Gradius vs. R-Type vs. Darius vs. Thunder Force

[Phediuk]

Which of these side-scrolling shmup series is, in your opinion, the best?

I am partial to Thunder Force myself, particularly 3 and 4, which are games I played obsessively back in the day. Curiously, unlike the others, TF actually started as a top-down shooter in the first game, then switched to half top-down half-side-scrolling in 2, and then went full side-scrolling from 3 onward, and by pretty much everyone's account was better for it. 2 is solid, 5 is quite good but not as brilliant as 4, and 6 was a half-hearted rehash of the previous games.

Gradius is consistently good and probably my second choice. No real weak spots here although the games do blur together a bit in my memory.

The first R-Type is outstanding, a landmark game. R-Type 2 is a bit eh, 3 and Delta are great, Final is just ok.

Darius is consistently fine but never outstanding. G-Darius on the PS1 is the best one here imo.

and that's my take.

 

[oni-link]

I really want to play more shmups but most modern releases have infinite lives and I always burn out on them because of that

Gradius V on PS2 had an amazing progression system that kept me hooked, I wish more games followed that template

 

[Deleted member 2620]

This is always a tough one. I think I'd put Thunder Force below the other three: it's a crazy spectacle and so aesthetically strong but 2's overhead stuff and the relatively easy difficulty level of 3 and 5 make me hesitant to put it on the same level as Gradius, Darius, and R-Type. And among those three, man, what a tough fucking call. I'd say the earlier Darius games don't really hold a candle to R-Type and Gradius but Darius Gaiden and DBAC do.

this is tough dude, did I mention that this is tough

 

[Sgt. Demblant]

The best? Maybe Gradius.
My favorite? Darius.
Best OSTs ever.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

Thunder Force HANDS FUCKING DOWN

 

[Infernostew]

Gradius since Gradius V is GOAT

 

[Deleted member 18021]

My mind says Gradius II, my heart says R-Type. :x

 

[ghibli99]

Gradius Gaiden, G Darius, Thunder Force IV, R-Type III... please don't make me choose.

 

[TyrantGuardian]

Hey now, you can't make me choose. It's much easier to pick the best game in each series:

Gradius Gaiden or V depending on which day it is.
G Darius
R-Type Delta

Haven't played much Thunder Force unfortunately.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

 

[DrFunk]

Like picking a favorite child

Thunder Force for the music
R-Type for the ship variety
Darius for Zuntata
Gradius for being Gradius

I think I'll go with Raystorm/Galatic Attack

 

[Deleted member 2620]

pretty clear that TF wins best overall music buuuut i love darius gaiden's soundtrack

 

[Lant_War]

Gradius, with TF as a really close second.

 

['3y Kingdom]

Gradius. Thunder force has really rad music, though.

 

[Deleted member 27872]

Love thunder force, but R type is like one of my top 5 games so I gotta go with that

 

[SoH]

Let the record show that of that list I selected R-Type because I gotta go with what my heart said immediately and not let my stupid brain get too involved in the matter.

 

[Xythantiops]

Gradius Gaiden is phenomenal.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

 

[Deleted member 2620]

Let the record show that of that list I selected R-Type because I gotta go with what my heart said immediately and not let me stupid brain get too involved in the matter.

Click to shrink...

good idea, by this measure i had to vote Gradius

 

[Jockel]

I would argue that Darius Gaiden is way better than G-Darius. Also I'm garbage at G-Darius, but I was able to 1LC Gaiden.

 

[Deleted member 17210]

All of the series' have amazing games (and some lesser ones) but Thunder Force III and IV are still my top ones with Darius Gaiden close behind. R-Type 1 had the biggest impact on me but I feel other games surpassed it.

 

[Bitanator]

Thunder Force for me, love those games

 

[bytesized]

It's thunder force guys

 

[Bliman]

Thunderforce IV . When I got this title on the megadrive it blew me away. I had never seen such graphics.
Still my favorite shoot em up.

 

[Crayon]

Hard decision but I'm going with r-type. There's a number of good games in the series. The original is one of the all-time classic soundtracks, the boss theme... Iconic.

Red and blue twisted lasers. little orange balls that turn into big orange balls. There's a lot to love here.

Thunder Force is right there though.

 

[Deleted member 21709]

I thought this was a cross over game.

 

[Poimandres]

R-Type for me. Delta consumed my life.

I actually have TF4 on Mega Drive, but have never played it! I should hook it up this weekend.

 

[Dreamboum]

I'm a Darius fan myself. The art and visual design of the Darius is unmatched among these series by far. Playing G-Darius for the first time was a revelation

 

[Stuart Gipp]

Gradius. All the others eventually get tedious for me, or are pitched way too hard. Gradius 2, Gaiden and V are enough to absolutely steamroll the rest imo.

 

[Not Spaceghost]

Thunderforce 4 was fuckin thrilling the first time I played it and might be one of my favorite shmup experiences
But maaannn R-type delta is just too good.

 

[The Main Event]

Darius but only by a hair over the others.

 

[shadowhaxor]

C'mon, where's that Thunderforce love?

 

[8bit]

Gradius by a nose, maybe just because it ultimately brought Parodius about.

 

[Deleted member 8001]

Otomedius. ;)

 

[Manekast]

Played Thunderforce 2/3/4/5 back in the day when I was a youngster obsessively until I perfected them.

Damned if I can do that these days. 2 is my fave as it was my first and I loved the top down stages as well.

 

[djplaeskool]

Thunder Force here. I just have a strong, strong love of the series. Since I was a Sega dude in the 90s, Thunder Force was my mana.
The design, the music, the bosses, just everything.
I've played Thunder Force 3, 4, 5 and 6 for my Extra Life streams every year for the past 6 years because I HAVE to play them. I simply must.

This is no slight to Gradius though.
The Gradius and Salamander series are absolute classics and set the benchmark for shmups in near perpetuity.
As already noted, Gradius V (and I would say Gradius Gaiden comes close as well) may be the best shmup ever.

As an aside, shout out to my Raiden boyz out there.

 

[Sheng Long]

Thunder Force is the king. I even liked VI.

 

[Xythantiops]

This thread is reminding me that I need to check out R-Type Delta.

 

[Piggychan]

From the Gradius games gave birth to the Parodius series. I just love them!

From the soundtracks to some of the most imaginative bosses ever and that ever important Gradius style gameplay. The Parodius series just delivers.

 

[eso76]

Hard.
But R-Type.
It came and changed everything; the pod, the beam, the biomechanical theme (I believe baraduke did it first but R-Type did it better) weapons. Other games in the series are mostly good with two exceptions: Leo (though that's more of a spin off) which kind of sucks and Delta which is an absolute masterpiece.

I like but don't go crazy over Gradius (prefer Parodius myself despite it being basically the same game, or Salamander, though that's not much of a series with only two entries, number 2 being ultimately underwhelming after the promising start).

Darius definitely is the weakest of the bunch for me. Great soundtrack and all the fish though. And Gaiden is legit great.

 

[captmcblack]

Gradius and Life Force/Salamander is perfection to me, especially with the sweet, sweet co-op.

 

[Ostinatto]

 

[Hayama Akito]

Gradius by far for me because I had the luck of living the franchise in the arcade itself, using all my money for years on that and meeting a lot of new friends who loves Gradius and STG in the process. The day I finished the original arcade Gradius III is still one of the happiest days of my life as a "gamer".

All those franchises are fucking awesome anyway.

 

[Deleted member 2620]

Gradius by far for me because I had the luck of living the franchise in the arcade itself, using all my money for years on that and meeting a lot of new friends who loves Gradius and STG in the process. The day I finished the original arcade Gradius III is still one of the happiest days of my life as a "gamer".

Click to shrink...

Arcade Gradius III is so insanely hard. None of the versions of it allow for continues, as far as I know? Which is insane for 1989. Props, that's wild.

 

[halcali]

Gradius > Thunder Force > Parodius > Darius > R-TYPE

I can't stand R-Type. The music is grating...

 

[dtcm83]

I chose r-type for the series (Delta my fav), but for individual games my favorite side scrolling shmups are einhander and last resort.

 

[Dambrosi]

Wot, no tate shmups? For shame, OP.

Although I do have a warm place in my heart for the Gradius series, especially the Parodius games (which I would have voted for if they'd been an option), this time I have to give a shout out to the Darius series, especially for Darius Gaiden and DARIUSBURST Chronicle Saviours. Gaiden just can't be beat gameplay-wise, and D-BURST is a big enough game on its own (3000+ stages!!!) that you'll probably never see the end of it even without buying the cripplingly-expensive DLC. (Seriously - wait for a sale.)

That, and I thought (rightly) that Gradius was walking this poll easy, and Darius needs the representation, so.

 

[L Thammy]

Personal take:

Gameplay -> Gradius
Lore and aesthetic -> R-Type
Music -> Thunder Force
Being two player -> Darius, except if Gradius includes Salamander, because then why is Darius even here

 

[ditusjack]

I don't think i can realistic pick one series over another, ended up choosing Thunder Force because of my history with it (Mega Drive is my favorite console) but all of them is so good.
I mean who can say no to Zuntata:

 

[leder]

My heart says r-type, but my head says gradius