Crabmaster2000 | 508 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 (edited) Also trying to come up with a somewhat definitive list of shmups. I really thought this would be a lot more straightforward than it is. Here's what I've got so far. The first list is the ones I'm relatively confident about, followed by a list that I'm not as sure of. Would love everyone's opinions on which of these games you would call a shmup and which ones you wouldn't, but also why you feel that way. Or if I just plain old missed one please let me know. 1942 1943 Abadox Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonstrike Adventures of Dino Riki Air Fortress Alpha Mission Back to the Future Breakthru Burai Fighter Captain Planet and the Planeteers Cobra Command Defender II Destination Earthstar Dragon Spirit Empire Strikes Back (Hoth and Bespin) Gradius Gun*Nac Gun Smoke Image Fight Isolated Warrior Kid Icarus (final stage?) King’s Knight Legendary Wings Life Force Magmax SCAT Special Cybernetic Attack Team Section Z Seicross Silkworm Silver Surfer Sky Kid Sky Shark Spy Hunter Sqoon Star Force Starship Hector Star Soldier Stinger Super Spy Hunter Tale Spin Terra Cresta The Guardian Legend The Hunt for Red October The Last Starfighter The Little Mermaid Thunderbirds Thundercade Tiger-Heli Twin Cobra Twin Eagle Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth Xevious Xexyz Zanac Zombie Nation Shmup or something else? Balloon Fight? Bump n Jump? Captain Skyhawk? Cybernoid: The Fighting Machine? Galaga? Gyruss? Iron Tank? Jackal? Knight Rider? Mach Rider? Millipede? Paperboy? Paperboy 2? Raid on Bungeling Bay? Roadblasters? Ultimate Air Combat (bombing missions) Edited December 15, 2021 by Crabmaster2000 spelled real bad and added a game to the list 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docile tapeworm | 4,206 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 This is me just being a clown but I’m just wondering how destination earth star your sure of but somehow captain Skyhawk is questionable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabmaster2000 | 508 Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 1 minute ago, docile tapeworm said: This is me just being a clown but I’m just wondering how destination earth star your sure of but somehow captain Skyhawk is questionable I think it's the perspective of Skyhawk that is throwing me off. The second part of each level in Earthstar is very clearly a run of the mill shmup stage. But if Skyhawk is also a shmup does that mean the bombing missions in Ultimate Air Combat are shmup stages too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docile tapeworm | 4,206 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 1 minute ago, Crabmaster2000 said: I think it's the perspective of Skyhawk that is throwing me off. The second part of each level in Earthstar is very clearly a run of the mill shmup stage. But if Skyhawk is also a shmup does that mean the bombing missions in Ultimate Air Combat are shmup stages too? Idk. Now, what about top gun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabmaster2000 | 508 Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 Just now, docile tapeworm said: Idk. Now, what about top gun? lol, Just because flight sim genre is more well defined I think Top Gun definitely fits there better, but still quite closely related. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docile tapeworm | 4,206 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 Also I don’t count the games that only have select stages of shooter….ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strikezone1 | 155 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 I've played a majority of the games under the shmup list and I agree with most of what you have listed. The few that I would question are Xexyz (which I would consider a hybrid I suppose), Little Mermaid, and Kid Icarus. For me personally, the biggest and deciphering factor between considering a game a shmup vs just a shooter is the auto-scrolling feature; the player doesn't get to control the pace of the game. I personally don't consider any of the games listed under "shmup or something else?" as shmups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docile tapeworm | 4,206 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 @Strikezone1 I give it to Skyhawk, galaga and gyruss. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabmaster2000 | 508 Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 1 minute ago, Strikezone1 said: I've played a majority of the games under the shmup list and I agree with most of what you have listed. The few that I would question are Xexyz (which I would consider a hybrid I suppose), Little Mermaid, and Kid Icarus. For me personally, the biggest and deciphering factor between considering a game a shmup vs just a shooter is the auto-scrolling feature; the player doesn't get to control the pace of the game. I personally don't consider any of the games listed under "shmup or something else?" as shmups. I would like to agree with the part about auto-scrolling, but then how do you define games like: AD&D:Dragonstrike, The Last Starfighter, or Defender II if they aren't Shmups? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabmaster2000 | 508 Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 1 minute ago, docile tapeworm said: @Strikezone1 I give it to Skyhawk, galaga and gyruss. Galaga, but not Millipede? The function pretty similarly 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strikezone1 | 155 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 1 minute ago, docile tapeworm said: @Strikezone1 I give it to Skyhawk, galaga and gyruss. Gyruss is more of like a rail/tube shooter I feel. Galaga is a single-screen arcade shooter. And if you give it to Galaga than you have to give it to Milliped too right (exact same gameplay)? I'm with ya on Skyhawk. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docile tapeworm | 4,206 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 2 minutes ago, Crabmaster2000 said: Galaga, but not Millipede? The function pretty similarly Ya millipede gets it from me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docile tapeworm | 4,206 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 Xexyz definitely has shooter stages but it’s not a shooter game. It’s like a multi genre like guardian legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strikezone1 | 155 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 4 minutes ago, Crabmaster2000 said: I would like to agree with the part about auto-scrolling, but then how do you define games like: AD&D:Dragonstrike, The Last Starfighter, or Defender II if they aren't Shmups? That is a good question. There is definitely some grey area and overlap when categorizing genres. I suppose I would classify those 3 as just [space] shooters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabmaster2000 | 508 Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 @Strikezone1and Paperboy auto scrolls why doesn't that one count for you? Also if Dragonstrike is a shump wouldn't that make Raid on Bungeling bay one as well since they are functionally very similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabmaster2000 | 508 Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 Also sorry if I sound defensive. I'm absolutely not and really appreciate the input. Just working out some ideas out loud and seeing where they lead 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabmaster2000 | 508 Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 2 minutes ago, docile tapeworm said: Xexyz definitely has shooter stages but it’s not a shooter game. It’s like a multi genre like guardian legend. I meant to have guardian legend on the list. That was an oversight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strikezone1 | 155 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 1 minute ago, Crabmaster2000 said: @Strikezone1and Paperboy auto scrolls why doesn't that one count for you? Also if Dragonstrike is a shump wouldn't that make Raid on Bungeling bay one as well since they are functionally very similar? Good question regarding Paperboy. Does throwing papers at houses and in mailboxes even count as 'shooting'? Are the hazards in the game (dogs, tires, grim reapers, etc) even considered enemies since they can be bypassed without being shot at? I honestly haven't played Raid on Bungeling Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docile tapeworm | 4,206 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 If you can enter TGL and play all the shooter stages but it’s not a shooter by default. also I think “space shooters” is a thing in my mind and I hold them as the cream of the crop and purest of “shooters” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strikezone1 | 155 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 4 minutes ago, Crabmaster2000 said: Also sorry if I sound defensive. I'm absolutely not and really appreciate the input. Just working out some ideas out loud and seeing where they lead You don't sound defensive at all. This is a great topic idea that should generate some good discussion. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docile tapeworm | 4,206 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 Guardian legend has some of the most impressive shooter graphics and gameplay on the system though. Still I don’t consider it a pure “shooter” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabmaster2000 | 508 Posted December 15, 2021 Author Share Posted December 15, 2021 10 minutes ago, Strikezone1 said: Good question regarding Paperboy. Does throwing papers at houses and in mailboxes even count as 'shooting'? Are the hazards in the game (dogs, tires, grim reapers, etc) even considered enemies since they can be bypassed without being shot at? I honestly haven't played Raid on Bungeling Bay. You can bypass enemies in any other shooter as well, with the exception of bosses, it's just much harder to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brickman | 4,073 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 This is the list I always like to look over when I want to play a new NES shmup: http://nesartifacts.blogspot.com/p/nes-shmup-guide.html?m=1 A quick glance looks like you have all the licensed stuff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docile tapeworm | 4,206 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 @Gloves gonna be mad you didn’t put abadox on the list. Shooter in my book 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagusSmurf | 577 Posted December 15, 2021 Share Posted December 15, 2021 (edited) Balloon Fight is a series of non-scrolling single-screen levels with no shooting. It clearly shouldn't be here. I'd put it in whatever category you have Joust, Donkey Kong, and Donkey Kong Jr. If Galaga stays, Donkey Kong 3 probably has a good argument for being here too. Not sure exactly how you're doing all your genre labels, but personally, I'd probably just boot all of the games I mentioned thus far to some kind of "old school arcade" genre with Pac-Man. I don't have a particularly good idea for what to do with Little Mermaid other than "not here." I guess it's basically sort of like a platformer but being almost entirely underwater means there's barely any jumping. Edited December 15, 2021 by MagusSmurf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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