12th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time - Discussion Thread

[Tregard]

I'm hoping people vote for more horizontals this year; these lists are always too heavily skewed towards vertical shooters (and a particular type of vertical, lol).

I'm a big hori fan, so I'll reprazent by voting for the first time this year. Gonna be all kinds of Gradius and Darius love on show.

[Mero]

Interesting choice though; single-screen shmups are never represented. Of the single-screens I've played, Akkanvader/Space Invaders '95 is one of my favorites. .

Late reply:

Yeah, I decided to include it as I played and enjoyed it earlier in the yearr, I think it used to be on my list years ago but got knocked off at some point. Definitely a lot of fun to play, soundtrack is nice too.

[Nifty]

In other news, here's a slightly-updated developer list:

Spoiler

Taito - Space Invaders, Space Invaders Part II/Space Invaders Deluxe, Balloon Bomber, Fire Battle, Metal Soldier Isaac II, Wyvern F-0, Halley's Comet, Scramble Formation/Tokio, KiKi KaiKai, Darius, Exzisus, Fighting Hawk, Syvalion, Master of Weapon, Halley Wars, Darius II/Sagaia, Insector X, Mega Blast, Super Space Invaders '91/Majestic Twelve, Gun Frontier, Darius Twin, Metal Black, Grid Seeker: Project Storm Hammer, Darius Force/Super Nova, RayForce/etc, Darius Gaiden, Space Invaders '95/Akkanvader, Gekirindan, RayStorm, G-Darius, RayCrisis, Space Invaders Extreme, Space Invaders Infinity Gene, Space Invaders Extreme Z

SNK - Ozma Wars/Space Phantoms, Sasuke vs. Commander, Satan of Saturn, Vanguard, Vanguard II, Mad Crasher, HAL 21, ASO - Armored Scrum Object/Alpha Mission, TANK, Ikari Warriors, Victory Road (Ikari II), Bermuda Triangle, Guerrilla War, Chopper 1/Koukuu Kihei Monogatari, Prehistoric Isle in 1930, The Next Space, Ghost Pilots, Alpha Mission II, Last Resort

Namco - Galaxian, King & Balloon, Bosconian, Galaga, Xevious, Gaplus, Super Xevious, Sky Kid, Sky Kid Deluxe, Dragon Spirit, Galaga '88, Assault (borderliner), Ordyne, Metal Hawk, Phelios, Blast Off, Dangerous Seed, Pistol Daimyo no Bouken, Dragon Saber, Cosmo Gang: The Video, Fighter & Attacker/ F/A, Nebulas Ray, Xevious Arrangement, Xevious 3D/G

Atari - Asteroids, Space Duel, Missile Command, Centipede, Tempest, Gravitar, Millipede, Black Widow, Solaris, Blasteroids

Data East - Astro Fighter, Space Fighter Mark II, Highway Chase/Mad Alien, Terranean, Astro Fantasia, Super Astro Fighter, Tornado, Explorer, Mission-X, Night Star, Zaviga, B-Wings, Liberation/Dual Assault, Gekitsui Oh/Zero Target, Break Thru, Darwin 4078, Last Mission, Makyou Senshi/Gondomania, Wonder Planet, SRD : Super Real Darwin, Heavy Barrel, Cobra Command, Kuhga - Operation Code Vapor Trail, Darwin 4081, Boogie Wings, Skull Fang

Nintendo - Space Fever, Sheriff, Radar Scope, Helifire, Space Firebird/Space Demon, Solar Striker

Midway - Space Invaders II, Gorf, Omega Race, Sinistar, Smash TV, Strikeforce

Williams/Vid Kidz - Defender, Stargate, Robotron 2084, Blaster (borderliner)

Jorudan - Moon Cresta, Arbalester, Meta Fox

Nichibutsu - (About five shooters with Moon in the title), Radical Radial, SF-X, Tube Panic, Seicross/Sector Zone, Mag Max, Terra Cresta, Ninja Emaki, UFO Robo Dangar, Soldier Girl Amazon, Legion, Terra Force, Formation Armed F (?), Sky Robo, Terra Cresta II, Terra Cresta 3D

Irem - Sky Chuter, UniWar S, Demoneye-X, Moon Patrol, Horizon, R-Type, Mr. Heli no Daibouken/Battle Chopper, Image Fight, Dragon Breed, X-Multiply, R-Type II, Air Duel, Gallop - Armed Police Unit/Cosmic Cop, Thunder Blaster/Lethal Thunder, Mystic Riders, R-Type Leo, In The Hunt, Fire Barrel, R-Type III: The Third Lightning, R-Type Delta, R-Type Final

Sega - Space Attack, Space Trek, N-Sub, Carnival, Astro Blaster, Space Odyssey, Borderline, Space Fury, Tac/Scan, Zaxxon, Super Zaxxon, Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom (borderliner), Commando, Regulus, Star Blazer, Star Jacker, Future Spy, Repulse, Choplifter, Fantasy Zone, Action Fighter, Rambo: First Blood Part II/Secret Commando, Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa, S.D.I.: Strategic Defense Initiative, Sonic Boom, Scramble Spirits, Bio-Hazard Battle/Crying, Thunder Force VI (?)

Konami - The End, Scramble, Super Cobra, Pooyan, Time Pilot, Mega Zone, Gyruss, Juno First, Time Pilot '84, Twinbee, Gradius, Finalizer: Super Transformation, Salamander/Life Force, Stinger, Battlantis, Flak Attack/MX5000, A-Jax/Typhoon, Nemesis 2/Nemesis '90 Kai, Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou, Parodius (MSX), Thunder Cross, Nemesis 3: The Eve of Destruction, Twinbee 3, Space Manbow, Gradius III, Parodius Da!, Trigon/Lightning Fighters, Detana!! TwinBee/Bells & Whistles, Thunder Cross II, Gradius: The Interstellar Assault/Nemesis II, Crisis Force, Xexex, Pop'n TwinBee, Axelay, Gokujou Parodius, TwinBee Yahho!, Jikkyo Oshaberi Parodius, Salamander 2, Gradius Gaiden, Gradius IV, Gradius Galaxies/etc, Otomedius, Otomedius Excellent!

Tecmo/Tehkan - Pleiads, Red Clash, Star Force, Gemini Wing, Back Fire, Silk Worm, Raiga - Strato Fighter, Final Star Force, Eight Forces (?)

Jaleco - Exerion, Exerion II: Zorni, Formation Z/Aeroboto, Exerizer/Sky Fox, Plus Alpha, E.D.F.: Earth Defense Force, Chimera Beast, Cybattler, Game Tengoku, Gratia - Second Earth

UPL - Nova 2001, Return of the Invaders, XX Mission, Atomic Robo-Kid, Omega Fighter/Omega Fighter Special (?), Bio-Ship Paladin, Acrobat Mission, Koutetsu Yousai Strahl

Seibu - Stinger, Scion, Air Raid/Cross Shooter, Raiden, Raiden II, Raiden DX, Raiden Fighters, Raiden Fighters 2, Raiden Fighters Jet

Capcom - Vulgus, 1942, Exed Exes/Savage Bees, Gun.Smoke, Section Z, Legendary Wings (half-STG), Side Arms Hyper Dyne, 1943: The Battle of Midway, 1943 Kai, Last Duel, Forgotten Worlds/Lost Worlds, Area 88/UN Squadron, 1941: Counter Attack, Carrier Air Wing/U.S. Navy, Three Wonders: Chariot, Varth: Operation Thunderstorm, Eco Fighters, 19XX: The War Against Destiny

Alpha Denshi/ADK - Equites, Super Stingray, Battle Field/Time Soldiers, Sky Soldiers, Sky Adventure, Ninja Commando, Twinkle Star Sprites

Toaplan/Crux - Gyrodine, Tiger Heli, Slap Fight/Alcon, Hishouzame/Flying Shark, Twin Cobra/Kyukyoku Tiger, Tatsujin/Truxton, Hellfire, Twin Hawk/Daisenpu, Zero Wing, Fire Shark/Same! Same! Same!, Out Zone, Vimana, Tatsujin Oh/Truxton II, Fixeight, Dogyuun, V-Five/Grindstormer, Batsugun

Technosoft - Thunder Force, Thunder Force II, Thunder Force III, Elemental Master, Thunder Force IV, Hyper Duel, Blast Wind, Thunder Force V

Compile - Zanac, Guardic (MSX), The Guardian Legend/Guardic Guardian, Aleste/Power Strike, Aleste Gaiden, Blazing Lazers, Aleste II, Gun-Nac, Musha Aleste/M.U.S.H.A, Seirei Senshi Spriggan, GG Aleste, Spriggan Mark 2: Re-Terraform Project, Super Aleste/Space Megaforce, Robo Aleste, GG Aleste II, Power Strike II, Sylphia, Rude Breaker, Zanac Neo

Kaneko/Inter State - Go Go Mr. Yamaguchi (borderliner), Dr. Toppel's Tankentai, Heavy Unit, Air Buster, Super Star Soldier, Star Parodier, Nexzr, Explosive Breaker/Bakuretsu Breaker, Cyvern: The Dragon Weapons

Coreland/Banpresto - 4-D Warriors, Rafflesia, Gardia, Brain, Macross Plus

NMK - Argus, Valtric, P-47: The Freedom Fighter, Saint Dragon, Task Force Harrier, USAAF Mustang/Fire Mustang, Black Heart, Thunder Dragon, Hacha Mecha Fighter, Super Spacefortress Macross, GunNail, Super Spacefortress Macross II, Thunder Dragon 2/Big Bang, Rapid Hero, Zed Blade/Operation Ragnarok, P-47 Aces, Desert War

Hudson - Star Soldier, Adventures of Dino Riki, Final Soldier, Soldier Blade, Vertical Force, Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth, Star Soldier (PSP), Star Soldier R

Seta - Thundercade, Twin Eagle: Revenge Joe's Brother, Twin Eagle II : The Rescue Mission, Ultra X Weapons

Video System Co. - Rabio Lepus, Turbo Force, Aero Fighers, Aero Fighters 2, Aero Fighters 3, Sonic Wings Special, Sonic Wings Limited

Athena - Caliber .50, Strike Gunner S.T.G, BioMetal, Daioh, Dezaemon (SNES), Dezaemon 2, Dezaemon 3D, Dezaemon Kids!

Visco - Asuka & Asuka, Ashura Blaster, Andro Dunos, Galmedes, Earth Joker: U.N. Defense Force, Storm Blade, Captain Tomaday, Vasara, Vasara 2

Natsume - Abadox (?), S.C.A.T./Final Mission, Pocky & Rocky, Pocky & Rocky 2, Omega Five

KID - Burai Fighter, Dezaemon (NES), Summer Carnival '92: Recca

Dooyong - The Last Day, Gulf Storm, Pollux, Flying Tiger, Blue Hawk, R-Shark

Alfa System - Cyber Core, Download, Sinistron, Psychic Storm, Kiaidan 00, Shikigami no Shiro, Shikigami no Shiro II, Shikigami no Shiro III

Atlus - Xexyz, Blaze On, Purikura Daisakusen

Masaya/NCS - Gynoug/Wings of Wor, Gleylancer, (most of) the Cho Aniki series

Success - Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams, Cotton 100%, Cotton 2, Guardian Force, Cotton Boomerang, Sanvein

Red Entertainment/Red Company - Gate of Thunder, Air Zonk, Lords of Thunder/Winds of Thunder

Allumer - Rezon, Zing Zing Zip, SD Gundam Neo Battling, War of Aero, Mad Shark

Aicom/Yumekobo - Viewpoint, Pulstar, Blazing Star, Prehistoric Isle 2

Psikyo - Sengoku Ace/Samurai Aces, Gunbird, Strikers 1945, Sengoku Blade/Tengai, Sol Divide, Strikers 1945 II, Zero Gunner, Gunbird 2, Pilot Kids, Space Bomber, Strikers 1945 III/Strikers 1999, Strikers 1945 Plus, Cannon Spike, Dragon Blaze, Zero Gunner 2

Raizing - Mahou Daisakusen/Sorcer Striker, Kingdom Grand Prix/Shippu Mahou Daisakusen, Battle Garegga, Soukyugurentai/Terra Diver, Armed Police Batrier, Battle Bakraid, Dimahoo/Great Mahou Daisakusen, 1944: The Loop Master, Brave Blade

Cave - This probably has just about everything

Triangle Service/etc - Project Moon, G-Stream G2020/DeltaZeal, XII Stag, Trizeal, Exzeal, CombatZeal

Takumi - Twin Cobra II/Kyukyoku Tiger II, Giga Wing, Mars Matrix, Giga Wing 2, Night Raid, Giga Wing Generations

Warashi - Shienryu, Sengeki Striker, Shienryu Explosion, Triggerheart Exelica

Treasure - Radiant Silvergun, Bangai-O, Ikaruga, Gradius V, Bangai-O Spirits, Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury

G.rev - Border Down, Senko no Ronde, Under Defeat, Senko no Ronde: DUO, Seisou Kouki Strania, Kokuga

Milestone/Klon - Chaos Field, Radirgy, Karous, Illvelo, Radirgy Noa, Karous: The Beast of Re:Eden, Radirgy de Gojaru!, Illvelo Dillinjah

MOSS - Raiden III, Raiden IV, KOF Sky Stage/Neo Geo Heroes: Ultimate Shooting, Caladrius/AC/Blaze

-----

Siter Skain - Raid Wind, Alltynex, Kamui, RefleX, Alltynex 2nd

Kenta Cho/ABA Games - I'm just going to link these: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cs8k-cyu/games/ Also this

X.X - Green Wind, Blue Wish, Eden's Edge, Blue Wish Resurrection/BWR Plus, Eden's Aegis

Top devs voting will be started in a day or two.

[Mortificator]

You don't think any of those games were developed by TOSE or other shadow houses?

[LordHypnos]

reasons why Mars Matrix is awesome:

*Interesting and original weapons system that can be controlled with just one button. Shot, Piercing Cannon, Mosquito, Gravity Hole Bomb (four weapons with only one button!).
*Generally high degree of visceral thrill. Highlights include: The Piercing Cannon attack, the gold cubes, the fast pace, several of the boss explosion animations. EDIT: also the bullet cancelling enemies in Stage 5, though that's arguably just another instance of tons of gold cubes being awesome
*Excellent overall level design.
*Fast pace of action, and reasonably high degree of challenge for a single loop game. Also doesn't stick around for too long (under 20 minutes)
*No lame enemy collisions.
*Bullet patterns and scoring that encourage aggression and use of entire vertizontal screen.
*Scoring system that is extremely simple to understand but still incredibly deep.

C'mon guys, don't let it fall off the top 25!

[chum]

Mars Matrix is a very good game.

here are my honorable mentions, lovely games worth much attention. Battle Bakraid, Crimzon Clover World Ignition, Darius Gaiden, Lilian Fourhand, Twin Cobra, Batsugun Special, Mountain of Faith, Strikers 1999, G-Darius, 1943, EspGaluda, EspGaluda II, Raiden DX, Raiden, Judgement Silversword, OutZone, Granada, Mars Matrix, Zombie Nation, ChoRenSha 68k, Night Striker, Dimahoo, Dangun Feveron

[system11]

I'd like to see R-Type Delta in the top 25 this year. The fact that it wasn't last year just means TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE WRONG.

[EmperorIng]

I've seen several mentions of Exed Exes, which is surprising. I think it will be on my list this year. The game is very fun and pretty intense at times.

[Kollision]

reasons why Mars Matrix is awesome

my list

[DestroyTheCore]

reasons why Mars Matrix is awesome:

*Interesting and original weapons system that can be controlled with just one button. Shot, Piercing Cannon, Mosquito, Gravity Hole Bomb (four weapons with only one button!).
*Generally high degree of visceral thrill. Highlights include: The Piercing Cannon attack, the gold cubes, the fast pace, several of the boss explosion animations. EDIT: also the bullet cancelling enemies in Stage 5, though that's arguably just another instance of tons of gold cubes being awesome
*Excellent overall level design.
*Fast pace of action, and reasonably high degree of challenge for a single loop game. Also doesn't stick around for too long (under 20 minutes)
*No lame enemy collisions.
*Bullet patterns and scoring that encourage aggression and use of entire vertizontal screen.
*Scoring system that is extremely simple to understand but still incredibly deep.

C'mon guys, don't let it fall off the top 25!

I didn't know you liked Mars Matrix

Spoiler

...said no one ever

[LordHypnos]

reasons why Mars Matrix is awesome

my list

Yes, I think the Mars Matrix gods approve of your list

@DestroyTheCore:

[Rob]

LordHypnos does the Lord's work. It's all very appropriate.

[LSU]

I know we are allowed to vote for field shooters nowadays, so each year I almost put Robotron 2084 at the very top of my list. It's pretty much my favourite game ever, but it just feels so out of place with the rest of the list all being scrolling shooters that I somehow just can't bring myself to think of it as quite the same style of game. Hmm. (EDIT: Screw it, it's going in this time!)

Am I weird for thinking Last Resort is massively underrated?

[louisg]

Aw man, I'm sad. I ran out of space on my list so I kicked Dimahoo off in favor of Metal Black, which I think is just more solid. So many good memories in college playing Dimahoo at the arcade Oh well.

[DJ Incompetent]

On top dev vote, any crappy technicalities to discuss about Battle Bakraid just being from 8ing? Or we just acknowledging it's Yagawa with Raizing's recycled code so it may as well be filed under Raizing.

[trap15]

Raizing and 8ing are the same company anyways.

Filled out my dev vote, included my weightings just for showing.

[louisg]

We need more Nexzr love, stat! ;D

[chempop]

8. Qute

For 2-3 games, and your list doesn’t have Konami...
I thought we were friends

[trap15]

Only Konami shooters I like are Gradius and Gradius II. And I like JSS/CS/etc. way more than those.

Also, why is NMK on so few lists. I'll make you all pay for this insolence

[chempop]

No love for Gradius Gaiden, Gradius V, and the Parodius series

Obligatory: I still haven’t tried a single NMK game

[trap15]

Gradius V is Treasure, I don't like Twinbee or Parodius much, and I've not played Gradius Gaiden.

[Chaos Phoenixma]

Parodius is definitely going to be on mine once I bother to make it. Gradius Gaiden is a maybe.

[Nifty]

I lost track of when to post this, so I've adjusted the dates somewhat. There is now just over one week remaining for T25 voting + an extra day for the developer voting.

[system11]

I lost track of when to post this, so I've adjusted the dates somewhat. There is now just over one week remaining for T25 voting + an extra day for the developer voting.

Isn't developer voting kind of defined by the top 25 itself?

[Obscura]

After reading the last page of this thread, who the heck are NMK?

I've never even heard of that company before, and a bunch of people list them in their "best developer" list?!?!

[system11]

NMK - Gunnail, Thunder Dragon 1+2, USAAF Mustang, Black Heart, P-47, St Dragon, Rapid Hero, others.

[Nifty]

Isn't developer voting kind of defined by the top 25 itself?

Kind of, but the results aren't turning out quite that way so far. It should also give a little more insight than '20 things by Cave' vs everything else on the usual developer breakdown.

I've never even heard of that company before, and a bunch of people list them in their "best developer" list?!?!

You could say they're a little... obscurer than your average shmup company.

[Mortificator]

Isn't developer voting kind of defined by the top 25 itself?

Indeed it is, in every meaningful way.

[Nifty]

The final 24 hours of voting have now begun. I'll be away from home at the deadline, but hopefully I should still be able to wrap the thread up in a timely fashion.

[Chaos Phoenixma]

Comparing my lists from the last 2 years.

Touhou stuff gone down a bit. Still great, and if I ever get around to trying to play them for score, maybe they'll go up, or maybe not.

Eschatos also has gone down a bit.

Hitogata Happa, which while interesting has been kicked off for Pink Sweets Arrange. Pink Sweets Arrange, unlike the arcade mode, is actually fun(and why I originally voted for Pink Sweets in the list of mine that had it). I should try learning more about how to score in it.

Deathsmiles moved up. It never should have been in the same rank as Deathsmiles II anyway. yes, not Deathsmiles MBL as this is one of the 2 cave games where I like the WL version more(the other being DDP DFK, and even then I don't care much for that game).

Satazius has moved up a bit as well.

Sexy Parodius has also moved up. While I do like the original Parodius more, it's still worth that spot to me.

Gradius Gaiden has also moved up a bit.

Raiden Fighters Jet has moved up.


Couldn't put in Darius Gaiden though. I don't really care too much for it, and I haven't tried out the Extra version to see if that would be worth a slot. Darius Gaiden Extra may be a consideration for next year though.