Favorite grounded shmups

[solycobre]

What are your favorite grounded shmups? the genre has mostly air-type main characters, and I wonder what can you do with a concept in the ground like walking (guwange, Gun.Smoke) or cars, bikes, even boats if you have one, etc.

[kid aphex]

It might seem like an arbitrary variable, but I do wish ground based shmups would be explored a bit more.

Personally, I love Kokuga.
I know it’s very bare-bones, in some ways it feels almost incomplete, but I really enjoy the slower pace and strategic style of play.

Also, for all its problems, it has a really amazing soundtrack. CRIMINALLY underrated/overlooked.

[professor ganson]

Elemental Master is probably my favorite to look at, while Gun.Smoke is my favorite to play.

[gray117]

They're probably more run and gun than shmup:

... But total carnage and mercs and shock troopers.

Oh...

Elemental master, undeadline and gain ground on megadrive... Not exactly utter top tier but great games.

Always wanted to like granada and guardian force because it was a cool idea, pretty well done.... But just never quite clicked for me... But well worth a look if you fancy something different.... Maybe herzog zwei too...

[Jonpachi]

Outzone

You can close this thread now.

[BurlyHeart]

Dead End City is quite good and was released recently.

[pablumatic]

Namco's Assault, Berzerk, Frenzy, and Smash TV if they count.
Also Elemental Master

[SavagePencil]

How is Aurail? I’ve never gotten a chance to play it.

[Bassa-Bassa]

-Does somebody here have a UAG/Thundercade PCB (or a fair amount of experience with) for a very quick test against Mame emulation?-

I'd differentiate forced scrolling ones from those where the player does the scrolling, as they just don't play the same.

[BrainΦΠΦTemple]

mariO