I'd probably die alot just trying to enjoy the scenery. I Prefer Vertical shooters Like Musha for Sega Genesis or Dimahoo Arcade. I just feel more involved when playing Vertical. Mike : )

[rbudrick]

Looks awesome, but I'd bet $100 it will NEVER come here.

-Rob