May 2021 Shmup Club - Gunbird

[FauxMacho]

I've gotten 1CC clears on level 1 Monkey and level 3 Very Easy. Is the second loop only for level 5 Normal and higher?

I imagine I'll wrestle with Level 5 Normal for the rest of the month. I've only been using Marion, so time to branch out and try the rest - I actually don't enjoy ship choices so I go with whoever seems like the main.

The back half of the game has some fun bosses, but I really wish there was a practice mode on the Switch port.

Scores:
Level 1 Monkey: 770,200
Level 3 Very Easy: 773,300
Level 5 Normal: 353,100

[MetalFRO]

Great work, FauxMacho! I haven't messed with Monkey, Child, or Very Easy yet, but I might try to do that on tonight's stream. And yes, I believe for all 2-loop Psikyo games, the 2nd loop only unlocks with a 1-ALL on Normal or above.

To your point about ship choices, that's very interesting! Generally speaking, I would think choice would be a good thing, but I can see just wanting to jump in and build your skill in a game rather than having to take the time to learn the quirks and capabilities of the different options. Having said that, the choices on offer in Gunbird definitely vary a fair bit, so while Marion may be a good overall character, there's plenty to like about some of the others. Yuan-Nang has a charge attack that can cancel bullets immediately in front of her, Valnus's bomb is super powerful, and once you get Tetsu's power level to 3 or 4, he can cut through stuff like a hot knife through butter. Each character's charge time is a little different, as well, so there's variety in that aspect also.

[Geriatric.Danmaku]

Very Well FauxMacho!   Lv3 Competition is ON!   BRING IT!!! ! ! !  !   please don't actually bring it I'm not for really high levels of competition, just keeping friendly

[Iori Branford]

300k @ Stage 4 boss on Arcade Normal.

[MetalFRO]

Good progress! I'm hoping to stream some more Gunbird this evening, after a busy weekend.

[Christapp76]

By now, most of us know that Psikyo was famous for blistering hard shooting games. We've already tackled Strikers 1945 II in the Shmup Club, and that game's legendary difficulty certainly gave us a run for our money. What about the company's roots, however? Are the earlier games any easier? The easy answer is, of course, no. But that's not the whole story.

Psikyo's second shmup was the now-legendary Gunbird. Select one of a ragtag group of characters, to seek out pieces of a magic mirror. Once obtained, they can make a wish. However, their task won't be easy, because The Trump are a group of sky pirates, who are also after the magic mirror pieces! They will try and thwart your every move along your journey.

Gunbird was released in arcades in 1994, and came to the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation in Japan in 1995. A European PlayStation release followed in 2002, and a rather clumsily localized version reached North America on the PlayStation, rebranded as the budget title Mobile Light Force. The game was added to the North American PlayStation Network in 2009, as well. Most recently, most of the Psikyo shooter catalog has been released on the Nintendo Switch, and also Steam, and is available in the West via NIS America, bundled in the Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo package. There were also physical Psikyo releases for Nintendo Switch in Japan, and an Asian region release was available through retailers like Play Asia. Join the RF Generation Shmup Club in May 2021, as we tackle Psikyo's second shooter, and our second Psikyo game, Gunbird!

Participants:
MetalFRO
Addicted
douglie007
BdotReality
FauxMacho
Geriatric Danmaku
Iori Branford
zoydo

Hi, sign me up

Chris Tapp76


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[Corkman]

Anyone try the PS1 or Saturn versions yet? I was playing the Saturn version.

So you can control the speed of the scrolling a bit by moving up and down in original mode? What? I'm not sure how I like it. Maybe I'll play more and see if it's something I can get into.

[MetalFRO]

If you're not playing in tate, then yes, the standard 4:3 mode gives you some ability to advance the play field a tad faster, to see more at the top of the screen, but you're definitely better off playing in tate, if at all possible. I fought that odd scrolling quirk with Strikers 1945 II for years.

Welcome to the Gunbird play-through, Chris!

I managed to clear Monkey and Child with Tetsu on stream tonight, so my high scores so far are as follows:

743,200 - Child difficulty with Tetsu
717,000 - Monkey difficulty with Tetsu

Tetsu's power so far has been the big draw, but I may branch out more again, and see if I can get Monkey clears with all characters.

[Corkman]

I don't think I like Saturn original mode scrolling control mechanic. Just makes it feel less like shmup to me.

I'm playing the Switch version and the lag doesn't seem to be too bad, at least for the lower difficulties and my skill level.

I think I like more powerful characters Tetsu and Valnus at this point. They play according to the Cobra Kai motto:

Strike First

Strike Hard

No Mercy

[Christapp76]

[img width=700 height=709]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210512/780cd0e15bf9ec7f1edca0a44cbe1343.jpg[/img]

Managed to get to level 4 on one credit tonight using ASH on default setting.

Switch version

ASH to me is the best overall character to play with.

I find Marions special weapon too distracting on screen.

Tetsu certainly has the power but find him too slow.

Will keep trying to get the 1cc lol 😂

Oh, when is the deadline to submit final score?

Chris👍


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[MetalFRO]

I don't think I like Saturn original mode scrolling control mechanic. Just makes it feel less like shmup to me.

I'm playing the Switch version and the lag doesn't seem to be too bad, at least for the lower difficulties and my skill level.

I think I like more powerful characters Tetsu and Valnus at this point. They play according to the Cobra Kai motto:

Strike First

Strike Hard

No Mercy

I'm with you on "wobble mode" in the older Psikyo ports. That's one of many reasons I didn't take to Strikers 1945 II, back when I first bought it for the Saturn.

Oh, when is the deadline to submit final score?

You can post scores through the end of May, since each game selection is dedicated for the entire month. Also, good progress! Stage 4 things tend to ramp up on the default difficulty, to where reaching stage 5 is a bit of an achievement in and of itself.

[Christapp76]

Cool, so got a few weeks then

May try the ps2 version on my CRT tonight

Probably give the Saturn version a miss having read the feedback.

Actually, I think I have every console version of Gunbird, plus mame on my cab 🤦

 


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[Corkman]

I've been comparing the Saturn and Switch versions. I got clears on "Child" on both so far. Valnus on the Switch and Marion on original mode for the Saturn.

I prefer the regular scrolling on the Switch but the "original" mode on the Saturn is growing on me. I didn't do so good in that mode with a slower character like Valnus that I had been using. But, as soon as I switched to Marion, I did better. I was able to get out of a few times I was essentially trapped. I think you might need a faster character to take advantage of the adjustable scrolling speed.

I tried out level 3 difficulty and I see the bullets are a significant jump in speed. I'm curious to see if I do better with the regular scrolling or the adjustable scrolling speed.

[FauxMacho]

I started the month on the Saturn version, and I liked the scrolling, it gave me a sense of control, but I know that's all faked and after playing the Switch version I don't think I'd like going back to it. I say I 'know' but that's me assuming the Saturn port cropped the view a bit so you are just looking at the bottom 80% or top 80% when you are 'controlling' the scrolling.

May try the ps2 version on my CRT tonight

I would LOVE to know if Valnus (and everyone) have the same hitboxes. Valnus matches my play style, but he either has a bigger hitbox or it's just his low speed that gets me hit more often. If you can get a screenshot of the practice mode with hit display on with some of the characters I'd find that really interesting.

I've made it to the beginning of stage 6 in my best score. Knocked out quickly, but since I've gotten this far, I think with some more luck I could get farther.

Scores:
Level 1 Monkey: 770,200 - 1CC
Level 3 Very Easy: 773,300 - 1CC
Level 5 Normal: 497,300 - Stage 6

*cleared my high scores because they were filled with multi credit attempts I didn't want to keep anymore.

[douglie007]

I'm I missing something? My saturn version doesn't seem to have a high score board.. or I suck and haven't made it on it yet.

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