Jon
if you've got problems, you can play the "girls garden" game ported from sega 8-bit console to msx... it will be up to your pong skills

like a fanatic of the shmups, i only can say: greeeeeeeeat game, man.  thanks!

Thanks for the comments!

About the difficulty level, I think a game pretending to be like a game published back in the early eigthies needs to have a dificulty level acording to those times (check some other games of the same genre and you'll see what I mean).

I believe nowadays videogame's market influences developers to low the difficulty level so that games arrive to a wider audience making them a walk in the park to be finished. Of course I could have made the game easier (making all enemies die at first hit, or making the fusion last much longer/forever, for example) or even I could have added infinite continues or whatever... but the game is not that long and I thing it's much more fun (and "game's life" gets longer) trying to beat the game improving your skills by playing, than easily beating it in 15 minutes.

Guys, we are part of a generation where savestates didn't exist and the continue option was mostly used in big long games... so I only last to say: don't be sissies! 

very good the logo effect!
and the playability is nice.
good work! 

Well, been playing it a lot.

Now I get the fusion system and how the game concept works, I really connected with the game: this concept of the different spaceships gives depth and it makes it really different from any shooter I've ever played: although scenarios are loopy (made me remember E.I., a game that I personally love), the enemies have plenty of variation and complex paths, also including big bosses. Overall, a pretty neat production, with top playability, nice visuals and a goregous soundtrack.

I gotta love Malaika, as she is my princess, but SHMUP! is simply a blast. Congrats!

Thnx guys

@aorante: SC1 is a screen mode very suitable for that kind of effects

@nenefranz: If you reached the second stage, it's not bad at all. Just practice a little more and you've got it

@Jon: I'm glad you played long enough to really get into the game. Let's see who is the first one beating it

And I understand your feelings about Malaika... I'm sure we all adore our kiddies!

@konafan: Reading your comments, I see you really stopped playing immediately

I'm a fan of Gradius saga. I finished all three Nemesis and Salamander. But this is not a megarom. First impression was that too much difficult and little variety of backgrounds to play some games. But thinking that is a 16kb ROM I have played with other eyes. Very good movement, correct graphics and I think difficulty "super balanced". The more I play the best I do, and it's something in a game not easy to get. But yes, it's old school difficulty, when men played games with CRT tv's and finished them without save states  . Ah, like a curiosity, the behaviour of the boss reminds me the second boss (Desu) of Knigthmare. It has nothing to do but it reminds me 

I love this game.

I like shooters, but I prefer simple ones. I mean that even if I consider the Nemesis saga a paramount amongst MSX productions, I usually enjoy more playing Galaga or Gulkave, 'cause the action is really fast paced and a game does not last forever (at least, not with my present arcade habilities).

SHMUP! fits perfectly in this cathegory and that's why I love it.

Thank you Imanok for producing such a jewel cramed in only 16 KB.

On the technical side, speed and diversity of enemies and paths are remarkable. Playability is awesome. And both the sound and the graphics do meet their purpose.

Let's play it again