(7/3/2014 - 7/9/2014) Game of the Week: Shockman

[SamIAm]

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July 3 - July 9: Shockman
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(Chosen by toktogul)

Shockman maybe didn't make much of a splash in the west, but the Shubibinman series in Japan left an impression with a lot of people. Starting in March 1989, the style and personality of the characters foreshadowed the approach that Hudson and the PCE third party devs would take with their games over the coming years.

Shockman in the US is actually Shubibinman 2, released in Japan in 1991 and the US in 1992.

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GOTW Schedule:

January 15-21: Battle Royale (TheClash603)
January 22-28: Drop Off/Drop Rock (esteban)
January 29-February 4: Bonk's Adventure (roflmao)
February 5-11: Silent Debuggers (vestcoat)
February 12-18: Somer Assault (BigusSchmuck)
February 19-25: Splatterhouse (FiftyQuid)
February 26-March 4: Bloody Wolf (Jibbajaba)
March 5-11: The Lost Sunheart (Gogan)
March 12-18: Sapphire (BlueBMW)
March 19-25: Energy (PunkicCyborg)
March 26-April 1: Air Zonk (_joshuaTurbo)
April 2-8: Veigues Tactical Gladiator (Punch)
April 9-15: 1943 Kai (lukester)
April 16-22: Lords of Thunder (munchiaz)
April 23-29: Ninja Spirit (csgx1)
April 30 - May 6: Bomberman (SamIAm)
May 7 - May 13: Pyramid Plunder (Black Tiger)
May 14 - May 20: Galaga 90' (nullity)
May 22 - May 28: JJ and Jeff (geise)
May 29 - June 4: The Legendary Axe (Damon Plus)
June 5 - June 11: The Legendary Axe 2 (galam)
June 12 - June 18: Aero Blasters (Phase)
June 19 - June 25: Star Parodier (Inframan)
June 26 - July 2: Alien Crush (synbiosfan)
July 3 - July 9: Shockman (toktogul)
July 10 - July 16: Cadash (Bardoly)
July 17 - July 23: OPEN!!

Rules:
-All members are allowed one submission. When there are no further submissions, we will have a reset and everyone will be able to submit another game.
-Each game may only be submitted once.
-If you wish to retract your submission, please do so at least two weeks before your game is due. Your next submission will go to the back of the cue.
-Please don't submit games that have a high language barrier or will take too long to complete (particularly RPGs).
-Please don't submit games that are too expensive. Below $50 is best. Above $100 won't work.

(If you have any questions or comments about the GOTW system, please either PM me or post in the old thread)

[esteban]

I will admit I never really got into this game, back when I got it from tzd mail order. I didn't have an online computer during summer (only when I was on campus), so the flyers actually prompted sales. It seems so archaic now. Ha! 1995?, roughly.

I'll have to play this and give it a fifth(?) chance.

Like I said, I try to get my money's worth, but this game never clicked.

[seieienbu]

I've actually never played this one.  I'll give the ROM a shot this weekend but I won't be able to get my hands on a real copy in time.  Here's to hoping I like it! 

[lukester]

This thread may inspire me to buy it on wii. I love the old megaman games, but the first shubbibinman is pisspoor IMO.

[seieienbu]

So, my first impression having played a couple of levels?  It's a really charming 90s platformer game that reminds me of Megaman in some good ways. Visually it's got a lot of stuff going on. Everything's colorful and the scrolling layers are nice.

There are a few oddities here and there, sometimes I don't get knocked back after taking damage sometimes I do, that's fairly jarring. Jumping on the falling buildings in the auto scrolling section of the first part of the game felt really odd. My character didn't stick to the ground leaving me to hit the jump button in the time when I was free falling rather than when I was touching the ground.

All in all it seems like a game I'd enjoy.  I don't intend to play any more on emulator; I'll wait until I can pick up a hu card and give it a go on real hardware.

[toktogul]

thats the first thing I thought when I started playing : Megaman. That's not a bad thing, and i like the variety in the gameplay. Back in the days, usually you had one gameplay and that was it throughout the whole platforming adventure. what i like with this one is that you get some stages with shmups elements, platforming elementals, etc. I like when retro games do that. (That doesn't include Contra... god dammit who wants to play the overhead stages....)

Anyway, glad i picked up this game and gave it a try. ill be playing more this weekend.

[DarkKobold]

Shockman is great, but difficult. I've never managed to beat it - the game can be brutally difficult. Someday, I'll get around to actually finishing it.

 Its weird, in the sense that its two-player, but the players share a life bar. Also, it suffers from late-release Engrish. The plot makes no sense what-so-ever.

I made a TAS of this game using two players. TRIGGER WARNING: TAS

I thought it was cool that I was able to use the "failed powershot" move as a way to move faster throughout the run. Also, pressing left+right together, you can "leave" your ship in the autoscroller stages.

[HailingTheThings]

By the time i turned it off, i found myself equal parts "this game is cool!" And "man f*ck this game"

soundsaboutright

[_joshuaTurbo]

Sorry I missed this game of the week, but I really do love this game.  So many memories, so frustrating.  It's great.  The scrolling is so smooth in the later stages and the soundtrack is superb!

I wish some of the play control was fixed and the challenge modes were able to be changed.  It would make this one a surefire hit with a little more polish.

[esteban]

UPDATE: this game is just as frustrating as I remember! I still need to put more time in it, though, to see if I can make some headway.