the pc engine shmup to get

AlexKidd · 10/13/2006, 11:42 PM

I've decided that i'm only going to buy one more game before I start saving most of money. Also, I realized I don't have any shmups for the pc engine cd. I've got Gate of Thunder and Lords of Thunder but no japanese exclusive ones. So my question is basically if you could only have one shooter for the pc engine cd which would it be? Feel free to mention more expensive games if you want but I'm looking for a game I can pick up for less than $100

Tatsujin · 10/13/2006, 11:51 PM

gate of thunder

rolins · 10/13/2006, 11:54 PM

Tough call, only one choice huh?

I'd be happy with just one these Nexzr, Spriggan, Rayxanber III, or Super Raiden.

Keranu · 10/14/2006, 01:33 AM

Gate of Thunder, no doubt.

GUTS · 10/14/2006, 01:58 AM

He has Gate of Thunder, retards.

rolins · 10/14/2006, 02:33 AM

Quote from: "GUTS"He has Gate of Thunder, retards.

Hahahahahahaha

Keranu · 10/14/2006, 02:52 AM

Quote from: "GUTS"He has Gate of Thunder, retards.

Well then tell him to get it again.

VestCunt · 10/14/2006, 02:55 AM

There are a lot I haven't played (Spriggan 1 +2, Nexzr), but I'm partial to Super Raiden and Cotton.

Guts, you're hilarious.

SignOfZeta · 10/14/2006, 03:14 AM

Well I'd say if you need a shooter, on CD, and it has to be a JP release, then maybe you should get one of those bootleg Sapphires. They are pretty nice and can be had for around $60 shipped. That's a lot for a bootleg, but given the circumstances I think it makes an OK middle ground between a $0.05 CD-R, and a $380 original. Normally when it comes to bootlegs my philosophy is that its OK to have them, but I won't pay actual money for them. For some reason I don't feel this way about this one. I'm not sure why.

My most recent JP-only shooter is actually Burning Angel. Its cheap, and I like it quite a bit. Its a HuCard though, so I don't know if that is something you want to avoid. Its a lot like Super Star Soilder, but its two player, which I appreciate.

Burning-Angel-PA.54256.001.webp

_Paul · 10/14/2006, 04:18 AM

Without doubt, Star Parodier.

Review here: http://pcenginebible.roarvgm.com/HTML_Games/Star_Parodier.htm

Keranu · 10/14/2006, 04:29 AM

Star Parodia kicks major ass.

Emerald Rocker · 10/14/2006, 04:35 AM

Spriggan.

_Paul · 10/14/2006, 06:20 AM

Quote from: "Emerald Rocker"Spriggan.

Star Parodia>Spriggan

But Spriggan is still a damn fine shooter.

runinruder · 10/14/2006, 06:40 AM

Macross 2036 is my personal favorite, but Spriggan is the safest bet, especially if you enjoy other Compile shooters like Blazing Lazers and MUSHA.

GUTS · 10/14/2006, 02:44 PM

Macross is awesome, but way too easy. Spriggan would be better if you want something you can't beat on your first try.

Seldane · 10/14/2006, 04:33 PM

Get Detana!! Twinbee for Hucard instead. Cheap and really good!

TurboXray · 10/14/2006, 07:49 PM

Spriggan Mark II owns Spriggan

Keranu · 10/14/2006, 08:14 PM

Toilet Kids if you have the extra cash.

Odonadon · 10/14/2006, 10:58 PM

Easy - R-Type Complete CD

OD

thewestexit · 10/15/2006, 12:21 AM

Other than Gates and Lords, I'd suggest Summer Carnival '93 (Nexzr - useless cinemas + caravan game modes), Gradius II, or Rayxanber III

GUTS · 10/15/2006, 12:50 AM

Spriggan Mark 2 is decent, but it's easy as hell and the bosses are lame. The first is way better.

TurboXray · 10/15/2006, 03:31 AM

GUTS, pass me some of that crack your smoking

SM2 is a good challenge on the hardest setting - plus you get to fight an additional boss and have a longer ending. SM2 story blows away the first one - was there really a story to the fisrt one? SM2 is story driven like Cybernator or Target Earth, except it's set in a shmup atmosphere. If you like your shmups with some actual story content - SM2 delivers. If you don't, then pass it up

OldRover · 10/15/2006, 07:11 AM

I would recommend Sapphire but you'd need the ACD to play it. Not too familiar with most PCE-CD shooters, especially exclusives. If you need another card shooter for the PCE, my strong suggestion is to pick up "the bang your head against the desk shooter" Violent Soldier.

cheezio · 10/15/2006, 10:57 AM

Aero Blasters is interesting if you were ever an Amiga fan - Turrican 2 (by Factor5) ripped off a couple of bosses wholesale, and ProjectX (by Team17) theived the speed run section.

runinruder · 10/15/2006, 11:48 AM

We're getting away from his original request here, but I agree that Sinistron/Violent Soldier is a great game. It's easy for the first three-and-a-half stages and then suddenly becomes insanely hard, but STILL really fun and you always feel like you've got a chance. Plus, if you want to hear great chip music, this game has some of the best.

While Sinistron is my favorite chip shooter, I think Soldier Blade and Parodius are safer recommendations--SB because it's faster and easier, and Parodius for its sheer entertainment value.

Anyway, I still think Spriggan is the safest bet of any of the games mentioned in this topic. It's got a great power-up system that basically allows you to "make your own weapon," giant bosses, fast and steady action, cool level concepts and graphics, nice music, decent challenge (on the easy side, for sure), and a reasonable price tag. The only way I could see someone disliking it is if they don't like Compile's style in general (and I'm not counting Space Megaforce, as any respectable shooter player hates that slow, drawn-out piece of trash).

The other "major contenders" all have "red flags." Sapphire is extremely expensive and rather short. Sylphia is extremely expensive and quite easy with mostly cruddy level graphics. Nexzr mostly has boring space backdrops and it's fairly tough and uses checkpoints. Macross 2036 is easy and generally appeals a lot more to Macross/Robotech fans than to everyone else. Star Parodier literally put GUTS to sleep.

About thieving the Aero Blasters speed run, I think Thunder Force 2's speed run in its last sidescrolling level preceded AB's by quite some time.

akamichi · 10/15/2006, 01:00 PM

Check out Download 2. It's got pretty good music, nice graphics, 9 stages, and an unexpected last boss... at least I didn't see it coming.

Other than that, RayXanber II will last forever... since it's practically impossible to beat.

GUTS · 10/15/2006, 02:28 PM

Quote from: "Bonknuts"GUTS, pass me some of that crack your smoking

SM2 is a good challenge on the hardest setting - plus you get to fight an additional boss and have a longer ending. SM2 story blows away the first one - was there really a story to the fisrt one? SM2 is story driven like Cybernator or Target Earth, except it's set in a shmup atmosphere. If you like your shmups with some actual story content - SM2 delivers. If you don't, then pass it up

I passed SM2 the first time I put it in my Duo. If a game forces you to put it on HARD to be challenging, I don't consider it a challenge. Plus the bosses were lame as hell with those rotating arms they were so proud of being able to do, most of which slowed the game down to SNES speed. The first Spriggan doesn't suffer from any gameplay blemishes like that, it's a fast, challenging shooter that delivers in every area that counts. SM2 does have better cinemas for sure, but at the expense of gameplay that will keep you coming back.

TurboXray · 10/15/2006, 02:56 PM

Your obivously very opinionated, so I'll not bother to argue.

A side from that, if you like compile overhead style shooters, then Spriggan I is a must. Lots of action, nice graphics/colors even if a bit repetitive (old CD 2.0 limitation), great music, cool bosses.

JoshTurboTrollX · 10/15/2006, 03:34 PM

Get Gradius II. Konami's hella sweet Gradius series hits PC Engine CD? Hells yeah!

but---

No Terraforming love?

I dug it, its no Gates or Lords, but it still cool.

CD-SCD games that are cool-
Cotton
Terraforming
Forgotten Worlds
Star Parodia
Gradius II

just a few good ones to wet your whistle-

TurbOSage

thewestexit · 10/15/2006, 06:42 PM

Ah, I forgot about Terraforming, that is a great one as well, great graphics, music, gameplay, great all around really. WTF was up with that EGM review where they panned the US version? Guess they were too busy playing Primal Rage or something

Keranu · 10/15/2006, 07:51 PM

I'm not very fond of Terraforming, seemed a little too bland gameplay wise. The graphics and music are great though.

Tatsujin · 10/15/2006, 10:19 PM

terraforming is funny but never plays in the same class as a wot, got, spriggan etc. does. the real HC and benchmark shmups imo are:

gate of thunder
winds of thunder
star parodia
seireisenshi spriggan 'sc91
nexzr
ginga fukei densetsu sapphire
r-type
gradius II gofer no yabou
magical chase
(sylphia)

SignOfZeta · 10/15/2006, 10:20 PM

Quote from: "thewestexit"Other than Gates and Lords, I'd suggest Summer Carnival '93 (Nexzr - useless cinemas + caravan game modes), Gradius II, or Rayxanber III

I've never played this game, and was thinking about buying it. So the Summer Carnival version doesn't have cinemas? Unless the Carnival modes are really awesome or something I'd rather have the cinemas.

thewestexit · 10/15/2006, 11:37 PM

I don't feel that the cinemas add much to the game at all. I honestly don't play the caravan competitive modes much but when I thinned out my collection I sold Nexzr and held onto Summer Carnival '93. The Summer Carnival version is quite a bit cheaper which I think is reason enough to get it over the regular version of Nexzr. Very fun shooter and nice difficulty curve too, very challenging but not quite frustratingly so.

Tatsujin · 10/15/2006, 11:55 PM

i join the cinemas of nexzr a lot. it is one of the most dramatic exist in any shooter cinemas i've ever seen. don't want to miss it

Vanquish · 10/16/2006, 10:52 AM

Quote from: "Odonadon"Easy - R-Type Complete CD

OD

wisest post in this thread

Go for R-Type, it owns all !!

I thought you all would say it when i read this thread... but you all have dissapointed me

hehehe

_Paul · 10/16/2006, 01:01 PM

Quote from: "Vanquish"
Quote from: "Odonadon"Easy - R-Type Complete CD

OD

wisest post in this thread

Go for R-Type, it owns all !!

I thought you all would say it when i read this thread... but you all have dissapointed me hehehe

I prefer the card version.

cheezio · 10/16/2006, 03:11 PM

rtype complete CD has some dodgy cinematics, that dont really tie levels together as well as you might hope. The remixed music is a little odd too. But Rtype is rtype - quite a fantastic game. Would be interesting to see how kids handle playing it on the Wii (will they give up in frustration?).

CrackTiger · 10/16/2006, 05:36 PM

If you're sticking to your CD request, then get Sylphia.

If you're open to HuCards, buy Aeroblasters.

SignOfZeta · 10/16/2006, 09:17 PM

Aeroblasters kicks much ass. However not only is it a HuCard, but its also a US release so it doesn't really fit his criteria.

rolins · 10/16/2006, 10:12 PM

I used to think Aeroblasters was a great game, up to stage 3 anyway. After that, the later stages are no fun because of the gravity effects.

CrackTiger · 10/17/2006, 03:27 PM

Quote from: "SignOfZeta"Aeroblasters kicks much ass. However not only is it a HuCard, but its also a US release so it doesn't really fit his criteria.

Yeah, I missed the Japan exclusive part.

If considering HuCards though, you can't go wrong with the Konami shooters.

AlexKidd · 10/17/2006, 09:11 PM

Based on your requests I think i'm going to go with one of the Spriggan games, probably the first and maybe get Gradius 2 as well.

I have nothing against hucards but all I have is a Turbo Duo and an Express so Japanese hucards are pretty useless to me. I'd like to get a coregrafx but they're usually quite expensive after the shipping from Japan.

Tatsujin · 10/18/2006, 01:29 AM

good choice, but if you have a psx or saturn you also can get the 1:1 port of Gradius II there.

well, seirei senshi spriggan for the first is very well. you will have a lot of fun!

thewestexit · 10/19/2006, 09:11 PM

Quote from: "Tatsujin"good choice, but if you have a psx or saturn you also can get the 1:1 port of Gradius II there.

Well, I for one like PC Engine version better than the arcade game... dunno why, it just "feels" better.

CrackTiger · 10/19/2006, 10:37 PM

Quote from: "thewestexit"
Quote from: "Tatsujin"good choice, but if you have a psx or saturn you also can get the 1:1 port of Gradius II there.

Well, I for one like PC Engine version better than the arcade game... dunno why, it just "feels" better.

I've never been able to get into the arcade or PCE versions of Salamander, but I loved Life Force for NES back in the day.

Tatsujin · 10/20/2006, 12:04 AM

Quote from: "thewestexit"
Quote from: "Tatsujin"good choice, but if you have a psx or saturn you also can get the 1:1 port of Gradius II there.

Well, I for one like PC Engine version better than the arcade game... dunno why, it just "feels" better.

same here but for the only reason, that i enjoy more to play games on the beloved system and also it's amazing that the pce 87er hardware can/could handle the arcade pendant in almost equal quality

but, there are a lot of people auta which prefere the "real" pix2pix conversions on the 32-bitter

CrackTiger · 10/20/2006, 12:47 AM

Quote from: "Tatsujin"
Quote from: "thewestexit"
Quote from: "Tatsujin"good choice, but if you have a psx or saturn you also can get the 1:1 port of Gradius II there.

Well, I for one like PC Engine version better than the arcade game... dunno why, it just "feels" better.
same here but for the only reason, that i enjoy more to play games on the beloved system and also it's amazing that the pce 87er hardware can/could handle the arcade pendant in almost equal quality

but, there are a lot of people auta which prefere the "real" pix2pix conversions on the 32-bitter

We should start a thread about ports of games we prefer to the original and/or arcade.

esteban · 10/20/2006, 05:41 PM

Quote from: "rolins"I used to think Aeroblasters was a great game, up to stage 3 anyway. After that, the later stages are no fun because of the gravity effects.

The gravity effects only add to the challenge

.

Spriggan is a good choice, and I love it, but I'm surprised folks here haven't pointed out that while it is a rock-solid game, it lacks the novelty of GOD PANIC.

The same can be said for Raiden, which lacks the novelty of Hany in the Sky.

That said, if you really like shooters, definitely get Spriggan.

CrackTiger · 10/20/2006, 06:01 PM

Quote from: "stevek666"
Quote from: "rolins"I used to think Aeroblasters was a great game, up to stage 3 anyway. After that, the later stages are no fun because of the gravity effects.
The gravity effects only add to the challenge .

Spriggan is a good choice, and I love it, but I'm surprised folks here haven't pointed out that while it is a rock-solid game, it lacks the novelty of GOD PANIC.

The same can be said for Raiden, which lacks the novelty of Hany in the Sky.

That said, if you really like shooters, definitely get Spriggan.

Nothing beats the novelty of Star Parodia.