Ikaruga is by no means the be-all and end-all of shmups.

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Physician, heal thyself: then wilt thou also heal thy patient. Let it be his best cure to see with his eyes him who maketh himself whole.
—Zarathustra

Having cleared the game of philosophy,¹ I’ve finally become a philoshmupper. Though I will never be a shmage, I now love STGs. But before I get into that, first some personal history.

My first experiences as a gamer were on a friend’s Commodore 64. It had no controllers or “joypads”, but actual joy-sticks, with a single button. My brother and I started saving for a second-hand C64, but after a while my maternal grandmother showed us an ad for the NES Action Set, and we bought that instead. I was really excited about Duck Hunt, while Super Mario Bros. didn’t interest me much at all. This almost immediately turned around, though. Among many other things, what was so great about the NES and SMB was that they introduced a whole new dimension, featuring a second button which could modify the first. Even today I keep telling my nephews and niece that if they really wish to become any good at the 2D Mario games, they should have the run button pressed down by default.

Our next console was Sega’s 16-bit system, but though it was a step up in many respects, it wasn’t a dimensional leap in that regard. That only arrived with the Super NES—not because it had four face buttons instead of three, but because it introduced the L and R buttons. I’m really only thinking of Star Fox here. To be sure, though, the face buttons could serve as a kind of second D-pad. In this sense, it was Super Smash TV and not PlayStation which introduced yet another dimensional leap: dual directional controls.

For almost five years now, my single favourite game has been DiRT Rally 2.0. A friend who saw me play it when it had just come out, remarked that it seemed to be the next Street Fighter for me. Not only was I using the left analog stick to steer, face buttons to change gears, and L and R buttons to accelerate and brake, but I was even using the right analog stick to kick and thereby override the clutch. Later, I also added the handbrake to the right analog stick. And this year, TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 (and RiMS Racing before it) enabled me to assign tuck in and tuck out—of the motorcycle seat—to left analog stick up and down, respectively. This, thus far, is the non plus ultra of controller gaming for me.

Now you may have noticed that I don’t use a steering wheel for racing games. I prefer a controller, just as I’ve always preferred one for fighting games. Or have I?—My newfound love of shmups has finally made me see that, for certain types of game, an arcade stick is really superior to a controller. If a shmup features analog movement, I still prefer a controller; but I prefer shmups that don’t feature analog movement.—The only fighting game I prefer an arcade stick for is Street Fighter II’ Turbo: Hyper Fighting; but that may well be the greatest fighting game ever, anyway.—I now prefer shmups over fighting games, though. In a way I’ve come back full circle to my Commodore days: although shmups often use more than one button, a good shmup may very well use only one.

Now for some examples of awesome shmups. First off, I recommend watching this video for thirteen minutes. Seriously, start here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TalYfTBulcE&t=1660s
Devil Engine²

Or, if you would prefer a vertical shooter (or playing with a friend, for that matter):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYe-zRKxFkY&t=164s
Raiden Fighters Jet

Though the Raiden Fighters series can be enjoyed in Raiden Legacy—which originally is actually an Android app—, I recently bought an Xbox 360 especially for Raiden Fighters Aces, because it has the option to play the games at their original 54 fps frame rate.

I will end with some love for Sega’s 16-bit system, which had multiple arcade ports that not only played well enough, but whose music was arguably better than the arcade versions’ (e.g., Mortal Kombat and Super Hang-On):³

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3SuKur7b_Q[/youtube] Zero Wing

[size=95]¹ That is, having realized the sublation of philosophy as opposed to wisdom.

² The third, forest stage evidently was inspired by this stage from Thunder Force V:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF4iBcNrRwU&t=389s

³ And of course original games with great music and playability as well, like Warriors of the Eternal Sun and Bio-Hazard Battle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21XdbofhOao&t=282s[/size]

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Beholding this Being—the Choragus of all Existence, the Self-Intent that ever gives forth and never takes—resting, rapt, in the vision and possession of so lofty a loveliness, growing to Its likeness, what Beauty can the Soul yet lack?
—Plotinus

And Friday night I discovered that the same goes for the second, city stage and the first stage of this astonishing game, respectively:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=970mMFrfRy4&t=74s
Last Resort

Like Raiden Legacy, this game is available on Android (and in the Microsoft Store, for that matter), but it isn’t free. An S-tier shmup that is free on Android is “classic back out zone”:

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUHOd_OZqPI[/youtube]

I wouldn’t recommend playing any of these games with a touch screen, though. And Out Zone has received an excellent port on Steam and GOG, and probably on all current and last gen consoles as well. You can rewind the game in real time, which is very welcome.

Shoot 'em ups are the gift that keeps on giving!

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ew5hEMSzEw[/youtube] The Electric Underground, “Why Shmups Are the BEST Genre, Gameplay Density Matters!”

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Christ, just imagine giving a shit

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Christ, just imagine giving a shit
—HumAnIze

[quote=“Zeroeth Nature”][quote=“Zeroeth Nature”]Devil Engine²

[…]

² The third, forest stage evidently was inspired by this stage from Thunder Force V[/quote]

And Friday night I discovered that the same goes for the second, city stage and the first stage of this astonishing game, respectively:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=970mMFrfRy4&t=74s

Last Resort[/quote]

Last Resort is a Neo Geo game; and since then, I’ve explored some more of that system’s library. But first, I’ll admit I thought it was mostly inspired by The Terminator (one of my favourite film and series franchises of all time); but it turns out it was inspired far more by what’s always been my favourite anime by far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctdzCkRWh3E&t=471s

NGH-024: Last Resort - Neo Geo Generation | Basement Brothers | Neo Geo Collection

Now before I get to the Neo Geo shmups I discovered in the meantime, I will first mention some honourable fighting games:

The last one is one of my favourites, second only to Street Fighter 6 (this is about fighting games I play with a controller). It’s by Visco Corporation, as is the first new shmup I discovered, Andro Dunos. Here’s its sequel, which came out almost thirty years later(!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjpoqt5FetI&t=912s

And lastly, for now, here’s a game I’ve jokingly called ‘Rez 2D Unlimited’:

Zed Blade

This boss, the second, reminds me of the fourth boss of Rez (Infinite):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeT6H-ModBs&t=407s

And the music, that of the third level for example, reminds me of…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRUZSQ5Mevo&t=148s

[size=1]SNES BioMetal (US FastROM), starting at the intro’s pilot profiles[/size]

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Okay gamers here’s a demo of Shadowguns Legends on the tablet. Not sure if u can play it on something other than a phone or tablet. Free game, no ads. As far as shmups go (shoot em ups) it’s great fun. 27 levels. U get quests and u can play the arena with two other players. Customizable gear with upgrades all that standard rpg stuff.

It’s a bitch to play without a joystick controller tho.

p.s. that punching bag and stingray cost me almost ten bucks. There’s like twenty emotes u can buy.

Video expires in 48 hours.

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That’s not a shmup, dude. A shooter, sure (which is why the word “shmup” was introduced, apparently). To be sure, though, Steam, too, errs here. As The Electric Underground said, poor shmups don’t even get their own genre!

In the meantime, I’ve also developed a taste for games like this:

473368710_9048684585184735_1729525029564102224_n
473368710_9048684585184735_1729525029564102224_n1920×1080 212 KB

“Moonscars is the debut title from Black Mermaid, a Ukrainian-Moldovan studio founded by three people. […] Visually, the team was inspired by old Dutch oil paintings, which resulted in the design of Moonscars’ world with a limited palette of grey, red, and green, as well as large brush strokes that the developers refer to as the ‘painterly’ look.” (Moonscars Wiki, “Moonscars”, ‘Production’.)

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Also in the meantime, I’ve determined that I’m a controller player for shmups and Hyper Fighting, too. The Electric Underground may be right about arcade sticks being superior for long sessions, but then, I don’t really play for really long stretches, anyway.

Also, I’ve actually been able to integrate shmups into my routine in a meaningful way. Sometimes during my night( shift)s, I get really sleepy; and I don’t drink energy drinks. Well then, I’ve found that shmups are my alternative for such drinks! By way of an example, check out this game:

GunVein - Expert ALL Clear / 1CC - 10,5 Million (Type C)

(This superplayer, Jaimers, is a fellow Dutchman, by the way. Oh, and be sure to turn on the closed captions.)

Now for some more shmups I like. First, my favourite Touhou-like game:

Danmakai: Red Forbidden Fruit 60 FPS 4K

My favourite shmups remain the Raiden Fighters games, though:

Raiden Fighters / ライデンファイターズ (1996) Arcade - 1 Loop / 2 Players [TAS]

And perhaps their most important inspiration, Fire Shark:

Every TOAPLAN Shoot Em Up Reviewed!

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I’m watching the Fallout series on Amazon and i couldn’t resist, Saully. Pulled me right back in…

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C’mon dudes 76 is multiplayer. Let’s put a squad together and rule the Wastelands. We can run quests, trade with other players or do battle with em.

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Yeah, I really liked Fallout 4, it’s kind of what Skyrim is to the Elder Scrolls games. In fact, I guess I like Fallout 3-Vegas-4 better than Morrowind-Oblivion-Skyrim! Haven’t yet watched the series, though.

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Lol you slipped a post in i was about to say:

Fallout is the greatest game(s) ever made. I hope you don’t doubt me on that. I dunno what the hell ya’ll have been playin’ but this is open world at its most intelligent, most creative, most thorough and most interactive. 2018 and this monster is still the best game ever made.

If you haven’t played 4, don’t because you’ll never leave your room again.

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I’ve had 76 now for five years and am just now playing it for the first time. I’m stoked. 2 min 43 seconds remains on install…

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Hm, the whole “other people” thing is not really my thing.

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Yo, if anyone has Fallout 76 and can somehow load into a world I’m in (as Niles Fosjet), go check the camp out i just built. Look for Grafton Grill 'n Shop on highway 61 across from the dam where the river begins. I don’t have my stocks up yet, but i got a few cool mods and bonus weapons (if you’re low level) at unbeatable prices in West Virginia…

I’ll leave you a whiskey by the campfire behind the cabin…

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A tour of Fort Fosjet and my latest builds. I had chosen that spot for its defensive strategic location and just recently added these turrets around the perimeter.

The paper bag there is a gesture of thanks to a level 600-something dude who left me a carepackage of like 3,000 plasma rounds and a laser pistol customized to be a mutants worst nightmare. I’m gonna try it out but i prefer my shotgun at close quarters and my savage .308 sniper rifle for long-range shots.

Feel free to use the facilities and pick some muttfruit, blackberry, and carrots (there by the yard flamingos), but be warned: the fort is often under attack by raiders, radscorpions, and wild dogs. The turret gunners have so far had no problems with them.

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I have played that variation of the game, it’s extremely difficult single player.

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Fallout is truth, dude.

Check my C.A.M.P out. Nobody on the map, below like level 300, has a camp as bad as mine. I’m also always the biggest and cheapest vendor on any map. Bro i could set you up with some level 20 starter gear on the house. Make you the best guns level 20s can carry. Come holla at me when you are tired of living in the cartoon real world and wanna live in a year 2100 post-apocalyptic West Virginia with me…

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… and there’s a bunker the size of a basketball court underneath the fort I’m still working on…

In the above clip, that black hatch door in the stone at the base of the power armor station and to the left of the fermenter (i make moonshine bro i don’t play) is the entry to the bunker.

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I must admit, this is kinda cool. You’re basically doing in-game what you do in real life. Same goes for me. I always sneak around, shoot someone, hide in a ventilation shaft, and repeat.

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Well i fucked my charisma up (i think) by ending a main quest wrong (i sided with the bad guy instead at the end) and now nobody likes me because that shit carries over into the player co-op stuff.

Also, i find out way later that drinking alcohol makes you a dickhead too. I use it to boost strength and endurance sometimes. Had no idea it affected my charisma.

Solution: craft armor with special abilities and raise my charisma back up (boiled studded leather +2 charisma, etc.)

At this point, I’m where i always end up in any immersive rpg i play; totally overwhelmed with a list of uncompleted quests and burned out on trying to finish them. Like this one… i can’t find the fuckin dude in the cave. Been there three times. Or one where i gotta hunt radstag and collect five skins for the hunt master. I’m out in the middle of nowhere (at the quest location) running around looking for these things for like ten minutes. Nothing. And the storylines are waaaay too involved. I don’t even read/listen to the dialogues. Skip right through it. This game is too much. Bethesda was like “okay you guys want a realistic game? Lol, you’re gonna regret that, sucka.”