6th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time! - RESULTS!

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Herr Schatten
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6th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time! - RESULTS!

Post by Herr Schatten »

Top 25 Shmups of All Time (through 2007)

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Game                                                              Score    2006  2005  2004  2003  "2002"
[01]  Gradius V (PS2)                                             7.15     +     +     +     *     *
[02]  Ikaruga (ARC/DC/GC)                                         6.01     +     +     .     .     +
[03]  Dodonpachi Daioujou (ARC/PS2)                               5.73     +     +     +     +     *
[04]  Battle Garegga (ARC/SAT)                                    5.58     -     +     *     .     +
[05]  Dodonpachi (ARC/SAT/PS1)                                    5.46     -     -     -     -     -
[06]  ESPGaluda (ARC)                                             5.42     +     +     +     *     *
[07]  Armed Police Batrider (ARC)                                 5.21     -     *     +     *     *
[08]  Radiant Silvergun (ARC/SAT)                                 5.11     -     -     -     -     +
[09]  Mushihimesama (ARC/PS2)                                     4.56     +     +     *     *     *
[10]  Guwange (ARC)                                               4.17     *     +     *     +     +
[11]  Progear no Arashi (ARC)                                     4.12     *     *     *     *     *
[12]  Border Down (ARC/DC)                                        4.10     -     .     *     *     *
[13]  Batsugun / Batsugun Special Version (ARC/SAT)               4.01     +     *     +     +     *
[14]  Gradius Gaiden (PS1/PSP)                                    3.82     .     .     -     +     +
[15]  R-Type (ARC/PS1/PCE/SMS/etc.)                               3.80     *     -     -     -     -
[16]  ESPRade (ARC)                                               3.70     -     +     +     -     -
[17]  RayForce / Layer Section / (et al) (ARC/SAT)                3.67     -     +     -     -     *
[18]  Giga Wing (ARC/DC)                                          3.60     +     -     +     .     *
[19]  Soukyugurentai (ARC/SAT/PS1)                                3.58     +     -     -     -     +
[20]  Mars Matrix (ARC/DC)                                        3.53     -     -     -     +     -
[21]  Strikers 1945 II (ARC/SAT/PS1)                              3.39     *     -     -     -     -
[22]  Shikigami no Shiro 2 / Castle Shikigami 2 (ARC/DC/PS2/GC)   3.26     -     -     -     *     *
[23]  Thunderforce IV / Lightening Force (GEN/SAT)                3.11     +     +     -     +     -
[24]  Ibara / Ibara Black Label (ARC/PS2)                         3.10     *     *     *     *     *
[25]  Thunderforce III (GEN/SAT)                                  2.95     -     -     -     -     -
  • . denotes the game holds the same position now as the year indicated.
  • + denotes the game holds an improved standing compared to the year indicated.
  • - denotes the game holds a reduced standing compared to the year indicated.
  • * denotes the game was not on the list for the year indicated.
Honourable Mention

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Game                                                                       2006  2005  2004  2003
Axelay (SNES)                                                              +     .     .     -
Battle Bakraid (ARC)                                                       .     .     .     .
Blazing Star (ARC)                                                         .     .     .     +   
Dangun Feveron (ARC)                                                       .     .     .     .
Darius Gaiden (ARC/SAT/PS2)                                                .     .     .     +
Donpachi (ARC/SAT/PS1)                                                     .     .     -     -
Dragon Blaze (ARC/PS2)                                                     .     .     .     +
Einhänder (PS1)                                                            -     -     -     .
G.Darius (ARC/PS1/PS2)                                                     .     .     .     -
Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou / Vulcan Venture (ARC/SAT/PS1/PCE-CD/NES)       +     .     .     .
Gunbird 2 (ARC/DC/PS2)                                                     -     -     -     -
Ketsui (ARC)                                                               .     +     .     +
Lords of Thunder / Winds of Thunder (PCE-CD/Mega-CD)                       .     .     .     .
Musha Aleste / M.U.S.H.A. (GEN)                                            .     .     .     -
Mushihimesama Futari (ARC)                                                 +     +     +     +
Raiden DX (ARC/PS1)                                                        -     -     -     +
Raiden Fighters Jet (ARC)                                                  +     +     .     .
R-Type Delta (PS1)                                                         -     -     -     .
Soldier Blade (PCE)                                                        +     .     .     .
Thunderforce V (SAT/PS1)                                                   .     .     -     .
Twin Cobra / Kyukyoku Tiger (ARC/PS1/PCE)                                  .     +     +     .
Under Defeat (ARC/DC)                                                      -     +     +     +
  • . denotes the game was also on the HM list for the year indicated.
  • + denotes the game was on neither the HM list nor the top 25 for the year indicated.
  • - denotes the game was in the top 25 for the year indicated.
What Dropped from 2006's Top 25:
  • Einhänder
  • Gunbird 2
  • Raiden DX
  • R-Type Delta
  • Under Defeat
What Dropped from 2006's Honourable Mentions:
  • Pulstar
  • Sexy Parodius
  • Stargate
Breakdown by Developer

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                       Top 25         Hon.M.          Overall
Cave                   8              4               12
Raizing                3              1               4
Konami                 2              2               4
Treasure               3              0               3
Tecnosoft              2              1               3
Psikyo                 1              2               3
Taito                  1              2               3
Takumi                 2              0               2
G.Rev                  1              1               2
Irem                   1              1               2
Toaplan                1              1               2
Seibu Kaihatsu         0              2               2
Alfa System            1              0               1
Compile                0              1               1
Hudson                 0              1               1
Red                    0              1               1
Square                 0              1               1
Yumekobo               0              1               1
Breakdown by Original Platform

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System                  Top 25         Hon.M.          Overall
Arcade                  21             15              36
Sega Genesis            2              1               3
PlayStation             1              2               3
PC-Engine               0              2               2
PlayStation 2           1              0               1
Super Nintendo          0              1               1
Sega Saturn             0              1               1
Miscellaneous Stats:
  • Number of Actual Voters: 89 (no scaled voters stat this year because of the rule changes)
  • Number of Games Voted For: 364
  • Games Supported by at least half of voters: 1
  • Games Supported by at least 1/4 of voters: 30
  • Number of Honourable Mentions: 22
  • Top 25 Score Spread: 2.945 - 7.154
  • Honourable Mention Score Spread: 1.483 - 2.935
  • Total Score Spread: 0.079 - 7.154
Random Comments:
  • First off: Massive thanks to Zach for tallying the votes and doing the number crunching. Your help is much appreciated.
  • Dodonpachi got more votes than Dai Ou Jou, but the weighing of the votes made a huge difference.
  • The games in the top 10 are made by only three developers: Cave (5), Treasure (3), and Raizing (2).
  • Thunderforce IV surpasses Thunderforce III for the first time ever, despite not moving much at all.
  • Radiant Silvergun keeps losing ground.
  • R-Type, Strikers 1945 II, and Guwange return to the top 25 after spending a year in the HM list.
  • Axelay, Soldier Blade, and Gradius II return to the honourable mentions after dropping off the list last year.
  • Raiden Fighters Jet returns to the honourable mentions after being absent for two years.
  • Sexy Parodius does not only drop off the HM list, it's also the least popular Parodius this year. Parodius Da! is the most popular one.
  • Because someone's going to ask: yes, I'll post the entire list later.
  • The discussion thread for this year's poll is here.
  • This year's voting thread is here here.
Last edited by Herr Schatten on Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:07 am, edited 2 times in total.
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PROMETHEUS
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Post by PROMETHEUS »

I kind of like those results :] To hell with raizing though !
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Post by nimitz »

Thanks to everyone involved with the top 25!


And, Gradius V the best shmup of all time? :roll:
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Post by bitkid »

Aw, Ketsui only got an honorable mention. Maybe its because not enough people have played it to rank it?
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Post by Ruldra »

Glad to see DOJ is on the top 3. And Progear scored high too, despite appearing on the list for the first time.

But Gradius V as the top shmup of all time was...unexpected.
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Post by Ceph »

Where is Nexzr?
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Post by j^aws »

Gradius V and Axelay are placed too high; Raiden DX and Stargate are placed too low for an all-time list. Apart from that, I don't have any strong opinions on the rest...

Thanks to all involved.
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Post by Ed Oscuro »

Is this the current results, or last year's? Top shmups through 2007 in the title, and the last year is 2006...strange.
Ceph wrote:Where is Nexzr?
Where is everything? Ray Force in the top 25...lolol
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Post by Michaelm »

I'm interested in the top 25 where every game can get only 1 point.
Will that be shown too ?
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Post by Ceph »

And 8 Cave games...
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Post by it290 »

Wow... surprised to see so little Toaplan love (Batsugun doesn't count).
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Post by PROMETHEUS »

bitkid wrote:Aw, Ketsui only got an honorable mention. Maybe its because not enough people have played it to rank it?
Definitely, that's also why DDP was always #1, it is merely one of the best / the best among the most accessible games I think.
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Post by Super Laydock »

Thanks for all the work/time you put in this, mr. Schatten! :)

Most positive point: no DDP at the top (GV is only slightly better though)
Negative point: Still no Salamander MSX on the list. What's wrong with you people!?!? :(
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Post by Mortificator »

Damn, Dodonpachi got dodonpwned! Where's your Get Point system now, bee-itch!

*ahem*

It's a fine list.
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Post by Plasmo »

I kind of like those results :] To hell with Cave though !
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Post by MX7 »

Strange seeing a non arcade game at the top of the list. GV is a great fun game though. While it's pretty boring in one player, its' two player mode is right up there with bomberman and street fighter for multiplayer experiences.

I guess people are getting sick of DoDonpachi. Or at least getting sick of voting for it.

The games in the top 25 are fairly new, which is good, and somewhat belies the stagnation of the genre, but it's a shame not to see any really new games on the list. I can't help but feel most of us are missing out.

Oh well. Thanks to all for all who voted for what they actually wanted to play rather than strategicly voting, and thanks to all who compiled the list!
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Post by Ed Oscuro »

I think I voted for Donpachi but not DDP...lolerz
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Post by Herr Schatten »

Ceph wrote:Where is Nexzr?
#61
Right between Gradius and Sengoku Blade.
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Post by Ceph »

Hahaha!
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Post by BulletMagnet »

As one of those who thought that DDP deserved its place at the top of the list, I suppose it was only a matter of time before the other shoe dropped...in any event, thanks to HS and everyone else involved in making this happen. :)

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Post by P_HAT »

Gradius V

wtf lolz.


Btw, is i'm only one who vote for XII Stag?
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Post by ubersaurus »

WTF so much cave
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Post by Zebra Airforce »

Am I the only one who voted for Noboranka?

I can't believe RFJ is not in the top 25.
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Post by Ed Oscuro »

Ed Oscuro wrote:Is this the current results, or last year's? Top shmups through 2007 in the title, and the last year is 2006...strange.
quoting myself itt
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Post by Ceph »

I just noticed that Recca isn't even on the hm list. That's a real shame. It deserves to be among the top 25.

Anyone who didn't vote for Recca should be ashamed of themselves.
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Post by Ed Oscuro »

Recca didn't win my vote because I wasn't enjoying it as much as the other games on my list.

I think Recca/Nexzr aren't higher because people probably put them at the bottom of their lists with like 1 point each.

Which is why I kept talking about the dangers of 25/24/23 style point spreads, but did anybody listen? Nooo...
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Post by Michaelm »

Yeah guys, great work !! Thanks !!
Don't get me wrong but I still think the scoring system sucks.
So I would be very happy if the list that just shows the number of votes each game got without the scoring applied would also be shown in the next days.
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Post by ForceDevice »

Gradius V on first place?

...

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Post by CIT »

I don't like this list.

Gradius V is not a good substitute for Dodonpachi.

And no more Raiden DX in the Top 25 - you guys suck! :?


On the upside, there seems to be more Hudson and Compile love in the honorable mentions.


BTW, why are Ibara and Ibara Black Label counted as one game!?
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Post by kengou »

DDP is better than Gradius V but GV is still a masterpiece for the most part. I can live with it at the top, even though I think DDP is more represntative of the genre and deserves to be there.
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