Recommend me some overhead run'n'guns

[EinhanderZwei]

Last night I was playing some Shock Troopers and decided to fulfill my overhead run'n'guns collection a bit. Systems: preferrably NeoGeo MVS and PS1. Here's what I've played: Shock Troopers 1 & 2, Mercs, Out Zone, Ikari Warriors, Apocalypse, One (if those two qualify). Basically the criteria is: you're playing a soldier on foot, the screen is scrolling only when you're moving, and there are some badass bosses Can anybody list some more of those?

If there were similar topics, lemme know, because search results didn't show much

[burgerkingdiamond]

Last night I was playing some Shock Troopers and decided to fulfill my overhead run'n'guns collection a bit. Systems: preferrably NeoGeo MVS and PS1. Here's what I've played: Shock Troopers 1 & 2, Mercs, Out Zone, Ikari Warriors, Apocalypse, One (if those two qualify). Basically the criteria is: you're playing a soldier on foot, the screen is scrolling only when you're moving, and there are some badass bosses Can anybody list some more of those?

If there were similar topics, lemme know, because search results didn't show much

There is a sequel to OutZone I think. Can't think of the name

[Zeron]

There is a sequel to OutZone I think. Can't think of the name

You are thinking of FIXEIGHT which just recently in MAME 0.141u got proper sound emulation.

[burgerkingdiamond]

There is a sequel to OutZone I think. Can't think of the name

You are thinking of FIXEIGHT which just recently in MAME 0.141u got proper sound emulation.

That would be it. I remember seeing a video linked from the Batsugun thread.

[mrsmiley381]

I'm going to suggest Neo Contra only because of how ridiculous it is. It's much better than the PS1 Contra games, too. If you can stand the ridiculousness of 90's Midway hit up some Smash TV or Total Carnage. They're technically twinsticks and Smash TV doesn't scroll, but they're the closest thing I can imagine you might like.

[louisg]

Bloody Wolf on PCE. It doesn't look like much, but it plays great. Heavy Barrel is nice too, but you'll probably want a way to just point the direction you want to aim instead of using rotate buttons. I don't know if MAME lets you do that, but that Data East collection does.

[Heartwork]

+1 on the Smash TV recommendation. Not strictly within your criteria, but damn fun nonetheless.

[Specineff]

Fortified Zone for the GB is surprisingly fun, if a bit short.

[BIL]

Gunspike AKA Cannon Spike (Psikyo, Dreamcast) is excellent. Kind of an arena shooter / beat 'em up hybrid, due to the heavy focus on devastating (and risky) melee attacks. The level designs are very simplistic (basically one room for popcorn waves + midbosses, and another for the boss), and the audiovisuals are a bit generic, but it makes up for it with furious pacing - as usual with Psikyo it's short and quickly becomes hard as hell.

Silent Bomber (Cyber Connect, PS1) is more of a run-and-bomb/incinerate/crush/electrocute, but it's safe to say if you like making massive machines explode violently while dodging their attacks on-foot, you'll love this.

[EinhanderZwei]

Silent Bomber (Cyber Connect, PS1) is more of a run-and-bomb/incinerate/crush/electrocute, but it's safe to say if you like making massive machines explode violently while dodging their attacks on-foot, you'll love this.

Yeah, it's a fantastic one! I've already beaten some levels, and all I can say is 'Oh my God'. It's like Bomberman infused with Metal Gear Solid'ish story and given adrenaline overdose up the chest! One of the best PS1 games I've ever played

[BIL]

Heh, that reminds me - I used to describe it as a whole game's worth of MGS1's REX battle, played as Grey Fox. Nothing like pinning a whole load of bombs on a sword-swinging mech's back and blowing it to pieces as you airdash past it.

[louisg]

I second Cannon Spike. It plays like an arena game though, and be sure to use lots of specials and melees (the main gun is fairly useless a lot of the time). Neo Contra is really good, too.

[Lance Boyle]

Nobody mentioned Gundhara? Huh.

[undamned]

Nobody mentioned Gundhara? Huh.

Ha, first game that popped into my head when I read the title

I still like the Ikari Warriors games. Might be a little more shmuppy than run-n-gun, but Guardian Force comes to mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnZQOArzztI
-ud

[louisg]

Well if we're also considering tank games, try Metal Stoker on PC Engine and Granada on Genesis. Granada is extremely rough (bad framerate, some spammy bosses that aren't so well thought-out, some enemies in weird places).. but, I thought it was extremely enjoyable figuring out the routes and strategies.

There's also Legend of Valkyrie, which is seriously underrated.

On the C64, Arnie is quite fun (but short and easy) and another game nobody has really talked about much is Who Dares Wins. Goofy title, amaturish game, but it's like C64 Commando with more levels.

[ratlhead]

Red Star on PS2. A superb game in the vein of Cannon Spike/Neo Contra style Run'n Gun/Beat'em Up hybrid with a Treasure-esque touch.

[EinhanderZwei]

Red Star on PS2. A superb game in the vein of Cannon Spike/Neo Contra style Run'n Gun/Beat'em Up hybrid with a Treasure-esque touch.

Yeah, the first damnaku-ish boss was awesome

[PC Engine Fan X!]

There's Time Soldiers to try out on Mame/Mame32. It did get a proper Stateside release courtesy of Romstar (same USA arcade distributor that handled Capcom's Hyperdyne Sidearms PCB conversion kits for the U.S. arcade market). The actual Time Soldiers PCB does utilize the same Data East/SNK rotating joystick controller setup.

Victory Road is another cool overhead 360 degree shooting game. It, too, got a proper Stateside arcade PCB conversion kit release courtesy of SNK of America. It's playable on Mame/Mame32 as well.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Drum]

NITRO BALL

Also:

Valkyrie no Densetsu (oh, I see loisg already menitioned this)
IGMO (see sig)
Daikaiju no Gyukushu (well, it's not really that great I guess - but you are Godzilla!)
Venture
Valtric (well technically you are a tank thing but hey)
Equites (awesome vertical mech run and gun with a couple cool gimmicks - you can take out dishes that beam instructions to enemies, disabling surrounding baddies)

[TrevHead (TVR)]

While none of these are soldier based theyre still great

Pocky and Rocky 1 and 2 for the snes theres also an older arcade that under the series Japanese name Kiki kikia (or however you spell it) theres also a spiritual sucessor for the WII that was suposed to part of the series but had to change to name of the game.

theres also twinkle tail for the JPN MD (theres an english patch for it) and elemental master

can anyone remeber that doujin over head run and gunner by gatling cat? it was touhou themed and had some touhou eske bullet hell patterns

edit wow red star looks really good

[Despatche]

Elemental Master is a "proper" shmup, because it's forced-scrolling.

I am told that Dogousouken is a very good game with twin sticks, yes.

Some will tell you that these are shmups, and I think you can vote for them for Top Shmups. Requesting that this thread be moved (back?) to Shmups Chat.

[Stealthlurker]

This was my favorite genre back in the day. It was all about Ikari Warriors, Victory Road, Time Soldiers, Heavy Barrel....

A game that doesn't get mentioned much, but I really liked on the Amiga was New York Warriors.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9X6A7GSOF0

If you've ever played it much, there are parts where there is a wall of slow moving bullets raining down on you. Might even say it's one of the first games with that "manic shmup" element to it.


.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Twinkle Tale, not "tail". Come on.
One of old computer Final Zone games certainly is about dudes walking up screen and shooting, but looks barely playable (choppy, slow and all that). FZ Senki Axis (released as Final Zone for the Genesis), although technically imperfect, is rather enjoyable. I'd check out the X68000 versions of that Final Zone and Granada, though. For the sake of better sound if anything else (the performance should be better too).
Speaking of tank games, Assault (Namco Museum Volume 4 for the PSX) is worth checking out (and playable in the Arcade screen mode even without putting your telly on its side; think GTA 1&2).
Ys II Complete for the PC. Enough said.
Scurge: Hive - I enjoyed it more than Ikari no Yousai/Operation Logic Bomb for what it's worth, but haven't played either all that much.
Also, good old Gun.Smoke on MAME. Autoscroller, but check it out nonetheless.
Oh yes, Shadowgrounds and most recent Alien Breed remakes, as well as Alien Swarm (either as the original UT2004 total conversion or the Source port).
Ninja Commando.
Hunter: The Reckoning games for the last gen consoles have been praised for their gunplay, but I've yet to play any of them.
There are some neat firearms in Crimson Tears, but brawling is where it's at really. At this point I rate it somwhat higher than The Red Star.

If you've ever played it much, there are parts where there is a wall of slow moving bullets raining down on you. Might even say it's one of the first games with that "manic shmup" element to it.

I don't get why some people call walls of slow moving bullets "manic". If aynthing, them underwater shmups feel counter-manic to me.

[louisg]

Oh yeah, I remember seeing New York Warriors at the Amiga store back when it came out, and thought it was totally rad. But, I got it later on emulator and was a bit disappointed. There's also Dogs of War, which is mentioned in Xenocide Files (Atari ST), but I don't know if it's good or not.

I have to highly recommend The Chaos Engine for either Amiga or Genesis.. good stuff and probably Bitmap Bros' best game.

[GaijinPunch]

There's Time Soldiers to try out on Mame/Mame32. It did get a proper Stateside release courtesy of Romstar (same USA arcade distributor that handled Capcom's Hyperdyne Sidearms PCB conversion kits for the U.S. arcade market). The actual Time Soldiers PCB does utilize the same Data East/SNK rotating joystick controller setup.

Victory Road is another cool overhead 360 degree shooting game. It, too, got a proper Stateside arcade PCB conversion kit release courtesy of SNK of America. It's playable on Mame/Mame32 as well.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

These are both great, but almost useless w/o a rotating stick. I like Ikari/Dogousouken as the default settings/original versions feature no continues. Both very playable, unlike Guevara.

Others:
Senjou no Ookami II / Mercs is a big hit.
Thunderzone by Data East is wicked.

[EinhanderZwei]

Wow, thanks for the overload of recommendations! I've already played some of the mentioned games, but nonetheless now I know what'll make my PSP/PC/PS2 steam

Requesting that this thread be moved to Shmups Chat.

Heh, that's were it was originally created, but it was moved here seconds later. I don't mind

[Wonderbanana]

A game that doesn't get mentioned much, but I really liked on the Amiga was New York Warriors.

I loved that back in the day. Hardly anyone ever seems to know it half the time.

[Zeether]

Operation Logic Bomb is pretty good.

[louisg]

Sega Ninja / Ninja Princess

[greg]

Yeah, Pocky and Rocky/Kiki Kaikai 1 and 2 are great fun. I've only recently discovered these for the SNES.

Has anyone else played Commando on the Atari 7800? That version had a knife powerup that you could get, which allowed you to kill enemies just by touching them (instead of vice versa). That was real fun. I think there was also a powerup that gave you rapid fire for a limited time too. There were spots in the stone overpasses you can blow up to reveal passages to underground dungeons. IIRC, there were bugs you had to kill in there and free the hostages that were strapped to the walls. I can't remember the arcade or the NES versions having these. The game really showed the great graphics capabilities of the 7800.