Topic: Arcade SHMUP High Score Thread

AF2 is all about pushing the top of the screen and remembering positioning. Good luck!

After a few hours with AF2 tho I’m wishing for Ikaruga on the Switch like BAAD

There's still room for improvement:

@RetroGamerAndrew Awww mate, nice one! I just hit 400k with zero refining so I'm right behind you Maverick! Which ship are you flying? I've gone with the F-14

That top score is going down!

Here's the pilot descriptions cut from the manual

Pg.1 - http://ibb.co/kA5cFn
pg.2 - http://ibb.co/ghQNgS

@GrailUK
LF14 ftw! I'm also using A10 and FSX... Which is good but plays too similar to F14

@meppi64 In case you didn't know you can hook any controller/pad/stick to your switch using the Mayflash adapter! It's something like 25 euro/dollars on Amazon (don't have the link right now sorry)... Just bought it to use my HRAP4 Kai, works wonder

Put me down at 409,000
Used FS-X, with a level progression of Japan>New York>Bonus>RainForest

http://ibb.co/kXSoO7

@RetroGamerAndrew
I've heard that being mentioned before. I think I'll grab one, one of these days.
Really wish there was an easy way to get the. To work with all the old systems.
Heard about something that does that, but you need to change some things on the pcb and wonder some stuff and all that jazz.
I just want something plug and play without all the fuss, really.

I'm right behind you btw. 411800 and counting.
But I'm gonna turn in early tonight I think as I've done a bit too much work in the garden today and pushed myself a little too hard it seems.

Interesting....I go the HORI arcade stick as well but I did Pulstar all on handheld mode. Hands didn't get tired and I found it very easy to control..but I will try out the HORI stick for Aerofighters II.

Bit behind on reading the thread. Weekends are always hectic, between work and the kids, I don't have much time nor energy for much other than a film or two (huge film fan).

Well done to those already tearing up the AERO FIGHTERS 2 Leaderboards. Hopefully, next week I can do some runs and bring up the rear, lol!

And yes, the Psikyo / Video System lineage and mixed DNA is fascinating and a subject I'd love to learn more about. I did casually suggest that this site should do such a feature off the back of the new-found popularity or renaissance of the Psikyo shooter and Neo Geo catalogue.

I'll be checking in here from time to time but otherwise, hope you all have a relaxing weekend and take to the skies in fine form.

Thought I'd have a quick run at AERO FIGHTERS 2 before turning in after all. Managed to improve on my lowly score and have now cracked the top 100 on the Global Leaderboard with 275, 500. No where near the front runners of course but hey, we all have to start somewhere 😉

Haven't decided my main pilot yet, will keep experimenting.

[UPDATE: up to 70th with 293, 900. Had more in me but bloody had a mad moment and lost all my lives in quick succession on level 4].

[ANOTHER UPDATE: Currently sitting at 47th on Global Leaderboard. Score of 330, 100. I'm improving 👌]

Here's a replay of my 409K run, for anyone looking for help. It's still a work in progress, but this can step your game up if you're a little lost on how this game should be played.

@Qualitybeats Ty for the video. I have loads of ideas to try now

Man, bit addictive this. Signing off for the night with a score of 401, 700. Currently sitting at 21st on the leaderboard.

@Lroy Ye me too. There is a really nice sense of progression to beating high scores. Gz on breaking 400k! I...think I have twigged the secret to the 500k club...but I'm too tired to focus on the technique lol.

Really looking forward to see how high the scoring can go. I've not played it too much since the challenge started, I've only scored. 310k so far but I scored 358k in High Score Mode last summer fairly quickly. I doubt I can reach 500k but if I play it as much as I did Pulstar, who knows what's possible.With how the bonuses work, the random order stages are presented and all the potential points available on the 3rd stage, it's a perfect game for this weekly challenge.

Good luck everyone.

So, I was thinking about how to balance this leaderboard chase so those out of reach of #1 get a handicap/advantage in the next run and I came to....

Well, what if last place of the leaderboards picks the next game up?
Kind of like how sporting drafts let last-place teams get to pick first over first-place teams...

I think it's important to incentivize the struggling players to continue to chase and bridge the skill-gap there and tighten up the boards. Otherwise, the skill-curve will drop those players off and the boards will shrink in time.
It's like in fighting games, where if you're trying to get good... you need to play alongside good players, to learn as they do and raise your skill bar. And, in turn both players get better at the game.

Thoughts?

@Qualitybeats Gets my vote.

I'm as far as I can go with the f-14 I am hoping that the f-15's freeze time bomb will let me grab those parallel 10k's on level 2 and 4 and the extra speed will let me pick up a couple of stray planes. Also, because it's firepower is weaker, you inadvertently farm destructible bullets from enemies dying slightly slower. (Only down side is having to work out the best route on level 3.)

Yeah, I like that idea as well.
Although not quite sure if picking the lowest score would be optimal as the system could be gamed that way. Perhaps pick somewhere around the middle ground? The number 5 score or so, and as the group grows, we can adjust it?
@GrailUK Not sure if the freeze bombs positives outweigh the negatives since you lost a lot of time and only use it twice I think, to pick up 2 items on the exact same height?
Then again, it's a difference of possibly 8000 points per pickup.
But losing so much time when using a bomb either means that you only get to use them for those two pickups, or that you probably won't get to the level 4 boss.
It's certainly worth experimenting though.

@meppi64 I would love to experiment but I keep getting Paris as level 2 which totally gimps my score. GRRRR! (Is it definitely random?)