Or claim the coveted one-credit clear (1CC), where you make it straight through a shooter from start to finish on default settings without continuing once? While Hydorah is a fair challenge (and you can’t argue with the price), be advised that it’s not aimed quite so squarely at new players: this one’s more for those who not only remember but relish the struggle for dominance embodied by the venerable shmups of days gone by. The gameplay mechanics are very similar to Truxton. Off to the side is DDP 2: Bee Storm, which was created by a separate developer and thus feels considerably different from the rest, but is still worth a try on its own terms. I consider it a widely overlooked Wii gem, and found Blast Works very approachable and easy to play. Shoot 'em ups, a video game genre that's unfortunately also known by the linguistically repugnant term "shmups," is a category that's graced the industry for decades. "Shmup" is an abbreviated term for "Shoot-Em-Up" and usually relates to games involving spaceships trying to prevent some sort of evil alien attack The first "Shmup" was Taito's "Space Invaders" from 1978 (it was so popular, that at one point it created a national 100-yen coin shortage in Japan). In a show of kindness on the developer’s part, though, there is a slight but noticeable delay between the items’ appearance and when they can be picked up, so even if you’re not dangerously close to a target the moment you bring it down you can still make a dash towards the spot immediately afterward and reap most or all of the potential rewards if you’re careful. Unlike their inspiration, though, every vanquished enemy leaves behind strange collectible green items; an oversized (and anachronistic) boss crashes the party before long, and moreover doesn’t seem particularly fazed by your primitive pea shooter. Dec 9, 2020 - Videos and Pictures related to Shoot 'em up/STGs. And they proceed to do battle with the Statue of Liberty. In the event that you find yourself deep into Deathsmiles and eager to sample more games like it, vertical-scroller Espgaluda, also by Cave, might be a good next stop to pencil into your itinerary. Yup, it’s perennial Racketboy favorite Harmful Park, which seems to always have something fun on hand at just the right time, no matter the player or situation. Doing well on a stage will make the next one both tougher and more lucrative, but your life stock is always reset to a full three tries every level, so there’s no reason to play too scared. Whether it was the little ice cream shop that we would walk to when visiting my grandparents in Southside Virginia, or it was eating my great-uncle’s old-fashioned homemade peach ice cream on the back porch, ice cream is one of the best memories of my childhood. Up to four people (assuming none of you have heart conditions) can get in on the madness, and you only need a buck to get past the velvet rope out front…though said rope should probably have a “you must be THIS insane to ride” sign on it. Your cannon’s firing speed, however, has been upgraded, leaving you less vulnerable after a missed shot, and can be powered up further as you go. Naturally, Pac-Man’s posse wasn’t going to allow such an influential and commercial success to occupy arcade space (and an ever-lengthening list of home ports) all on its own, so for some years afterwards they continued to tweak and expand upon their groundbreaking formula…as it turns out, though, none of the resulting refinements ever achieved the same level of fame or influence as their overachieving elder brother. To the modern observer, it also appears a strange and somewhat conflicted creature: on the one hand, the simple and intuitive actions of moving and shooting comprise a foundation that any prospective player can grasp within seconds. “Game Center Love” features a sequel of sorts to Skill Test known as CombatZeal; its setup is a bit more elaborate than its predecessor’s, but it’s an even more entertaining experience if you can gather some friends and get up to four players involved. © 2004-2020 Racketboy. For his “Blue Wish” games, x.x (another solo creator) eschews Touhou’s character-centric exterior in favor of something closer to the above-mentioned DonPachi series, with its neon-colored bullets, loads of shiny score items, and scads of bad-tempered tanks and planes just begging to be blown to smithereens. Western indie developer Milkstone also created a tribute game with 3D graphics, titled Infinity Danger; this one will cost you a few bucks, but it adds online leaderboards and twin-stick controls to the mix. The Darius Cozmic Collection is separated by console and arcade releases.Taking a look at the console version, there’s plenty for fans to be excited about as they definitely went all out. Since every entry varies in its approach a bit, here’s a (very) quick summary: the original DonPachi, Cave’s first release, is a bit more “old-school” than the rest, so if you prefer your screen not quite so clogged with bullets it might be up your alley. A subreddit dedicated to shoot 'em up games of all kinds. Triangle Service, a (very) small team of expatriates from other, bygone shooting developers, have had to plow through some rough spots in today’s STG-resistant market, but their obvious passion for the genre has endeared them to the faithful and cobbled together enough support to keep the outfit going today (and they’re on the Xbox One’s developer roster too). Here we have an indie shoot 'em up from the developers at … At least one of Sega’s scant handful of exclusives, however, can still claim fans who recall it fondly, and moreover stands the test of time as a surprisingly effective introduction to the genre’s bare essentials: if you’ve still got a Master System around and have a shmup-curious compatriot drop in, by all means dust off a copy of Astro Warrior. While it’s not quite so exclusively focused on “bullet-canceling” enemies, Cave’s Mushihime-sama Futari still has plenty of them to blow away for a needed bit of breathing room, and spreads them across three different modes right out of the box – “Original” is the simplest and probably the best choice for beginners, “Maniac” kicks things up a notch and adopts a more free-form scoring system, and “Ultra” is for crazy people. The sequel does retain, however, its precursor’s well-realized feudal Japanese aesthetic, and applies a spit-shine to this striking visual motif: character portraits, backdrops, and in-game sprites nearly across the board have been prettied up to impart an even more appealing and detailed look than before, and work in tandem with an appropriately atmospheric soundtrack to form, for starters, one of Psikyo’s most attractive productions. But I will add that of the four, my favorite one is Fire Shark. (Konami  1985-1995 – ARC/NES/GB/PCE/SNES/Saturn/PS1/PSP/etc. Next is “Ika”, which mimics Ikaruga’s two-toned bullets and its switchable ship’s ability to absorb unfriendly fire of the same color. You’d be hard-pressed to encounter a more straightforward instance of a shooter aiming for a new audience; according to the developers themselves this was the project’s inspiration, long before anyone had much idea what the thing would look or play like. Cooler than that, you’re also packing a significantly more potent gun, a limited degree of vertical movement, and the wherewithal to finish off the now-last-gen boss lickety-split: onward to the next level, which in turn features Star Soldier-esque challenges, and the next shmupping evolution beyond that! In many respects Twin Cobra embodies shooter simplicity to a tee, and is super-easy to figure out with even minimal genre knowledge: you can collect and power up four different weapons, drop bullet-eating area-effect bombs to escape when things get too crowded for comfort, and snap up shiny star icons for a few bonus points. Don’t be afraid, though, since right from the get-go the game gives you the option to play in a tamer “easy mode” and/or turn on the “auto-bomb” feature, which will save you from death if a stray bullet nicks you, assuming you’ve got a spare bomb in stock (manual activation can be either a two-finger tap or a double-tap, based on your stated preference). Highly recommended. So listen well, grasshopper: once you have amassed some measure of confidence, seek the ring. Suggested Followup: Suggested Followup: You are allowed some powerful smart bombs to force your way through parts you can’t dodge your way out of, but nothing is nearly as effective an edge as a second player; if the two of you work together you can ensure that somebody always has a vital shield charge ready in a pinch, and that a partner will remain ever at the ready to C.Y.A. Suggested Followup: Rarely are there any obvious “safe spots” which allow you to stay completely out of their way, so you’ve just got to learn how to weave safely through to the other side; thankfully, your character’s central hitbox can be rendered visible and your movement speed slowed with the press of a button, so from there it’s just about feeling your way around the chaos. For starters, it’s a snap to get oneself (and one’s pals) right into the thick of it: aside from the requisite pair of sticks for moving and aiming/shooting, you need one measly additional button for last-ditch nukes, and the only pickups are standard-issue lives, bombs, shot upgrades and “option” helpers to give your attacks a bit more “oomph”, so everyone can instinctively grab whatever’s within their reach and stay focused on the fight at hand. Believe it or not, many Western Gamestop-goers have likely found themselves within inches of a Kenta Cho product without knowing it: “Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy”, a side-scrolling shooter released for the Wii in 2008, is actually a reworked version of ABA’s Tumiki Fighters, and includes several of his weird and wonderful freeware originals as unlockables on the disc. Shop for Zero Gunner 2 on Amazon.com. As mentioned … Get a nice roundup of new retro gaming content once or twice a month. Suggested Followup: Just below here you’ll encounter an entry by indie studio Xona games, which just so happens to specialize in multiplayer shooters: before jumping in let’s warm up with another one (or three, actually) by those guys. You do have to hand it to the buggers: even after all these years and all the enhancements (not to mention Square-Enix’s acquisition of original developer Taito), Space Invaders still succeeds at remaining true to its roots while feeling fresh and friendly to newcomers. In addition to your main guns you’re given unlimited access to a potent “lock-on” weapon which covers a large portion of the screen with homing lasers, as well as a “bomb meter” which limits the amount of times you can save yourself in quick succession but can be refilled regularly for a steady supply of “Plan B” as you progress. In the West Kyukyoku Tiger was brought to market under the name “Twin Cobra” (a reference to the real-life AH-1 series of military helicopters), and was subject to a handful of adjustments which not only tip the scales in favor of novice players, but actually earned the praise of more than a few veterans over its elder incarnation, an especially rare honor within a shmup fandom notoriously suspicious of “improved” localizations. To be clear, this game isn’t a cakewalk, but perseverance is almost sure to pay off, which is always nice to know after a particularly demoralizing screw-up. ... My Top 30 Arcade Shmups - Best Game Each Year! Shoot 'em up, in a general sense, means a 2D … it’s can be a little easy, but my word is it a spectacle to watch and very enjoyable to play. Finally there’s “GW” mode, a reference to Takumi’s Giga Wing and its rechargeable “reflect force” mechanic, which allows you to send the boss’s attacks right back at him in rechargeable bursts. https://www.giantbomb.com/profile/bvhnl/lists/the-best-shmups/90111 Shop for Espgaluda on Amazon.com. ), it is still a great game. Dragon Spirit, released to arcades a full five years after Xevious, is one of these red-headed (and fire-breathing) step-children. Anyway, Deathsmiles not only serves as a pivot point for Cave’s gradual shift away from wartime/mechanical-themed settings to more character-oriented narratives, but more importantly remains their most beginner-friendly release down to this day. The journey’s not likely to take more than 20 minutes or so to complete once, though you’ll definitely want to strap yourself in for another assault, not only to seek out the various evolutionary paths but to take on tougher difficulties and master every tool you’re given to achieve higher scores; to put a slightly-too-dramatic point on it, as the game evolves, so do you. One of the relatively few Gradius titles developed exclusively for home consoles, pretty much everything that made the arcade entries great is still here, along with a handful of appealing additions and adjustments. Hands down. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. There’s even a bonus-loaded “speed level” to test your reflexes (and greed). Note from racketboy: Taking the next step from his comprehensive Shmups 101: A Beginner’s Guide to 2D Shooters,  the expert shmup writing of BulletMagnet (see his guides to shmups for the Playstation, Saturn, and PS2 and the Games That Defined the Shmup Genre) this guide is one of most epic posts ever. If you care to venture a bit deeper into their technical aspects, some of Compile’s titles are also a good introduction to the concept of “rank”, or a game’s ability to automatically adjust its difficulty as a direct reaction to player performance: Zanac is particularly famous for this, as the computer sends different enemy types and formations out to meet you depending upon the weapon you’ve decided to equip at a given point. I would definitely recommend Astebreed by Edelweiss. Deathsmiles (for PC) 4.0. So, if you’re the sort of player who prefers to hang back and take on threats from a safe distance, chances are you’ll find yourself making progress a lot more quickly here than you’re used to, so long as you’re able to prioritize all the madness assaulting your eyeballs. The enemy roster also forces you to approach each conflict differently (some are temporarily invulnerable, others change their movements when hit), and the presence of indestructible cover challenges your maneuverability as you do your best to pick the unfriendly hordes off. At first glance the pickings might appear relatively slim: as mainstream interest in 2D shooters has waned, the handful of companies still releasing them have been forced to cater to an increasingly niche, demanding, and experienced audience, resulting in the latter-day dominance of so-called “bullet hell” releases whose screenfuls of glowing neon death aren’t exactly custom-built to inspire confidence. until you’re ready to return the favor. Shop for Sengoku Blade on eBay Something of a side story to Cave’s longtime flagship franchise, Maximum drops you into the scary-sounding “Maximum Bullet Simulator”, which sends you and your fighter craft of choice up against reincarnations of enemies you thought you’d blasted to smithereens several games ago, plus some new “pals” with predictably itchy trigger fingers. Suggested Followup: Countless lifelong shooter fans began their journeys by sampling Compile’s sizable library, including iconic series like Zanac and Aleste – which, somewhat unusually for their time, were squarely aimed not at arcade-goers but the home console audience, offering the latter a once-elusive doorway into the exciting world of baddie-blasting and bullet-dodging, right in their own living rooms. Minus the oddball name, this rather obscure arcade-only shooter by Toaplan (the same guys who did Batsugun, covered earlier) might not seem particularly concerned with standing out from the pack; sure, the company’s signature sprite stylings still hold up nicely after all these years and everything plays just fine, but the core game’s rather generic nuts and bolts, effortless to grasp as they are, might cross the line into “just a bit too meat-and-potatoes” territory for some. If you’re the sort of player attracted to stuff that doesn’t take itself too seriously, you’ll definitely want to get acquainted with the Parodius games, which, as their name suggests, are in-house spoofs of Konami’s iconic Gradius series (which you’ll be hearing from again before we’re done here). Now I’m getting flashbacks of 2007-08 when I first started playing Touhou games haha. Oh, and before I forget…an upgraded/remixed version was released for the Nesica digital arcade format in Japan, and this “World Ignition” edition recently arrived in the West via both Steam and GOG, so, well, what in heaven’s name are you waiting for? On a related note, if the “main” Raidens are a bit too methodical for your liking give the three Raiden Fighters spinoffs a go instead: their more frenetic pace and scoring systems are sure to get your blood pumping. You might also want a look at Z-Lock, which wasn’t developed by Kenta Cho but utilizes a similar visual style, and features enemies which all “lock on” to the player before opening fire (fortunately for you this also boosts your own power level). The intro is sooo good. See you all next mission! Donpachi, Dodonpachi (ARC), Dodonpachi daioujou X360, EspGaluda, Kaizen, EspDaRe. Honestly, since the Touhou series has spread so far beyond its native boundaries you don’t have to look very far to find something interesting to expand your experience. Even as paid releases these games would have found a place within the fandom, but as freebies there’s pretty much zero excuse for anyone interested enough to read this to hesitate jumping on board. No rush, though: simply expend whatever you feel comfortable with and see where it takes you, or go ahead and enjoy the game without any of the funky stuff for as long as you please. It’s been so many years since I’ve last heard that name. Enemies fill the screen with destructive colored firepower that makes pinpoint movement and spatial awareness a must and relaxing your sphincter impossible Still, if you're up for a challenge, bullet hell shooters are addicting adrenaline rushes. You’re likely to encounter some (occasionally spirited) discussion of what “technically” qualifies as a shmup in conversations with others, but at the end of the day it’s all but completely academic in nature; everyone is always free to play whatever they please, and maybe even discover an all-time favorite that they never knew existed along the way. Thanks be to the gaming gods that such bountiful opportunities exist for adventurous players to laugh in the faces of tight budgets and/or hardware format limitations! His most famous creations are the side-scrolling Gundemonium (which was eventually remade as “Gundemonium Recollection”) and its sequel, Gundeadligne; neither are particularly aimed at newbies, but both have a lot to mess around with, from customizable weapon loadouts to special “mana drive” attacks to bullet grazing to risk-reward rank control…and lots and lots of ludicrous bullet patterns. Shop for Deathsmiles on Amazon.com. If you like what you saw of the “DonPachi” series on your smartphone, you definitely ought to give the rest of the series a go. If you’re new to the scene and are curious to know what was going through the creators’ heads when they were making this thing, have a shooter veteran sit in on your session, and take a listen to his commentary: “That weapon select screen? Or are you hoping to surpass a particular high score marker? (8ing – 1999 – ARC – JP) Revisiting the classics is all well and good, but say you feel a hankering for something a little more contemporary to spice up your introductory tour of Shmupsville. This, however, is only half the story, since mastering the game’s primary scoring gimmick demands that players waltz right up into their targets’ faces before blowing them away; if you want to earn better level rankings (not to mention see the true ending) you’ll have to master your enemies’ attack patterns and grow bold enough to take advantage of every opening you’re given to get up close and personal. No matter how you choose to play power-ups are plentiful, bombs are both powerful and protective (though they require a little practice to aim for maximum damage), and your plane’s hitbox is generous enough to see you through pretty much anything thrown your way. If you hate bugs, Mushihimesama isn't for you. Will definitely give it a proper read-through at some point and hopefully try out some of the games I’d never heard of before. Especially as a newcomer to the genre. Remember that one woebegotten machine at the arcade with the gooped-up buttons and busted joystick, or the three-button cab which had been outfitted, inexplicably, with a four-button game? Yup, we’ve arrived at another name you might recognize from elsewhere on Racketboy, but you can stand assured that there’s no more appropriate – perhaps destined – place for it than right here: if there’s a single factor which truly renders Twinkle Star Sprites an icon among shmuppers, it’s the game’s groundbreaking and endlessly appealing competitive multiplayer. I loved that game when I was a kid. A quick hint to make survival a bit easier: most characters’ hitboxes are centered on their upper bodies, so don’t worry too much about your legs as you weave for dear life. If you have trouble with a particular level you’ll have the option of increasing your life count, though this will negatively affect your score; for purists, fixed “score attack” challenges built around a handful of prefabricated ship types are included to level the playing field. Minus Zero is a minimalist tribute to Taito’s “Layer Section” series, in which your only weapon against the endless hordes is a targeting marker that floats a fixed distance in front of you and must be passed over enemies to “lock on” to them; from there you just need to press a button to release a potent homing weapon, but the more you can zap at once the higher your score, so steel yourself to eradicate whole screenfuls in one fell swoop if you want to excel. Shop for Sonic Wings Series on eBay Compare to today’s shmups, maybe the criteria does fall short. Once any particular minigame has popped up in the rotation it becomes available to play anytime on its own or to be included in a player-constructed challenge sequence, so you’re free to choose your own focus, or perhaps create a custom-tailored training routine for a fellow gamer: speaking of which, a number of the skill tests can be tackled by two players, so if you’ve got a like-minded buddy around you can help each other out and/or compete fiercely for the best score. You only have a single gun at your disposal, but its power and spread vary depending on how hard you press the “shot” key (yup, this is one of the few games to utilize the PS2’s oft-ignored analog face buttons); fortunately, if you’d rather not bother with that particular evolutionary dead end you can map separate “light”, “medium” and “hard” shots to their own unique triggers instead. The cherry on top? Leaving behind its spiritual predecessor’s somewhat nondescript setting, Dragon Spirit gives players control of a flying, scaly denizen of myth and legend (well, technically a dude who can transform into one, but who’s keeping track? On top of all that, “Special” shrinks the player’s hitbox considerably, making it easier to weave through thick patterns intact, and also juices up bombs to fill the screen and provide a more potent ace in the hole when those crazy guns of yours still don’t quite finish the job. Both come recommended, though Gundeadligne adds in Deathsmiles-esque back-and-front shooting and a two-player mode; both titles were localized by publisher Rockin’ Android and can be purchased separately or as a trio along with their cousin, Hitogata Happa (which is also good, but even tougher for newcomers to wrap their heads around, especially considering it requires tactical suicides just to get past the intro level). Even if you have yet to be assimilated (and you WILL be assimilated) when it comes to the “doujin” shooting scene, if you’ve spent much time within earshot of our little sector of the internet you’ve likely stumbled onto some vestige of the long-running “Touhou” (literally “of the East”) series, brainchild of a singular figure known as ZUN, officially operating as “Team Shanghai Alice“. Mushihimesama has three game modes: Novice, Normal, and Arrange. Suggested Followup: Novice is for newcomers who may not be ready to dive into the full-on madness; it's a more-balanced take on the bullet-hell experience. A later boss spawns enemies with wide-spread “wings” to clog up the area, but also packs a screen-covering blast which can only be avoided if you leave at least one winged baddie alive to hide behind. Hats off, you incorrigible little menaces from beyond the stars, you. If you’d prefer to get back to tha choppa, Psikyo’s Zero Gunner 2 distinguishes itself as one of the company’s more approachable releases, and features the ability to rotate, lock and fire in any direction. Tinker around a little more, though, and you’ll discover the game’s “trump card”, the singular out-of-left-field idea which earns it a place on this list: have one player use the aforementioned “capture” ability on his partner instead of an enemy, and both ships will combine into a beefy mega-fighter, complete with redoubled offensive output for all weapons. Both your own (generous) hitbox and those of every bullet fired at you are clearly visible, so you’ll never have to guess when wending your way through a dense cloud of pain. Shop for Espgaluda on eBay Not to mention this video is old and some of these opinions may have changed since the making of it. Suggested Followup: If you destroy the offending baddie before your magic power runs out (or it leaves the screen) its “captured” shots are turned into coins, which can be spent, Fantasy Zone-style, at mid-level shops, which carry not only extra lives and magic meter but single-use special weapons which basically act as your bombs. More than that, with a bit of persistence a visit to the final boss shouldn’t be too far away…and if you can manage to best him a second trip through the game’s tougher “loop” begins, and things really start to get interesting. On the doujin front, ZUN’s pair of “Phantasmagoria” entries in the Touhou lineup were directly inspired by Sprites and play much closer to them, though of course players should be prepared for the series’ ever-present fireworks display of bullets as they pick off targets and FedEx the resulting garbage their opponents’ way. 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