10th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time - Results

Nifty · Joined: 15 Aug 2009 Posts: 534 Location: 'Strailya

Top 25 Shmups of All Time (through 2012)

Code:

##. Game                                               Score  '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10
Battle Garegga (AC/SAT)                             7.15    +   +   *   +   +   +   .   .   .
Mushihimesama Futari / 1.5 / Black Label (AC/360)   6.72    *   *   *   *   *   *   +   +   +
Ketsui ~Kizuna Jigoku Tachi~ (AC/360)               6.11    *   *   *   *   *   *   +   .   +
DoDonPachi Dai-Ou-Jou / Black Label (AC/360/etc.)   6.08    *   +   +   +   +   -   -   +   -
Armed Police Batrider (AC)                          5.88    *   *   +   *   -   +   .   -   -
DoDonPachi (AC/SAT/PSX)                             5.15    -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
Batsugun / Batsugun Special (AC/SAT)                3.86    *   +   +   *   +   +   +   +   +
Raiden Fighters Jet (AC/360)                        3.58    *   *   *   *   *   *   +   -   +
ESPGaluda (AC/PS2)                                  3.53    *   *   +   +   -   -   -   +   -
Mars Matrix (DC/AC)                                 3.43    +   +   -   -   +   +   .   +   +
Mushihimesama (AC/PS2/360)                          3.39    *   *   *   +   +   -   -   +   *
Gunbird 2 (AC/DC)                                   3.30    +   +   -   +   +   *   *   +   .
ESPGaluda II (AC/360)                               3.28    *   *   *   *   *   *   *   -   +
Radiant Silvergun (AC/SAT/360)                      3.20    -   -   -   -   -   -   -   .   *
Dragon Blaze (AC/PS2)                               3.14    *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   +
Strikers 1945 II (AC/SAT/PSX/PS2)                   3.10    -   -   -   .   *   +   +   +   +
R-Type (AC/PCE//PSX/etc.)                           3.09    -   -   -   -   *   -   +   -   +
Ikaruga (ARC/DC/GC/360)                             3.08    -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
Giga Wing (AC/DC)                                   2.96    *   -   .   -   +   -   +   +   +
Battle Bakraid (AC)                                 2.87    *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
Soukyugurentai / Terra Diver (SAT/AC/PSX)           2.845   -   -   -   -   +   -   *   -   *
Ibara (AC/PS2)                                      2.842   *   *   *   *   *   +   -   .   +
DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu/1.5/Resurrection (AC/etc.)   2.78    *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
Muchi Muchi Pork! (AC/360)                          2.62    *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   -
Gradius Gaiden (PSX)                                2.52    -   -   -   -   -   -   *   -   *

. 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

Code:

Game                                                    '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10
Akai Katana / Shin (360/AC)                               +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
Blazing Star (AC/NG)                                      .   +   .   .   .   .   .   .   .
Cho Ren Sha 68K (PC/X68)                                  +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   .
Crimzon Clover (PC)                                       +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   .
Cyvern: The Dragon Weapons (AC)                           +   +   .   +   +   +   +   +   + 
Dangun Feveron (AC)                                       +   .   .   .   .   .   -   -   .
Darius Gaiden (AC/SAT/PS2/etc.)                           +   +   .   .   .   .   .   .   -
Deathsmiles / Mega Black Label (AC/360)                   +   +   +   +   +   +   .   .   -
Dimahoo / Great Mahou Daisakusen (AC)                     +   .   .   .   +   +   +   +   .
DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu Black Label (AC/360)               +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   .
DonPachi (AC/SAT/PSX)                                     -   -   -   .   .   .   .   .   .
Einhänder (PSX)                                           .   .   -   -   -   .   .   .   .
Eschatos (360)                                            +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
ESP Ra.De. (AC)                                           -   -   -   -   -   -   -   .   .
Fire Shark / Same! Same! Same! (AC/GEN)                   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
G-Darius (AC/PS2/PSX)                                     +   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .
Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou (AC/SAT/FC/etc.)               +   .   .   .   +   .   +   +   .
Gradius V (PS2)                                           +   +   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
Guwange (AC/360)                                          -   -   .   -   .   -   -   -   -
Hellsinker (PC)                                           +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
Imperishable Night [Touhou 8] (PC)                        +   +   .   +   +   +   +   +   .
Perfect Cherry Blossom [Touhou 7] (PC)                    +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   .
Pink Sweets ~Ibara Sorekara~ / Arrange (AC/360)           +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   .
Progear no Arashi (AC)                                    +   +   +   .   .   -   -   .   .
R-Type Delta (PSX)                                        .   .   -   -   -   .   +   .   .
Raiden DX (AC/PSX)                                        +   +   -   -   -   .   -   .   -
Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive (AC/360)           +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   .
RayForce/Layer Section/Galactic Attack/Gunlock (AC/etc.)  +   -   -   -   -   -   -   .   .
Recca [Summer Carnival '92] (FC)                          +   +   .   +   +   +   +   .   +
Strikers 1999 / Strikers 1945 III (AC)                    +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   .
Thunder Force III (GEN/MD/SAT)                            -   -   -   -   -   -   .   .   .
Thunder Force IV / Lightening Force (MD/GEN/SAT)          -   -   -   -   -   -   .   +   .
Twin Cobra / Kyukyoku Tiger (AC/PCE/etc.)                 +   .   +   +   .   .   +   +   +
Undefined Fantastic Object [Touhou 12] (PC)               +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
Under Defeat (DC/AC)                                      +   +   +   +   -   .   .   .   .

. 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 2010's Top 25:

Darius Gaiden (SAT/AC/PS2/etc.)
Deathsmiles / Mega Black Label (AC/360)
Raiden DX (AC/PSX)
Gradius V (PS2)
Guwange (AC/360)

What Dropped from 2010's Honourable Mentions:

Gokujou Parodius (AC/SAT/PSX/etc.)
Gradius / Nemesis (AC/NES/etc.)
Raiden IV (AC/360)
Shikigami no Shiro II (AC/DC/PC/GC/etc.)
Zero Gunner 2 (AC/DC)

Breakdown by Developer

Code:

                   Top 25         Hon.M.          Overall
Cave                 10               9             19
Raizing               4               1              5
Psikyo                3               1              4
Treasure              2               1              3
Seibu Kaihatsu        1               2              3
Toaplan               1               2              3
Taito                 -               3              3
Team Shanghai Alice   -               3              3
Takumi                2               -              2
Irem                  1               1              2
Konami                1               1              2
Technosoft            -               2              2
Famibe no Yosshin     -               1              1
G.rev                 -               1              1
Kaneko                -               1              1
KID                   -               1              1
Qute                  -               1              1
Ruminant's Whimper    -               1              1        
Squaresoft            -               1              1
Yotsubane             -               1              1
Yumekobo              -               1              1

Breakdown by Original Platform

Code:

System             Top 25         Hon.M.          Overall
Arcade                24             22              46
PC/Windows             -              5               5
PlayStation            1              2               3
Mega Drive/Genesis     -              2               2
PlayStation 2          -              1               1
Famicom/NES            -              1               1
X68000                 -              1               1
Xbox 360               -              1               1

Miscellaneous Stats:

Number of Counted Voters: 103*
Number of Games Voted For: 404
Games Supported by at least half of voters: 5
Games Supported by at least 1/4 of voters: 24
Number of Honourable Mentions: 35
Top 25 Score Spread: 2.515 - 7.152
Honourable Mention Score Spread: 1.261 - 2.513
Total Score Spread: 0.068 - 7.152

*Because everyone was able to fix their ballots in a timely fashion, not a single vote had to be discounted this year. Thanks to you all for the cooperation.

Random Comments:

Crowd favourites Mushihimesama, Radiant Silvergun, Soukyugurentai and Gradius Gaiden have returned to the Top 25 after an extended years' vacation spent refreshing their minds and ship stock.
Gradius V, once a champion and genuine contender for the high placings, has alarmingly failed to even rank this time. Advisers are now suggesting it shouldn't have tried playing with checkpoints on. Similarly, Annual T25 titan Ikaruga has fallen to its lowest ever finish. Their former rival DoDonPachi was seen laughing, until it realised the same was also true of it, at which point it walked away muttering something about a musician.
After a decade of campaigning, Battle Bakraid has finally garnered enough support to make the shortlist, commenting to reporters that its detractors should go and kill themselves. DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu also appears for the first time, making for an increasingly confusing awards ceremony.
A steadily growing number of doujin titles are sneaking into the Honourable Mentions. Experts continue to deny that this could be evidence of a demographic shift, stating that "Little girls have always been popular".
Accounting for the fact that the Mushihimesama Futari vote was split last time, the score table can once again be seen to be dominated by the same six games. This severe polarisation means that the weighting for all the others is pushed down, resulting in not a single other title scoring over a 4.0 and a continually extending HM list. Perhaps we should be thankful; less variety in one manner has caused more in another.
The discussion thread for this year's poll is here.
The votes for this year's poll can be found here.
The full results are now over here.

Extra big thanks to incognoscente for running the numbers and helping me find where I'd made errors, and to Ghegs & the site staff for allowing me to host this.

Hagane · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 11:15 am

I expected Cyvern and Strikers 1999 to get in the top 25 with all the votes they got. Also Blade didn't make it to the HM. I'm sad.

chum · Joined: 30 Jul 2011 Posts: 1013

3 Touhou games in the honourable mention vs 19 Cave games in top 25 and honourable mention. What an unjust world (site)

Ikaruga, Ketsui, DDP, Mushihimesama, Giga Wing... hard for me to see the appeal.

HM is more varied and interesting, even though I can't figure out what DonPachi, Progear, Crimzon Clover or Cyvern are doing there!

I been playing a bit of Cyvern lately and It's so bad, even the awesome medal system can't save it :wink:

Hagane · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 11:28 am

chum wrote:

I can't figure out what [...] Progear [...] and Cyvern are doing there!

I can't, either. They should be at the top 25!

1up · Joined: 25 May 2006 Posts: 1105 Location: Denmark

I have no problem with this list. I hate Battle Garegga, but that's because I'm shit at it, but my fave is #2. This list is a depiction of the 25 best games voted by 'some' of the users on THIS forum. All 25 lists, everywhere, is the top25 of that individual. If you look at the whole thing, Top25 + Honorable Mentions, it's a pretty goddamn good list. Take all those games and make your own list. Either way it's full of awesome games.

Top 25 lists are never going to be perfect, in your eyes, unless you make it yourself.

Eaglet · Joined: 29 Oct 2011 Posts: 1306 Location: Sweeedeeeen.

HELL FUCKIN' YEAH

Friendly · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 2313

I think the Honourable Mention list is more interesting than the Top 25.

And where the hell is Border Down? For shame!

Glad to see Eschatos at least made it to the HM list.

trap15 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 12:43 pm

Quote:

After a decade of campaigning, Battle Bakraid has finally garnered enough support to make the shortlist, commenting to reporters that its detractors should go and kill themselves.

Laughing so incredibly hard :lol:

Kollision · Joined: 16 Aug 2008 Posts: 2583 Location: BRA

Well, as expected, no big surprises there.
Am I finally getting used to this place?

KAI · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 12:52 pm

Radirgy is #1 in my heart, fuck this list, you all suck.

Mortificator · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 1:16 pm

I notice this year's Franken-list has the fewest horis ever, just one each from the two biggest series. sorry Darius and Thunder Force

MrChiggins · Joined: 22 Jun 2011 Posts: 128 Location: Maryland, USA

Glad that Souky's back in the Top 25 and it's good to see Eschatos and Hellsinker in the HMs.

I'm easily the most bummed that no Fantasy Zones made the cut.
Zanac Neo and Harmful Park would've added some nice diversity as well.

And my IT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN BUT I STILL WUV YOU Award goes to:

Kingdom Grandprix :wink:

DJ Incompetent · Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Posts: 2357 Location: Murda Mitten, USA

Thanks Nifty

Vyxx · Joined: 01 Jul 2009 Posts: 1020 Location: Ontario, Canada

Decent list, nice to see Bakraid finally make the top 25.

Also a sweet justice seeing DeathSmiles drop from the top 25.

Ed Oscuro · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:49 pm

Not an "interesting" list, but not really the kind of list you throw a bottle at, either. Not buying that Cave (and 3 Touhou games) are better than everything else out there.

Rather pleased that Raizing got so many (relatively) mentions, though. More than Psikyo, which is surprising.

AntiFritz · Joined: 03 Apr 2011 Posts: 1625 Location: Australia

Vyxx wrote:

Decent list, nice to see Bakraid finally make the top 25.

Also a sweet justice seeing DeathSmiles drop from the top 25.

It'll be back next year, just like radiant silvergun was.

Ed Oscuro · **Posted:** Tue Feb 26, 2013 3:10 pm

Wait a second, what is this nonsense about Treasure being twice as good as Toaplan / Seibu / Irem?

One Treasure game was enough...two games, though, and

Bananamatic · Joined: 25 Jun 2010 Posts: 3530

Where is Mazinger Z

Zaarock · Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Posts: 1853 Location: Finland

No Taito or G.Rev games?

Rayforce defence force letsgo

angrycoder · Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 232 Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Previous years:

9th annual
8th annual
7th annual
6th annual
5th annual
4th annual
3rd annual

EmperorIng · Joined: 18 Jun 2012 Posts: 4105 Location: Chicago, IL

For shame on shmups forum for dropping Darius Gaiden.

Zaarock wrote:

Rayforce defence force letsgo

RFD is no match against the LGDF, the Little-Girl Defense Force.

nasty_wolverine · Joined: 09 Oct 2011 Posts: 1371

Quote:

A steadily growing number of doujin titles are sneaking into the Honourable Mentions. Experts continue to deny that this could be evidence of a demographic shift, stating that "Little girls have always been popular".

This is good news for new shmup developers... like me and everybody else who hangs around the development district...
I hope Hellsinker ranks in next time :mrgreen:

is minogame even a loli??

Keith · Joined: 20 Feb 2013 Posts: 19 Location: Boston, MA

nasty_wolverine wrote:

is minogame even a loli??

Minogame is a ???.

Herr Schatten · Joined: 26 Jan 2005 Posts: 2894 Location: Germany

Very solid list. Shame about Shiki II, though.

system11 · Joined: 25 Jan 2005 Posts: 6173 Location: UK

Thanks to MrNifty and Incog for running this and gathering the results.

The votes were all wrong though. RFJ over RF2? Mars Matrix charting at all? No R-Type Delta in the top 25? Espgaluda over the vastly superior sequel?

Crazy.

Annoyboy · Joined: 22 Jul 2005 Posts: 198 Location: England

My only problem with this list is that Gunbird 2 is way too high.

soupbones · Joined: 24 May 2011 Posts: 322 Location: New Jersey, U.S.

Great to see Rtype still in the Top 25 - but a little disappointed it's so Cave heavy.

Radiant Silvergun on the top 25 list? Yuck.

All in all, good list - but was really hoping for more surprises.

chempop · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 3423 Location: Western-MA USA

In my eyes there should be a cave only list and everything else list. It's nearly pointless seeing which few oddball games get mixed up by chance. Seems like anything oldschool or hori just isn't very popular these days. Understandable, but also sad. Sure the honorable mention has some decent non-cave games.. oh why not:

The non-CAVE ver.

1 ) Battle Garegga
2 ) Armed Police Batrider
3 ) Batsugun
4 ) Raiden Fighters Jet
5 ) Mars Matrix
6 ) Gunbird 2
7 ) Radiant Silvergun
8 ) Dragon Blaze
9) Strikers 1945 II
10 ) R-Type
11 ) Ikaruga
12 ) Giga Wing
13 ) Battle Bakraid
14 ) Soukyugurentai
15 ) Gradius Gaiden
16 ) ... crap, I was going to add honorable mentions, in order.. but they aren't ordered by ranking it seems, just alphabetically. :evil:

jepjepjep · Joined: 18 Nov 2008 Posts: 948

MrChiggins wrote:

I'm easily the most bummed that no Fantasy Zones made the cut.

I'm right there with you. The original Fantasy Zone is a classic in my eyes, would be a nice honorable mention at least. Although Batsugun is definitely deserving of its spot, it would've been nice to see some of the old-school Toaplan games make it onto the list.

jepjepjep · Joined: 18 Nov 2008 Posts: 948

Nifty wrote:

Gradius V, once a champion and genuine contender for the high placings, has alarmingly failed to even rank this time. Advisers are now suggesting it shouldn't have tried playing with checkpoints on. Similarly, Annual T25 titan Ikaruga has fallen to its lowest ever finish. Their former rival DoDonPachi was seen laughing, until it realised the same was also true of it, at which point it walked away muttering something about a musician.

, these comments were hilarious. It's pretty surprising how far Gradius V has dropped. Was it a case of over-hype at the time?

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10th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time - Results

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