Best Genesis shmups (That aren't TFIV!) [Archive]

Kollision

04-13-2008, 05:05 PM

Love these threads!

Well, horizontally speaking, I would say: Darius II, Zero Wing, Wings of Wor, Hellfire (each one of them for several different reasons)...

Vertically speaking: M.U.S.H.A., Grind Stormer, Elemental Master....

Rail shooters: After Burner II (always always fun to play, and a bit easier than other renditions), Panorama Cotton...

Other kinds of shooters: Space Invaders '91 (really fun, great music), Subterrania (never mind difficulty, this an underrated gem)...

ThunderForce

04-13-2008, 05:07 PM

Panorama Cotton

No.

Grind Stormer/V-Five: Love the game, but the Genesis just can't handle it. Once MAME gets the sound working on V-Five I'm selling my JP Import copy.

Actually I should get the PCB of V-Five, but I don't own a supergun.

Zebbe

04-13-2008, 05:08 PM

Yes.

Kollision

04-13-2008, 05:09 PM

Actually I never played Grind Stormer seriously.
Only seen the 1st stage, but I was very impressed.

ThunderForce

04-13-2008, 05:15 PM

Yes.

No.

Actually I never played Grind Stormer seriously.
Only seen the 1st stage, but I was very impressed.

The flickering becomes a nightmare later in the game. God help you with the second loop (oh yeah, slowdown heavy too).

DigitalSpace

04-13-2008, 05:27 PM

Fire Shark
Truxton
Task Force Harrier EX
Steel Empire
Twin Cobra
Phelios
Wings of Wor
Gaiares
MUSHA

BlowMyCartridge

04-13-2008, 06:59 PM

Air Buster
Steel Empire
Fire Shark
Raiden Trad

parallaxscroll

04-13-2008, 07:02 PM

Thunder Force III (i like it better than IV)
Fire Shark
MUSHA
Phelios
Fire Mustang
Super Fantasy Zone

BlowMyCartridge

04-13-2008, 07:12 PM

Why no Air Buster love on here?

tomaitheous

04-13-2008, 11:53 PM

Gaiares. Nuff said.

Alianger

04-13-2008, 11:56 PM

Shooter
M.U.S.H.A./Aleste – Full Metal Fighter Ellinor, Thunder Force IV/Lightening Force
Battle Mania 2, Bio-Hazard Battle, Eliminate Down, Elemental Master, Gaiares, Gley Lancer, Super Fantasy Zone, Thunder Force III,
Dangerous Seed, Granada, Hellfire, Steel Empire/Empire of Steel, Slap Fight, Thunder Force II, Vapor Trail, Wings of Wor/Gynoug,

Non-Traditional Shooter:
Road Blasters, Atomic Runner, Lethal Enforcers II: Gunfighters

Rail Shooter
Panorama Cotton

AD2101

04-14-2008, 03:37 AM

Hellfire
Zero Wing
Gaiares
Eliminate Down
Gleylancer
M.U.S.H.A.

TmEE

04-14-2008, 03:51 AM

Trouble Shooter is pretty fun, a bit short... but I love the humor and music

Kollision

04-14-2008, 11:49 AM

Trouble Shooter is pretty fun, a bit short... but I love the humor and musicAgreed!
I'm waiting for my copy to arrive to play it again! :p

Mr Smith

04-14-2008, 12:26 PM

Zero Wing is worth buying solely for the Engrish, which is a good thing as the gamplay is tosh.

Tanegashima

04-14-2008, 01:01 PM

Well, I don't know if it completely counts, but Gain Ground is fantastic with shmup elements.

kettle of death

04-14-2008, 03:12 PM

Why no Air Buster love on here?

It pisses me off aswell! Air Buster was a great game except from the space levels with the horrible controls

AD2101

04-14-2008, 07:31 PM

Zero Wing is worth buying solely for the Engrish, which is a good thing as the gamplay is tosh.

Really? I think it plays pretty well. The tractor beam is little more than a gimmick but there's nothing really "tosh" about it IMO. Controls are nice, weapons are distinct and each have their strengths and weaknesses. The elusive 4th level powerups arer really rad when you get them too.

Kollision

04-14-2008, 10:03 PM

AD2101, you forgot to mention Zero Wing's music!

xbrinkx

04-14-2008, 10:39 PM

In alphabetical order...

Bio-Hazard Battle
Dangerous Seed (it's old, but the music is good)
Elemental Master
Eliminate Down
Gaiares
M.U.S.H.A.
Sol-Deace
Subterrania
Thunder Force II
Thunder Force III
Thunder Force IV

Mr Smith

04-15-2008, 04:12 AM

Maybe I exaggerated when calling Zero Wing tosh. Under the Mr Smith game categorisation system there is only "awesome" and "tosh". Out of the two I would put Zero Wing in the latter, however, with a little bit of thought I would call this one average. Certainly not a world beater, but then again there are worse games out there.

BlowMyCartridge

04-15-2008, 11:37 PM

It pisses me off aswell! Air Buster was a great game except from the space levels with the horrible controls

Yeah, the "zero gravity" controls made boss battles a real bitch.

GeckoYamori

04-16-2008, 06:00 AM

I really like Bio-Hazard Battle.

KenshiroX

04-16-2008, 08:19 AM

Wait a minute. Is Dangerous Seed Japan only or was it ever released on the western shores?

username

04-16-2008, 08:47 AM

Egad, this thread has made me realise that I don't own a single one of these games. Oh, the shame.

KenshiroX

04-16-2008, 10:37 AM

Egad, this thread has made me realise that I don't own a single one of these games. Oh, the shame.

Cheer up, I only have three.

Kollision

04-16-2008, 10:42 AM

From what I know Dangerous Seed is JP only.
I have it, but it took me some time to find it complete.

Xanafalgue

05-23-2008, 12:27 AM

Gynoug.

Dirt Ball Gamer

05-24-2008, 04:39 AM

Love battle mania 2. Really fun little shooter. I beat it on hard the other day. The music is great

pompeyparsons

05-26-2008, 12:14 PM

Two Words: Raiden Trad.

Elusive

05-26-2008, 06:43 PM

Super Fantasy Zone is a great little shooter, with or without the bright colours. It's weird as hell, you can mute the sound and play pretty much anything as the soundtrack and it matches up perfectly.

Seriously, go and play the first level and put Raining Blood on in the background. Garage, Inc seems to work well too.

Grounder

05-26-2008, 07:20 PM

Zero Wing.

Kollision

05-26-2008, 09:11 PM

Yeah Zero Wing!
And definitely Eliminate Down, Gleylancer and Subterrania.

drako717

05-29-2008, 03:46 PM

hellfire and MUSHA i would go with

Iapetus

06-08-2008, 03:04 AM

Fire Shark
Thunder Force III
MUSHA Aleste
Air Buster

... all of which have already been mentioned. Oh well. Fire Shark is a great Ego-killer at parties and such. Know anyone who needs to choke on his pride? It has worked many a time for myself.

Mordan

06-08-2008, 05:31 AM

Dirt Ball Gamer

06-08-2008, 05:46 AM

Fireshark is the best

sega fan

11-20-2008, 04:22 PM

Zero Tolerence.

Yes, I know it's from the first person, I don't care about the semantics, it's a great shooter.

Nintega Grafx-16

11-20-2008, 05:37 PM

M.U.S.H.A. is one of the greatest games ever made.

Black_Tiger

11-20-2008, 07:41 PM

Super Fantasy Zone
Air Buster
Lords of Thunder

tomaitheous

11-20-2008, 10:50 PM

Zero Tolerence.

Yes, I know it's from the first person, I don't care about the semantics, it's a great shooter.

You should care. 'Cause it's a shooter, but not a shmup :cool:

john8248

11-21-2008, 05:14 PM

why not Bio Hazard Battle love here?

single players only shmups are not my cup of tea. BHB single player isn't as fun as in co-op mode. I played BHB a lot wiht my neighbour. It is a BLAST. And we never could finish the final boss in hardest.

what are co-op shmups?

Bio-Hazard Battle is vastly underrated, in my opinion. In a way, that's a good thing. It sells for cheap.

List of 2p co-op shmups for Genesis:

Air Buster
Battle Squadron
Bio-Hazard Battle
Earth Defense / The Earth Defend
Forgotten Worlds
Gadget Twins
Vapor Trail

I'm not as familiar with JP / PAL Megadrive titles. Hope someone finds this helpful.