Topic: Shoot 'em Ups!

Shoot 'em ups, also known as Shmups, are a genre that continues to perplex me - no matter how much they frustrate me, that rarely seems to stop me from playing and enjoying them. If you don't know what a Shoot 'em up is, well...that's why I gave you a Wikipedia link. Not to mention they've only been around since the dawn of Video games, from the very first Space Invaders and Galaga, to Gradius and R-Type, to more modern equivelants like Ikaruga and Touhou. They're a genre that has thrived for years, and recently have seen a resurgence on digital platforms, including the eShop and PSN. They're the ultimate skill-testers, IMO, even in an age where skill rarely seems to matter anymore when it comes to games.

I made this thread for the discussion of Shoot 'em up games, including news, provision of tips (especially for newer players), high score gloating, and general discussion of our favorite shoot 'em up games.

For the purpose of this thread, I'm afraid Run 'n' Guns won't count as Shmups. Cmon, guys, we got enough places to talk about Contra.

I'll start with 3 simple questions: What are your favorite Shmups? What type of Shmup do you generally prefer? And what was the last Shmup you played?

To answer my own question:

My favorite Shoot 'em ups are: Lord of Thunder, Star Parodier, Soldier Blade, M.U.S.H.A., and R-Type.

I obviously prefer Vertical Shmups, it's just easier for me to menuever.

And the last one I played was U.N. Squadron. I could never beat that B-2 Stealth Bomber-like thing...

the only recent one that I remember is Castle of Shikigami III..... it was cool but I suck at Shmups.... they're one of the most fun kind of games! but I suck at them... of course since I'm not the biggest fan of this genre I might have played tons of them and enjoyed(or disliked) most without even knowing what genre they belong to...

Yeah, it's a genre I generally suck at, but I just have to keep comming back to them.

The most nostalgic one for me has to be Solar Striker on the Game Boy, even though I was never able to beat it (I still don't know why it's not on VC yet, either, since it's first party).

I beat TwinBee 3D not too long ago, which made me happy, since I believe it's the first traditional Shump I've beaten (unless I can count the unlockable mini-game in Tatsunoko VS Capcom).

Also a big fan of Galaga, & play it a lot (can't ever seem to get past stage 16, though, lol).

Also, do games like Star Fox & Sin & Punishment count, since their on-rails gameplay is pretty much a 3D shump?

If so, I also heavily enjoyed Sin & Punishment: Star Successor & Liberation Maiden (although this last one isn't on-rails).

I played most of those and liked them too! guess it was true when I said

1.- I used to play Air Gallet with my best friend, and we had lots of fun with it, so I'd say that's my favorite Shoot 'em up. In second place I'd put Twinbee.

2.- Well, I'd rather vertical shmups too, I don't have any particular reason besides those ones being more fun to me.

3.- The last one I played... it was Recca '92, tough game but a really good one. I hope I can beat it someday

Also, I'm planning on making a rhythmic shmup, I got the music and the ideas for gameplay and story, I just need to find a freaking programmer in order to make it happen.

_{Oh yeah, and Star Fox rulz!}

.I haven't actually played that many Shmups in my life but I do like them and have a few that I need to get around to someday. I agree that they are ultimate video game skill tests.

1) Favorites: Air Raid (Atari 2600), Gradius 1 & III, Axelay, UN Squadron, R-Type III (SNES guy here if you couldn't tell )Darius Gaiden (Taito Legends 2 is awesome!)
2) Preference: Horizontal. Left to right is just so natural for this old retro gamer.
3) Last: Axelay and it felt pretty good to finally beat it. Shmups are definitely rewarding when you do finally beat them.

Random question, does Pocky & Rocky count as Shmup?

Favorites are :
Vanguard (Atari 2600)
Sol-Feace (SEGA CD)
LifeForce (aka Salamander, for NES)
Gradius II: Gofer No Yabou (TurboGrafx CD) / Japanese Import
Bit.Trip Fate (WiiWare and other platforms)

Preference: Left to Right is full of WIN!!!

Last Shmup I've played: TwinBee 3D

The first Pocky & Rocky counts.

And I could never last more than 10 seconds in Axelay.

I love shoot 'em ups. I agree with you 100% about Shmups @CanisWolfred. They show alot in how skilled you are. Yet how do you like them as a final level, like in Kirby's Adventure?
I'd like to see some of your opinions on this video, if any of you agree or disagree.

I love lovelovelovelove shmups! It's just such a pure kind of fun genre. Picking a favorite would be hard. Metal Torrent is definitely an over looked solid shmup though!

I don't really care for those old arcade type shoot'em up, but the only one I played that was any good was called Bizarre Jelly 5

It depends, but it's usually a bad idea to add a completely random game element that has nothing to do with the rest of the game anywhere, let alone at the last level.

Star Fox (SNES & N64)
Sin & Punishment
Metal Slug
Raiden

That's all I got so far. I'll add more later.

It's got to be a bullet-hell if I'm going to greatly enjoy it. On that note, Jamestown is one of my favourite PC games. >:3

I didn't know Jamestown was a shooter...and I think I own that game...

@CanisWolfred: Why couldn't you last longer in Axelay, was it the enemies that circled around you or just the funky looking mode 7 depth of field that takes sometime getting used to?

I'm so terrible at shmups; whenever I play a bullet hell, I can almost feel my brain begin to melt.

I think the only two I've ever been remotely good at are TwinBee and that mini-game from Kirby Mass Attack, and I'd hardly call either of those daunting challenges.

EDIT: I'm also not terrible at Star Fox games but, again, they're not exactly impossible walls of death.

The latter. I'd always crash into something because it was difficult to tell what was gonna hit it and what wasn't...

I played through the Twinbee series on my brother's PSP while on a road trip, I hope Pop 'n Twinbee for SNES comes to the Wii U VC (It'd be an import for North America but it did come to Europe originally).