Best 2D Side-Scrolling Shoot'em Up (SHMUP)?

[mr_nihilism]

Einhander (PS1)
R-Type Final (PS2)
Silpheed: The Lost Planet (PS2)
Gradius V (PS2)
Mars Matrix (DC)

[ubikuberalles]

Also, who coined the term "shmup"?

I found this in Answers.com:

Word origin

The word "shmup" first originated in the British C64 magazine, Zzap 64, in 1985. They created a glossary of words they invented, which included the word shmup (they also used the word "Aardvark" for "Arcade Adventures", though this wasn't absorbed into common games parlance like shmup). The magazine was around during the C64's lifetime, during the 1980s and early 1990s. Various magazine scans are available online, proving this point. Further information on Zzap 64 can be found here: http://www.zzap64.co.uk/

I didn't realize the word was that old. I figured it was less than ten years old.

Here are my favorites:

1. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
2. Defender
3. Oids

I don't know if, strictly speaking, Oids is a side scrolling shooter. However, most of the action does go side to side and it seems to fit the given criteria.

[Buns34]

Thunder Force V on the Saturn is awesome.

[TurboGenesis]

I really like this rather odd title, what with its weird music and backgrounds. It's also very affordable, unlike many other shoot'em ups.

Most unfortunate that Bio Hazard Battle is often overlooked and/or unknown. Don't know if the theme or art that turns shoot them up fans away. Perhaps the title doesn't present it self well (aka Crying in Japan)? Its not typical flying "ship" fare.

But there is good news for folks interested in this game today - Bio Hazard Battle is available for download on Wii Virtual console! Or head to your nearest classic game dealer and pick this title up! Its cheap and fairly easy to find!

[bust3dstr8]

Haven't cracked into much past the 16-Bit stuff yet.

(NES)
Gun Nac, Life Force

(Genesis/Sega CD)
Robo Aleste, Keio Flying Squadron, Thunderforce III & IV, Gaiares, Fire Shark,
MUSHA, BioHazard Battle

(SNES/SFC)
Super Aleste, Axelay, R-Type III, Spriggan Powered, Macross Scrambled Valk,

(PS2/PS1)
Raiden Project, Einhander, Gradius V, R-Type Delta, Thunderforce V

(PCE/Duo)

Lords of Thunder, Soldier Blade, Nexzr, Terra Cresta II, Parodius, Star Parodier
Cotton FND, Gate of Thunder, Spriggan, Gunhed, Macross 2036, Super Star Soldier, PC Denjin

[Sotenga]

.............................. wow. You're telling me that the board's resident professor of SHMUPS hasn't posted here yet? I expect to be whacked upside the head with a scale model of the Vic Viper for that one.

Anyway, some of my all-time favorites include, but are certainly not limited to:

Gradius/Salamander/Parodius (I consider them to be in the same family)
R-Type (Nothing can beat the original, but 3 and Delta come pretty damn close)
Axelay
ThunderForce (III might be my fave)
Pretty much anything by Compile (ESPECIALLY MUSHA)
Also nearly anything by Toaplan (Truxton in particular)
UFO Robo Dangar (An unspoken Nichibutsu classic, a lot like Terra Cresta)
Just about anything by Cave (Guwange could be my personal favorite)
Mars Matrix
Giga Wing (1 and 2, but 2 especially)
Bangai-O (Hey, there's enough projectiles for it to be a shmup in my mind)
Darius (Gaiden and G-Darius especially, but the early games do get credit for the bigass cabinets.)
Apidya (A ridiculously difficult albeit highly inventive shmup for... the Amiga, of all platforms)
The 1942 series (19XX for the win, although 1944 is also kickass)
Pulstar
Blazing Star (To this day, I'm unsure if BS is an actual sequel to Pulstar)
Shock Troopers 1 and 2
Just about anything by Raizing/8ing (Battle Bakraid is awesome)
U.N. Squadron (The SNES version, that is)
Fantasy Zone (Super FS for the Genesis... dammit, why didn't it come to America?)
Just about anything Psikyo
Lightning Fighters (Though, the Japanese version, Trigon, is better)
RayForce (still have yet to play RayStorm and RayCrisis, surprisingly)
Side Arms
Forgotten Worlds (You cannot stop me with paramecium alone!)
Thundercross I and II (Dammit, why did the American version of the first game get castrated?)
Varth (Thirty freaking levels, people)
Xexex (So many years and it's getting a home port on the PSP in Japan. Great. Just flippin' peachy.)
Iridion II (Iridion 3D ain't bad, but I2 is superior for being more like a conventional shmup)
Space Harrier (And SH2, naturally)
Star Fox (Yep, I count the original and SF64 as shmups. All other SF games... ehhh...)
Gaiares (This game is hell, but I do like to steal opponent weaponry)
Gate of Thunder and Lords of Thunder
Gleylancer (Wins for the name alone, but a solid shmup itself)
Phelios (Aside from the possible connotations of incest [I'm serious, if you know a bit about Greek mythology], it's a fine shmup)
Einhander (Square makes a shmup and it rules... what are the odds?)
Smash TV (I'LL BUY THAT FOR A DOLLAR!)
Total Carnage (I'LL BUY YOU FOR A DOLLAR!)
Star Soldier Series (beating Super Star Soldier has been a VERY proud accomplishment, it has)

And of course, the classics such as Space Invaders, Galaxian, Galaga, and... wait, does Donkey Kong 3 count? Tee hee. So, yeah. I really, really, really like shmups. Couldja tell?

[RPG_Fanatic]

M.U.S.H.A. for the Genesis is the best shump.

[Centinela]

Truxton 2 (Arcade)
Life Force (NES)

These is for the best

[goemon]

I could have sworn that I had posted in this thread earlier. Guess not.

Here are some of my favorite scrolling shooters (I refuse to use ugly words like "shmup," "blog," and anything else that reminds me of my flatmates vomiting at 5AM.)

Salamander 2: If only it was a little longer, this would be perfection. Beautiful graphics, a killer soundtrack by Naoki Maeda and Motoaki Furukawa, and well-designed stages. (My favorite is the one where you have to weave in between two battleships.) You can also sacrifice your option parts for a laser attack.

Gradius Gaiden: In my opinion, the best Gradius yet. It's still crazy hard, but not as bad as Gradius II or III, where the game is essentially over after your first death. Having full control over the order of your power meter is great.

Gokujou Parodius: All the Parodius games are excellent, but this one is my favorite.

Gaia Seed: Reminds me of a side-scrolling Raiden with an amazing soundtrack and a good story. It has multiple endings and secret bosses, too!

Einhander: I always thought this one was overrated, but it's still a great game. I hate having to keep track of my ammo, though. I prefer being able to hold down the fire button without worrying about running low.

R-Type Delta: Honestly, I couldn't get into this one too much. It's good, but I prefer Gradius Gaiden.

[Gandhara]

What would you call games like Scramble, Super Cobra, and Vanguard?

definately some of the best earliest h. shooters

[Pantechnicon]

On the whole I prefer vertical scrollers, but on the horizontal side I always enjoy arcade Scramble or Steel Empire for the Genesis.

[Apollo]

Einhander (PS1)
Abadox (NES)
Any R-Type game (Multi)

[RPG_Fanatic]

Thunder Force III (Genesis)

[hbkprm]

it got to be the contra series

[Barbarianoutkast85]

My favorite 2D shot em up games are:
Gunstar Heros *Genesis*
Contra *Nintendo*
Contra Hardcorps *Genesis*
Metal Slug series

The Metal Slug series being my all-time favorite shot em up though.

[huppy109]

i cant believe nobody has suggested fire shark on the genesis, that game was amazing. people probably hate it but i think it is way better than R-Type!

[JimmyDean]

Either Change Air Blade, Giga Wing, Pulstar, or R-type would get my vote for best shmup.

Edit: Dammit! I forgot Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun!

[Parodius Duh!]

japanese ps2 is the ideal newer shmup system: Dodonpachi Daioujou, Rajirugi, Trizeal, Psyvariar complete, The Double Shienryu, Chaos Field, Shikigami no shiro 1&2, Sengoku blade & ace, Sol Divide and Dragon blaze, gunbird collection, choaniki the holy protein....also you can play the millions of ps1 released shmups as well (obviously)

[allyourblood]

Wow, old thread. Anyway!...

Despite my almost utter ineptitude at shooters, these are my faves:

Genesis/Sega CD
Arrow Flash, Elemental Master, Thunderforce II & III, Lightening Force (TFIV), Phelios, Whip Rush, MUSHA (a new favorite: just barely obtained this one recently but it may very well be the best 16-bit shooter ever), Robo Aleste, Android Assault, Silpheed, Lords of Thunder

Turbografx-16
Blazing Lazers, Side Arms (could this game be any harder?!)

Playstation
Einhander (first of all, who knew? second, where's the sequel?!), Strikers 1945 (apparently the Saturn version is much better, but this is the only one I own), G. Darius

Dreamcast
GigaWing 1 & 2, Mars Matrix (simply awesome!)

Gamecube
Ikaruga

[BetaWolf47]

Here are some of mine:

Vertical - Galaga, RayForce, 1944, Truxton

Horizontal - Thunder Force 4, Darius series, Metal Black