Psikyo Shoot Em' Up Tier List Ranking! Ft. Super Player @Meriscan

[@ShapeyFiend]

I'm not an afficionado of shmups but there's something about Strikers II clicked with me right away and made me want to play it endlessly. Glad to see I'm not alone with that.

[@dylangaletti395]

The Striker series will always be my favorites. I remember playing them on PS1 with my Grandpa back in the day, so they bring back a lot of memories.

[@then1533]

Ah psikyo, my favourite 90s shmup dev.An incredible run of great, fun games.Awesome to see an hour of expert discussion and gameplay of their games.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video!!! I think it turned out super well. it better have, I spent like 15 hours editing this sucker

[@DjDizzy216]

The wolf barking when Meriscan talks was a riot. It had me laughing multiple times.

[@ErikDvorak]

Yea it's neat. That's Amaterasu the sun goddess btw, running around in the shape of white wolf. It's from a game called Okami, you can check it out.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I'm glad you appreciate that touch, took way more effort than probably necessary. I just wanted to have some sort of visual presence for Meri since he didn't have a camera.

[@DjDizzy216]

@@ErikDvorak Okami looks great, it's like an artsy Zelda-like with the white wolf. I added it to my wishlist.

[@captainlancercrew8792]

Love the pixelart and style of the Psikyogames, but the fast bullets are too hard to handle for me.

[@boghogSTG]

Zero Gunner 2 is awesome, glad that Meriscan gets it! The control scheme takes some getting used to but thats part of the appeal, twin sticks lack that fun learning curve & tacticle feeling IMO. ZG2s a shmup where you feel cool just rotating your ship well to match the enemy waves, adds a fun extra dimension to learning the game besides just learning all the bosses & levels. Also loop 2 is very unique, dense revenge bullets coming at you from every direction. List was pretty spot on from what I played overall, shame Sol Divide and Cannon Spike didnt make it, they are hard to compare to other Psikyo shmups but they sure are fun to talk about

[@MPSTG_brb]

Yeah! I'd love to see that mechanic in a new shmup, maybe as an optional control scheme. If only there were some dev out there who enjoys this game... 😁

[@boghogSTG]

@@MPSTG_brb Hehe, wonder who that's for. I'm actually working on something like that right now! There's also a caravan shmup/demo called Zero Guard on itch.io which has the same controls but a bunch more weapons and such. The thing is, ZG2 nailed the mechanic so hard that I'm not even sure what devs could change about it to make it feel fresh, such a tight game.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I did shout you out though ha, I knew I was breaking your heart a bit with my feelings on it, but Meri pulled it into the mid A tier which I think is very fair lol

[@MPSTG_brb]

@@boghogSTG 😍😍😍 and cool demo, thanks for sharing! :D

[@kirkcavenaugh758]

Love that era of 3d graphics

[@michielkroder4031]

Very cool stuff. I'd like to add that before Sengoku Ace you could say the Psikyo blueprint was already laid out by Sonic Wings / Aero Fighters. That came out under Video System, but it had the same main programmer / planner behind it: Shin Nakamura. Meriscan sounds like he's from my country, the Netherlands, by the way! EDIT: props for the Video System mention!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Oh yeah that is true! I remember playing sonic wings a while back and thinking ... this is like a psikyo game ha.

[@felix-ve8jk]

Makes a lot of sense now. Aero Fighters and Sengoku Ace are two of my all time favorites!

[@BknMoonStudios]

For anyone curious about the background music (like I was), it's all from the console versions (Sega Saturn/PlayStation) of Gunbird 1 and Gunbird 2. The first track that plays in the video is Backstar's Fortress from Gunbird 1. Also, if you're curious about the busty shrine maiden in the thumbnail, she's Koyori Togashi from Tengai. Hope this comment helps someone.

[@philmason9653]

Tengai is a slam sunk s-tier for me. The art, music & vibe are fantastic. Yeah it's tough but it's also the type of game that's aged like fine wine, so it's kept me coming back for a few years. It's just so easy to pick up and play; it's taken a while but I can 1cc up until the last boss' final form. Dragon Blaze has the best mechanics of any Psikyo game, but that soundtrack is kinda dire. I'd still keep Gunbird 2 at the top, it's just perfect at everything it sets out to do. I always vacillate between Strikers I & II; I hate that they took out the Spitfire in the second game. But yeah, in the end I can't argue with rating II higher. BTW, they explain the plot in English on the Japanese Saturn cover of Strikers I - right after WWII ends, a terrorist organization appears with all sorts of crazy weaponry trying to take over the world. The Strikers are ace pilots from various WWII powers, who are now all on the same side and sent against them. And of course, as you discover in the last part of the game, the terrorists are actually aliens.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Sengoku Blade is a champ, no doubt about it! Also yeah shame most of the psikyo osts are pretty lame, except gunbird's which I enjoy (hence it being the backing tracks of the entire vid).

[@pessithemystic]

This was a good watch/listen while in the gym. Psikyo is one of the companies that has eluded me over the years (apart from Strikers 1945), so I’m feeling inspired to try more ✌🏻

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That s great to hear!!! Psikyo talk helps to get the blood pumping :-)

[@pessithemystic]

@@TheElectricUnderground definitely! But I’ve only got the Switch ports, so my blood might be boiling instead after I’ve played them 🙃

[@Charles-jj2su]

I prefer verticals to horizontals, but Sol Divide is one of my favorite Psikyo STGs! It’s up there with Gunbird 1, 2, and Tengai for me.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I ve played it only a little, it s definitely interesting

[@HideAndRead]

We needed this. Absolutely love these games, they have so much character. Thank you!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I'm glad to hear that chef! Yes, Psikyo are really overlooked and so I thought this could be a solid resource to introduce people to the games :-)

[@parceromaniaco9667]

"Te Quiero Mucho!~" Never gets old hearing his name in the good old patreons list, lol.

[@zhukov2116]

Nice, I was waiting for this video. Glad that my top 3 are your top 3, and that Zero Gunner 2 got some love. My one problem with this vid is that it reminds me how much of a crime the Switch ports are.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I'm glad to enjoy the vid! I'm really happy with how it turned out. Also yeah the switch ports are a crime against the genre, I think a few months jail time are deserved to have the dev sit and think about how badly they did lol

[@jasonmartinez5116]

The Zerodiv/City Connection ports are mostly based on their console ports, and even the console ports had input lag to begin with. Gunbird 2 has 6 frames of input lag on Dreamcast and Switch.

[@vidyergaemenjoyer447]

Awesome video; I'm a huge Psikyo fan even if a lot of their games are 2hard4me. Definitely second the opinion that you should give Zero Gunner 2 another try. The """ports""" on Switch/Steam as I understand it are not even really ports since they rebuilt the whole game (the reason being lost access to the original source code iirc), which resulted in a lot of really bad changes. My 20+ year old DC is still kickin' so I played a burned copy of ZG2 on it and really enjoyed it. The first loop is fun and isn't too crazy, but the second loop is pretty nuts.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed the vid!! For zerogunner 2 it sounds like pulling out the og Dreamcast is the way to go ha

[@fr.joshmayer3593]

This is great, I just started playing psykio in the last couple weeks and having a blast 🔥 I’m a very beginner shmupper but I just love the amount of character in the graphics, level designs, all the details etc

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Psikyo is a really cool dev to get into the genre through. They are pretty unique so their style I think can appeal to a broad group of players. I'd say to get started try playing gunbird 1! it's a great game to get into the genre on, just remember Marion's hitbox is in her head for some reason lol

[@fr.joshmayer3593]

@@TheElectricUnderground yup been going back and forth between Gb1 and Mushi novice :)

[@InitialDL84]

I agree with Strikers 1945 II, that game just feels good to play; the first one as well. Dragon Blaze I still have yet to try, I remember seeing it in my MAME collection but I always passed by it. Definitely gonna give it a try now!

[@richardericlope3341]

Psikyo is my fave SHMUP developer. Your tier list is spot on(though I'd put all the Strikers games on S myself). Funny that you thought Strikers 3 is easier than 2. I was able to no miss both loops of Strikers 2 using the Hayate. The best I can do in Strikers 3 is 2 loop it with 1 ship remaining. Strikers 1 is the hardest of the 3(I could only get to 2-7) but the first loop endings once you have gold on all parameters are sexy! I've also 1cc'ed(1 loop) Gunbird, Gunbird 2, Tengai, and Sengoku Ace 1. I've only ever played them on the arcades so I haven't played both Gunbird 1 and Dragon Blaze much. I did play Dragon Blaze on the PS2 but I didn't like it that much.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

What that is some impressive gameplay my friend!! Yeah I personally have an easier time with 3 since it has a bit more of a danmaku style than the other strikers games.

[@shizzi945]

What ship were you playing in Strikers 3?

[@richardericlope3341]

@@shizzi945 X36. Though I can 1-loop the game with any ship.

[@yours_truly_]

Great content as always and good call bringing Meriscan for the video. (Nice seeing the good ol CaliceCup being mentioned!)

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Thank you very much!! Yeah shout out to calice cup!

[@LowKeyTired-q7d]

I love the artwork in the borders ... the portraits, they're amazing ... I got dragon blaze and gunbird 2 recently ... incredible ... tough though ...

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I'm really glad to hear you appreciate that border artwork, because I took hours editing and rendering it ha

[@drlight6677]

Great ranking/review discussion of the Psikyo games! One thing I want to mention about Sol Divide that you should check out if you happen to do a video about it in the future is that the game's HUD is very interesting because Cave's horizontal shmups Deathsmiles 1 & 2 and Akai Katana use almost the same exact HUD as Sol Divide's, especially the boss health bar. I haven't been able to match a name of a dev member who worked on both Sol Divide and the aforementioned Cave titles but I'm certain that whoever created the HUD for Sol Divide ended up working on those horizontal Cave shmups

[@emilchan5379]

Heh, Strikers 1945 Plus was the my first intro to the world of shmups. Blew loads of quarters on that game at the arcade as a kid, so it holds a special place in my heart. Though I can kinda see where you guys are coming from after playing the other Strikers games, some of the enemies in Plus were way too tanky. Personally I would have rated it higher, but perhaps that is just my nostalgia speaking. And omg Gunbird 1's power down mechanic - I was so confused by this I initially thought it was a weird game bug since it was the first time I ever experienced something like that in an arcade shmups. And there was no indicator this was intended - you just powered down. But otherwise I loved Gunbird 1, especially its music. I think its the best of all the Psikyo games I have played so far. The OST for the sea level is my favourite, so I am glad it was used as one of the BGMs in this video.

[@conoraq]

I personally find Psikyo games to be way too brutal after the first two stages, the difficulty really feels exploitative in a way that even the hardest Cave shmups don't. It's what makes the difference between Cave feeling like they love their players and Psikyo feeling like they just love their players' money.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

yep psikyo have that classic arcade stage 3 difficulty spike. The reason they do that is they want faster money returns on casual plays ha. My big suggestion with psikyo is def doing save state practice with them, as they are fairly memorization heavy.

[@dingo535]

This was great! I’ve actually been dabbling in some psikyo lately so it was well timed. Cannon spike Would definitely be high tier if you included it. It actually has shmup patterns to dodge but I get why you chose not to include it.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed the vid dingo!! Yeah I def gonna have to try cannon spike soon! Seems very cool

[@TheCrulZ2348]

Zero gunner was my first psikyo game and my intro to bullet hell games as a kid so many memories playing it at the local Pizza Hut

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Oh that s really cool! To reframe the perspective, even though it is a weaker psikyo game, it s still super cool relative to the rest of the gaming world, just not as well made as it s brothers

[@mashdeegaaaaz6655]

Kick Ass Video Man love these schmups ❤️💯

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Thank you my dude!

[@mashdeegaaaaz6655]

You should do more of these with MERISCAN

[@mashdeegaaaaz6655]

Strikers 1945 plus on xbox has zero slow down really enjoyed it

[@mcjumic]

Awesome vid! At the very very beginning when I was getting into shmups one of the few games I had was a dreamcast bootleg with Gunbird II and Border Down and I'd play Gunbird II all the time but man, it was MISERABLE, eventually I got a PS1 bootleg of Sonic Wings Special and it was exactly like you said with going to Sengoku Ace after proper Psikyo beats you up, it was like aaaaaaahhh much better! Really good vid guys!

[@sibbyeskie]

This will help me dive a bit more into Psikyo games. Usually what happens is I fire up one of the games, chill for a bit, then hit a wall where the bullets are so fast it feels like I need to remember exactly where to be. I then try another Psikyo game and promptly erase any memory. Maybe the problem is all of the games, though rich in graphic appeal, kind of seem like they could be reskins of the same underlying gameplay. So I don't have a compelling reason to reach for one particular game and stick with it long enough to really understand it. Graphics aren't super important in terms of gameplay, but I find it can be that little warm/fuzzy switch in the brain that can make you really stick with a game. It just helps you get absorbed into the world and keep you there. Kind of hard to explain, but essentially the presentation is fantastic but somehow not distinct enough when going between games. At any rate I'll use your tier list/comments to try to isolate one of the games and really stick with it for a 1CC or something.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

They do have a lot of similar styles across the games, they do all have their own unique feel though! I think maybe striker 1 and 2 might feel pretty close to one another though ha.

[@nobodytonobodysbusiness]

I'm in Idaho this week and immediately thought of your show upon landing. I am also on a Psikyo kick lately.

[@MPSTG_brb]

49:30 This is exactly the reason why I prefer Strikers II over Gunbird 2 and Dragon Blaze. The latter require a more rigid, aggressive playstyle that only comes with memo. All of them fantastic though!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah I think they both have very fair cases for the top game, a difference of degree between them

[@philyoh1760]

great video mate

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Thank you my dude!

[@thehellezell]

I love Psikyo games! Enjoyed the discussion.

[@Moddeang123]

Strikers 1945 - 2 will always be my favorite :D And Gunbird 2 in my opinion has the best soundtrack of all Psikyo games

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah strikers 2 is an all time classic! I like gunbird 2's ost as well, though I find myself really enjoying the first game's ost the most. I can't even fully explain why ha, it just has this whimsical quality to it.

[@flottenheimer]

Great video! Totally agree with your S-tier and most of the rest. And I for one enjoyed Zero Gunner 2 quite a lot on Dreamcast.

[@chrisr529]

Gunbird 2 is definitely in the S tier !!! Anything less is blasphemy !!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

We got it in there by the end ha.

[@GojiGuy]

Haha it's funny, I really don't dig twin stick shooters and I dig that ZG2 doesn't use that control scheme. I got used to it pretty quickly. Overall great list, and I'll hang out over here in my Sol Divide appreciators corner...

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah I used to be the same way, but lately I've been really wanting to see a twin stick shooters with good level design and I think it would be cool if zg2 had full analog controls

[@RewdanSprites]

I actually preferred gunbird 1 compared to gunbird 2. I like the simplicity of it. So gunbird 1 is s tier for me aha.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I really like gunbird 1 as well, I think if it toned down on some of the jank like the power down and the funky hitbox, it would be an easy A tier for me.

[@stellarkym]

Ahhh... Psikyo, my favourite shmup developer.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

they are fantastic and really overlooked.

[@MPSTG_brb]

Mark you need to give ZG2 another try, it's awesome! but not the new ZG2- ports, that's quite bland as you said (they reduced the number of bullets, changed patterns, removed the extra medals that spawn over time if you leave enemies alive longer, cut out the 2nd loop, etc). Great video, it was interesting listening two different POVs. One from first loops and one from the end game.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah I think I will. Like I said in the vid I played the horrible switch port and I knew that would not be the best representation ha

[@fazares]

i own both versions and yes...dc/naomi ftw, yeah

[@jasonmartinez5116]

@@TheElectricUnderground According to Zerodiv/City Connection, the source code for Zero Gunner 2 was lost, so they had to remake it from scratch which is why it was bad

[@TheRestartPoint]

Great discussion, love Psikyo equally to Toaplan/Cave, wish there were some arcade versions on MiSTer, buI there's lots on consoles. I often wonder what Zero Gunner 2 would be like if it had Twinstick controls, it's not like Twinstick was new in 2001, I mean it was in Robotron in 1982, then Smash TV etc. I think it's a combination of twinstick shooters being more of a western developer thing for some reason (although bizarely Data East did make twinstick fighter Karate Champ in 1984), plus it's just a design decision that first came from Zero Gunner 1. I really like the game though, the controls give it a uniqueness that would be gone if it was Twinstick, it's quick and never boring, plus it's accessible and not too hard, as long as you can get comfortable with the controls, I haven't played the Switch version but everybody should play the Dreamcast version (just burn a cdi) as I personally can't feel noticeable lag on that one.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

The day psikyo comes to mister will be an awesome one!

[@whoevencares219]

Really sad that practically all of them are on switch.....and they're all the worst possible versions of these classics, dammit city connection.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I know city connection should be sent to prison for a bit to think about the crime they ve committed against psikyo. At least the steam ports are passable

[@jurassicrark2552]

Dragon Blaze was the very first shmup I bought and it changed my life

[@jaylab]

S-tier vid & discussion. Average Psikyo Enjoyers rise up.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That would be cool to see ha. Glad to show psikyo a bit more attention than it usually gets.

[@fazares]

Pretty spot on list...i d only rate ZG2 and Sengoku Ace a bit higher though

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Thank you very much! Sengoku ace is pretty cool, it's just a shame the 2nd loop isn't more robust.

[@mon11nom]

I agree with you about gunbird 2 on mobile. It's oddly fun to play on the phone - not the same as the real thing but worth the free download. Their other mobile games are alright as well: 1945s, dragon blaze, tengai, zero gunner etc.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah it is a really fun little adaptation. Obviously much easier than the real thing ha

[@AyeYoYoYooo]

Dragon Blaze Zero Gunner 2 Sengoku Blade My 3 favorites from Psikyo. All VERY different, all with unique characters their own. Great contrast between the two of you on this one!

[@comanchebolo7884]

Thanks for the awesome video, Mark. Off topic - if you've played the arcade-only beat em up Guardians (aka Denjin makai II) would you please share your thoughts? Many have stated it is one of their favorites games in the genre, and I'm wondering how you would compare it to fight n rage. Thanks!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Oh I ve heard of it and it will be mentioned in an upcoming video!

[@QF_Dan72]

Here's hoping Dragon Blaze would take the top spot

[@cookiemint8439]

Same, it’s balance is so well done it’s kinda insane

[@TheElectricUnderground]

You ll have to watch and see!

[@liamconverse8950]

There are no vertically oriented Neo Geo games because they wanted them to be compatible with multi game MVS cabinets. Interesting because I read somewhere Psikyio was founded because the developers of Sonic Wings didn't to make sequels of Sonic Wings for the Neo Geo because they wanted a proper vertical shooter. At this point they were probably just trying to stay afloat financially though.

[@agent42q]

A Zero Ranger mod for both games to use dual sticks sounds like a worthwhile thing for a modder to do.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Absolutely!!!!!

[@MPSTG_brb]

*Gunner 😅 I'm not sure about that, it'd lose a lot of its charm and make the stages too easy as well (they're designed around that janky control). But try the mobile port and see for yourself, it works that way IIRC.

[@WaywardRobot]

Zero Gunner makes me wish for more Shmups that feature helicopters and actually use the premise for the gameplay.

[@Joe-Rad]

The Pyskio Boys sounds like a gang from an 80s dystopian movie lol. Do they wear matching leather jackets and have red bandanas?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

They do sound like that and yes, I believe leather jackets and bandanas is part of the dress code ;-)

[@CrowScareify]

I think Dragon Blaze is crazy underrated! Super fun game!

[@TheSamuraiGoomba]

Dragon Blaze Sonia is my jam. I've played a few Psikyo games (as well as the Sonic Wings titles) and nothing they've made can touch Dragon Blaze imo. It's a travesty that their best game is marred by such a terrible commercial release, which means you pretty much have to emulate. Even if I didn't care about the lag, Dragon Blaze on switch has no practice features whatsoever. So there's no way to memo.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yeah exactly tuna, as it stands right now you gotta break out the arch or mame to get a good experience, I don't mind too much though ha

[@moo422]

Would Sol Divide be considered a Psikyo Shmup?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

sort of, we didn't include it though since it would be hard to compare

[@rudibotha3947]

Strikers Plus is awesome

[@TheElectricUnderground]

It s still good because its psikyo, just really weak among its brothers

[@rudibotha3947]

@@TheElectricUnderground I agree with you, it takes forever to kill enemies.

[@bills__________]

I'm gonna throw the Japanese Dreamcast version of Gunbird 2 into the mix here - I find it to be much better than the arcade core. The Dreamcast version has an arcade / tate game mode and noticeably improved voice sfx (the fbneo core has lots of weird sfx glitches), control configuration with an autofire option (like the Shot Triggers ports) AND the cut scenes are infinitely more enjoyable in Japanese as they are fully voice acted - not that i understand what they are saying but, it adds a tonne of charm to the characters :) PS big fan of your channel - currently enjoying shmups on my Sega Blast City arcade machine - tate mode with a huge CRT is so much fun. PPS love this format for a tier list! was great having a guest on.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

The dreamcast version of gunbird 2 is really cool because it has Morgan, but its also pretty lame because it has a bunch of input lag (6 frames), so a bit of a trade off. It would be cool if the morgan character was ported to other releases, but that's doubtful because of the capcom IP and so forth.

[@bills__________]

@@TheElectricUnderground would it be possible to improve the lag? i have a decent PC as the brain of my arcade cabinet using Batocera as the front end with the choice of Flycast, Libretro: Flycast or Redream as the emulator for Dreamcast. there are settings in the options to use up to 6 run-ahead frames. would that help? (as i'm typing I'm realising this might be a very dumb / obvious question - sorry! i'm a noob to emulation)

[@bills__________]

just found your video on setting up run-ahead 😁

[@cancer4cure483]

Thanks for the effort. I wanted to dive into Psikyo library, mostly because of the artstyle and the thumbnail lady, this video is a nice guide for me now. I have a question - would you recommend Psikyo collection on Steam?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I m glad to help!!! Yeah the dev is really overlooked so there actually isn't much content about the games. I will mildly recommend the steam port. They run pretty well but they have no training options which sucks.

[@cancer4cure483]

@@TheElectricUnderground Thanks man, I appreciate it!

[@jan-niklashoffmann4683]

I really like Strikers 1945 plus.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

It s all good since all the psikyo games have a base level of quality, just does not hold up as well against it s brothers. In the grand scheme of things though plus is still better than most games that come out today lol

[@JaimersSTG]

I can't believe Cho Aniki: Seinaru Protein Densetsu wasn't on this list. Also Pilot Kids is a really good arcade shmup but also there's like zero videos or information about that game anywhere, with no real proper way to play it so I can understand it's hard to judge.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I blame your countryman, Meriscan. Just kidding, we didn't talk about Cho because neither of us had played it much and its ultimate meme power sort of makes it hard to rank or compare to other games lol.

[@kbxthegamemaster06]

Seibu/MOSS tier list when?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That sounds really fun!

[@AzrielArcade]

I like Psikyo shooters, and I’ve played the Strikers Series more so than any other series from them…but… I kinda have this odd mentality where while they are all solid, good games they tend to feel rather same-y overall. With obvious exceptions like Tengai, Dragon Blaze, and Zero Gunner 1 & 2 of course. Maybe that’s just me, but I still do love and appreciate their series and different settings. Still, Psikyo really had a missed opportunity to make something like Batrider, with a massive crossover shooter containing all their most popular characters. Which is something I think we can all agree on. On that note, fans of Psikyo who want more should really play the Aero Fighters/Sonic Wings games. You have a Dolphin piloting a jet, nuff said.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

A psikyo version of king of fighters where they bring together all the characters sounds awesome!!

[@PedroFerreira-sx2gd]

My fave is strikers 2. that games is perfect, is not so rigid , has flow, good difficulty curve. There is a difference bettween what i like and what the others like. I tend to prefer games less danmaku and with simpler mechanics. In that sense the ones i most like are the strikers I and II and tengai. Dragon blaze is amazing, but because of the dragon mechanic i can´t enjoy so much as the others as it lacks the same simplicity. Sorry Gunbird 2 is a game that i can´t understand why is so loved. Too rigid, too mechanic, and heavily dependent on memorization. I think the difficulty is brutal. you really have to micro dodge. Tengai may be harder, but at least when i die i have a easier time blaming myself for lack of skill. I wasn´t expecting to hear such a good opinion on space bomber from a harcores shumps lovers like you but i am glad for it. I think that the game deserves more recognition, altough is not a masterpiece . Is quite unique on his gameplay. The enemy mechanics are so well defined and easy to understand. But i am impressed that you did not talk about his biggest strength . The silliness and the more casual and relaxed tone of the game makes is great for 2 player game. Super fun on that mode. About strikers plus. i do agree with the rating (speccially comparing with the others from the series) but i must admit that was the main game that got me on the shootemups. Coming from a small european country with below average economy where most of the shumps options on arcade were neo geo games (the only exception were raiden and stagger, that even then were rare). i absolutely loved that game and waisted lots of quarters. A few years later whith the advance of emulation and internet i tryed to find it and then i slowly discover other shumps.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yes the games in the top tier are all really good, both strikers 2 and dragon blaze have really solid cases for best from the developer. I think gunbird 2 is really liked, myself included, because it has such fantastic feel and presentation. The level design is mean and fairly rigid for sure, but that can be its own appeal in a way. I don't think it is as good as the other S tier games, but it has this harder edge that I really appreciate.

[@futureskeletons66669]

Have all the games individually on Switch, but I've rebought Strikers 1945 2 and Dragon Blaze on PS5 and there is a noticeable difference. Nothing major, but they're definitely a lot less "ice-skatey" than the Switch when docked. The PS5 versions play like the Switch versions on portable mode. So that's likely 1 frame less.

[@dingo535]

I have to say I disagree about zero gunner 2 wanting /needing to be twin stick. There’s something satisfying about the almost asteroids esque control scheme that benefits the game . Plus it’s balanced around that, aside from that I’m mostly in agreement. Got me booting up dragon blaze right now! edit: Just realized someone else made the case for the control scheme much better below.

[@soratheorangejuicemascot5809]

Hey TEU, have you seen the game called Bot Gaiden? I see reviews that thinks that it is a megaman clone but I think you would appreciate it more than most people.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I just looked at some footage, the game looks really cool! I like the art style and it looks like it plays like ninja gaiden, if I can find the time it would be cool to check out.

[@riggel8804]

I wonder if my wife will appreciate it if I refer to her as a "thumb nail".

[@TheElectricUnderground]

In the right context she would be absolutely flattered, very prestigious compliment :-)

[@julianleiro8212]

Do we know if the Psikyo ports on Switch/PS4 have been updated to reduce the input lag?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

PS4 has 4 frames of lag, which is ok but still meh. Steam is the best lag wise

[@julianleiro8212]

@@TheElectricUnderground Good to know, thanks!

[@kirkcavenaugh758]

The fact that they don't update it is pretty offensive

[@futureskeletons66669]

No Cannon Spike? I think that was made with the Zero Gunner 2 engine.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

We didn't rank cannon spike because the shift in genre would make it hard to compare and place on the list. Cool game though!

[@Yohann26]

I found Dragon Blaze lacking a real easy mode for beginner. Its ps2 easy mode is harder than "normal" for other titles.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

yeah that's a good point, I don't recall if dragon blaze has an easy mode dipswitch or not. Maybe fire it up in arch and check the dip switches to see.

[@Godsgood111]

Sweating in anticipation

[@TheElectricUnderground]

It s a fun video! I really hope people tune in :-) spent days editing this bad boy

[@TetsuoIronMan]

I know the input lag is awful, but the Psikyo collections on the switch are my favorite. (Side question, are the individual versions in the store the same version, and thus the same input lag?) Dragon Blaze and Tengai are my favorite, Katana is the man. Oddly never played the Strikers 1945 games, even though they're on the collection.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

yeah that input lag on the switch is unfortunate and sort of the bane of my existence ha. The steam versions are less laggy. Also, if you are willing to play outside the lines a bit, you can actually emulate the psikyo games on switch via retroarch and they run much better, with less lag and save states

[@TetsuoIronMan]

@@TheElectricUnderground I previously looked at doing that to my Switch, but it looks like I'd have to go the chip route for my OLED. Hopefully it gets easier to do eventually, and I'll be quick to do that

[@jasonmartinez5116]

Same Psikyo games had input lag to begin with due to the ports being based on the console versions. Gunbird 2 for example has 6 frames of input lag on both the Dreamcast and Switch. You can look up Shmup Junkie's video on it. While 6 frames is not ideal it's much more manageable than 7 or 8, or even 11 frames like seen on Cotton Guardian Force Saturn Tribute (pre-patch)

[@paulspopculture5592]

A lot of they's were released on PS2 by 505 though not cheap now

[@marcusortelan]

I play mostly on mobile. Mobirix company versions are free and very good. I recommend

[@TheElectricUnderground]

yeah the mobile psikyo ports are actually really cool. Gunbird 2 is my fav of them.

[@juliancassin7475]

Canon Spike is awesome!!!

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yes it is!

[@thecity-zo2xe]

Where can I find the art (or concept art) seen in the thumbnail of this video?

[@juliancassin7475]

are your Psikyo tiers isolated among only Psikyo games (i.e. Psikyo C is still an A among all video games) or is a Psikyo C as bad as the games you'd put in C from all video games?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

No only tiered among each other. Because compared to all video games they are much better than most games ha.

[@Bovineicide]

Just... how do you get better at these games? Do I try to manage rank for my 1-all? These games feel so different from everything else and are so brutal compared to what I'm used to.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

I have this vid for you! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKmWmWlqptiLf8k

[@Bovineicide]

@@TheElectricUnderground I mean like, I'm coming at Psikyo games from a background in classic shmups and danmaku and it feels like every Psikyo game just shakes you down for your lunch money lol

[@jefrysax]

There is a shmup called 1945iii and it is with modern planes, it looks a lot like Aero Fighters, you choose from German, American, Japanese, Korean and Chinise. The planes are F15, f16, f22, Su-35 for the Chinese. Is it a Psyckio game or not ... do anyone knows.

[@JoshCzoski]

For me Gunbird 2 isn't quite up there with Strikers 2 and Dragon Blaze. But yeah I totally agree with the order: (1) Dragon Blaze, (2) Strikers 1945 2, (3) Gunbird 2. Are you saying Gunbarich isn't a shmup?! (just kidding)

[@TheElectricUnderground]

It may not be a shmup, but it is a cool game :-)

[@kirkcavenaugh758]

Psikyo boss designs are as cool as anything from capcom or square or fromsoft.

[@franciscor390]

Do the PS4 ports happen to have less input lag than the Switch versions?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Yes they have 2 less frames of lag

[@ASE-PRL]

missed gunbarich please redo it

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Ha S tier

[@alohacheboha]

Anyone know if there is any performance or preferred difference for physical switch-PS4 psikyo games? I read somewhere that US version was worse than Japanese version somehow but I also remember that those ports have lots of input lag…basically want to know which version I should sell & which I should keep. Help is appreciated

[@djdedan]

I love cannon spike!

[@dahjord]

would you even play these on switch or would you prefer pc or saturn?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

PC and Saturn, the switch ports are awful

[@claudiomonteverdi847]

I'm labbing 99, I wonder how it went

[@TheElectricUnderground]

It went well!

[@cd4playa1245]

What is tatae in Strikers? What is that?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

That s playing the game with a vertically rotated screen :-)

[@millsshumps1968]

May Electric Underground need to do video review on mobile content.

[@kirkcavenaugh758]

I love zero gunner 2

[@TheElectricUnderground]

It seems like a real sleeper hit! I ll have to try it on the Dreamcast rather than the crappy switch port

[@Senumunu]

anyone know what the shoot em up is called where you control a girl with a syringe ? it looks like it might be by the same company gunbird is made... i played it ages ago. it was a free game on the discs of these old game magazines.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Oh snap I don't know, maybe the comments sections my know though

[@Senumunu]

@@TheElectricUnderground its a long shot lul it was quite obscure :P all i remember is it went from left to right and was quite colorful.

[@Senumunu]

lul i found it thanks to 4chan. its called "Medicalat" it was in a 2002 german gaming magazine edition as a free game. simple and fun and also the only schmup i ever played. i will give this genre a shot for sure.

[@gameplayfirst-ger]

You got Zero Gunner 2 very wrong. It's a great game.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

B is still super fair my friend, I didn't slap it into the D tier or anything ha. Also the final ranking ended up being A rank, which is very generous I think. Remember I edit these vids and direct them so changing my initial rankings to be in line with Mari's is part of the video

[@djdedan]

No two sticks because that would’ve limited the cabinets the game could be played on. There were probably not many twin sticks cabs. Plus twin sticks are boring.

[@dankhill6851]

Sol Divide is S tier

[@andrewbutler9533]

Ya'll called it right 👍

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Thank you :-)

[@REAPER-1xxx]

I’m gonna disagree on 1945+. Should be higher. The screen is much wider which presents a more desirable view for when you can’t flip your screen. Taking points away for that didn’t make too much sense to me as what were you gonna do, flip over NeoGeo arcade cabinet over? The bullet colours are improved over 1945 2, they stand out over the back ground. I also think the super shot system is improved over 1945 2. I think the music isn’t as good, and the pacing isn’t as good as 1945 2 which makes it less intense of an experience but I do think the experience is good but different. The shorter but wider view forces a slower pace as you can’t see what’s coming changing the dynamic of gameplay relying on super shot strategy. The different ships super shot types make this game fun. I’m super casual and don’t care about scoring. I care for overall experience through music, gameplay and graphics. Dragonblaze has the best graphics and options, dismount, magic dismounted or mounted etc. I think it’s the more impressive game but 1945 2 is the one that draws me in and keeps me playing. I love the music, the pacing, the simplicity and the freedom to approach levels anyway you like. It’s a reactionary shooter. My favourite kind.

[@SW13357]

Really appreciate Meriscan’s thoughtful and insightful commentary/analysis. Very refreshing

[@MoK2025]

Why no Sol Divide? It's just that bad?

[@TheElectricUnderground]

No just very different so it s harder to compare to the other games

[@obiiWan7]

Sol Divide? :D

[@TheElectricUnderground]

we didn't rank sol divide because it's shift in genre and design makes it hard to compare to the other games.

[@flutebasket4294]

48:11 😆😅🤣😂