Biscuits For Breakfast

I've been away form the "scene" for quite some time now. It wasn't necessarily planned that way, things happen.

Shmup collecting for me became an obsession, like pokemon. "Gotta catch 'em all".

I used to run a shoot em up league online. 'The Retro Gamer Forum Shmup League'. It's still going strong and I passed the reins over to a friend of mine in my absence. I recently returned after what seemed like years to check on some old friends and reconnect with the community. At first I had no intention of staying around or starting to collect again. I had begun selling a lot of my collection but, the more I talked to my old friends, I realised how much i had missed the buzz of the league and just games. Games of all sorts too not just shooters. So, I have a new collecting goal, somewhat different to my elitist collecting of before but still perhaps just as elitist. You decide. I'm only buying games for the fourth generation of consoles, Neo Geo, Mega Drive, SNES and PC Engine.. all genres too. I just want a solid collection. If a game is bad i'm not keeping it just because it's ticked off a list. That generation is what I remember best about gaming, the Super Nintendo in particular. It holds all my fondest memories of being a kid and playing great games like Super Mario World and Street Fighter II Turbo. 

To cut this short, I just wanted to say to whoever is still following, i'll be writing some blog entries. Collection updates, what games i'm playing, ramblings, reviews and I have a Neo Geo Shmup guide i never finished from 2 years ago. But i'm back for now so expect to see more soon. Come check out the Shmup League if you fancy some friendly competitive banter and gaming. It's where i'll be, at least until fallout 4 lands :)

THE RGF SHMUP LEAGUE FACEBOOK GROUP

THE RGF SHMUP LEAGUE FORUM PAGE

PICKUPS FOR JUNE/JULY 2012

Well June going into July was meant as a conscious break from shmup shopping, but this hobby tends to throw some gems at you price wise and before you know it, you've amassed a fair haul.

SEGA MEGA DRIVE

NTSC J Model

1988

Never a fan of the Sega Mega Drive as a child growing up obsessed with Nintendo. Super Mario World was enough to mark all things video game related null and void in my mind. Friends had them, friends forced me to play co-op Sonic The Hedgehog 2, friends tried, and friends failed. As an adult, and more importantly a shmup enthusiast, things are quite different. I'm just getting into the system, have nearing 30 shmups for it now and although I own a PAL Mega Drive and a modded PAL Mega Drive for imports, this version is the ultimate for me. Although the box is a little tatty, the console looks untouched. Now if just someone would just buy me Eliminate Down and Gleylancer? The rest aren't so bank account damaging.

Picked up a few more Mega Drive shmups also. Tatsujin I already have but was bundled in with the console.

CURSE

Mega Drive NTSC J

Micronet 

1989

A game that i was really excited about playing but it's pretty bad due to slow down. Hit just shy of 6 million points after a few credits. I think I was only 1 stage off a 1CC.

DARWIN 4081

Mega Drive NTSC J

Data East

1990

ELEMENTAL MASTER

Mega Drive NTSC J

Tecno Soft

1990

TATSUJIN

Mega Drive NTSC J

Toaplan

1989

INVASION DAY

This was even more unplanned, i was actually looking for some Space Invaders memorabilia, perhaps a poster or flyer to show some respect that it was indeed the game that kick started the whole genre. When you see a game for such a good price, that you know you will need one day to complete a collection, how can you turn it down? Especially if it's the cost of less than half a pint of lager in your local.

SPACE INVADERS: THE ORIGINAL GAME

Super Famicom, NTSC J

Taito

1997

SPACE INVADERS: INVASION DAY

Playstation 2, PAL

Taito

2003

SPACE INVADERS: ANNIVERSARY

Playstation 2, PAL

Taito

2004

SPACE INVADERS: EVOLUTION

Playstation Portable, PAL

Marvelous

2006

GRADIUS III & IV: Fukkatsu no Shinwa

Playstation 2, NTSC J

Konami

2000

R-TYPE II

Game Boy, NTSC J

Bit Studios/Capcom/Irem

1992

Following the recent RGF Shmup League onslaught of the original R-Type, I've begun searching out the other ports of the game for my collection.


Well it's been awhile without an update so that's it for til the end of August for now pickup wise. I still have Mushihimesama HD to pick up and looking forward to the release of Ginga Force (31st Aug), yet another 360 shmup by the same team who developed the quite brilliant, Eschatos.

SHMUP PICKUPS FOR MAY 2012

Update: I haven't really been shmup shopping much this month, but managed to come across the 360 compilation Qubed, which has Rez HD on. Finally after realising I had it spelt wrong on my collection checklists, so I never had it come up in my eBay searches.. I found it, and very cheap it was too.

The 360 shmup collection is near complete. Something I intend having finished before Christmas. I Still have Namco Museum Virtual Arcade, Senko No Ronde Duo, Shooting Love 200X & Strike Witches to pick up. Mushihimesama HD is on the way and only just missed out on this blog post, being as it was released just a few days ago. It's on it's way from Japan I hope, having put in a pre-order quite awhile back.

  

AKAI KATANA

Xbox 360 (PAL)

Cave

2012

Another great PAL port by Rising Star Games. Turns out I've actually played the PAL release more now than I did of the JAP release. I'm wondering if a sequel is on the cards.. I'm still very much hoping there will be a Deathsmiles III.

DODONPACHI DAIFUKKATSU Double Pack

Xbox 360 (NTSC J)

Cave

2012

A careless purchase from me. I saw this on Play Asia whilst looking for Mushishimesama HD pre order and put in an order for this without even thinking. I already own the JAP versions of Daifukkatsu 1.5 & Black Label as well as the PAL release. I don't understand why Cave didn't release this on one disc either. Oh well, one for the completists I guess.

MIKO BLASTER

PC

Yoshibaworks

2006

A side scrolling Doujin shooter with a time based system. Clear the waves within the time limit to progress.

BOSS BOSS

PC

Yoshibaworks

2007

BOSS BOSS 2

PC

Yoshibaworks 

2008 

Boss Boss 1 &2. Not heard alot about these games but they came in a 3 game bundle with Miko Blaster. Not had the chance to try them out yet, but I hear they are a fighting style shmup hybrid, where you battle one enemy at a time.

QUBED (Rez HD)

Xbox 360 (NTSC)

Atari

2006

Rez was never a game I had the experience of back in the days of the Dreamcast, but I did manage to play a demo and was intrigued by the concept. An on rail music based shoot em up. Happy to finally have this compilation in my grasp. All the way from Canada too.

CAPCOM CLASSICS COLLECTION VOL. 2

Playstation 2

Capcom

2006

A purchase only because of Varth: Operation Thunderstorm, which I'm currently playing in The RGF Shmup League. Varth is a 1992 arcade exclusive that throws out tough gameplay and gives you 30 levels to fight your way through. Other shmups on the disc are: 1941, Eco Fighters, Side Arms & Chariot.