21st Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time - Discussion Thread

[ivansirijillo13]

Thank you nifty, can't wait to vote for the first time

[reckon luck]

yes these lists are fun, looking forward to one last vote for Cambria Sword

[Some-Mist]

Thank you for putting this together again, Nifty. I’m excited to get one more vote in for 2025.

Gotta continue representing Progear and Muchi Muchi Pork in my top spots.

[Steven]

I suppose it's time to update my list. It's mostly the same as last time, but I did make some changes and a few games went up or down by one or two places or so. There is one game in particular that I somehow completely forgot about last time despite it deserving a pretty high spot on the list, so I have remedied that. Here it is.

Spoiler

[25] [Action 52 (NES)]
[24] [Hong Kong 97]
[23] [Sonic Frontiers Final Boss]
[22] [Deep Blue]
[21] [Sonic Wings Reunion]
[20] [Cygni]
[19] [Action 52 (Genesis)]
[18] [Ace of Seafood]
[17] [Death Crimson]
[16] [Tails' Skypatrol]
[15] [NEO AQUARIUM - The King of Crustaceans -]
[14] [The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Genesis)]
[13] [Steel Diver]
[12] [Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops Plus]
[11] [Herzog Zwei]
[10] [that one part in Dead Space where you shoot asteroids]
[9] [Sonic Adventure Sky Chase Acts 1 and 2]
[8] [Sine Mora]
[7] [Trevor McFur]
[6] [Metroid Fusion]
[5] [Link's Crossbow Training]
[4] [the Space Harrier part in Bayonetta]
[3] [Tyrian 2000]
[2] [F-16 Fighting Falcon (Sega Mark III)]
[1] [DoDonPachi Campaign Version]

[lastemperorjubei]

I suppose it's time to update my list. It's mostly the same as last time, but I did make some changes and a few games went up or down by one or two places or so. There is one game in particular that I somehow completely forgot about last time despite it deserving a pretty high spot on the list, so I have remedied that. Here it is.

Spoiler

[25] [Action 52 (NES)]
[24] [Hong Kong 97]
[23] [Sonic Frontiers Final Boss]
[22] [Deep Blue]
[21] [Sonic Wings Reunion]
[20] [Cygni]
[19] [Action 52 (Genesis)]
[18] [Ace of Seafood]
[17] [Death Crimson]
[16] [Tails' Skypatrol]
[15] [NEO AQUARIUM - The King of Crustaceans -]
[14] [The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Genesis)]
[13] [Steel Diver]
[12] [Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops Plus]
[11] [Herzog Zwei]
[10] [that one part in Dead Space where you shoot asteroids]
[9] [Sonic Adventure Sky Chase Acts 1 and 2]
[8] [Sine Mora]
[7] [Trevor McFur]
[6] [Metroid Fusion]
[5] [Link's Crossbow Training]
[4] [the Space Harrier part in Bayonetta]
[3] [Tyrian 2000]
[2] [F-16 Fighting Falcon (Sega Mark III)]
[1] [DoDonPachi Campaign Version]

Thanks Nifty. Steven I would add Nier Automata to your list.

[Steven]

I knew I forgot something... I should probably revise my list again.

[Acid]

If you really think about it, Neo Turf Masters is just an avantgarde shmup.

[MrChiggins]

Thanks so much Nifty for organizing this for as long as you have. 13-14 years if I'm not mistaken idk. I'm compelled for the first time in a couple years to reassess my shmup favs haha.

I don't wanna bullshit and I wanna be present-minded.

Cho Ren Sha, Batsugun, and ESPGaluda especially have worked their way up my list but who knows <3

[To Far Away Times]

I put together a new list in anticipation and did not reference my previous list until after I'd finished the new one. I thought maybe it would be a bit different but it was almost exactly the same. I've noticed a lot of games are ones that were there in my formative years of playing shmups. Rather if that's from being drawn to the biggest games in the genre first, or a bit of new genre bias, is up in the air I think.

[birb]

I don't know how this will work. But it seems like there will be a voting of some sort huh... While I do wish Blue Revolver was nominated, it's only 8 years old. Maybe I gotta wait 10 more years for it to be retro!

[Mero]

I don't know how this will work. But it seems like there will be a voting of some sort huh... While I do wish Blue Revolver was nominated, it's only 8 years old. Maybe I gotta wait 10 more years for it to be retro!

You could vote for Blue Revolver, the usual restriction is that you can't vote for anything released in the current calendar year (2026)

[eksratu]

I suppose it's time to update my list. It's mostly the same as last time, but I did make some changes and a few games went up or down by one or two places or so. There is one game in particular that I somehow completely forgot about last time despite it deserving a pretty high spot on the list, so I have remedied that. Here it is.

Spoiler

[25] [Action 52 (NES)]
[24] [Hong Kong 97]
[23] [Sonic Frontiers Final Boss]
[22] [Deep Blue]
[21] [Sonic Wings Reunion]
[20] [Cygni]
[19] [Action 52 (Genesis)]
[18] [Ace of Seafood]
[17] [Death Crimson]
[16] [Tails' Skypatrol]
[15] [NEO AQUARIUM - The King of Crustaceans -]
[14] [The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Genesis)]
[13] [Steel Diver]
[12] [Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops Plus]
[11] [Herzog Zwei]
[10] [that one part in Dead Space where you shoot asteroids]
[9] [Sonic Adventure Sky Chase Acts 1 and 2]
[8] [Sine Mora]
[7] [Trevor McFur]
[6] [Metroid Fusion]
[5] [Link's Crossbow Training]
[4] [the Space Harrier part in Bayonetta]
[3] [Tyrian 2000]
[2] [F-16 Fighting Falcon (Sega Mark III)]
[1] [DoDonPachi Campaign Version]

Steven this physically hurt me

I don't know how this will work. But it seems like there will be a voting of some sort huh... While I do wish Blue Revolver was nominated, it's only 8 years old. Maybe I gotta wait 10 more years for it to be retro!

I'll definitely be putting BRDA in my vote! I enjoy it too much not to.

[Steven]

FISSION MAILED

EMIT
CONTINENT

[Acid]

This is Platine Dispositif's year. I can feel it.

[MrChiggins]

This is Platine Dispositif's year. I can feel it.

Read this and was like "Is Platine Gundemonium Collection?". Nailed it! haha
In all sincerity I loved those games and they were my gateway drug (along with Donpachi) to shmups in general.
I was like 20 years old and thought "Holy shit. Yep. This genre. The best." <3

[Nifty]

Been a bit delayed still but good to see activity in the thread, I'll aim to have voting up later this week

Edit: It's live

[reckon luck]

here we go. now i need to figure out if i focus on 15 or go for the full 35 again. i like a lot of shmups.

[reckon luck]

wait a minute, Out Zone has never made the top 25? that can't be right.

[Faith]

Does anyone else think Blue Revolver "Single Action" & Blue Revolver "Double Action" should be separate >.<?!~

Honestly, for me... still prefer original BR. Really do not like new Stage 5 at all, and even final boss... feel the original patterns in original BR were so much more fun.

[MrChiggins]

wait a minute, Out Zone has never made the top 25? that can't be right.

Was gonna say the same thing about Fantasy Zone never even making the honorable mention. Granted, it's not very high on my top 25 but it's usually in there. Classic cute 'em up and an engaging but not too intimidating 1-ALL. Also the oldest game on my list.

[Herr Schatten]

Vote cast. Not much has changed in my list compared to last time.

Thunderforce V and Zanac are back in my top 25. In exchange, R-Type Final 2 and ZeroRanger got denoted to honorable mentions. The stages added after the initial release water down the overall quality of Final 2 considerably, and I've decided I don't really enjoy shmups with sword-like attacks all that much.

New in my honorable mentions are Changeable Guardian Estique and P-47 II. Neither does anything new or exciting, and both are rather easy, bot I had a really good time with them.

[Steven]

The stages added after the initial release water down the overall quality of Final 2 considerably

4.1 and 5.1? 5.1... exists, but I have no idea what to think about 4.1. What a silly, ridiculous stage. I kind of love it for how stupid it is, but I kind of despise it for how stupid it is. I'm sure someone probably no missed it on R-Typer 3 with the R-9A and no Force, though.

[birb]

Does anyone else think Blue Revolver "Single Action" & Blue Revolver "Double Action" should be separate >.<?!~

Honestly, for me... still prefer original BR. Really do not like new Stage 5 at all, and even final boss... feel the original patterns in original BR were so much more fun.

disagreed about the new stage 5. I think the old one feels aimless with what its trying to be. So the new stage 5 becoming a caravan paradise in my opinion is way better and the Descent section is fantastic. For the final boss I'd say yeah I kinda like both versions to be honest.

I'm hesitant on separating OG and Double Action though. I think Double Action is just the complete vision of the OG game. One thing I kinda dislike about OG is the delay when switching to shot or auto. I usually don't complain about that aspect of shooters with this feature. But it's undeniable how much better Double Action has it with less delay. Super helpful for patterns such as VDM-86.

[Lethe]

I have broken all my taboos and set up the bomb on Toaplan.

I'll draw special attention to my inclusion of good old GEGA WEGA. Played it again in the second half of last year and was immediately entertained. Such an easy to pick up and understand system, which is also both weird and granular, but there's never a point where it breaks down or the optimal play is something bizarrely counterintuitive, it just works all the way through. Approachable, creative, distinctive, genuine, has evidently thought through how all the pieces play. What a good game. [1]

[TransatlanticFoe]

Between Switch and Evercade releases, I've been able to spend time with some new (to me) games and revisit some I'd perhaps neglected.

In:
Dodonpachi DOJ
Dariusburst Chronicle Saviours

Possible additions:
Out Zone
Dodonpachi DFK 1.51
ESP Ra.De
Mushihimesama

I still haven't really looked at GG Aleste 3 yet

[Faith]

I'm hesitant on separating OG and Double Action though. I think Double Action is just the complete vision of the OG game.

Same can be said about DFK vs DFKBL, but we separate it :p

We need to disagree with St 5 for sure. I can say, certainly, I was lucky to come back to STG with BRDA not yet release!!~

Quite sure, if it was, I would not be here typing now. It maybe is less clear for you, since you are WR holder... but for other "hardcore but not chasing to be the best" players, it is!!

The biggest sin with BRDA is that difficulty from Hyper to Parallel is all messed up now. I spoke to some other players about this, and this feeling is not just me. In original BR, Parallel felt more like a natural next step from Hyper. With BRDA, Hyper was made (too much) easier, and Parallel (too much) harder. If you see BRDA feedback thread, it was actually even worse in beta x_x"... when BRDA beta finished, I played a few rounds just to get one clear in Hyper... and after that uninstalled for good. I found St 5 had lost its "grace" so to speak, even though I can understand why you, or others, may enjoy it more. If it was just St 5, maybe, maybe I can tolerate it. But I will never forgive the changes to St 5 boss. Fusillade is still not too bad, but Fianchetto & Martinet are there to just completely waste player time (it was even worse in beta, and was nerfed more than once during that time). So, that is it.

Anyway, I do not like to type or even say this. I had highest praise for BR originally, and, even dedicate BR for my return to playing STG again. But that is also why, it still hurts me.

[Steven]

I haven't played Blue Revolver since before Double Action released, which also means I barely remember it. What changed, and is it possible to revert back to the old version?

[birb]

I'm hesitant on separating OG and Double Action though. I think Double Action is just the complete vision of the OG game.

Same can be said about DFK vs DFKBL, but we separate it :p

We need to disagree with St 5 for sure. I can say, certainly, I was lucky to come back to STG with BRDA not yet release!!~

Quite sure, if it was, I would not be here typing now. It maybe is less clear for you, since you are WR holder... but for other "hardcore but not chasing to be the best" players, it is!!

The biggest sin with BRDA is that difficulty from Hyper to Parallel is all messed up now. I spoke to some other players about this, and this feeling is not just me. In original BR, Parallel felt more like a natural next step from Hyper. With BRDA, Hyper was made (too much) easier, and Parallel (too much) harder. If you see BRDA feedback thread, it was actually even worse in beta x_x"... when BRDA beta finished, I played a few rounds just to get one clear in Hyper... and after that uninstalled for good. I found St 5 had lost its "grace" so to speak, even though I can understand why you, or others, may enjoy it more. If it was just St 5, maybe, maybe I can tolerate it. But I will never forgive the changes to St 5 boss. Fusillade is still not too bad, but Fianchetto & Martinet are there to just completely waste player time (it was even worse in beta, and was nerfed more than once during that time). So, that is it.

Anyway, I do not like to type or even say this. I had highest praise for BR originally, and, even dedicate BR for my return to playing STG again. But that is also why, it still hurts me.

I'll have to disagree on that. I definitely think hyper is easier now. But the fun and primary goal in Hyper mode is scoring not survival. Absolutely one of the most fun times I had scoring a game and I highly recommend scoring this mode to anyone who has cleared hyper. Parallel offers a completely different experience and it's not a bad thing by all means. You got 6 lives to work with almost like a CAVE game. and the cherry on top is the bomb extends per 10 million points. So its not like the game bars you from scoring completely(your resident psycho got the WR with a weapon deemed hard and the best in the game). Plus, I'm sure you know how exploitable bullet sealing and some weapons are. Pretty much getting a clear shouldn't be a problem for many intermediate players. One thing I do find hard is the early game, specifically stages 1 and 2. To me stage 3 is where the fun begins. But again all you gotta do is weapon spam and bomb at the right times to get the clear and that's sort of boring to me.

OG hyper feels incomplete to me tbh. OG parallel fucks for scoring though. I don't know why have rank when your extends are limited to 5 only. I tried both classic hyper and OG hyper. It feels REALLY bad to be out of resources, restricting you from scoring. Classic hyper is straight up badly designed and scoring consists of not using any resources until st4 and st5. I haven't dug into OG hyper much and I doubt I will like the survival aspect of it. Because Blue Revolver's only flaw is it has a somewhat boring survival.

[Faith]

I'll have to disagree on that

Again, agree to disagree!~ I see why you enjoy BRDA a lot, but for me it ruined a game I once loved.

But, that is also why I felt, and with my original post, with BRDA being such a different game... why I ask about separation.

Only very hard disagree is with new Parallel being "getting a clear shouldn't be a problem for many intermediate players" ~_~"... and Faith will even say with much confidence that BRDA Parallel now is harder than Crimzon Clover Arcade Unlimited for pure survival sense (there are a few players with Arcade Unlimited No-Miss... but so far have seen zero for BRDA Parallel).

What changed, and is it possible to revert back to the old version?

Change: https://danboland.net/DA_CHANGES.html

Old ver still can be access from Steam, I think Beta tab it should be there!~

[Lethe]

BRDA has a classic mode option which plays like DA but with closer to OG rules. You can have every extend Parallel and gigantic bomb iframes + better controls and less tedious stage 5 all at the same time.