1. Progear (Cave - 2001)
I think this may be the only horizontal shooter ever developed by CAVE? Published by Capcom in 2001 and running on the CPS2, the game has a quasi steam-punk / anime art style to it. Gameplay wise it still's very much like CAVE, chunky anime-esque tanks and military equipment, very satisfying sense of impact, bullets everywhere but a forgiving hit box.
2. Blazing Stars (SNK - Yumekobo - 1998)
Probably the best Neo Geo shooter, shares the same pre-rendered 3D look as Pulstar, but looks quite a bit better.......the gameplay is less R-Type and more frenetic / approachable (I think you can pick the Pulstar ship as well). Amazing level design and presentation overall, although the Bonus! quip gets very annoying.
3. Darius Gaiden (Taito - 1994)
Perhaps one of the best looking 2D games ever, this shooter rocks, and it's really the only Darius game that I've loved. The game continues the whole fish-aquatic lifeforms-space ship theme as the previous Darius games, but just refines everything. Again though, phenomenal presentation, from the graphics to music. The branching path system (think Star Fox 64) gives the game quite a bit more replay value than most arcade shooter.
4. In the Hunt (Irem - 1993)
By some of the same guys responsible for Metal Slug, you pilot your little cute submarine and blow up everything on screen. The game has a very post-apocalyptic military-esque vibe, but thankfully it doesn't take itself very seriously. Much like Metal Slug, the detailed sprite graphics are phenomenal, and for a 1993 title, they put most modern 2D indie games to horrible shame.
5. Battle Bakraid (Eighting - 1998)
Sequel to Battle Garegga, this series kinda gives me an Irem vibe with it's military-esque post-apocalyptic setting. Bakraid is a bit more approachable than Garegga (you can make out most of the incoming bullets). Love all of the extra options for this game, the diversity in the aircraft, the ability to switch around the level layouts, etc. Has a satisfying crunch to the impacts like all decent shooters.
6. Strikers 1945 II (1997 - Psikyo)
It's like a Capcom 194X game, but only better! The game at first seems like a World War II shooter, but before long you have mechs and lasers coming at you (mostly with the bosses). Anyways, play this over Strikers 1945 Plus on the Neo Geo, as this is the superior take on the series, the hardware also loans itself better here, much cleaner and colorful graphics. Also try out Strikers 1999, which is pretty much the something but with a modern twist (instead of WWII prop fighters you now have a F-22 and other modern jet fighters,.......in a modern / sci-fi setting).
I love shoot em ups. I'm missing a bunch of quality games but I suppose these are my favourites.
Space Invaders (arcade)
1943 Battle of Midway (arcade)
Gemini Wing (cpc6128)
Space Harrier (arcade)
Project x (Amiga)
Star Fox (snes)
Geometry Wars (x360)
Afterburner climax (x360)
Resogun (ps4)
Geometry Wars 3 (vita)
I think gw3 is the only vita game I have ever completed the main campaign. Sad but true.
I've never ventured into Japanese shooters, Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga were good but didn't really blow me away. The bullet hell stuff does appeal but importing is too expensive. I really wanted a recent ps4 Japanese shooter but it was £60 on the store or something.
PS3 Megathread 2019: The Last of Us
Multiplat 2018: Horizon Zero Dawn
Nintendo 2017: Super Mario Bros 3
Playstation 2016: Uncharted 2
Multiplat 2015: Final Fantasy 7
It's still odd that Ikaruga became as well known as it is, from a game play mechanics perspective, it's an outlier in the genre.....that's not a bad thing per say, but I think it gained it's name by being a treasure game and by also being a collectible title on the DC and GCN.......that being said, I don't think Ikaruga is my personal top 10 or anything as such, I feel it's a bit overrated.
I'm not an expert on the genre, I'm not even that good at em, but yeah, the bullet hell shooters are a lot of fun, anything by CAVE, raizing / eighting, Psikyo, and Takumi are just a lot of fun! (mid 90's to mid 00's).
A lot of people think that these games are unapproachable, but that's really not true at all, in many ways they are easier to get into vice something like R-Type, which was very detailed and well designed, but super balls hard. People don't realize how small your hit box is or mechanics like in Giga Wing, where you can reflect the shots back.
I haven't played many in the genre. I've only played Super Thunder Blade and Gain Ground on Genesis, as well as a Capcom game named Merc. I think that was the title anyway.
Also played Galaga and Bosconian, if those count. Asteroids too.
"We don't get to choose how we start in this life. Real 'greatness' is what you do with the hand you're dealt." -Victor Sullivan "Building the future and keeping the past alive are one and the same thing." -Solid Snake
My favorite Shoot 'Em Up is the one starring Clive Owen.
Joking aside, I don't play the genre a lot but the ones that I used to play were games like R-Type, 1943 Battle of Midway, Space Harrier, Afterburner...
Scrolling shmups are something I've always been interested in, but I've never really been able to beat.
The only ones I've ever been able to beat (in the sense that I've beaten all the levels in the first go around, but die in the second, harder, go around) are TwinBee on the 3DS, and a couple of mobile titles called Salvo Saga HD & B.B. Bear (Danmaku). Both mobile titles are by a company called Colopl, and despite being free, are really fun, and work surprisingly well.
Other notable ones I've played, but haven't beat are Solar Striker (one of my first GB titles, and I love it), Mobile Light Force 2 (on the PS2, I believe in Japan it's known as Castle of Shikigami II), and Xevious (I've played it both on PC & 3DS, and always seem to die at the same place).
Currently Playing:
Switch - Blade Strangers
PS4 - Kingdom Hearts III, Tetris Effect (VR)
I'm a big fan of the shmup genre since the times of 1942, despite the fact of not being what you would call a guy with great hand-eye coordination. My favourites are (please, don't laugh) Axelay, Galaxian and Parodius. Recently, I found this little thing called Blue Rider, and I found it to be fairly entertaining and very much in the vein of all that old black magic.
My all time favourite was Parodius on the SNES just because of the completely random ships and bosses. Flying an octopus under the rotating legs of a las vegas showgirl tickled me pink as a kid.
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@gunslingerpetey Yes, I loved that serie too. Just like the Neo Geo game Ghost Pilots, which is quite similar. My favourite SHMUP of all time, though, I forgot the title of. Hopefully someone might still name it here.
I would stick another vote for R-Type and 1942. I've had R-Type on 3 different machines (Spectrum, Amiga and Xbox) and would buy it again in a heartbeat.
I loved games like 1942 and 'Commando' as well as Side scrollers like R-type (just think of Honda now when I hear that) but I must admit I do get very bored of these quickly nowadays...
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I think they hold up very well, shooters are like 2D fighting games, simple in concept with a hidden amount of depth and instant gratification.
A lot of them from the early 1990's to the X360 era play great to this day, try to explore from that era.......when you get into the 1980's, besides say Irem and Toaplan shooters, alot of them don't hold up.
@sub12: I am not saying they don't still deliver what they originally did, I am saying I find them boring by modern gaming standards. Nothing makes me want to keep playing, no driving story arc just repetition. I played a LOT of on rails mindless shooting games back in the day when they were 'fresh' and the technology couldn't offer much in the way of depth.
I want more from games these days - not something I play maybe once or twice, get bored with the same thing over and over and over again. Its a simple repetition - dodge incoming fire whilst putting down a stream of fire yourself and try and pick up power-ups in the hope you can get a high score and make it to the next level and do it all again against increasingly difficult or numbers of enemies/bosses. There are no tactics, strategy or depth - its repetition - knowing what's coming next and trying to destroy it before it destroys you. Its the equivalent of snakes and ladders when I much prefer Chess...
A pessimist is just an optimist with experience!
Why can't life be like gaming? Why can't I restart from an earlier checkpoint??
Feel free to add me but please send a message so I know where you know me from...
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Topic: Favorite Shoot em' Ups (SHMUPS)!?
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