Favorite shmups?

[Dire 51]

I decided to go ahead and revive this topic, seeing as how shooters are my favorite game genre. So tell us - what are your favorite shmups? Here's mine:

Gradius 1, 2, 3, and 4 (all arcade)
Gradius Gaiden (PSX)
Salamander and Salamander 2 (both arcade)
Life Force (both NES and arcade)
Gradius II (Famicom - it's like a remix of the arcade game)
Gradius III (SNES - ditto)
Sexy Parodius (Saturn)
Radiant Silvergun (Saturn)
Axelay (SNES)
R-Type 1 and 2 (arcade)
R-Type III: The Third Lightning (SNES)
R-Type Delta (PSX)
ThunderForce II, III, and IV (Genesis)
ThunderForce V Perfect System (PSX)
In The Hunt (Saturn)
Strikers 1945 II (PSX)
Super Darius and Super Darius II (PCE)
Darius Gaiden (Saturn)
G Darius (PSX)
U.N. Squadron (SNES)
MUSHA (Genesis)
Truxton (Genesis)
Gaiares (Genesis)
Gunbird (Saturn)
Gunbird 2 (Dreamcast)
Mars Matrix (Dreamcast)
Giga Wing 1 and 2 (Dreamcast)
Blazing Lazers (TG16)
Space Megaforce (SNES)
Super E.D.F. (SNES)

[Captain Wrong]

At the risk of repeting a lot of your list, I'm going to throw one up anyway :)

No Particular order, mind you.

Axelay (SNES)
Gradius Series (Various)
R-Types (PSX)
Parodus DX(Saturn)
Strikers 1945 II (Saturn)
Viewpoint (Neo Geo/Genny/PSX)
DonPatchi (Arcade)
DoDonPatchi (Arcade)
Twinkle Star Sprites (Neo Geo/DC)
Gunbird 2 (DC)
Lightening Force (Genny)
Lifeforce (NES)
Xevious (Arcade)
In the Hunt (Arcade/Saturn)
Raiden Project (PSX)
Einhander (PSX)
Robo Aleste (Sega CD)
G Darius (PSX)
Mars Matrix (DC)
River Raid (Atari 5200)
Thunderforce V (PSX)
Gain Ground (Genny)

@ Dire 51, if you're even in Indy, look me up. We need to hang out :)

[MankeyMan]

We should make this into a top 20 shmup list. Enough games have already been mentioned. Here are my top 5ish:

Rogue Squadron (N64)
Rogue Squadron: Rogue Leader (GC)
Isolated Warrior (NES)
Life Force Salamand (NES)
All of the Gradius

[Revolt]

:D Well here we go.

Gradius-nes, arcade
Gradius3-arcade, snes
Lifeforce-arcade, nes
Gyruss-arcade, nes
:evilbat:

[Cafeman]

You listed mine and more.

Perhaps 80's games aren't 'shmups' in the standard sense of the term, but you didnt mention either Defender or Robotron, 2 incredibly furious and frantic shooters that I love.

[Kid Fenris]

This would make a fine Top 20 list indeed, but I've got one question: Can we count overhead Commando-style games like Gain Ground, Pocky and Rocky, and Guwange?

Anyway, here are my fifteen favorite old-school shooters.

1. Radiant Silvergun -Saturn
2. Axelay -SNES
3. ESP Rade -Arcade
4. MUSHA -Genesis
5. Einhander -PSX
6. R-Type -Arcade/PSX
7. Galactic Attack/Layer Section -Saturn
8. R-Type III -SNES (I need a copy, by the way.)
9. Robo Aleste -Sega CD
10. Xexex -Arcade
11. R-Type Leo -Arcade
12. Gaiares -Genesis
13. Pulstar -Neo-Geo
14. Dodonpachi -Saturn/Arcade
15. Keio Flying Squadron -Sega CD

And an honorable mention goes to half of The Guardian Legend.

[Captain Wrong]

Though the Commando type games are shmup-ish, I don't really count them. My definition of a shmup is a 2d game where you're controlling some kind of ship, sub, hummingbird, 2 teenaged girls on a jet pack, etc. and traveling on a scrolling background shooting at stuff. Even then, that definition leaves out Thunder Force 2 and could concieveable add the Metal Slug Series, so it's far from perfect. I guess it's like pornography, I know it when I see it (of course, my reaction is a little different.)

PS I Count Gain Ground as a shump (see my list) but I don't count Commando. Why? Gain Ground just feels like a shmup to me and Commando doesn't. It's hard to explain, but maybe you understand?

[jaydubnb]

Favorite shumps? Now this is a topic I can sink my teeth into :) Out of all genres, shumps are the ones that i can -really- get into...the rush of the non stop bullets/lasers and usually rockin music gets me pumped like a mofo. My favorites are listed here in NPO:

Sylphia (PCE CD): Great fantasy shooter in the mold of Legendary Wings in which you control a fairy and blast orcs,goblins, and other uglies. Very underrated.

Gates of Thunder (Turbo/PCE CD): Some say its a ThunderForce rip (and it just may be since i've never played a TF game in my life....mostly due to me not owning a Genny until 2 weeks ago), but its grteat shump. Couldve used 1 more power up type, though.

Lords of Thunder (Turbo/ PCE CD): Great music, graphics, and action! Hard too!

R-Type Delta (PS): This game really surprised me. Wasn't expectiing much from a 3D shooter (yes, i'm biased against most polygonal games, sue me) but this oneis GREAT. Difficult and great looking.

Download II (PCE CD): This game falls just shy of greatness, IMO, but still a funride. The anime cinemas are damn nice, and the game is f'n weird...especially the last level!

Super Star Soldier (TG16/PCE): Yummy.

Sapphire (PCE CD w/ Arcade Card): I love this game! Nice powerups and the graphics are AWESOME! witht the scaling/morphing/polygon/lighting effects, it would definitely shut the mouths of those who call the PCE "just an 8 bitter".


Star Parodia: Probably the best comical shooter ever made. The ship selection (paro ceaser, bomberman, a pc engine unit!) rocks, powerups are fun, yet lethal, and the music is outstanding.

Now the real question is, which do you prefer....vertical or horizontal shumps?

[NvrMore]

gah, I hate trying to compile Top x lists. Somehow I always manage to forget one or more things which should be on the list. But i'll have a go anyway..

1. Macross: Scramble Valkyrie (SFC)
2. Axelay (SNES)
3. SWIV (Arcade)
4. Metal Slug (Arcade)
5. Super Probotector (SNES)
6. R-Type III (SNES)
7. Turrican (Various)
8. Darius Gaiden (Saturn)
9. UN Squadron (SNES)
10. Super Aleste (SNES)

[Achika]

Blazing Star - MVS
Mars Matris - DC
Dragon Spirit - NES
Gradius - NES
Gradius 3 - SNES
Sonic Wings 2 - Neo Geo CD
Sonic Wings 3 - MVS

[Lady Jaye]

I played Gyruss yesterday for the first time. Is it me, or is Gyruss a lot like a raster scan version of Tempest? Would that make Gyruss a Tempest clone?

[Captain Wrong]

@ Lady Jaye I've always thought of Gyruss as a cross between Tempest and Galaga, which probably explains why I like it so much!

[Lady Jaye]

True about the Galaga part, but it still feels more like Tempest than Galaga. Anyway, it's a cool game, and I'm glad I got it for the NES.

Oh yeah, speaking of schmups, I love Defender II/Stargate! I got it for the NES and it plays beautifully.

[NE146]

Gyruss is definitely a cross of Tempest and Galaga. It's Tempest-like in that your shooting inward into a tube and travel around the perimeter. It's Galaga-like in how the enemies come out in waves then move to formation, you have a chance to get double shots, and the challenging stages. :)

[Dire 51]

@cw - If I ever find myself in Indy, then I definitely will. You ever find yourself in Florida, look me up. ^_^

As far as what's a shmup and what's not, I guess that games like Commando and such could in fact be considered shmups... or at the very least "borderliners". So by that definition, games like Contra, Metal Slug, Gunstar Heroes and Alien Soldier would rate as shmups too, although Commando is probably closer to a "true" shmup than any of those.

[scooterb23]

I am horrible at shmups, but thewy are about my favorite genre of game...here are a few of my faves in no particular order

Soldier Blade - Tg-16
Einhander - PS1
Whip Rush - Genesis
Mars Matrix - Dreamcast
Xevious - Arcade
Aero Fighters - Arcade


and in the contested ground based shmups category

Iron Tank - NES
Super Smash TV - Super NES
Robotron - Arcade
Loaded - PS1
and just because of the way I play it...Grand Theft Auto III :D


and I nearly forgot Zero Wing, both in the Arcade and the "All Your Base Belong To Us" version on the Genesis...great game even beyond the classic opening...

[Tetsu]

Favorite Shooters:

Radiant Silvergun (as you can tell by my custom avatars that I change frequently)

Robotron

Battle Garegga

UN Squadron

Thunder Force V

ESPrade

Dodonapachi

1942

Soldier Blade

By the way, old school shooters reward quick reflexes (Robotron, Sinistar, Defender) while new school shooters reward precise bullet-dodging. Does anyone have a preference?

[Metrackle]

So many to name and I'm really tired, so I'll just name a few noteworthy ones for now.

Dangun Feveron: Interesting shooter with disco fever. Choose between three ships with different firepower and bombers. You can choose between three different weapons: a lock-on buzzsaw, a slow moving yet powerful bomb, and a charge shot that forms a ring of eight energy balls when fully charged. You can even select the speed of your ship, but once you choose your options, there's no turning back. At first, the enemies you kill present only one measly point, until you collect the little men that fall from the ship. You can earn as many points as you have dancers, but if even one flies away, you go back to one point per kill. Getting a high score is pretty hard, as not only is it one of those bullet hell shooters, but also I think the standards are too high. I only got on once, and that was when I got 5th place in the Time Trial mode.

Armed Police Batrider: Another cool bullet hell shooter with an unusual twist to ship selections. This selection is rather similar to the King of Fighters. Each ship has its own firepower, weapons, options, and bombers. There are three modes of selection (four if you cheat):
1. Team selection. You choose either the Police team, the Psychic team, or the Criminal Team.
2. Team customize. You can select a different member from each team and form different custom teams.
3. Random selection. This randomly selects your team. Not only does it have the regular nine ships, but also characters from other Raizing hits. You can also play as the Wayne brothers (Battle Garegga), the Mahou Daisakusen gang, and some character named Car-Pet (don't know that one).
4 (cheat). Manual selection. Choose any ship (even those exclusive to random selection), but you use the same ship for the entire three lives.

Xexex: Excellent graphics and sound quality for a game from the early '90s. Gameplay's excellent too, especially if you're an R-Type fan. You pilot the Flintlock which holds something called Flint. Reminiscent of the R-9 and the Force pod, but with Tentacle power. When you collect a certain powerup, you earn an extra tentacle for your flint, growing up to three. You can either keep the flint and charge your tentacles of doom up to lash them out in a powerful blast or release it, locking on enemies and protecting you from bullets. There are two different versions that I know of (both basically the same game):
World version: Has a lifebar and you can rebuild it by collecting a lifeup item, but you only get one life. You can continue where you last died. Weapon system is weaker, since you just get more powerful versions of your basic shot.
Japanese version: Lives system with return points (one hit means death). Has some cool weapons, including a shadow laser. This version is near impossible, and you'll know why when you encounter the fifth boss. Without any speed powerups, he's impossible because that spinning face goes faster than you and always manages to hit you. Unless there's a way to deflect that face, it is practically invincible.

[Dire 51]

I would so love to get my hands on a Xexex machine...

[classicb]

thought I would bring this topic back with the recent talk about Radiant Silvergun

[Ed Oscuro]

I'll play just about anything, so all of the above, plus Stratovox :P

That said, I never really liked the look or play style of Galaxian/Galaga...eh. Played it a little recently, too. I go for stuff that has better control and more frenzied action - games with powerup shots are great! Big fan of Capcom's 1941 here. I've got at least a dozen shooters to try out with the x68K I got recently, so I'll have to see how those are as well.

[le geek]

My favorites that I've played enough of to have a solid opinion on...

Gyruss (ARC)
Time Pilot (ARC)
Space Harrier (ARC)
Axelay (SNES)
Awesome (Amiga)
Tempest 2K (JAG)
In The Hunt (SAT)


My 2 cents :)

[robotriot]

Ah, my favorite genre =)

(random order)

DonPachi
DoDonPachi
1942
Banshee
Sonic Wings
Xenon 2
Mad Shark
Battle Squadron
Swiv
Silkworm
Carrier Air Wing
Disposable Hero
Uridium 2
Datastorm
19xx
Change Air Blade

[Aussie2B]

First and foremost, TwinBee on any console/arcade, after that Dragon Spirit (because it plays so much like the TwinBee series, hehe), followed by Choaniki on any console (I'll take my shooter with a side of homosexuality, waiter), Blazing Star (even if it owns my ass... stupid baby...), and finally... oh, I don't know, maybe the Gradius series.

[ArnoldRimmer83]

Zanac (Nes)
Gun Nac (Nes)
Galaga (Arcade)
Aleste Series (Power Strike, MUSHA, Space Megaforce, etc.)
Gradius series (Gradius, Salamander, Parodius)
Zanac X Zanac (PSX)
Axelay (Snes)
Twinbee series
Crisis Force (Famicom)
Over Horizon (Famicom)
Super Spy Hunter (Nes)
Burning Force (Genesis)
Einhander (PSX)
G Darius (PSX)
R Type series
Knightmare (MSX)
Space Manbow (MSX)
Thunder Force series
Xexex (Arcade)
Don Pachi (Arcade)
Do Don Pachi (Arcade)
ESP Rade (Arcade)

Borderlines:
Contra series (Except Contra Legacy of War, and C Contra Adventure)
Metal Slug 1-3
Mercs (Arcade)
Pocky and Rocky (Snes)
Turrican series
Gain Ground (Genesis)
Major Havoc (Arcade)
Sparkster (Snes/Well it does have a neat overhead shooter level near the end.)

[Crush Crawfish]

I love shooters! But they sure don't like me! I've never beaten one.... oh well! These are my faves:

Iridion 2 (GBA)
Ikaruga (GCN)
R-Type Final (PS2)
Bangai-o (DC)
Nemesis (GB)
Solar Striker (GB)
Bio-Hazard Battle (GEN)
Gadget twins (GEN)
Hellfire (GEN)
Lightning Force (GEN)
Sagaia (GEN)
Truxton (GEN)
Whip Rush (GEN)
After Burner (SMS)
Fantasy Zone 1 & 2 (SMS)
Galaga (NES)
Gradius (NES)
Life Force (NES)
Stinger (NES)
Terra Cresta (NES)
Zanac (NES)
Galactic Attack (Saturn)
Gradius 3 (SNES)
UN Squadron (SNES)

Borderline shooters:
Gunstar Heroes (GEN)
Gungrave (PS2)
Contra (NES)
Guerrila War (NES)
Heavy Barrel (NES)
Guardian Legend (NES)
Iron Tank (NES)
Jackal (NES)
Pocky & Rocky 1 & 2 (SNES)

[SkiDragon]

Life Force is probably my favorite, or possibly Galaga.

Ikaruga looks impressive when I play it, but its not really that hard, at least on easy mode.

And I have to mention Super R-Type, if only because the music is really good.

[DigitalSpace]

I just got into shmups for the first time earlier this year, so my list isn't as big as some of the others here. Anyhow, here's what I've played and enjoy, in no particular order:

Super R-Type - SNES
R-Type III - SNES
Space Megaforce - SNES
Axelay - SNES
Gradius III - SNES
R-Type Final - PS2

[Sotenga]

I do NOT believe it! I haven't contributed to this thread yet! X_x

Okay, I will repeat the favorites of many, many, many, and lots of people, but regardless, I'll type any great shmup that comes to mind.

Anything Gradius/Salamander/Parodius
Ikaruga
M.U.S.H.A.
Zanac
R-Type series
Anything Thunderforce ('cept for the first two games.)
Space Harrier
Starfox
Blazing Lazers
The Star Soldier series (the first few games were kinda cruddy, but Super SS really improved.)
Darius series
Twinkle Star Sprites
AXELAY (I just love saying the name, even.)
Anything by Cave (and I do mean anything here.)
Capcom's 19XX series (not too crazy about 1942, to be honest, but everything else rules.)
Viewpoint
U.N. Squadron
Anything by Raizing (I confuse them with Cave sometimes.)
Cybattler (Jaleco is so underrated...)
The classics (Galaga, Galaxian, Gorf, Space Invaders, etc.)
Anything Psikyo (like Cave and Raizing, makers of seriously insane shmups.)
In The Hunt (why don't you see more submarine-based games?)
Legendary Wings (a game I've had practically forever.)
Forgotten Worlds (lots o' innovation with this one, and the first CPS-1 game!)
Mars Matrix (INSANE. That's the only word I've got for this one)
Xexex (Impressive for a 1991 title.)
Phelios (Mythology + Shmups = Greatness)
Raiden (I wish MAME could emulate more Raiden games...)
Rayforce (I should really give RayStorm and RayCrisis a spin...)
Saint Dragon (once again, Jaleco is underrated.)
Sinistar (this one counts, right?)
Time Pilot (and this one? It's not really a conventional shmup.)
Truxton, Zero Wing, Outzone (R.I.P., Toaplan. :( )
Pulstar (R-Type ripoff be damned, this game rules!)
Blazing Star (such graphics...)
Crisis Force (effing Konami of America did not bring YET another excellent shmup to my country. Oh, well. There's always roms.)
Commando (classic.)
Mercs (sequel to classic.)
Gun.Smoke (spin-off of classic.)
Guerrilla War (everything Ikari Warriors was, but good.)
Time Soldiers (you don't know how persistent I was to beat this one... and I beat it! Thank goodness the final boss was a pansy.)
Caliber 50 (dunno why, but I'm hooked to this one.)
Burning Force (Space Harrier on steroids.)
Einhander (who knew Square could make such shmuppity greatness?)
Psychosis (shmupping and serious drugs. It doesn't get much better than this.)
The Guardian Legend (which I hesitate to call an actual shmup, but half of the game is shmupping, so I'll bend the rules.)
The third world of Turrican 2 (Heh... ^_^)

And it is my dying wish to play Radiant Silvergun. If there are any great shmups I missed, PLEASE do not hesitate to bash my brain in with a lemon wrapped around a large gold brick!

[DDCecil]

No one listed any of the Parodius games?!

I'll nominate all 4 of them, with #2 (Gokujyou Parodius) being the greatest game of the series (The best comical shooter, period).

Other shooters I love:

Gradius series
UN Squadron (I used to hate this game, but I absolutely love it now!)
Dragon Spirit
Twinbee Series
Darius Twin

[ubersaurus]

Recca(Famicom)
R-Type Final(PS2)
Soukyugurentai(PS1/Saturn)
Galactic Attack (saturn)
Border Down(DC)
Star Fox 64(N64)
Rez(PS2)
MUSHA(Genesis)
Zanac(NES)
Beamrider(INTV/2600)
Panzer Dragoon Orta(xbox)
Turmoil(2600)
Commando(7800)

[Nez]

Just started playing shooters, they kick my ass though.
Favs so far:
Mars Matrix 8-)
Einhander
R-type Final
Darius Gaiden
R-type Delta
Galaga

Dont know if these count but
Panzer Dragoon Series
Rez