Retro shmups on psp

animaX

In the past few weeks my eyes have opened to the greatness of shoot em ups on the psp and it is amazing! I feel like its a hole new genre with a great back catalogue that I never noticed before. They look beautiful on the psp screen (tilted sideways) and the controls work really well.

I currently have these games running on the psp (emulators etc): DoDonpachi, Guwange, EspRade, Mars Matrix, Dangun Feveron, Batsugun, Blazing Star, Eco Fighters, Progear

My question is, are there many other great shmups from this era that I should check out? Preferably ones that are emulatable (i've already tried Battle Garegga and Radiant Silvergun and they don't work yet)

LoGiE

How is CPS-2 emulation on the psp these days? What emulator are you using?

o1s1n

I know exactly what you mean. Been doing this myself. Thunderforce IV looks great too.

animaX

LoGiE wrote: »

How is CPS-2 emulation on the psp these days? What emulator are you using?

CPS2 is perfect, even CPS3 is emulated now! Although CPS3 is only about half speed with no sound. I'm using the CPS2 emu for Mars Matrix and using Final Burn Alpha for most of the rest. If you haven't been in the scene for a while I suggest you check out the FBA emu, its amazing

Thanks for the tip o1s1n, will check out thunderforce

Retr0gamer

My advice is to use the PS1 emulator that is built into the custom firmware and get these games.

Einhander: Arguably the best shoot'em up on the PS1 and strangely enough comes from Square Enix. It's very cinematic, has an awesome electronic soundtrack. looks amazing and is just an out and out brilliant game.

G Darius: The other contender for best Shoot'em up on the PS1. A bit more traditional than einhander but with one difference. It has the most epic boss battles of an game you will play. The fight with Queen Fossil needs to be experienced and can take up to 10 minutes to beat. The beam battling is excellent as well (basically you can counter the bosses massive beam attacks with your own beam and if you chain them and keep hammering the beam button you can get a beam that covers the entire screen).

R-type Delta: It's R-type but brought right up to date. Excellent game and much better than that awful R-type Final on the PS2. I'd recommend R-type 1, 2, 3 and Leo, all ofwhich are top tier shoot'em ups although extremelt tough.

Gradius Gaiden is bloody brilliant as well. It's on the PS1 but you can also get it on the PSP Gradius Collection along with Gradius 1-IV all of which are excellent games.

On the SNES there is Axelay. Also try to get your hands on all the PS1 Parodius games.

Remember to get the american versions, the PAL versions are much slower.

Thunderforce IV is good but it's been surpassed by much better shooters. Don't go near Thunderforce V, firstly it will be the awful PS1 conversion and secondly its crap.

animaX

Thanks retrogamer, I knew you'd have a big input! Will certainly check out those ps1 games. Also, the psp now officially supports tv-out for ps1 games on composite cable so I can enjoy on my big screen!

K.O.Kiki

Not being a massive shmup-head myself (I only play casually), what's wrong with R-Type Final?
Is it too easy, or broken?

Retr0gamer

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Not being a massive shmup-head myself (I only play casually), what's wrong with R-Type Final?
Is it too easy, or broken?

It's biggest crime is that it is boring in large sections of the game and for a shmup it's an absolute crime. It has by far the worst first level of any shmup I've ever played. In some levels the slow down absolutely kills the game as well. The 3rd stage is played almost entirely in slow motion with a framerate that never gets above 10fps and can drop to below 5fps and ruins what is probably a very good level. It can get just as bad it other levels as well. There are some excellent bits, particularly the Dobekeratops boss but it's mostly bland. It's not altogether bad it's just dull and average. It's supposed to be the final chapter of the R-type series, a series that has been at the pinnacle of the genre since it's inception and it's just such a bad way to finish it off. With Gradius V on the PS2 there really is no point in bothering with it.

So in summary:
It's broken due to terrible framerate problems
Too easy
It's boring
Unimaginative level design (in an R-type game!)
Gradius V

K.O.Kiki

Y'know, I always wondered what was up with that 3rd level (flying over the city, killing robots)...