Topic: Arcade SHMUP High Score Thread

I’m finally hitting up Ikaruga and put up a score. I’ve only cleared 1 million, as it’s very hard to keep the chains going. What an intense yet amazing shooter. I’ll keep trying to up my score until deadline day and read up on everyone’s strategy.

That Daemon X Machina looks unbelievably good. Watched the trailer a few times now . Online multiplayer mech battles with destructable environments and those graphics will be incredible. The developer has a lot of experience with these kind of games and with Nintendo funding it, it could turn out to be something really special. Just wish it was coming sooner.

@OorWullie I agree, easily one of the highlights of the direct for me together with the new Fire Emblem

@OorWullie @RetroGamerAndrew Yes, Daemon X Machina looks phat, and the new Fire Emblem looks amazing too, shame neither are out this year! Was tempted to buy Damascus Gear Operation Tokyo for a mech fix but haven't yet, anyone played it?

I couldn't imagine being without my Saturn to be honest. Way too many all time favourites for me on that system to not have one at my fingertips at all times.
And not even all shooters. Sega Rally 1995, NiGHTS into Dreams, Fighters Megamix, Baku Baku Animal, Necronomicon, Bubble Symphony, Mizukabu Daibouken, Elevator Action 1 and Returns, etc.

I'll try and see what I can do one of these days.

That Space Fantasy Zone is a reproduction as it didn't get released officially.

Damnit, I missed it again, didn't I? By not checking the in-game leaderboards...

Anyway, a bit of good news. Next week will see the release of Gunbird 2.

Oh and every single one of you better buy the new Trials game when it releases next February!
The competition and chaos for that one should be legendary.

Gunbird 2 next week at least in Japan, I guess Europe 1-2 weeks later like usually. Finally... though I don't have prior experience of this one (either) and I guess it's the most widely known of the Psikiyo shmups so I'm not too hurry to be in any challenge for it. Great to get that one though, I think I will enjoy at least similar to Dragon Blaze.

It sure looks like getting good score in Ikaruga before really enjoying it without that aspect seems to kill the fun for me. It's really hard for me to even continue playing if a screw up the opening part, restart is like a reflex. In a way the chaining this is the fun parts of the game, it's just too unforgiving for me and annoying how it punishes if I forgot to take my finger off the shoot button 1 millisecond too late and shoot the wrong colour!

Trying to improve in Dragon Blaze and man it's hard and slow, so many variations to learn because of the ranking system and random level order. I cannot get out the score-mode thinking in that one either, but it doesn't bother me as much because I can make a mistake and still be able to get good score (mistake in scoring, dying too soon is automatic restart of course). At least I'm learning some of those boss patterns better and can achieve tech-bonuses in all of them more often than before. I have long way to go though, like getting out of this bad habit of shooting the dragon and then pulling back instead of going forward / staying closer to stop.

@GFoyle

That’s how I felt on Danmaku 3. The game system sucked the fun out of it for me, but strangely, I really enjoy this one.

@meppi64 Major kudos for the BAKU BAKU ANINAL nod. Love that game. Really hope that is one of the SEGA AGES releases.

@Lroy It certainly deserves it as it's been passed over time and time again.
Seems like everyone has forgotten it even exists...

@meppi64 I feel the same way about my Dreamcast! Couldn't be without it, even tho I got it towards the end of its short life cycle for $99 in 2001 at Toys R' US. The collection still grows to this day! What a system its been for me. My favorite!

@CW13 Yeah, the Dreamcast is a very similar system. The only thing that holds it back is that it only had a good 2 year life. If it would have gotten a healthy 5-6 year lifespan, the system would have been legendary, no doubt about it.
Not that there's a lack of absolute classics on it as it is.
I was lucky enough to decide to buy every new Sega system on day one, after been 2 years late on the Saturn. Didn't want to make that mistake ever again. Sadly, the Dreamcast ended up being Sega's last system.
But those few short years were magical, that's for sure. Tons of perfect arcade ports as well as a bunch of incredible original games. I couldn't actually keep up with the releases back then, which reminds me of the Switch today. It felt like just about every week there would be a must have that came out, it's crazy.
I have actually been looking into grabbing GunSpike for the Dreamcast this past week, as that is one of the few games that has always eluded me for some reason. And being a Psikyo games, it's strange to me even that I haven't been able to pick it up yet...

Talking about Switch and shoot em ups, this is a nice surprise:

@meppi64 It's my first and only Sega system. I have Cannon Spike. Enjoy it. Quite pricey nowadays! Need to check into 1917- The Alien Invasion that came out today. I hear you on the switch releases! Picked up soccer slammers yesterday. Then I saw Donkey Kong came out! Had to grab that!! Itching to pick up Hollow Knight. So much for restraint!

There's so much out or coming out I would like to buy but I'm surprising myself with how much restraint I've shown. Checked calendar... for two weeks, lol!

@CW13 Oh man, you missed out on so much goodness!
Tons of brilliant games on both the Saturn and the Mega Drive.
And yeah, the price of Cannon Spike/Gun Spike is the only thing that has held me back from buying it right now. Although the Japanese version is reasonable more or less.
@Lroy
The only reason I've been able to hold off on buying every indie game that I want is because of my hope of a lot of them coming out as a physical release later on. Although it's really tough passing up on something like Hollow Knight, not being sure if it'll get a (limited) physical release or not.

Just ordered Dimension Drive from Play-Asia yesterday for instance.
https://www.play-asia.com/dimension-drive/13/70c40r
Surprised to see how shipping to Europe now is free!!! Only cost me 6€ on import tax as well.
I think I'm going to start buying a lot more imports from them going forward.

@meppi64 That new Japanese game - Sisters Royale: I'm Being Harassed by 5 Sisters, is excellent!

@Lroy @all, Yeah there's so many games I want to buy for Switch it's ridiculous, got 2 pre orders coming next week.. (strangely though, had an email saying Lost Child has been dispatched even though the release date is stated as 22/06), and I could list a handful of physical games I'd like to buy or pre order and an endless list of eShop titles to download!

Had another go at Ikaruga yesterday after watching @daftbomb's replay, trying to improve on my score and keep the chain going is so hard.. Very addictive to keep trying though, and that music!

@daftbomb What will you choose for next weeks challenge? I'm almost certain the choice will be yours!

@hybridseed wait what... the winner chooses the next game? 🤔 Thats cool. Maybe I gets to choose what the next pinball fx table is 😄

@OorWullie are we doing another pinball tourney? Kinda surprised I got 1st place this time. Portal table is a good shout since its one of the cheapest?

@hybridseed That's good to know.
It's from Alfa System, so the makers of Shikigami no Shiro, so it's bound to be enjoyable at least.
Not the most flashy games, but lots of fun to play.

Just did a little crazy thing today and ordered a second Xbox One S. lol
Was able to get it brand new with 2 games for 139€ and I could use an extra controller anyway.
I tend to buy a spare console for my favourite systems, normally at the end of their life cycles before they go out of stock, just to be sure I still have a brand new one when the original breaks down somewhere in the future.
But for this price, I just couldn't pass it up. Guess I kinda like the system.
Now if only all those 360 shoot em ups would get the backwards compatibility treatment, I'd be in heaven.

I'm fine with whatever pinball tournament really, although I'd prefer something from TPA myself. Or even Stern PA, that one is just over 20€ at base right now.

@Daftbomb Yeah, the winner chooses the next challenge, if you look through the official Arcade High Score thread- https://www.nintendolife.com/forums/nintendo-switch/the_offici... you'll see what's already been played!

@meppi64 That's a great price! I'd love to do the same, for all my Nintendo consoles and especially Vita as I think they'll become hard to find over the next few years..

Sisters Royale is a lot of fun to play, and after the intensity of Ikaruga it's nice and straightforward too, colourful and lighthearted, just blast everything on screen, great characters too, wondering if it will be localized eventually!

I bought the special edition of Dimension Drive off Play Asia too, couldn't resist, maybe I'll buy more off them now with their new shipping options☺

@hybridseed it really was too good to pass up.
Just had another friend order one as well. That already makes 3 of us, which is kinda crazy as Belgium has been a Sony country for as long as there has been a PlayStation.
Which is kinda sad really, as pretty much every single gamer I meet here only plays FIFA or CoD...
And while Fifa18 is part of this package, I'll be putting it up for sale as soon as it arrives. lol

I know I'll do the same down the line with Switch for sure. But it being a Nintendo portable, it will most likely be a revision in 2 years or so.
Still got my ambassador new 3DS in its box for instance, as well as the Super NES new 3DS xl.

I already ordered every Switch release that Limited Run Games put up and that looks like it's going to continue with the new games they announced all looking really good more or less.
Gonna be an expensive year, that's for sure. The retro releases alone as well as the Nintendo games and Japanese support will make sure of that.

Pretty sure Sister Royalle will see a western release one day.
There are few games that remain Japan only in Switch it seems, which is a great thing.

I also just ordered Shikigami no Shiro 3 on Japanese 360.
Can't believe I forgot about that game!