I always thought DDP and Progear were amazingly fun, but Espgaluda (specifically the simulation mode on ps2) was the first game that made me really think about

I always thought DDP and Progear were amazingly fun, but Espgaluda (specifically the simulation mode on ps2) was the first game that made me really think about playing for survival vs playing for score. There was a summer where I could almost layout a top score on level 1. Thinking about scoring gimmicks really unlocks a different layer of depth in shmups once you get over the bullet hell.