Had to be done...Your Top Ten Shmups

[Kid Aphex]

10. rtype final [love the atmosphere ... unmatched]
9. gradius 3
8. blazing lazers [gunhed]
7. radiant silvergun
6. DDP.doj
5. gradius V
4. blazing star
3. mars matrix
2. pulstar
1. ikaruga
some people don't think it's that great --- others don't even think it's a shooter. but until the third installment in the RS franchise hits, it's absolute perfection. stylistically, aurally, aesthetically ... sublime.

[dark penguin]

No love for the original arcade R-type? I played the shit out of that as a kid, and it will always have a special place in my heart.(R-type final was great too, though).

Don't have time to make up a top 10 right now, but R-type Delta is probably my favorite shooter....the special attacks like "Nuclear Catastrophe" are freakin' awesome.

[BIG]

10. rtype final [love the atmosphere ... unmatched]
9. gradius 3
8. blazing lazers [gunhed]
7. radiant silvergun
6. DDP.doj
5. gradius V
4. blazing star
3. mars matrix
2. pulstar
1. ikaruga
some people don't think it's that great --- others don't even think it's a shooter. but until the third installment in the RS franchise hits, it's absolute perfection. stylistically, aurally, aesthetically ... sublime.

Sent you a fucking PM,care to reply?

Anyway,here's mine:

Gradius V
ESP Ra.De
Guwange
Radiant Silvergun
Dragon Blaze
Ikaruga
DDP:Doj
Pro-Gear
Strikers II
19XX

Not in any particular order,though.

BIG-

[gmw]

I can't do one that's in order, since it changes all the time, but general top 10 shmups for me would be:

Border Down
Guwange
Gate of Thunder
Winds of Thunder
Elemental Master
DoDonPachi
DDP: DOJ
Thunder Force III
Sengoku Blade
Psyvariar Revision

[jro]

No order, like just about everyone else:

Ikaruga
Radiant Silvergun
Gate of Thunder
Border Down
Gradius V
Pulstar
Blazing Star
Souyugurentai
Blazing Lazers/Gunhed
Soldier Blade

I really wanted to put 1942 on the list, but I just can't bump any of those others off.

[gmw]

I must be losing my mind not including LAST RESORT on my list. What a fucking game - atmosphere, visual style, music, and bad-ass-ness stomp all over most other horis.

[das roker]

a few I've enjoyed (in no order):

ESPra.de.
Pro Gear
Ikaruga
R-Type Final
Viewpoint
Pulstar
R-Type Delta
Zero Gunner 2 (shooter???)
Bangai-O (again, shooter???)

Games I heard were good but have yet to play: Radiant Silvergun, ESPgaluda, Mushihime, etc.

[pixeljunkie]

no order either:

R-Type
Last Resort
Blazing Star
Lords of Thunder
Gate of Thunder
ESPrade
Batrider
Batsugun
DoDonpachi
DoDonPachi Daioujou

11. Ikaruga

[Mushiki]

I love shoot'em ups, but I haven't played enough.

These I enjoyed the most -

Gradius V (My favourite)
Dodonpachi DaiOuJou
ESPGaluda
Ikaruga
Mars Matrix
Shikigami no Shiro 2

I also have Psyvariar 2: The Ultimate Final lying around... I have to play that.

[Blaine]

Again, taking the fence-sittin' no order route:


Warning Forever
Galaga
Ikaruga
Lords of Thunder
Gunbird 2
Blazing Star
Parodius (series) [gotta love octopuses]
Metal Slug (series)
Rez
Biohazard Battle (no idea why I put this down)


In fairness...I only listed games I own or have had serious time with. I've played a lot of other games but only briefly. I'm just now starting to play the import Saturn game, so my list is really incomplete but honest.

[SNKJorge]

-Gunbird 2
-Strikers 1945 Plus
-Blazing Star
-Pro-Gear No Arashi
-ESPGaluda

-Sonic Wings 3
-Sonic Wings 2
-Strikers 1945 II
-Battle Garegga
-Sengoku Blade

[twalden]

I play most of the newer shmups, but my favorites are mostly older games:

Darius Gaiden
G Darius
Thunder Force 4
Spriggan
Forgotten Worlds
Dodonpachi
Gradius 2
Winds of Thunder
Layer Section
Raiden

[The Chief]

In no order:

ESPrade
Dangun Feveron
DoDonpachi dai ou jou
Guwange
Armed Poliece Batrider
Battle Garegga
Mahou Daisakusen
Dragon Blaze
Strikers 1945 II
Blazing Star
Psyvariar Medium-Unit

EDIT: OOps, I picked 11 :kekeke:

[Kiel Von Olson, Esq.]

Armed Plice Batrider
Ketsui
Lords of Thunder
ESPgaluda
Progear
Musha Aleste
Soldier Blade
Strikers 3/1999
ESPrade
Daimahoo

[wizkid007]

NObody mentioned gunstar heroes?

Soulstar?

rainbow cotton?

Starfox?

[twalden]

NObody mentioned gunstar heroes?

Soulstar?

rainbow cotton?

Starfox?

None of those game are true shmups. Maybe that's why no one listed them :tickled:

[Takumaji]

Strikers 1945 II

Shienryu

Battle Garegga

R-Type Final

ASO II

Border Down

ESPGaluda

Raiden/Raiden II

Xevious

ThunderForce IV

Honorable mentions go to Gyruss, Dragon Blaze, Gaplus/Galaga 88, Mars Matrix, Gradius Gaiden, Tempest X3, (Do)DonPachi, Phoenix, Salamander, Slap Fight, Psyvariar 2, Vanguard, ThunderForce V, Twin Cobra and Soukyugurentai.

[Amano Jacu]

Let's see if I can mention 10 in no real order...

Ikaruga
Radiant Silvergun
Strikers 1945 (all series)
Thunderforce IV
Parodius (all 4)
Gradius V
Gradius (original MSX version)
Progear
Silpheed (Mega CD)
Blazing Star

[wizkid007]

None of those game are true shmups. Maybe that's why no one listed them :tickled:

well not tradional.. but they do fulfill the prime shooting function

[crujones4life]

Raiden Project
Einheinder
Gunbird
Gunbird 2
What ever the real name of Mobile Light Force 2 is
Darius Twin
Lifeforce

I have Ikaruga, but I don't think it is all that great.

[terry.330]

Hyper Duel
ThunderForce 3,4 & V
Soukyugurentai
Blazing Star
Pulstar
Strikers 1945 2
R Type 1, Delta & Final
Gradius 4 & V
Ikaruga
Layer Section

[ord1000]

No order -
Esp.ra.de
Gradius V
Dodonpachi
Espgaluda
Batsugun
Guwange
Ketsui
Progear
Radiant Silvergun
Armed Police Batrider
:drool_2:

[Moose]

None of those game are true shmups. Maybe that's why no one listed them :tickled:

Blasphemy!! Rainbow Cotton, eh, but Panorama Cotton, LOVE! Where is the love for this amazing game? I love it!!!

[The Chief]

What ever the real name of Mobile Light Force 2 is


Shikigami no Shiro

[galfordo]

1) Raiden II
2) Life Force
3) Strikers 1945 Plus
4) R-Type Final
5) Pulstar
6) Einhander
7) Ikaruga
8) In the Hunt
9) Super R-Type
10) Gradius III

[300wins]

In no order of course:

Gairares
Twin Cobra
Axelay
1942
Space Megaforce
Ikaruga
Dodonpachi
Lords Of Thunder
Thunder Force V
UN Squadron

There's just something about old school shooters that make me like them so much. :emb:

[CrashManDWN013]

Salamander (NES Version, aka "Life Force")
Space Harrier
Detana Twinbee
Twinbee Yahoo
Area 88 (aka "UN Squadron")
Macross (DYRL arcade)
Pop 'n Twinbee
Zanac
Galaga
Rtype

[Poison Sama]

No order :

Galaga
Moon Patrol
Twinbee (series)
Noiz2sa
Torus Trooper
Raiden (series)
Mars Matrix
Gigawing 2
Pulstar
Warning Forever

[Vincere]

My fav 10's:

R-Type Final
R-Type
Guwange
Dangun Feveron
Gigawing
Dodonpachi
Dragon Blaze
Ikaruga
Pulstar
19XX

I'm a vertical shooter maniac. :D

[FatalError]

In no particular order:

Dodonpachi
Ikaruga
Radiant Silvergun
Lords of Thunder
Axelay
Esp.ra.de
Thunderforce Series
Espgaluda
Soukyugurentai
Einhander

[xamot13]

As I have never been able to play some of the finer imports and arcades have always sucked near me, here's 10 of my favorites.

Gairies
Axelay
Blazing Lasers
Mars Matrix
R-Type series
Psvariar Revision/Medium unit- can't remember which
Donpachi/DoDonpachi
REZ
Shikigami No Shiro
Ikaruga

These may or may not be 10 of the greatest shmups, but at the time I first played them there was something about each one that I really liked. Graphics never being a factor. To this day I can pop in a copy of any game listed and play it through and not be bored, thoroughly enjoy it.

[Loopz]

Here they are, no particular order:

Super Aleste
MUSHA Aleste
Zanac X Zanac
Last Resort
Viewpoint
Galaga/Galaga '88 (where the fuck is the love for this game?)
Thunder Force IV
Radiant Silvergun
Gradius V

[ST-V]

Galaga/Galaga '88 (where the fuck is the love for this game?)

Haven't played '88 in years, was a damn good game, I'd love to give it another go.

[Xander Crews]

Radiant Silvergun
Blazing Star
Ikaruga
19XX
Zanac x Zanac

I'm really jealous of the people who've gotten to play ESPGaluda.

[Mad Mage]

Props to the one other guy who named G-Darius.

No order

Shikigami no Shiro 2
Boarder Down
Radiant Silvergun
Aero Fighters 3 (old school!)
Boarder Down
Sokugurentai
Ikaruga
Bangai-oh (if it counts)
G-Darius (soooo underrated)
Mars Matrix

[EvilMike]

In no real order.

Guwange
Lords of Thunder
Radiant Silvergun
Silpheed
Life Force
DoDonpachi dai ou jou
DoDonpachi
Ikuruga
Darius Twin
Blazing Star

[SamuraiShodownSensei]

Guwange
Espgaluda
Darius Gaiden
Pulstar
Last Resort
DoDonPachi
Blazing Star
Viewpoint even though I suck at it.
ESP ra.de
Captain Tomaday :oh_no:

and probably very soon Dogyuun will be added to that list.

[Neo Gold]

Mine must be....in no particular order-
- Armalyte-c64
- Retrograde-c64
- Strikers 1945 plus
- Lords of thunder-pc engine
- REZ-Dreamycast
- Viewpoint
- Blazing Star
- PULSTAR
- Last resort
- Mars matrix-Dreamycast

[Lets Gekiga In]

In no order:

Ikaruga
R-Type Final
Gradius V
Gunbird
Gunbird 2
Strikers 1945 II
Galaga
Twinkle Star Sprites (if it counts)
Galaxian
Centipede (if it counts)

[EvilMike]

Twinkle Star Sprites (if it counts)


It definatly counts and now I hate myself for forgetting my baby.

[Igniz v2]

in no real order

Donpachi
ESPRade
Ikaruga
Shikigami II
Dangun Feveron
Progear
Psyvariar 2
DoDonPachi
Raiden Series
Strikers II

[barf]

no real order :)

funny:
Sexy Parodius (PSX)
TwinBee Yahhoo (ARC)
hana taka dakka (PCE)
coryoon (PCE)

serious:
Esp Ra De (ARC)
Einhander (PSX)
Ikaruga (DC)
Sylpheed (PS2)
RType Final (PS2)
GDarius (PSX)

[Baseley09]

Ray Storm (PSX)
Download (PCE)
Final Soldier (PCE)
DoDonPachi (ARC)
Viewpoint (NEO)
Darius Gaiden (SAT)
Silkworm (ARC)
Battle Garegga (ARC)
Carrier Airwing (ARC)
Pulstar (NEO)

[Trey Burnout]

And in no order what so ever

Shikigami no Shiro
Slipheed
Gunbird 2
Mars Matrix
Borders Down
Ikuragua
Life Force
R-Type
Eihninder
Gradius III

[A2ath0th]

no order for all these great games

Life Force (Nes)
Ikaruga
Dodonpachi
Gigawing 2
Blazing Stars
Guwange
Strikers 1945 +
Sonic Wings 2
Border Down
Shikigami no Shiro 2

[dakingofzumunda]

Vapor Trail(Arcade/Genesis)
Tiger Heli(NES)
Alpha Mission(NES)
Raiden II(PSX)
Thunder Force III(Genesis)
Thunder Force V(Saturn)
Gradius V(PStwo)
Ikaruga(DC)
Gate of Thunder(TD)
Blazing Star(MVS)