Top 10 Shoot 'em Ups
Other Related Features:
 
10 January 2010
Updated 14 October 2011

Space Invaders and Galaga put the genre on the map. Little did people know how far this apparently simplistic style of gameplay would go. The fixed shoot 'em up soon yielded to the scrolling one, but this only prompted more questions. Which direction? Vertical? Horizontal? Alternating (Axelay, Life Force)? Or maybe even free scrolling (Fantasy Zone, Mr. Heli no Daibouken).

Perhaps this genre takes itself too seriously and should better be envisioned with ample humor and lightheartedness. Coryoon provides silly characters and an overwhelmingly fruity approach to points. Parodius and Super Star Soldier show Konami's and Hudson Soft's ability to make fun of themselves. Let us not forget Compile's NES tour de force Gun-Nac, where bunnies and carrot projectiles prove as lethal as the most sophisticated weaponry offered by any other shoot 'em up.

Don't forget the classic roots, though. Gradius and R-Type helped define the modern shoot 'em up. Exhilarating music was always an essential complement to manic, trigger-happy action. All of the top 10 members, delivered very strong musical scores and sound effects. Of course, the top choice went well and beyond the call of duty, so far—in fact—that it was impossible to devote this slot to just one game. Such is the brilliance of Red Company + Hudson Soft.

18 August 2010

If you have't discovered it yet, Sega-16 is easily one of the best sites for 16-bit games on the Internet. Recently I discovered that they have an exhaustive list of shoot 'em ups for the Genesis, Sega CD, and even the 32X as a bonus! It's a fine resource for anyone who likes Sega or the genre.
#1
Platform: TurboGrafx-16 CD, Virtual Console
Developers: Red Company, Hudson Soft
Publisher: Hudson Soft
Released: 1993 and 1992
How could the spiritual successor to Gate of Thunder improve on the original? Perhaps realizing this, Red Company took Lords of Thunder in a very different direction, turning to a fantasy setting rather than a sci-fi one. This time you get to choose what order you tackle stages in, as well as which of four elemental-based armors you equip before each level. Having a sword for automatic close-range attacks is also a brilliant gameplay addition. The soundtrack is phenomenal, loaded with heavy metal guitar riffs and beats that get your adrenaline pumping. Despite all of this, Gate of Thunder is probably just as awesome as Lords. The levels
#2
R-Type III: The Third Lightning
Developer: Irem
Publisher: Irem, Jaleco (US)
Released: 1993
I always knew R-Type would claim a spot at the top of this list, but which R-Type? That was the tough question. The original remains as perfect and brilliant as when it was first released—over 20 years ago!—and there are excellent ports for the TG-16 (split into part I and II in Japan) and Sega Master System. With R-Type III, Irem for the first time brought an original game—not an arcade port—into the homes of shmup fans. Irem deepened the original's gameplay, adding different force types and the hyper wave cannon. The result is a sequel that manages to improve upon the near-perfect original; just be sure to avoid the horrid Game Boy Advance port.
#3
M.U.S.H.A.
Developer: Compile
Publisher: Toaplan, Seismic Software (US)
Released: 1990
Released a full three years before Thunder Force IV, this Compile masterpiece has aged very well, especially considering how early it was released in the lifetime of the Genesis. Short for Metallic Uniframe Super Hybrid Armor, what we really have here is another installment of the Aleste series. The medieval Japan theme provides a unique and beautifully rendered atmosphere. With weapons whose behavior you can customize on the fly, a rocking soundtrack, and you have a cart that is even better than the Sega CD sequel.
#4
Axelay
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Released: 1992
No other title in this list makes as good a use of your arsenal as this one. You start with three different primary weapons and a secondary weapon. No need to gather power-ups. It's a novel approach, and thoughtful level design insists that you're going to have to carefully choose the right weapon for the job. Weapons also double as life points. Your ship can take a few shots before exploding, but each one will knock a main weapon offline. Of course, severe collisions, will totally wipe you out. Levels alternate between vertical and horizontal scrolling. Graphics and sound are just as excellent as you'd expect from Konami—clearly a developer that mastered the shoot 'em up.
#5
Thunder Force IV
Platform: Sega Genesis
Developer: TechnoSoft
Publisher: TechnoSoft, Sega (US)
Released: 1993
Sequels on more advanced consoles followed, but this one stands out as the franchise's zenith. Being able to switch between five different weapons and adjust your ship's speed in 1% increments are merely two of the ways that Thunder Force IV sets an incredibly high standard for gameplay. True to form, TechnoSoft produced an exceptional soundtrack and what must be the best graphics to ever grace a Genesis shmup. I also recommend checking out Thunder Force III, but it is neither as challenging nor as refined as this installment.
#6
Seirei Senshi Spriggan
Developer: Compile, Naxat Soft
Publisher: Naxat Soft
Released: 1991
How did Compile make such a gorgeous game while pioneering the console CD-ROM format and grappling with the limitations of an 8-bit processor? The best answer I can come up with is that, well, Compile was one of the most insanely talented shoot 'em up developers ever. Despite its title, Spriggan is actually part of the Aleste series, and it represents probably the best title in the whole series. Not only does it have Compile's quality control and level design, it also features one of the deepest and most varied power-up systems I've ever seen in the genre. There are four different colors of power-ups, but you can hold any combination of three of them at a time, resulting in an insane array of firepower. Did I mention that the graphics are amazing, too?
#7
Blazing Lazers (a.k.a. Gunhed)
Developer: Compile, Hudson Soft
Publisher: Hudson Soft
Released: 1989

Try as I might, I can't prevent Compile from dominating this list. Blazing Lazers was one of the earliest games for the TG-16, and it's also one of the best. The power-up variety and complexity is unusually deep. Naturally, there's a really cool laser weapon, too, which snakes across the screen in an increasingly impressive pattern as you crank up the juice. The level design is also brilliant and refreshing, from empty space to deserts filled with pyramids hiding missile batteries. All this excellence, and the sound is also spot on. Everything from the adrenaline-infused rock sounds you'd expect to haunting melodies that make you anticipate the dangers ahead. In short, a masterpiece.

#8
Life Force
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Released: 1987
Take the rock solid concept of Gradius, then improve the basics (better music and graphics), deepen the gameplay (2-player co-op, and vertical stages), and shift the atmosphere to one that's less metallic and more organic (i.e. creepier), and voilà you have the best—and only—half-horizontal, half-vertical shmup of the era. This was also ported to the PC Engine, where it's known as Salamander, but that was a whole four years later. Life Force is exemplary of Konami's programming skills and familiarity with the NES hardware—even as early as 1987! I also highly recommend Parodius (for the TG-16 and SNES) and Gokujou Parodius, which use the same power-up system—any of the three could have filled this top 10 slot equally well.
#9
Soldier Blade
Developer: Hudson Soft
Publisher: Hudson Soft
Released: 1992
That there are seven games better than this one proves that you have some wicked awesome shoot 'em ups in this list. This power-up system is similar to Spriggan, but not as complex. Graphically, you've got the best-looking vertical shooter available on heard, and the music represents some of the best chip tunes I've ever heard. Beyond this, you're not going to find anything revolutionary in game design here. Every stage moves vertically and includes both a mid-level and final boss. What makes this game so great is how refined each element is. From the multi-sectional bosses to the different combinations of weapon pods to the brilliant shading and get-you-pumped music, this is the top dog of Hudson's impressive Soldier franchise.
#10
Crisis Force
Platform: Famicom
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Released: 1991

Konami takes the classic combo of main weapon plus bomb and adds a wonderful innovation: You can morph your ship into three different forms, each with its own distinct arrangement of firepower. There are also gold power-ups. Gather five of them and you transform into an uber-powerful ship for a limited time period. The graphics are phenomenal, approaching the appearance of early 16-bit games, and there's no doubt that this is the best vertical shoot 'em up available for the NES. Of course, like so many hidden gems for the NES, Crisis Force was never released outside of Japan. It remains a fine example of just how unstoppable Konami was during the 8-bit era.

Honorable Mention
Coryoon: Child of Dragon
Platform: PC-Engine
Developer: Naxat Soft
Publisher: Naxat Soft
Released: 1991
You will find many a cute 'em up on the TG-16. Two other great examples that come to mind are Air Zonk and Star Parodier. Nevertheless, Coryoon is probably the best of the bunch. You've got fantastic parallax scrolling and a unique take on a genre that consists of all too many imitators. Every enemy you destroy dies in a puff of smoke that lobs a fruit (banana, kiwi, watermelon, etc.) on to the screen. Grabbing these fruits is essential for pumping up your score, but the screen rapidly becomes overwhelmed with a combination of enemies, bullets, and fruits. It's sensory overload, yet the challenge to score more points (by grabbing the fruit) is brilliant. The brilliant colors and furious, flicker-free, gameplay are a bonus.
Honorable Mention
Fantasy Zone
Developer: Sega / Bits Laboratory / Sunsoft
Publisher: Sega / NEC Interchannel / Sunsoft
Released: 1986 / 1988 / 1987
The boss battle to the left is misleading; Fantasy Zone's levels are actually very detailed and colorful. Indeed, many a person has accused this game of having a tripped-out, drug-inspired look. Fantasy Zone stands out as the only multi-directional horizontal scroller in this list, channeling the spirit of Defender II. It's also the only game I know of where power-ups are entirely dependent on collecting coins from fallen enemies and spending them at shops. Be sure to check out the sequels on the Sega Master System and Genesis.
Honorable Mention
Gun-Nac
Platform: NES
Developer: Compile
Publisher: ASCII (US), Tonkin House (Japan)
Released: 1990
The third Compile title to make this list—whether it was the TG-16, Genesis, or NES—this developer knew how to create shmups that set the standard for the hardware. In this highly under appreciated NES game, you'll find graphics and sound that are good, but not great—neither can compete with Life Force or Crisis Force. What you will find, though, is astonishingly excellent gameplay. Not only are there five distinct main weapons that you can power up. You can also grab four different types of special attacks, each with a unique style and area of effect. I can't think of any other developer that dominated a genre across three different consoles like Compile did. How I wish that Compile were still around today...
Other Recommendations
Title
Console
Developer
Scrolling
Release
TG-CD
NCS
Horizontal
1995
Air Fortress NES HAL Laboratory Horizontal 1987
TG-16
Red Company
Horizontal
1992
Battle Mania Daijingou Genesis Vic Tokai Vertical & Horizontal 1993
Choujikuu Yousai Macross SNES WinkySoft Horizontal 1993
TG-CD
Success, Hudson Soft
Horizontal
1993
NES
HAL Laboratory
Horizontal
1987
TG-16
Konami
Vertical
1992
Elemental Master Genesis Techno Soft Vertical 1990
Genesis
Aprinet
Horizontal
1993
SMS
Sega
Free-Scrolling
1987
TG-16
Hudson Soft
Vertical
1991
Genesis
Toaplan
Vertical
1990
TG-16
Namco
Vertical
1988
TG-CD
Red Company, Hudson Soft
Horizontal
1992
TG-CD
Hudson Soft
Vertical
1995
Genesis
NCS
Horizontal
1992
SNES
Konami
Horizontal
1994
NES
Konami
Horizontal
1986
NES
Konami
Horizontal
1987
TG-CD
Konami
Horizontal
1992
Gun.Smoke NES Capcom Vertical 1988
Gun.Smoke NES FDS Capcom Vertical 1988
TG-16
Palsoft
Horizontal
1992
TG-16
Irem
Free-Scrolling
1989
TG-CD
Naxat Soft
Vertical
1992
Otocky NES FDS SEDIC Horizontal 1987
NES
Hot B
Vertical
1991
Genesis
Success
Horizontal
1994
SNES
Konami
Horizontal
1992
TG-16
Konami
Horizontal
1992
SMS
Compile
Vertical
1988
SMS
Compile
Vertical
1993
TG-16
Seibu Kaihatsu, Hudson Soft
Vertical
1991
Sega CD
Compile
Vertical
1992
SMS
Compile
Horizontal
1988
TG-16
Irem
Horizontal
1988
TG-16
Irem
Horizontal
1988
S.C.A.T. NES Natsume Horizontal 1990
Sega CD
Game Arts
Vertical
1993
SNES
Compile
Vertical
1992
SNES
Argonaut Software
Vertical
1992
TG-CD
Hudson Soft
Vertical
1992
NES
Naxat Soft
Vertical
1992
Genesis
Sega
Free-Scrolling
1993
TG-CD
Hudson Soft
Vertical
1992
TG-16
Inter State Software, Hudson Soft
Vertical
1990
TG-CD
Right Stuff
Horizontal
1993
Genesis
Techno Soft
Horizontal
1990
U.N. Squadron SNES Capcom Horizontal 1991
NES
Compile
Vertical
1986
Zanac NES FDS Compile Vertical 1986