@TracyDMcGrath I‘m guessing it’s for the same reason their Toaplan collections limit the full feature suite to specific games/versions… all their enhancements are specifically keyed for the one ROM and it’s too time-intensive to redo them for every version.
That said, the teaser they showed for the next stream revealed they are adding at least three new arranges, so I kinda wish they’d maybe just stuck to one and hooked up BL because the training features they showed off seem extremely useful.
Steam are doing a highlight on shmup/stg for the next week.
…although, it looks like their definition/criteria for inclusion are pretty loose
Such a bizarre thing
Every time I use Steam to find shoot-em-ups (or god forbid something as specific as Kiki Kaikai-likes) I need to use so many filters and tags to actually find anything remotely resembling the genre, and even then non-shoot-em-ups still manage to slip their way through. It's so trashy to be practically useless. Who is telling indie devs to use these tags??
@Funbil I think the tags are community driven iirc
@TracyDMcGrath As always, it’s not the game creators but the game players. Should have known
Ray’z Arcade Chronology is out now on PC: ICYMI, this is a collection containing fresh, M2-produced ports of the arcade versions of RayForce, RayStorm and RayCrisis with on-screen gadgets, training options, multiple soundtrack options per game, etc:
STG news from TGS:
One more Pixel game was announced just before TGS, and it’s significant for a different reason, which I’ve blathered about here (Wayback Machine) but the tl;dr is this is the crowdfunded game these folks made for ex-Konami composer Motoaki Furukawa that was never released due to Furukawa refusing to pay them:
As a Cotton newbie, should I grab Cotton Reboot or Fantasy to start with?
@HeavenlyHalberd This question comes up from time to time, and I always say Reboot. With that one, you‘re gonna get an extremely solid version of the OG Cotton game to check out, plus a remake of that OG game (Cotton Reboot!) that is just a rock solid, fast, hyperactively fun STG that’s also extremely accessible and looks and sounds fantastic.
Fantasy is a lot of fun for sure, and while it’s not like you need a ton of context to “understand” Cotton (cute shmup with witch brat, done) Reboot is the far better intro package and Reboot! itself is, for my money, the straight-up best Cotton game. Fantasy is all about exploring the different gimmicks/play styles of a whole stable of characters, and is also pretty referential to previous Cotton games (and STGs in general), while Reboot will give you a straightforward “this is what this series is” introduction in a literal sense and a vibes sense. And then you have access to Fantasy and just about every other Cotton game on modern platforms these days if you’re into it
@Funbil game players are the worst! (IC folk excepted)
@tokucowboy Thanks so much! Sounds like Reboot will be my cup of tea then. I‘m excited to grab it! You all in this thread are so knowledgeable and helpful and it’s been very handy as I’ve turned into a shmup guy over the course of this year.
Would folks be willing to list their top 5(ish) vertical STGs? Looking to get a somewhat curated set of games for a vertical raspberry pi3 setup I'm putzing with.
Armed Police Batrider
Dangun Feveron
Battle Garegga
Gunbird 2
DoDonPachi DaiOuJou
@tomjonjon Tracy naturally landed all the hard-hitters, but I can manage to add:
Mushihime-sama
Kiki Kaikai :o)
Space Moth
Shikigami no Shiro II
Worth noting my pi can handle up to the PGM Cave games but can't run say Mushihimesama
I could be doing something wrong though
Kingdom Grand Prix
ESP Ra. De.
Dangun Feveron
Espgaluda II
Mushihimesama Futari’
(the last two i’m not sure if they’ll run on a pi)
@tomjonjon Batrider and ESP would also be on my impulsive list, but for pure quality (rather than the kinda B-shooter stuff I like sometimes):
Dogyuun
Judgement Silversword
GG Aleste 3
RayForce
Batsugun
@tomjonjon lol I’m not good at picking!
How about:
