12th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time - Results

[soupbones]

Nice to see something new on top - and dat Rtype!

But Rayforce? Ug.

[S_Fang]

I'm very glad that Futari got the 1st place: is really a fun and accessible (on easier difficulties) game.

Same thing for Crimzon Clover: looks very fun and fuck me, why my PC is so weak.

EDIT: Ketsui is also in a good spot. Hard as nails on talc(ME), though.

[Strikers1945guy]

Not sure what Cagar is whining about I only said a top 25 without Cave entries would be a fun idea?? As many people (INCLUDING MYSELF) voted for Cave releases (although it was mainly for Mr. Yagawa's stuff). I'm not wanting people to not vote for Cave

[God]

Hey, Gradius II made the HM list! Neat.

I think i'll vote next year. I've only played cave, "yagawa" trilogy and touhou.

I can think of a few you're missing out on!

Radiant Silvergun is something I will never understand the love for.

Is it my imagination or does it have way more variety than a vert typically has?

So many verts are purely bullet curtain...just dodging circles and a score mechanic... While Radiant has shit like:
-a zig zagging hallway lined with turrets
-taking cover from a beam attack behind some pillars
-walls that smash together leaving you only small gap in the middle
-etc

It's like a hori or a contra game that fell over and is pointed in the wrong direction. (but with bullet curtain elements mixed in, obviously)
If you can think of other verts that have that kind of variety, let me know and I'll play them! Seriously
Not to imply that there's anything wrong with the Bullet Curtain style.

Does it really matter ?
There haven't been many new games these past years likely to reach top 25 anyway, and that won't change much in the future.

It's a "greatest ever" list updated annually. The ten greatest books ever aren't going to be very different from year to year either. (Plus, in the next few years Hiroshi Iuchi is supposed to put something out, pretty much guaranteed to hit the top 25. Long term, Gradius 6 could become a thing... eventually.)

[Jeneki]

Oh yeah Silvergun has quite a bit of awesome stuff going on. If it didn't come saddled with one of the most unfun (and not optional) scoring systems I've ever seen, I'd make my top 5 easily.

I'm surprised it took Futari this long to make it to the top. Region free console release so anyone can play it, with a price that isn't out of control, and multiple game modes for every skill level. I wouldn't make it my #1 pick but I can definitely see why it's pulling in the votes.

[ACSeraph]

one of the most unfun (and not optional) scoring systems I've ever seen

I feel exactly the same. I cannot stand RSG, but if it weren't for this I would probably love it.

[trap15]

Also agreed. Play Ikaruga mode on the 360 port

[God]

(and not optional)

That's what everybody says but I don't get why. Because, the amount of points you get from other shit (collecting dogs, buzzing walls, chaining poorly) is completely dwarfed by the amount you get from beating all the bosses 100%. So as long as you're careful to destroy all the sections of bosses your weapons will level themselves up adequately on their own and you're free to fuck around and play for survival. I find that much easier than chaining (and assume that's not just me).

Shit, I don't even know how to chain in RSG! I googled a lot but gave up. Are you really stuck with the color you pick until the chain is broken? I kinda suspected you could switch it somehow like in Ikaruga. So I just shoot the red ones.

[To Far Away Times]

Futari over Garegga. All is right in the world.

Dai Ou Jou in the Top 3, Crimzon Clover in the Top 10, a strong showing for R-Type, and Bakraid sneaking into the Top 25. Overall, I'm very happy with this list.

[Rob]

Takumi at the end of the list?
fuck it I'm outta here

As a Takumi super fan, I can't say they are better as a developer than any of the devs listed above them. Mars Matrix is great, the Giga Wing series is fun, but they really don't have an impressive body of work as a whole (and a few of the small number are pretty-very flawed). Capcom only one spot ahead.

[Obscura]

Capcom only one spot ahead.

To be fair, does Capcom have any good shmups other than Side Arms? I always associate them much more with platformers and fighting games.

Yeah, Side Arms is probably the second best hori ever (behind Border Down), but it's still only one game.

[ACSeraph]

^1943 Battle of Midway is incredibly good imo. Also Gun.Smoke.

[Rob]

+Varth, Forgotten Worlds, Vulgus, Exed Exes, 19XX.

[1up]

Great list, I really like it. My favorite at #1 and also nice to see R-Type that high up, which actually surprise me?

It would be fun if we did more Top 25 lists on here. A Top 25, excluding CAVE, entries would be interesting but personally I would like to see a Top 25 (shmups < 1990).

[cicada88]

So I felt like looking at the data in a different way. I went through all the lists and tallied all the number 1 votes for each game. I didn't weight them in any way so if someone gave their top score to 5 different games, then all 5 games got 1 point.

I left out 1 list which gave all 25 games an even score.

Variations (black labels, 1.5, white label etc are combined)
Console / Arcade (Combined where applicable--only R-Type was affected as someone voted for the PC Engine version)

It would definitely be more accurate if I weighted the points for people who split their #1 pick among 4-5 games, but that would have been a lot more thought / work.



13 Mushihimesama Futari

9 DoDonPachi

8 Battle Garegga
8 Ketsui

7 Armed Police Batrider
7 DoDonPachi DaiOuJou

6 Gradius V
6 Ibara

5 DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu
5 Ikaruga
5 Mushimesama
5 Radiant Silvergun

3 Crimson Clover
3 Deathsmiles
3 Great Mahou Daisakusen (Dimahoo)
3 Gradius Gaiden
3 R-Type

2 Batsugun
2 DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou
2 DonPachi
2 Darius Gaiden
2 Dragon Blaze
2 ESPGaluda II
2 G-Darius
2 Hellsinker
2 Judgement Silversword
2 Mars Matrix
2 Raiden DX
2 Raiden Fighters Jet
2 Rayforce
2 R-Type Delta
2 Sengoku Blade
2 Tatsujin (Truxton)


1 Akashicverse -Malicious Wake-
1 Battle Bakraid
1 Caladrius Blaze
1 ChoRenSha 68K
1 Cotton 2
1 Cyvern
1 Dangun Feveron
1 Darius Burst Another Chronical EX
1 Darius Extra
1 Detana!! TwinBee
1 Dogyuun
1 Eschatos
1 ESPGaluda
1 ESP Ra.De
1 Fairy Wars
1 GigaWing
1 GigaWing 2
1 Ginga Force
1 Gradius II
1 Gun Frontier
1 Guwange
1 Hishouzame
1 Kingdom Grandprix
1 Lords of Thunder
1 Parodius Da!
1 Pink Sweets
1 Power Strike SMS
1 Progear no Arashi
1 Psyvariar Revision
1 Mamoru-kun Wa Norowarete Shimatta!
1 Muchi Muchi Pork
1 Radirgy
1 Robotron 2084
1 Sexy Parodius
1 Shikigami no Shiro II
1 Strikers 1945 PT II
1 Tempest
1 Thunder Dragon 2
1 Thunder Force III
1 Thunder Force IV
1 Triggerheart Exelica
1 Twinkle Star Sprites
1 Undefined Fantastic Object

[Immryr]

If you can think of other verts that have that kind of variety, let me know and I'll play them! Seriously

it always reminds me of a more modern / treasure-ized image fight.

[professor ganson]

Shame about Shiki II, though. Come on, guys.

Yeah, I'm not liking that one bit.

[royalfan84]

I must say lately I gave Shiki II another go on ps2. I had bought it about a year ago and only played in once...I didn't really enjoy it. Glad I decided to give it another shot, from the midpoint on the game gets REALLY interesting and very enjoyable. Also turning the engrish off helps.

[Kollision]

There's a reason why Shiki games are relegated to obscurity these days.
Grazing will never be as popular as medalling or chaining.

Also the detachment due to the lack of ground enemies is a real downer.

[Strikers1945guy]

Grazing is actually really fun though! Shikigami games and Ibara Kuro are awesome. Don't like the Psyvariar games but that's due to the other mechanics.

[Some-Mist]

psyvariar 2: the will to fabricate tho...

gluon is exhilaratingly fun!

[Bananamatic]

more like ibara kuso

shikigami isn't really grazing, just bullet hugging
psyvariar is great though

[Jeneki]

Shiki is like a cat.

Hi there. I like you. Pet me?
. (gets close)
Yes snuggles please.
. (stays close)
Aww I think I love you. Belly rub please?
. (puts hand in the middle)
STUPID HUMAN YOU PET ME WRONG NOW YOU DIE!

[Obscura]

Aww I think I love you. Belly rub please?
. (puts hand in the middle)
STUPID HUMAN YOU PET ME WRONG NOW YOU DIE!

This is where you went wrong. A cat turning belly-up isn't trying to say it wants its belly rubbed. Try petting its side, its cheek, or under its chin when it does this.

[Jeneki]

This is where you went wrong. A cat turning belly-up isn't trying to say it wants its belly rubbed. Try petting its side, its cheek, or under its chin when it does this.

Thus, Shikigami bullets.

[God]

it always reminds me of a more modern / treasure-ized image fight.

I had to check out image fight after I had read it was a big influence on silvergun. (plus I play everything Irem does.) It's been a while but I remember it being hard as balls.

edit: Not the NES version! That is one of the easiest shmups I've ever tried.

[professor ganson]

There's a reason why Shiki games are relegated to obscurity these days.
Grazing will never be as popular as medalling or chaining.

I can see how medalling & chaining are ideal for OCD expert players, but I think for more casual gamers grazing is going to be less frustrating and more accessible.

With Shiki 2 I not only love the gameplay; I also love the overall aesthetic of the game both visually and the soundtrack.

[Doctor Butler]

Shikigami is a criminally underrated series.

[God]

I think, more interesting than a list that just didn't have any cave games, would be a list that didn't have any bullet hell games at all!

[professor ganson]

I think, more interesting than a list that just didn't have any cave games, would be a list that didn't have any bullet hell games at all!

No doubt. Or just a well-informed old-school list. I'd actually be much more interested in that personally.