11th Annual Top 25 Shmups of All Time - Results

[Nifty]

Top 25 Shmups of All Time (through 2013)

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##. Game                                               Score  '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '12
01. Battle Garegga (ARC/SAT)                            7.18    +   +   *   +   +   +   =   =   =   =
02. Mushihimesama Futari / 1.5 / Black Label (ARC/360)  6.82    .   .   .   .   *   *   +   ~   ~   =
03. Ketsui ~Kizuna Jigoku Tachi~ (ARC/360)              6.48    .   *   *   *   *   *   +   =   +   =
04. DoDonPachi Dai-Ou-Jou / Black Label (ARC/360/etc.)  6.04    *   +   +   +   +   -   -   ~   -   =
05. DoDonPachi (ARC/SAT/PSX)                            5.67    -   -   -   -   -   =   -   -   =   +
06. Armed Police Batrider (ARC)                         5.61    *   *   +   *   -   +   -   -   -   -
07. Mushihimesama (ARC/PS2/360)                         3.74    .   .   *   +   +   +   =   +   *   +
08. Batsugun / Batsugun Special (ARC/SAT)               3.51    *   +   +   *   +   +   +   +   +   -
09. ESPGaluda II (ARC/360)                              3.50    .   .   .   *   *   *   *   +   +   +
10. Radiant Silvergun (ARC/SAT/360)                     3.48    =   -   -   -   -   -   +   +   *   +
11. Gradius V (PS2)                                     3.46    .   .   -   -   -   -   -   -   +   *
12. ESPGaluda (ARC/PS2)                                 3.45    .   *   +   -   -   -   -   -   -   -
13. Ikaruga (ARC/DC/GC/360)                             3.38    -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   +
14. Raiden Fighters Jet (ARC/360)                       3.36    *   *   *   *   *   *   +   -   -   -
15. Raiden DX (ARC/PSX)                                 3.33    *   *   +   +   -   *   =   *   -   *
16. RayForce / Layer Section / etc. (ARC/PS2/SAT/etc.)  3.17    *   -   -   +   -   +   +   *   *   *
17. Muchi Muchi Pork! (ARC/360)                         3.15    .   .   .   .   .   *   *   *   -   +
18. DoDonPachi Saidaioujou (ARC/360)                    3.14    .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   *
19. Deathsmiles / Mega Black Label (ARC/360)            3.09    .   .   .   .   .   *   *   ~   -   * 
20. R-Type (ARC/PCE/PSX/etc.)                           3.02    -   -   -   -   *   -   +   -   -   -
21. Gunbird 2 (ARC/DC)                                  2.99    +   -   -   -   -   *   *   -   -   -
22. Akai Katana / Shin (ARC/360)                        2.98    .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   *   *
23. Ibara (ARC/PS2)                                     2.87    .   .   .   *   *   +   -   -   +   -
24. Strikers 1945 II (ARC/SAT/PSX/PS2)                  2.50    -   -   -   -   *   -   -   -   -   -
25. Mars Matrix (ARC/DC)                                2.46    -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -

• CHANGED: = 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.
• NEW/CHANGED: . denotes the game was not released or otherwise eligible for voting for the year indicated.
• NEW: ~ denotes the game vote was classified differently for the year indicated.

Honourable Mention

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Game                                                    '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '12
Battle Bakraid (ARC)                                      +   =   =   =   =   =   =   =   =   -
Border Down (DC/ARC)                                      .   +   =   -   -   -   -   =   +   +
Cho Ren Sha 68K (PC/X68)                                  +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   =   =
Crimzon Clover (PC)                                       .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   =   =
Dangun Feveron (ARC)                                      +   =   =   =   =   =   -   -   =   =
Darius Gaiden (ARC/SAT/PS2/etc.)                          +   +   =   =   =   =   =   =   -   =
Deathsmiles II / IIX (ARC/360)                            .   .   .   .   .   .   .   +   +   +
Dimahoo / Great Mahou Daisakusen (ARC)                    +   =   =   =   +   +   +   +   =   =
DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu / 1.5 / Resurrection (ARC/etc.)    .   .   .   .   .   .   +   +   =   -
DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu Black Label (ARC/360)              .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   =   =
DonPachi (ARC/SAT/PSX)                                    -   -   -   =   =   =   =   =   =   =
Dragon Blaze (ARC/PS2)                                    +   +   =   =   =   =   =   =   -   -
Einhänder (PSX)                                           =   =   -   -   -   =   =   =   =   =
Embodiment of Scarlet Devil [Touhou 6] (PC)               +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
Eschatos (360)                                            .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   +   =
ESP Ra.De. (ARC)                                          -   -   -   -   -   -   -   =   =   =
Flying Shark / Hishouzame / Sky Shark (ARC/NES/etc.)      +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
Giga Wing (ARC/DC)                                        +   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   -   - 
Gradius Gaiden (PSX)                                      -   -   -   -   -   -   =   -   =   -
Great Fairy Wars [Touhou 12.8] (PC)                       .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   +
G-Darius (ARC/PS2/PSX)                                    +   =   =   =   =   =   =   =   =   =
Ginga Force (360)                                         .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .
Gradius / Nemesis (ARC/NES/PCE/etc.)                      =   =   =   +   +   +   +   =   =   +
Guwange (ARC/360)                                         -   -   =   -   =   -   -   -   -   =
Imperishable Night [Touhou 8] (PC)                        .   .   =   +   +   +   +   +   =   =
Metal Black (ARC/SAT/PS2/etc.)                            +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
Mountain of Faith [Touhou 10] (PC)                        .   .   .   .   .   +   +   +   +   +
Perfect Cherry Blossom [Touhou 7] (PC)                    .   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   =   =
Pink Sweets ~Ibara Sorekara~ / Arrange (ARC/360)          .   .   .   .   +   +   +   +   =   =
Progear no Arashi (ARC)                                   +   +   +   =   =   -   -   =   =   =
R-Type Delta (PSX)                                        =   =   -   -   -   =   +   =   =   =
Raiden IV (ARC/360)                                       .   .   .   .   .   +   +   =   =   +
Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive (ARC/360)          +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   =   =
Shikigami no Shiro II (ARC/GC/DC/PS2/etc.)                .   =   -   -   -   -   =   =   =   +
Strikers 1999 / Strikers 1945 III (ARC)                   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   =   =
Soukyugurentai / Terra Diver (SAT/ARC/PSX)                -   -   -   -   -   -   =   -   =   -
Thunder Force IV / Lightening Force (MD/GEN/SAT)          -   -   -   -   -   -   =   +   =   =
Twinkle Star Sprites (ARC/SAT/DC/etc.)                    +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +   +
Undefined Fantastic Object [Touhou 12] (PC)               .   .   .   .   .   .   .   +   +   =
Under Defeat (DC/ARC)                                     .   .   .   +   -   =   =   =   =   =

• CHANGED: = 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.
• NEW/CHANGED: . denotes the game was not released or otherwise eligible for voting for the year indicated.

What Dropped from 2012's Top 25:

• Battle Bakraid (ARC)
• Dragon Blaze (ARC/PS2)
• DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu 1.5 / etc. (ARC/360/etc.)
• Giga Wing (ARC/DC)
• Gradius Gaiden (PSX)
• Soukyugurentai / Terra Diver (SAT/ARC/PSX)

What Dropped from 2012's Honourable Mentions:

• Blazing Star (ARC/NG)
• Cyvern: The Dragon Weapons (ARC)
• Fire Shark / Same! Same! Same! (ARC/GEN)
• Gradius II: Gofer no Yabou (ARC/SAT/FC/etc.)
• Hellsinker (PC)
• Recca [Summer Carnival '92] (FC)
• Thunder Force III (GEN/MD/SAT)
• Twin Cobra / Kyukyoku Tiger (ARC/PCE/etc.)

Breakdown by Developer

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                   Top 25         Hon.M.          Overall
Cave                 12               9             21
Team Shanghai Alice   -               6              6
Raizing               2               3              5
Psikyo                2               2              4
Taito                 1               3              4
Treasure              3               -              3
Seibu Kaihatsu        2               1              3
Irem                  1               1              2
Takumi                1               1              2
Toaplan               1               1              2
G.rev                 -               2              2
Konami                -               2              2
Qute                  -               2              2
ADK                   -               1              1
Alfa System           -               1              1
Famibe no Yosshin     -               1              1
MOSS                  -               1              1
Squaresoft            -               1              1
Technosoft            -               1              1
Yotsubane             -               1              1

Breakdown by Original Platform

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System             Top 25         Hon.M.          Overall
Arcade                24             26              50
PC/Windows             -              7               7
PlayStation            -              3               3
Xbox 360               -              2               2
Mega Drive/Genesis     -              1               1
PlayStation 2          1              -               1
X68000                 -              1               1

Miscellaneous Stats:

• Number of Counted Voters: 97
• Number of Games Voted For: 387
• Games Supported by at least half of voters (>48): 6
• Games Supported by at least 1/4 of voters (>24): 24
• Number of Honourable Mentions: 40
• Top 25 Score Spread: 2.465 - 7.182
• Honourable Mention Score Spread: 1.241 - 2.373
• Total Score Spread: 0.072 - 7.182

Random Comments:

• This is now Battle Garegga's fifth consecutive victory, equalling the record set by DoDonPachi and in the process edging out Gradius V's record for the highest score ever attained, which it only barely missed doing last year. If the current pattern of victories is to continue, next year's victor should be a different game again, ideally by another different company; clearly the answer should involve NMK.
• Cave meanwhile has broken its own record for games in the Top 25, as a result of its last two arcades releases being promoted. I may be off the mark, but I believe that this now means that every game in the (Do)DonPachi series has now, in some form or another, appeared in the Top 25, while the improved standing of Deathsmiles II means the same can be said for the Honorable Mentions and every arcade game Cave has ever made. I haven't checked for a while but I'll assume arcades and consoles are doing equally well.
• Treasure has seen a return to form this year, but has still not quite reached the lofty heights it used to attain consistently, which naught but a select handful seem capable of doing anymore. On the other hand, it has held on better than many classic companies and/or games - such as Thunder Force III, whose falling totally off the radar would have been unheard of ten years ago.
• Eight new games have qualified for an Honourable Mention this year. Some of them aren't even danmaku shooters!
• The discussion thread for this year's poll is here.
• The votes for this year's poll can be found here.
• The full results have been completed and are located here.

Sorry that took a while, I actually had the results finished a few days ago but haven't had time to write them up. incog hasn't been around but I somehow managed to whip up something to calculate them on my own. Thanks to everyone again for letting me run this. See you all for the top doujins list in April!

[Tyranix95]

All Right!!

[MrOldSchoolCool]

The difference between 7-25 is really almost negligible and it's easy to see how the bottom half could fluctuate a lot with the honorable mentions.

The top 6 have such a dominant lead and it seems to be that way almost every year.

I was hoping for Futari to edge out Garegga, but perhaps this will encourage me to give Garegga a try for the umpteenth time (stupid medal chaining )

[Tyranix95]

More - in the top 25 than +.

[RNGmaster]

HOW THE FUCK IS DRAGON BLAZE NOT IN TOP 25

I REPPED THAT GAME SO FUCKING HARD

[KAI]

Breakdown by Developer

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                   Top 25         Hon.M.          Overall
Milestone              -              -                 -

:B

[EmperorIng]

Some thoughts:

First, thanks to Nifty for compiling this list for us to enjoy (and complain about!). Props to you man!

I am pleased that RayForce was finally able to muscle its way back into the top 25. Likewise, kudos to Gradius V for making its way back into a top spot, repping up not only Treasure, but the Gradius series in general. I'm also surprised that Treasure's other shmups make the list again.

Some games are dangerously low, such as Mars Matrix. Good thing I recently picked it up so I can vote for it next year.

Three horizontal shmups made the list, which is certainly a bump up from last year's tally. It's still too little in my opinion! This forum must be deathly afraid of terrain or something. Still, you can't go wrong with R-Type or Gradius V.

The favoritism is a bit much this year: Deathsmiles, really? Top of all time? What's next, Dangun Feveron? I can understand Ketsui and DDP, but them other B-tier Cave games sound a bit like "this is what's in my 360 right now"

Still no Darius game? You guys are nuts.

[chempop]

LET THE BITCHING BEGIN !!!

I've only cleared (1-all/1CC) 14 of the top 25 games.

[MrOldSchoolCool]

Some thoughts:

First, thanks to Nifty for compiling this list for us to enjoy (and complain about!). Props to you man!

I am pleased that RayForce was finally able to muscle its way back into the top 25. Likewise, kudos to Gradius V for making its way back into a top spot, repping up not only Treasure, but the Gradius series in general. I'm also surprised that Treasure's other shmups make the list again.

Some games are dangerously low, such as Mars Matrix. Good thing I recently picked it up so I can vote for it next year.

Three horizontal shmups made the list, which is certainly a bump up from last year's tally. It's still too little in my opinion! This forum must be deathly afraid of terrain or something. Still, you can't go wrong with R-Type or Gradius V.

The favoritism is a bit much this year: Deathsmiles, really? Top of all time? What's next, Dangun Feveron? I can understand Ketsui and DDP, but them other B-tier Cave games sound a bit like "this is what's in my 360 right now"

Still no Darius game? You guys are nuts.

I don't like Deathsmiles much myself, and didn't vote for it. But, the game is like 6 years old. I don't think it's benefiting form any sort of "flavor of the month" treatment.

[chempop]

I'm just glad no touhou made the list.

[Pteriforever]

Nice to see GFW got an honourable mention, but other than that, this is really disappointing

[BulletMagnet]

Many thanks as always for your efforts, Nifty, and see you all again next year I hope!

[Kollision]

congraturations all

even though it deserved to be on top, good to see Mushi up there
also great that Gradius V is getting the recognition it deserves
saddening to see Mars Matrix so low

[R-Gray 1]

thanks Nifty and thanks everybody for share urs top25 lists

better than last year IMO The most important the list of each voter. Im glad to have contributed a bit.

[professor ganson]

Thanks for this! Sad to see Dragon Blaze out of the top 25, but I'm happy to see about 6 of the games I voted for on the list.

[royalfan84]

Surpised how high Batsugun and EspGaluda II were based on my approx\sloppy quick estimation...but math isn't my strongpoint admittedly. Ibara also seemed low.

DDP DFK not making the list completely baffles me from seeing how many times and often how highly it was voted on.

Also though Akai Katana did better than MuchiMuchi Pork,

Pleasantly surprised that Strikers barely made the top 25.

Nice to see Gradius V return and to see Radiant Silvergun where it belongs back in the top 10.

[royalfan84]

8 games I voted for made the list....and although there are 12 cave games I must admit I like the list. Futari and Garegga really did duke it out.

[trap15]

Bakraid dropped....

You should all fucking kill yourselves

[Plasmo]

Garegga on first place? I'm happy, this list is fine.

But I don't get why you would want to have Radiant Silvergun placed higher than Ikaruga...

[CKR]

Good list. Thanks Nifty. There are more honorable mentions than ever. This list has something for everyone.

[Furry Fox Jet Pilot]

Once again, I am annoyed as hell that Garegga took 1st again. I can't stress it enough, there is nothing special about it, it would have not annoyed me as much even if Ketsui had taken 1st. Both are clearly very overrated, but Garegga doesn't compare to Ketsui in any way. Also, how the hell did Raiden Fighters Jet come out right above Raiden DX? RF Jet is an excellent game, but it just doesn't measure up to Raiden DX in any way. DX should have at least made into the top 10, I'm disappointed greatly.

[chempop]

Once again, I am happy as hell that Garegga took 1st again. I can't stress it enough, everything about it is so special, it would have annoyed me if Ketsui had taken 1st. Ketsui is clearly very overrated, it doesn't compare to Garegga in any way. Also, the original Raiden is still my favorite Seibu game.

Was hoping for a Akuu Gallet, Cyvern, Dogyuun, and Dimahoo to place. All of them kick Batsugun's ass.

[cubadoo23]

Garegga is a good game but highly overrated ! Glad cave smashed it again tho !

[Skykid]

Futari is a good game but highly overrated.

Glad Garegga smashed it again though. Someone's got taste.

[Illyrian]

Who keeps voting for Radiant Silvergun!?!?!?!?

IT'S NOT A GOOD GAME!

[Skykid]

Hmm, not a bad list overall. I should have voted maybe.

If Mushihimesama and Futari were swapped around, that would be about accurate, but at least Espgaluda II and DOJ BL are reasonably high.

Thumbs up for: Gradius V, Layer Section, Raiden DX, Radiant Silvergun, and everyone who voted Muchi Pork above Deathsmiles (or anything above Deathsmiles).

And RSG above Ikaruga = yes.

All in all, pretty nice. But why you no love Progear?

[Kollision]

But why you no love Progear?

because Capcom trolled us and we were angry

[Aquas]

I'm surprised to see Batsugun so high. I guess it kind of represents Toaplan for the list.

I like to see Mushihimesama high on the list, and of course Gradius V returning. Still, the list is incongruent with the type of games in-between each other. With Batsugun and RSG so high... and R-Type sticking out like a sore thumb. It really makes me wish we had categorical voting or some sort, but hey, this is tradition.

The honourable mentions will always be a fine alternative goldmine of games, of course.

[chempop]

But why you no love Progear?

because Capcom trolled us and we were angry

LOL, I've voted progear enough for several lifetimes in the last couple months.

I like Deathsmiles and Akai way more anyway. Ibara should be higher too.

[Eaglet]

Glad to see that first place actually is the only right choice that there ever was.
Pretty good list on the whole.
Batrider should be higher up (to me at least) since my personal top 5 is; Garegga, Ketsui, Batrider, Futari BL and DOJ BL.