Best Unlisted STGs in the History of Videogames

[cicada88]

So after browsing through the past Top 25 Games Lists / Honorable Mentions there have been around 100 or so total games listed.

Arcade + Home Conversions:

Akai Katana
Battle Garegga
Batsugun
Border Down
Darius Gaiden
Deathsmiles
Deathsmiles II
DoDonPachi
DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu
DoDonPachi DaiOuJou
DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou
DonPachi
Dragon Blaze
ESPGaluda
ESPGaluda II
Galaga
G-Darius
Giga Wing
Giga Wing 2
Gogkujou Parodius
Gradius
Gradius II: Foger no Yabou
Gunbird 2
Guwange
Hishouzame
Ibara
Ikaruga
Ketsui -Kizuna Jigoku Tachi-
Kyukyoku Tiger
Mars Matrix
Metal Black
Muchi Muchi Pork!
Mushihimesama
Mushihimesama Futari
Parodius-Da!
Pink Sweets -Ibara Sorekara-
Psyvariar 2
Radiant Silvergun
Raiden
Raiden II
Raiden IV
Raiden DX
Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive
Raiden Fighters Jet
RayForce
R-Type
Salamander
Same! Same! Same!
Sengoku Blade
Sexy Parodius
Shienryu
Shikigami no Shiro II
Soukyugurentai
Stargate / Defender 2
Strikers 1945
Strikers 1945 II
Tatsujin
Triggerheart Exelica
Twinkle Star Sprites
Under Defeat
Winds of Thunder
Zero Gunner 2



Arcade Exclusive:

19XX: The War Against Destiny
Armed Police Batrider
Battle Bakraid
Blazing Star
Cyern: The Dragon Weapons
Dangun Feveron
ESP Ra.De.
Great Mahou Daisakusen
Pulstar
Progear no Arashi
Strikers 1999



Console / Home Computer Exclusive

Area 88
Axelay
Cho Ren Sha 68K
Crimson Clover
Ginga Force
Great Fairy Wars
Gunhed
Einhänder
Embodiment of Scarlet Devil
Eschatos
Gaiares
Gate of Thunder
Gradius III
Gradius V
Gradius Gaiden
Hellsinker
Imperishable Night
Life Force
Mountain of Faith
Musha Aleste
Parsec47
Perfect Cherry Blossom
Recca
R-Type III: The Third Lightning
R-Type Delta
Soldier Blade
Super Aleste
Thunder Force III
Thunder Force IV
Thunder Froce V
Undefined Fantastic Object
Zanac / Zanac EX
Zanac Neo


I tried to stick with the Japanese titles and include everything, but there could be some mistakes. Variants like Black Labels etc are implied to be combined with original title. I categorized NeoGeo games as arcade exclusive.

What are the best games besides Judgement Silversword that have never hit the annual list?

[Shepardus]

Kamui, maybe the others in the ALLTYNEX series (RefleX, ALLTYNEX Second) but I haven't played those yet.

[trap15]

Mad Planets, Thunder Dragon 2

[rjosal]

Some of those games are not console exclusive. I guess it means the arcade versions don't rank?

[cicada88]

Some of those games are not console exclusive. I guess it means the arcade versions don't rank?

The only games that I notice on the console exclusive list that have an arcade counterpart are Gradius III, Life Force, and Area 88.

AFAIK, all three of these are significantly different and/or superior from their arcade counterparts to be considered direct ports.


Gun-Nac for Famicom/NES is my next nomination.

At first glance this game is boring as hell, but then you stumble into the Game Setting menu. Don't even play this game without either bumping up the difficulty or turning on ricochet bullets or both. Also, don't forget to set the sound setting to selection 5, and now you can Area select. Now, you can set the game to start on the hidden "Area 0".

[God]

From the R-Type and Gradius series, these get passed over in favor of their more iconic brethren:

R-Type 2
R-Type Leo
R-Type Final

Salamander 2
Gradius 4
Gradius Galaxies
Gradius Rebirth
(...weird, those are most of the newer gradius games. I wonder if we have a bias against new material?)

Those easily, easily qualify for a "best of the rest" list.

I think we're snubbing a parodius game too, but I'm not sure; parodius isn't my cup of tea and those games have way too much japanese in the titles for me to tell them apart.

[CStarFlare]

Harmful Park
Cardinal Sins
Flame Zapper Kotsujin

[Sinful]

No love for Gradius IV? I thought it was the best in the classic style...

From the R-Type and Gradius series, these get passed over in favor of their more iconic brethren:

R-Type 2
R-Type Leo
R-Type Final

Salamander 2
Gradius 4
Gradius Galaxies
Gradius Rebirth
(...weird, those are most of the newer gradius games. I wonder if we have a bias against new material?)

Those easily, easily qualify for a "best of the rest" list.

I think we're snubbing a parodius game too, but I'm not sure; parodius isn't my cup of tea and those games have way too much japanese in the titles for me to tell them apart.

Maybe not new material, maybe just playing series in order Syndrome... takes awhile to reach the later numbers, I guess...

So you mention Gradius IV too. Even R-Type 2... yeah with R-Type 2 I usually see folks dismissing it all the time as well. For me, I think I even like it better then R-Type 1? Can quite figure why...

I disagree that Salamander 2 is better. But my reasons to prefer the weird nostalgic, rushed & bugged but still solid Salamander 1 is some sort of vodoo spell bias. Plus it feels like such one of a kind game, with some neat sci-fi cheese.

[Lord Satori]

Was about to troll Sine Mora, but then I realized that it's probably in a whole bunch of lists already.

Jet's n Guns Gold
Tyrian

Those two I enjoy very much. Tyrian has a bit of nostalgia going for it but I think it's good in it's own right as well.

Crisis Divider

That's a good game as well. There's next to no footage of it on youtube, so I can see why it'd be unlisted.

[Ed Oscuro]

Major Stryker still is waiting for his day.

In other news, I like the Hudson Caravan Shooting Collection on SFC, which gathers a number of Famicom versions of games together, including Hector '87.

I really think that Space Manbow is worthy of being played by anyone. I can see how it's never made the list, but it's a pretty fine game. The MSX Gradius titles are good too.

[Lord Satori]

Major Stryker still is waiting for his day.

I like that game, but I always had trouble telling the background and actual enemies apart.

[Mortificator]

From the R-Type and Gradius series, these get passed over in favor of their more iconic brethren:

R-Type 2
R-Type Leo
R-Type Final

Salamander 2
Gradius 4
Gradius Galaxies
Gradius Rebirth
(...weird, those are most of the newer gradius games. I wonder if we have a bias against new material?)

Those easily, easily qualify for a "best of the rest" list.

I think we're snubbing a parodius game too, but I'm not sure; parodius isn't my cup of tea and those games have way too much japanese in the titles for me to tell them apart.

Maybe not new material, maybe just playing series in order Syndrome... takes awhile to reach the later numbers, I guess...

So you mention Gradius IV too. Even R-Type 2... yeah with R-Type 2 I usually see folks dismissing it all the time as well. For me, I think I even like it better then R-Type 1? Can quite figure why...

I disagree that Salamander 2 is better. But my reasons to prefer the weird nostalgic, rushed & bugged but still solid Salamander 1 is some sort of vodoo spell bias. Plus it feels like such one of a kind game, with some neat sci-fi cheese.

Salamander's got a great aesthetic that keeps me coming back, but the gameplay's a little to reliant on safe spots.

Gradius IV should be right at the top of the heap with Gaiden and V. It fixes everything I didn't like about Gradius II arcade.

[CStarFlare]

I really think that Space Manbow is worthy of being played by anyone. I can see how it's never made the list, but it's a pretty fine game. The MSX Gradius titles are good too.

I played a bit of Manbow. Seemed pretty good, I should go back to it.

I suspect non-Windows PCs have more great shmups than I realize. I know the PC98 has some real treats but have never really explored the others. Scrolling is an issue with a lot of them, I think.

[Jeneki]

Hmm, thought Omega Fighter would be mentioned there somewhere, but maybe I overrate it a bit.

There's a small typo on Cyvern.

[ikaruga007]

Galaga 88 deserves an honorable mention I'd say.

[emphatic]

Argus.

[atro]

@Cicada88

Pulstar and Blazing Star have their home versions on Neo Geo AES ( both games ) and Neo Geo CD ( Pulstar only tho ).
They can't be pined as "Arcade only" unless you are refering to non-SNK machines.

I know I'm a die hard fan of it - Last Resort is a great shooter imho.
There's something about its atmosphere that keeps me coming back too it.
I'd rather would have like more if it had an extra stage instead of a 2nd loop tho.
The soundtrack of that game kicks major @ss

Same goes for Apydia II on the Amiga. Possibly the coolest non-console/arcade hori shooter ever released.

[Sinful]

I say Neo Geo it both Arcade, and Arcade at home. And both qualify as Arcade without a doubt in my mind.

[cicada88]

@Cicada88

Pulstar and Blazing Star have their home versions on Neo Geo AES ( both games ) and Neo Geo CD ( Pulstar only tho ).
They can't be pined as "Arcade only" unless you are refering to non-SNK machines.

Yeah, I put NeoGeo games as arcade only. File them differently in your mind if you like.

[atro]

Well, the Hardware is the same nonetheless. AES at least.

The CD versions are definitely console versions in my book.
The audio is completely redone into redbook tracks instead of the habitual PCM/FM sound.
Gameplay is unchanged tho.

[cicada88]

Well, the Hardware is the same nonetheless. AES at least.

The CD versions are definitely console versions in my book.
The audio is completely redone into redbook tracks instead of the habitual PCM/FM sound.
Gameplay is unchanged tho.

Yeah, I never really thought about NGCD. Anyway, the categories I made were more or less an arbitrary way to make a longer list more readable.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Lords of Thunder, Eco Fighters, Last Resort, etc.

[cicada88]

Lords of Thunder

It made the official top shmups top 25/honorable mention and is listed under the original Japanese name Winds of Thunder

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

Oops, good call.

I'd like to see Gaplus on there. Why doesn't anyone like Gaplus? Game just doesn't get enough love.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I can't believe Air Gallet isn't on there.

Vasara 2 probably deserves a nod.

[Sinful]

Gradius IV should be right at the top of the heap with Gaiden and V. It fixes everything I didn't like about Gradius II arcade.

Can I friendly ask what you find wrong with Gradius II and how Gaiden & V fixed some of these issues? By friendly I mean I won't attack your opinion. Just want to hear your honest opinion.

Lords of Thunder, Eco Fighters, Last Resort, etc.

Yay for Last Resort love.

[Doctor Butler]

It's probably way too new to be on a best-of-list of anything, but Bullet Soul - Infinite Burst is pretty fantastic.

[Mortificator]

Gradius IV should be right at the top of the heap with Gaiden and V. It fixes everything I didn't like about Gradius II arcade.

Can I friendly ask what you find wrong with Gradius II and how Gaiden & V fixed some of these issues? By friendly I mean I won't attack your opinion. Just want to hear your honest opinion.

What I meant in mentioning Gaiden and V was that those are two of the best and most well-regarded of the series, and that Gradius IV is of such quality to be placed alongside them. It's IV that most heavily homages II arcade, and in doing so, I think it became something similar in structure yet improved in mechanics.

II isn't such a hard game, but it is an unforgiving one; making a mistake usually means the end of your credit. IV is balanced in a way that's more appealing to me, being harder moment-to-moment, while also making recovery more reasonable. II's also pretty rigid in terms of enemy and obstacle patterns, and accordingly, in what the player will be doing. IV has more variation and is more reflex-based.

And you can attack my opinion if you want, I'm not a toddler who will go whine about it.

[LordHypnos]

I'm quite partial to the X68000 caravan doujin Zero Rei. Very fast, nice basic but interesting weapons, familiar but still awesome scoring, sweet bgm, the first boss calls you a bitch... the list goes on. IDK that it's top 25 material (certainly not based on total content), but definitely loads of fun.

Also Gaplus is awesome, but I think not many people have played it because it never got as popular as Galaga (probably the name )

[BIL]

Will throw in a kind word for Gun.Smoke. Interesting zoning element to its short-ranged killing, feeding perfectly into some of the most murderously persistent enemies in the genre. If you want a shooter where every kill and death feels personal, play this. Its flaws could mostly be fixed with a bit of editing - shuffle some stages and bosses for a smoother curve, add a boss timer to nix infinite milking and maybe make extends a tad less frequent.

the first boss calls you a bitch... the list goes on.

I'll vouch for ZR just on this. Not often I burst out laughing at a shooter for a good reason.

"YOU BIIITCH!"