What is your favorite shmup and why?

As the title states. I'm doing some research for a game. I'm curious what it is, or what draws a person, to a particular shmup. I'm researching mechanics specifically.

(Do)DonPachi series - I think it has one of the best "feels" of a Shmup ever - when your pulse weapon switches to a laser that just razes weaker enemies - it's awesome. Classic arcade fare, you pick up power-ups, use bombs and there's no health bar as western Shmups tend to have. There's also plenty of challenge with cool bosses and lots of bullets.

Edit: Not to mention best boss warning ever:

I rather liked Steambirds, with its turn based tactics, but they ruined the ios version with ads.

I keep promising myself to make something similiar, but I keep putting it off.

I've read a lot about the DoDonPachi series but haven't played them. I really need to track down a copy. I haven't played Steambirds before. I'll check out the iOS version despite the ads. It'll work to get the feel of the game.

What is attractive of the shmup genre to you?

I'd say the simplicity of the concept.

No huge backstory, just a few minutes of intense gameplay, with rewards, hopefully.

Of course turn based isn't quite as dazzling, but if done right it could be.

For me it's a pure arcade game - if done well it's both a test of skill that's fair, there's non-stop action and spectacle, and it's paced quite nicely for a quick go. This reminds me that recently I have really enjoyed Skyforce 2014 on Android - it's a more western approach to shmups cross-bred with the necessities of the modern age, like opening for IAP use, etc. Yet it's still a decent shmup at heart as well - with pattern memorization, ever improving firepower and nice difficulty curve.

(Do)DonPachi series -

Edit: Not to mention best boss warning ever:

I'd never heard of this game so did a quick search and found that

[quote:34txe1lv]the message at startup warns that anyone caught playing the arcade unit outside of Japan would be prosecuted "to the full extent of the jam."

It's from this top 10 list from 08 (it got #3)

Galaga!

And Astroblaster or Dizasterblaster (same game different names) on C64.

not a big shmup fan, but my favorite game was actually for a long time R-type (the master system version), it was not insanely hard, but nice noneless, and the bosses were quite nice (even though I never beat the one of the master system exclusive hidden bonus level).

life force Salamander on NES was harder and 2 players could play at the same time, which I liked, fantasy zone (master system) was funny too and the shop system was nice.

for the worst one, I would say the awful conversion of Xenon 2 for the master system, a "slow them up" when you can end up in dead ends, and have to scroll back sloowwwwly, and with a single music that loops continiously, and uninspired bosses.

helena Going old school commodore? Not bad.

So here, and a few other places, I'm seeing hard but fair mixed with skill and memorization being constantly mentioned (almost word for word). Or I'm seeing classic examples like R-Type and whatnot mentioned a lot. That makes me want to ask another question.

One of the design decisions I'm weighing making a shmup is to go with the classic approach or some randomness in the enemy arrivals. What I was thinking of doing was creating blocks or flight patterns, which would always be the same, but have those blocks arrive in random patterns. The game wouldn't be completely memorizable at that point. It would be more skill based. The blocks would always best the same so there would be some memorizing but that would be the extent to it. Is there appeal to that or does that sounds like it would break the scheme to much and be unapproachable?

Somebody I got a chance to play the new Strikeforce game on an iPad. Was hesitant to play it on my phone because of the small screen. I like it a lot as well. They did a good job balancing that game.

Police Barade because of all the enemies you get to kill with all the power ups, the difficult boss battles, and the insane backgrounds. The depth perception in the game is really good, too, it makes you feel like you're soaring high in the sky.

When I was younger I used to play this game a lot

It´s free and called D.O.V.E! Mainly liked it cause of the possibility to change the weapon to backshooting

Old school favorites:

Lifeforce/Salamander for NES

For nostalgia - not a particularly difficult game. Loved that it mixed horizontal and vertical scrolling levels in the same game.

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DoDonPachi (favorite bullet hell)

This is just a classic, found an arcade in Taiwan that actually had it and played the "bullet hell" out of it.

Mushihimesama because I secretly hate myself.

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Apogee's Raptor: Call of the Shadows (loved upgrading my weapons in that game)

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And basically every Touhou game for the art style and music.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touhou_Project

Finally a personal favorite (I'll be impressed if anyone else here has played it):

Steel Empire for the Sega Genesis

I always liked Mars Matrix as it difference itself quite a bit from most shmups. It doesn't have an weapon upgrade system per say as typical shmups, but rather it increases with power as you gain points by chaining attacks. However, you do have different attacks based on *how* you press the shoot button - and everything is done from that one single button. The graphics and music are great too. Also, instead of have a vertical screen display as nearly all vertical shmups do, it has a horizontal display (kinda like James Town for a more recent shmup). Insanely tough game though.

Does anyone know a game where you play Coop on SNES with some kind of....jellybean dudes in space suits? Vertical scrolling....

Used to love this, but can´t remember the name