> > SHMUPS can be inventive, but companies don't bother. They haven't for maybe 10
> > years or more.
>
> 1996's Sexy Parodius violently contests that statement, as does 1999's Guwange.
>

I played Guwange to the end courtesy of MAME. It was very enjoyable, but I don't recall much innovation. The gameplay was shoot and dodge and powerup your weapons IIRC. What was very cool about it (this was a while ago mind you that I played it) was the presentation and designs - the whole mythological Japanese theme was great, and some of the bosses were amazing to look at.

Sexy Parodius - is it more than Parodius/Gradius in terms of gameplay? The presentation and graphics are top notch and very, you might say frighteningly, imaginitive. But it's still "just" the Gradius formula (a really great formula, granted) again.

Anyway, I'm just being whiny on the subject and I know that. I should just be glad I get to try most of these games at all thanks to MAME and other emus. But I do think SHMUP _gameplay_ could be expanded and experimented with more than it is. High score schemes are nice but don't impress me so much. Example: I recall posting about a freeware SHMUP last year in fact, where you basically had the dead ships you destroyed attach to your ship, creating this massive yet slower moving hunk as you kept playing. What a great concept - I'd like to see THAT type of innovation in commercial SHMUPs. Maybe it could revive the genre a bit too.

Ikaruga was cool at least, with the black/white switching concept. It's not a game that will appeal to everyone, it's not personally my favorite altho I do own the Gamecube version, but it's an example of at least trying something a little different.

-Prophet-
www.retrogames.com