SHMUPs!

[Kriven]

I don't know if it really has to be "Playing as People", but "Playing with Characters" is definitely better than playing as random-generic-space-ship. I generally don't get into too many SHMUPS for that reason, and because the gameplay is fairly similar between them all, distinct gimmicks not withstanding. So to make a SHMUP special... usually it needs a special kind of aesthetic or unique world for me to get into.

Star Fox being more-or-less an advancement of the genre works for me primarily because of the com-displays and the frequent bouts of banter between characters. It makes the world a whole lot more relatable and entertaining as a whole.