Yea, verily, the atmosphere is indeed ripe for another timely appearance by the illustrious Captain Obvious: if you’re in the mood for an older-style shooter in the same essential mold as the prolific (and also recently-referenced) Raiden series, the “original” Shienryu is another workable choice for beginners, thanks in large part to its more dodge-friendly hit area and easier-to-see enemy bullets. 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. As a result, most of the company’s celebrated 16-bit productions appeared on Sega’s flagship system, whose fleeter processor allowed everything to blaze on through with less slowdown than its competition afforded. 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. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. 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. Fear not, though: as the years have progressed, fictional extraterrestrial-repulsion technology has made impressive leaps forward, and the upshot is a succession of increasingly fun and forgiving Space Invaders titles, culminating with the two-game (so far) “Extreme” series. Rail shooters, tube shooters, cute shooters, and shooters with distinct levels all emerged; any older gamer will probably recall seeing and/or playing these games, especially avid arcade goers. Satazius and rRootage both excel at showcasing era-specific shooter mechanics and are well worth exploring, but let’s say you’re gunning for nothing less than a one-shot light-speed trip straight through practically the entire history of the shmup, from soup to nuts. (Xona Games – 2010 – XBLA – US) At first blush, frankly, it can be tough to distinguish any particular entry from the rest, or even from other, unrelated shooters of the day, as the playable airplanes and backdrops on offer here don’t stray too far from well-established, comfort-zone genre convention…well, at least until the ninja pilot shows up. Of course, to make inroads into the home market some necessary compromises have been made with the non-hardcore in mind, and Cave’s primary vehicle to this end has been the inclusion of stand-alone “Novice” modes in almost all of their “eighth-generation” releases. As mentioned … 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. There’s nothing at all wrong with this, and no reason not to feel comfortable simply following one’s instincts while looking for a shmup to play; even if it’s not a particularly well-known or highly-regarded title, feel free to sample and discuss it (with an open mind, of course) with the larger shmupping community. Suggested Followup: Sure, they all send scads of not-so-friendly fire in your direction, but if you can keep yourself safe long enough to bring them down before they get you, all of their remaining onscreen hazards fizzle away into the harmless, puffy “souls” of the title. 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. One catch: the only home port the game received was to the Japanese PS2, so it’s somewhat tougher to access domestically unless you emulate (on the bright side, there’s a freeware PC title called Leiria Stargazer which plays a lot like Espgaluda and is at least as welcoming to newcomers). Same!) Majestic Twelve (aka Super Space Invaders ’91) stands as one of the first Invaders titles to truly feel like an evolution, introducing new powerups and enemy types (and beefing up existing ones), branching stages with unique hazards, and even a bonus level which tasks you with thwarting an impending bovine abduction (does any more honorable calling exist?). The scrolling shoot-em-up (or “shmup”) is a hardy, tough-skinned branch of video gamedom dating back to the earliest age of arcades, and in true crocodilian fashion has evolved relatively little over time compared to its fluffier, warm-blooded kin. I hope you enjoy the detail and loving care that went into this piece! 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. Exzeal, for its part, might look similar at a glance, but its four selectable ships require different strategies (rapidly moving the joystick back and forth to charge a power shot, close-range kills, etc.) It’s a nice look at Cave truly coming into its own, and might even help you to do the same. 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 original game and its PS2-exclusive sequel can claim a few differences between them but play near-identically in most respects, so feel free to grab whichever suits your circumstances and proceed to eviscerate your pals in the most tooth-rottingly sugary manner possible. If you’re interested in some “extracurricular” in-depth reading concerning arcade hardware for both shmups and other games, you might want to start by checking this outside link, and this one too. 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. Thanks for including Knightmare. You can exploit this advantage pretty much as often as you like, but doing so drains your supply of blue gems (acquired by downing targets with your default weapon), and using special attacks with an empty gem stock quickly raises the difficulty level, so balance and restraint are both essential. Shop for Astro Warrior on eBay Now I’m getting flashbacks of 2007-08 when I first started playing Touhou games haha. More seasoned players are obviously the ones likely to get the most out of this addition (along with the bizarre scoring system, which I’ll leave to an outside FAQ or tutorial to explain), but I still recommend putting forth an earnest effort to see how much more you’ve got left in the tank if you can make it that far; there’s a good chance that you’ll surprise yourself. (Cave, 2007 – ARC/X360/iOS/AND – JP/US/PAL). Gaiden is a near-foolproof first choice for prospective Vic Viper pilots, but while they’re getting familiar with the series canon they might want to keep an eye out for a few others; one of them is actually the very first Gradius, which hit the arcades in 1985. Friendly reminder: These are only my opinions, nothing more. Shop for Giga Wing series on Amazon.com. There’s even a semi-hidden “easy mode” – if you lose the game’s first introductory boss battle, you’ll play as a powered-up dragon through a shorter stage progression to get yourself ready for the “normal” game. Once you’ve gotten used to how your ship handles it’s time to start digging into the scoring system: destroyed enemies drop stars that can be collected for points. You might have also heard, or experienced firsthand in some form or another, that this particular fandom’s fringe has gone rather off the rails; while it is true that the games’ casts are composed entirely of young girls with magic powers, and that some unaffiliated content creators have done various regrettable things to them over the years, rest easy. Shmups 101: A Beginner’s Guide to 2D Shooters, this site’s “Shmups 101” segment from a ways bac, A bit of additional info can be found here, Shop for Space Invaders Extreme Series on eBay, Shop for Space Invaders Extreme Series on Amazon.com, Shop for Dragon Spirit: The New Legend on eBay, Shop for Dragon Spirit: The New Legend on Amazon.com, an English translation of a Japanese magazine interview with Cho Ren Sha’s creator is available to read at his site, worth the couple of bucks for the full download, Shop for Twinkle Star Sprites on Amazon.com, Space Megaforce/Super Aleste (SNES/SFC) (, Lightening Force/Thunder Force IV (GEN/MD, SAT) (, Soldier Blade (TG16/PCE, PSP, WVC, PSN, iOS) (. Utilizing a “proximity” mechanic similar to that of Omega Fighter (which you can read more about here), when enemies are shot down they leave behind score cubes which are automatically collected; the farther away you are from where they spawn, though, the less they’re worth, so you’re encouraged to sneak in close to your targets when it’s safe(-ish). (Taito – 2007-2009 – PSP/DS/XBLA – JP/US/PAL) Collect the best games without spending much money. 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. The production most likely to interest shooterphiles is Hydorah, a side-scroller that could just about qualify as a long-lost Gradius offshoot, though like Satazius it draws inspiration from many other sources too; in turn, many of the same gameplay elements make an appearance here, from incremental weapon power-ups to new toys earned after every stage, from powerful limited-use special weapons to single-hit barriers. Warashi has unfortunately faded into the ether by now, so we may never know exactly how this one came into existence, but whatever its origins Shienryu Explosion remains just as welcoming a destination for less-experienced players as it ever was. Whether you know it as Genesis or Mega Drive, there were a ton of excellent shmups for Sega's 16-bit console so here are the 10 best. Not only are home-market shmups’ “default” challenge levels usually milder in general terms, but options and settings to tweak to your own preferences (and gradually ramp things up as you get settled in) are often more numerous and easier to access; on a purely practical note, consumer-grade releases (again, with some exceptions) also tend to be more affordable, easier to acquire, and demand less maintenance and/or technical expertise to own outright, especially if you prefer not to emulate. to bring down foes in optimal fashion and rack up the big points. Konami’s Life Force is another one of these: while this offshoot of the famous Gradius series sticks close to its progenitor in many respects, it also slows things down a bit to make survival more manageable, and even dollops a couple of new stages and enemies into the mix to spice things up. HOLY SWEET MOTHER SOMEONE ELSE ACTUALLY KNOWS ABOUT x.x and Blue Wish Resurrection?!?!?!? When choosing the best of the best shoot 'em up games for PC, you have to keep in mind that there's a lot of similarity between the titles. Enter Cave, perhaps the most prominent latter-day shooter developer, and one with deep roots in the arcades, though more and more of their work has wended its way to store shelves and download services over the years; as it happens, their most recent platform of choice has been the Xbox 360, a notable bright spot amidst the console’s well-documented struggles in Japan. Hyper Sentinel is 'neo-retro' executed to perfection. Don’t get cocky, though, as “Hard” and “Very Hard” both live up to their names, and the separate “Score Attack” course, a point-rich caravan mode, is also quite tricky just to survive, let alone escape from with an impressive score (but it can be done!). Take as much time to chew and digest as you need: the rest of the community will be happy to see you getting more involved with our favorite games no matter what your pace. Bakraid, however, is different; while it may not immediately stand out from the dozens upon dozens of other military-themed airplane shmups out there, a few minutes at the cabinet will put apprehensive players at ease. Unlike Space Manbow, Knightmare made it onto the Konami MSX compilations released for the Saturn and PS1, making it easier to play without actually owning or emulating MSX hardware. Your tastes in these games, as with most anything else, will likely evolve to some degree over time, but don’t be afraid to let it happen naturally, unforced. Suggested Followups: Learn essential information about vintage consoles. The staging is exactly the same as three or more decades ago (move back and forth, aliens descend, shoot them, don’t get shot yourself), but with every single dial, knob and switch set to “illogical conclusion”: hoard enough powerups and your guns will rip through the enemy ranks (and those puny floating shields) like a hot knife through butter, but the merciless scads of bullets the descending hordes volley back will demand very precise dodging to weather on your end. Look closely at their onscreen multiplier indicators: baddies dispatched with “heavier” shots (which reduce your movement speed when active) surrender more points, but the sparkly loot they leave behind is worth more if you’re using a “light” shot (or no shot at all) when you pick it up. Gradius V (PS2) is a must-have. More than that, activating a vaunt also starts a bonus meter ticking, which can be extended (across entire levels, if you’re good) by continually collecting gold; of course, if you get into trouble along the way you can hit the “vaunt” button again to cancel the bonus but activate another shield to save your rear from an untimely end. 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. The only downside is that some areas exchange the game's flying freedom for maze-like obstacle courses that slow the pace. In this game, EVERY enemy is special. It’s something of a minor gem in its own right, but like Xevious (and most of its arcade kin) it’s not exactly aimed at newer players; fortunately for them, a consumer version would soon appear on the NES, Bandai would localize it in the USA, and it would be a lot more manageable for those not born with a silver tournament-edition joystick in their hands. Then, of course, there are the quartet of play modes, seemingly constructed to chart an easy-to-follow course straight up from greenhorn to veteran: an abbreviated “Training” segment with auto-bombs, the standard but not too difficult “Normal”, the lengthier, beefier “Advanced”, and even a quick-shot “Boss Rush” to test your mettle versus the big baddies if you don’t feel like a full run-through. Shop for Raiden series on eBay For more than a decade, Jeffrey L. Wilson has penned gadget- and video game-related nerd-copy for a variety of publications, including 1UP, 2D-X, The Cask, Laptop, LifeStyler, Parenting, Sync, Wise Bread, and WWE. These 12 Ice Cream Shops In Virginia Are An Absolute Must-Try. While you’re still getting used to things, though, you’re free to use both your magic circle and special weapons purely defensively, and as time goes on the transition to more profitable play will come naturally. On that note, the “blue laser” does the most raw damage, but loses charge when the button is held down too long, and thus requires some endurance to wield effectively. SHMUPS Retro Gamers has 1,785 members. ... My Top 30 Arcade Shmups - Best Game Each Year! Most superguns out there in the wilds are mainly built for two players at best (without the optional ability to upgrade to have a third or fourth player capability from the get-go). Next is “Ika”, which mimics Ikaruga’s two-toned bullets and its switchable ship’s ability to absorb unfriendly fire of the same color. Suggested Followup: Raystorm: available as a PS1 disc or on Taito Legends 2 for the PS2. Really kickass article. PCMag Digital Group. (Triangle Service – 2009/2014 – X360 – JP/US/PAL) As you swoop in to collect them and beef up your point total, take note not only of safe pickup opportunities but the rotation cycle of your prizes: when the coins’ flat surfaces are facing the player they’ll momentarily flash, and are worth the most points if you can time your collection just right. While the popular “weapon edit” function from III has been scaled back to a fixed roster of four color-coded ships to pilot, in exchange you now also have four different kinds of shields to choose from, can juice up your Double, Missile and Laser weapons an extra level, and most importantly can freely rearrange the order of the power-up bar to your liking. Ikaruga blends shoot 'em up and puzzle play by utilizing a unique color-switching mechanic that lets you absorb black bullets when your ship is black and white bullets when your ship is white. Normal is a faithful recreation of the Japanese arcade classic. Suggested Followup: Things look familiar enough at the outset: the destructible shields between you and your targets are gone, but your trusty tank is still limited to horizontal maneuvers and each stage is conquered only when every last pesky invader has been zapped. Top-down arcade shooters have been a video game staple for a long, long time. Its sequel, DoDonPachi (DDP for short), endures as something of a standard-setter for “bullet hell” games and offers a nice, balanced challenge, while the next one, DDP Dai-Ou-Jou, is still fair but significantly harder and deeper. Speaking in more general terms, Gaiden is also one of the more approachable series entries in terms of “overall” difficulty: as per usual every area you enter has its own hand-picked selection of hazards to trip you up, but nothing here is likely to vex you to the same extent as, say, the ice field of Gradius II or the bubble level from III. Shop for Eschatos on Amazon.com. To take the notion a step further, it wouldn’t be inappropriate to assert that a positive “first impression” of a shooter can serve as a surprisingly potent motivator to keep playing and improving if and when the going gets tricky; if you happen to perceive a certain je ne sais quoi within a game right off the bat it’s more likely to remain enjoyable as you peel away its layers bit by bit, occasional rough edges notwithstanding. After you reveal a “medal” item, if you don’t pick it up it will soon begin to flash – and its value will be quickly reduced – until it finally turns gray and is worth next to nothing. Suggested Followup: When I say working I … 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. Once you’re ready to expand outward a bit from Twin Cobra there are plenty of options to keep you entertained: right in Toaplan’s own backyard there’s the aforementioned Fire Shark, itself an improved sequel to an older shooter, Flying Shark, which keeps Cobra’s military setting but replaces the helicopter with the ever-reliable (if equally vulnerable) propeller plane. are all here to stay. Gameplay is quite similar to that of Sonic Wings, right down to the auto-power down, special multiplayer dialogue and slow-but-powerful charge shots, but to shake things up the first few levels are now tackled in random order (so keep on your toes, as a particular locale might be a cake walk as Stage 1 but a real bear as Stage 4), and each character has two available endings even when playing alone. It’s called Warning Forever, and was developed by yet another talented individual, Hikoza Ohkubo (or “Hikware”, as the title screen would have it). You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. If you’ve got a bit of extra cheddar sitting around in your Live account and are hankering for a slightly more offbeat shooter to try out, give the demo a whirl and see if a spot of Trouble might be headed your way. Suggested Followup: If the “okay, cover me, I’ll shield you next” give-and-take two-step of Giga Wing rubs you the right way, you’ll definitely want to make room for Treasure’s Ikaruga, one of the few shmups able to claim some measure of “mainstream” name recognition within the Western gaming scene since heaven only knows when. If you want the “biggest” entries in the series then Sonic Wings Limited (Arcade) or Sonic Wings Special (Saturn/PS1) are probably your best bets, but again, just about any such release you happen across ought to be worth a go. – JP/US) No matter which path you take, the game’s central mechanics serve up a well-balanced blend of old and new sensibilities, and should appeal on some level to most any shooter fan who can overcome the somewhat workmanlike visuals: moreover, several budget reprints (including a “Wonder Pack” which tosses in spiritual successor Ginga Force, detailed below) make the game fairly easy to find, though you’ll score a music CD for your troubles if you can track a first-print copy down. May I suggest a detour to the wild and secret-rich “Violent City” of Armed Police Batrider: it’s a bit less forgiving in nature than Bakraid, but still showcases a boatload of courses, options, codes, secret challenges, and (believe it or not) an even larger playable roster, assuming you’ve enabled them all (again, check online for the appropriate prompts). The later entries of both Strikers and Gunbird implement deeper mechanics but are also considerably more challenging than their ancestors, so be ready for a sweatier workout when taking those on. – made it to the end of the list without “cheating” too badly when it comes to each section’s declared theme, but while this last game unfortunately doesn’t feature a two-player mode, it’s still an iconic PC shoot-em-up that newcomers ought to try, and I just couldn’t find anyplace else to sneak it in. The ongoing debate as to whether “twin-stick” shooters (a la Robotron) are “technically” shmups is unlikely to abate anytime soon, but either way, while we were all squabbling about it Bizarre Creations’ surprisingly successful minigame Geometry Wars almost single-handedly revitalized the subgenre and got a whole new audience interested in the timeless battle between glowy abstract shapes.
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