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[GDJustin]

I'm not a super "hardcore" 2D shooter guy, but I do enjoy the genre a lot, and I feel like I'm halfway decent at it. During this gen I've managed to add a handful of 2D shooters to my library, all of which I enjoyed... Gradius V, Gradius Collection, Ikaruga, Mobile Light Force 2 and Castle Shikigami, etc.

I dug out Gradius V last night because it was the only of the above games that I hadn't beaten, and was reminded of how awesome it was.

In any case, I want some GAF help I want more 2D shooters, but none of my home consoles are modded, so I'm limited to titles that were released stateside.

Applicable systems:

Dreamcast
GameCube
PS2
Xbox
PSP
Edit: PS1, also.

Please don't suggest just any old crap just because its a 2D shooter... I wanna avoid the really bad ones. I know more hardcore followers of the genre take a pretty "meh" stance towards Shikigami, but I liked it quite a bit, though.

Thanks in advance for the advice

 

[drohne]

that is a difficulty. if you're ok with ps1 games, you should play r type delta. if you haven't already. there was a domestic ps1 release of strikers 1945 II, just called "strikers 1945" -- it lacks tate mode, but the cropped-screen mode is quite playable. excellent game, in any case. there were a bunch of domestically-released shooters on dreamcast -- gunbird 2 is the best of the bunch. you also might try mars matrix or gigawing, though they aren't really my style.

the shikigami games are really good -- no shame there.

edit: you also might track down the ps1 version of thunderforce V -- awful graphics, but lots of fun.

 

[GDJustin]

I wasn't shamed... I like them a lot, and said so I was just under the impression that they didn't get a lot of respect. I dunno enough about the genre to know what's considered good or not.

Did Dodanpachi or any other game in the franchise ever see a US release? Or Psyvariar?

 

[DaCocoBrova]

You're missing the best ones by excluding the Megadrive and TG-16.

 

[GDJustin]

You're missing the best ones by excluding the Megadrive and TG-16.

I don't own either system

Edit: Found a decent list. Can someone help with which of these were released stateside, and are any good?

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/03/dreamcast-shmups-library-2d-shooters.html

 

[mosaic]

Sounds like you already pretty much have 'em all, except for the Dreamcast stuff.

DC: Gunbird 2, Giga Wing, Giga Wing 2, Mars Matrix

The first Mobile Light Force on PSX is good... well, if you don't mind that they took Gunbird, ripped out the dialogues, and renamed the characters to the localization team's names....

 

[Ghengis Cohen]

You're missing the best ones by excluding the Megadrive and TG-16.

Man I found Thunderforce 2 and 3 for 1.99 each at a local gamecrazy. It's shooter heaven.

 

[GDJustin]

R-Type Final any good on the PS2? I also see that Chaos Field was released in the US ont he GCN... I never even knew that 0.o ... Amazon has it for like $18...

It's so hard to know what's good and what isn't

 

[drohne]

r type final and chaos field are both mediocre.

if logistics are the only thing keeping you away from imports, playing imports on dreamcast is as simple as downloading and burning a boot disc. under defeat and border down are fantastic...if you're willing to spend some money.

 

[Ghengis Cohen]

Don't touch Chaos Field or R-Type final, as they are boring, boring games.

EDIT: Listen to drohne

 

[mosaic]

I want to third the "Chaos Field sucks" comments. That game shoulda been rated F for Flaccid.

FYI, Raiden III should be coming out this summer. It has received mixed reviews, but Raiden heads seem to like it... and heck, it's gonna retail for $14.99.

 

[The Mighty Schwein]

Some good ones released in the US off the top of my head are

PSX:
R Type Delta
Einhander
G-Darius
Raystorm
Raycrisis
Gekioh Shooting King
Thunder Force V
Starfighter Sanvein
Raiden Project
In The Hunt

PS2:
R Type Final
Silpheed
Raiden 3 (coming soon)

DC:
Mars Matrix
Giga Wing 1/2
Gunbird 2

 

[The Mighty Schwein]

I don't own either system

Edit: Found a decent list. Can someone help with which of these were released stateside, and are any good?

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/03/dreamcast-shmups-library-2d-shooters.html

The list of DC shmups is great, but the ones released stateside are slim.

However, booting imports on DC is easy as can be and if you are okay with that definitely check out Border Down. Made by former Darius guys and it shows.

 

[Balzac]

Don't touch Chaos Field or R-Type final, as they are boring, boring games.

EDIT: Listen to drohne

Hey now, R-Type Final is quite enjoyable under the right midset. There are a lot of neat ships and homages to past Irem titles in there. So many ships in fact, that its like the Grand Turismo of shooters. Just be sure to play on the highest difficulty level (R-Typer mode) if you want any semblance of challenge. Some of the level designs/atmosphere are just beautiful in a haunting sort of way.

Choase Field is strictly mediocre. A mismash of gimmicks that somehow come together to form a solid scoring system. Pick it up if you see it for 15$ or less.

I know you said "US games only" but if you want the best the genre has to offer, I suggest picking up a flipmod and Espgaluda. Easily one of the most fun shooters I've come across this decade.

 

[The Mighty Schwein]

Hey now, R-Type Final is quite enjoyable under the right midset. There are a lot of neat ships and homages to past Irem titles in there. So many ships in fact, that its like the Grand Turismo of shooters. Just be sure to play on the highest difficulty level (R-Typer mode) if you want any semblance of challenge. Some of the level designs/atmosphere are just beautiful in a haunting sort of way.

Final has nothing on Delta, but its still pretty good AND it can be had for cheap.

The one big thing that drags me down every time I play it is the level where you are flying along side the giant ship. Horrible horrible slow down on that level for no apparent reason. It's not helpful slowdown either, which makes it even worse..... That and most of the levels are rather bland.

 

[drohne]

Some good ones released in the US off the top of my head are

PSX:
R Type Delta
Einhander
G-Darius
Raystorm
Raycrisis
Gekioh Shooting King
Thunder Force V
Starfighter Sanvein
Raiden Project
In The Hunt

PS2:
R Type Final
Silpheed
Raiden 3 (coming soon)

DC:
Mars Matrix
Giga Wing 1/2
Gunbird 2

some of those games are pretty dodgy, imo! gekioh is a bad port of a solid game, in the hunt only has graphics going for it, and sanvein is just trash. raystorm and raycrisis are mediocre at best, and while g-darius is a neat game, the ps1 version has some horrendous slowdown. i was about to object to silpheed ps2, but that game isn't terrible if you can find it cheap. i paid $50 for it. :x

i just remembered xevious 3dg on ps1, which i like quite a bit. it's...xevious. tastefully updated. with stylish flat-shaded polygonal graphics.

 

[Tain]

Might as well also suggest the freeware PC shooters, if you're willing to pick up a cheap gamepad. The ABA games and Warning Forever are pretty solid stuff.

I think that Cho Ren Sha 68k, though, despite having zero background variation, holds its own with plenty of the best commercial shooters.

 

[The Mighty Schwein]

some of those games are pretty dodgy, imo! gekioh is a bad port of a solid game, in the hunt only has graphics going for it, and sanvein is just trash. raystorm and raycrisis are mediocre at best, and while g-darius is a neat game, the ps1 version has some horrendous slowdown. i was about to object to silpheed ps2, but that game isn't terrible if you can find it cheap. i paid $50 for it. :x

i just remembered xevious 3dg on ps1, which i like quite a bit. it's...xevious. tastefully updated. with stylish flat-shaded polygonal graphics.

Yeah I probably got carried away listing PSX games, but Sanvein and Gekioh can be had on the cheap at ebgames as I can attest to. Gekioh definitely isn't the worst port in the world and I recall being surprised by Sanvein's slick presentation. I did refrain from listing Space Shot though.

On Silpheed I picked that up some odd months ago and even though I've usually seen it take a lot of slack, I enjoyed it.

 

[drohne]

i kinda like space shot. :lol

 

[The Mighty Schwein]

Yeah everyone knows and loves Space Shot, it was much too obvious to list

 

[slidewinder]

Hey now, R-Type Final is quite enjoyable under the right midset. There are a lot of neat ships and homages to past Irem titles in there. So many ships in fact, that its like the Grand Turismo of shooters. Just be sure to play on the highest difficulty level (R-Typer mode) if you want any semblance of challenge. Some of the level designs/atmosphere are just beautiful in a haunting sort of way.

Yea, for the $5-15 it sells for, I think R-Type Final is a great deal, even if it has some pretty huge problems. Good game to play with a buzz on, at the very least.

 

[djtiesto]

i kinda like space shot. :lol

It's very low budget and ugly... but I got it for $2 and I really can't complain for that price! Sanvein was pretty damn good though, got that for $2 as well

 

[Symytry]

that is a difficulty. if you're ok with ps1 games, you should play r type delta. if you haven't already. there was a domestic ps1 release of strikers 1945 II, just called "strikers 1945" -- it lacks tate mode, but the cropped-screen mode is quite playable. excellent game, in any case. there were a bunch of domestically-released shooters on dreamcast -- gunbird 2 is the best of the bunch. you also might try mars matrix or gigawing, though they aren't really my style.

the shikigami games are really good -- no shame there.

edit: you also might track down the ps1 version of thunderforce V -- awful graphics, but lots of fun.

Mars Matrix >>>>>>>>> Gunbird 2

 

[dbish]

Mars Matrix >>>>>>>>> Gunbird 2

Agreed, but you are going to get RAPED by MM at first. Heck, I still am. I also found that Gunbird 2 was far cheaper: I got it for $10 new (yay for half.com). Both are fun though.

 

[GDJustin]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I picked up Silpheed and R-Type Final online, which I know you giuys said weren't the best, but they are the cheapest

There's a store in stown that has Gunbird 2 for $15 so I'll pick that up sometime soonish too. Seems a lot of the other DC games are kinda expensive these days

 

[HyperZone<3]

You NEED Contra: Shattered Soldier, which isn't a shump per-se, but is close enough and pretty rockin in of itself.

Chaos Field is NOT deserving of the hate it gets around here. Its a perfectly fine, even pretty good shooter that is more readily available then anything else people are going to recommend here, and can be aquired more cheaply then the rest either. I saw it going for brand new at $15 at a Gamestop not too long ago. Its got great music, a nifty and unique gameplay system, a great level of challenge that is really very hard but isn't too-too difficult, and lots of milage on it (arrange mode FTW). Real good stuff.

R-Type Final is also pretty good. Its the shooter version of Pokemon (gotta get em all), with the real fun comes from collecting and testing out the 101 different ships in the game. Besides the staggering arrary of ships at your command, its also got lots of neat bonus modes, some dynamic stages, pretty good graphics and music (just ignore stage 3, slowdown city), and some other minor qualities. I like it lots.

And coming later this summer, XS games is going to be publishing The Red Star and Raiden III for American PS2's. You better get both of them, or be on the recieving end of my invective.

My fav DC shooters were Bangai-O and Gunbird 2, I'm still kicking myself for not getting Mars Matrix when I had the chance.