Good SHMUP powerups

[ktfright]

I'm currently making two completely different types of shmups (2d shooters if you do not know) but I don't want to have the basic gun and bomb powerup. Other than bullets and really long laser beams, what other powerup can be in a shmup shooter?

[CommanderData]

Homing Missiles

[spidey146]

Aerial assaullt.

[ktfright]

Originally Posted by spidey146

Aerial assaullt.

isn't that similar to a bomb?

[Will090]

Mines
Flamethrower
Melee Weapons
Rocket Launcher

[ikemike]

Definitely homing missiles is always a must for power-ups, but a much higher rate of fire and larger bullet spread are common too. S homing missile variant that charges a laser for a couple seconds while targeting nearby opponents, then destroying them all in simultaneous individual laser blasts could be possible. It'd work like a bomb, but look really cool in the process. I'd definitely buy it if that was in it, I know that.

If you decide to use elemental power-ups, a homing continuous-damage electrical attack like the one in "Dragon Force Light" is good, and as the previously mentioned flamethrower.

[TheProxy]

Definitely Shields, maybe magnets if you are using coins and such as means of upgrading. Weapon spread was a good idea, especially doubling the amounts of bullets.

[spidey146]

Originally Posted by ktfright

isn't that similar to a bomb?

Sort of, what I mean is "bombs" drop from the sky in a long line.

[ktfright]

Maybe I'll also add a laser bar that moves through the level and kills all in it's path, like lov grav racer 2.