Shoot 'em ups
Gauntlet-style shooters have their own
page.
Arcade Machines
Fixed
Starting with
Taito's
legendary Space Invaders, this is the oldest form of
shoot 'em up.
Vertical
These were ported to home computer systems or consoles less often,
since they really should have a portrait screen. Ironically, some of
the later arcade machines had landscape screens too.
Space Shooters
- Regulus (Sega, 1983)
- Zodiack (Orca, 1983)
- B-Wings (Data East, 1984)
- Vulgus (Capcom, 1984)
- '99 The Last War (Proma, 1985)
- ASO: Armored Scrum Object (SNK, 1985)
- Exed Exes (Capcom, 1985)
- Heavy Metal (Sega, 1985)
- Repulse (Sega, 1985)
- Son of Phoenix (Associated Overseas, 1985)
- Super Real Darwin (Data East, 1987)
- Omega Fighter (UPL, 1989)
- Vimana (Toaplan, 1991)
- Galmedes (Visco, 1992)
Between WWII and Near Future
- Xevious (Namco, 1982)
- Argus (Jaleco, 1986)
- UFO Robo Dangar (Nichibutsu, 1986)
- Twin Cobra (Toaplan/Taito, 1987)
- Asuka & Asuka (Taito, 1988)
- Fighting Hawk (Taito, 1988)
- Image Fight (Irem, 1988)
- Twin Eagle (Seta, 1988)
- Master of Weapon (Taito, 1989)
- 1941: Counter Attack (Capcom, 1990)
- Air Duel (Irem, 1990)
- Ashura Blaster (Taito, 1990)
- Aurail (Sega/Westone, 1990)
- Raiden (Seibu Kaihatsu, 1990)
- The Last Day (Dooyong, 1990)
- Strike Gunner S.T.G (Athena, 1991)
- Gulf War II (Comad, 1991)
- S.S. Mission (Comad, 1992)
- Aero Fighters (Video System, 1992)
- Sky Alert (Metro, 1992)
- Varth: Operation Thunderstorm (Capcom, 1992)
- Zing Zing Zip (Allumer, 1992)
- Batsugun (Toaplan, 1993)
- Blue Hawk (Dooyong, 1993)
- Daioh (Athena, 1993)
- Fire Barrel (Irem, 1993)
- Gunlock (Taito, 1993)
- Gunnail (NMK, 1993)
- Mad Shark (Allumer, 1993)
- Nostradamus (Face, 1993)
- Thunder Dragon 2 (NMK, 1993)
- U.N. Defense Force Earth Joker (Visco, 1993)
- Aero Fighters 2 (Video System, 1994)
- Donpachi (Cave, 1995)
- Strikers 1945 (Psikyo, 1995)
- 19XX: The War Against Destiny (Capcom, 1996)
- Battle Garegga (Eighting, 1996)
- Dodonpachi (Cave, 1997)
- Sengeki Striker (Kaneko/Warashi, 1997)
- Armed Police BatRider (Eighting, 1998)
- Battle Bakraid (Eighting, 1999)
- Giga Wing (Capcom, 1999)
- Strikers 1945 III (Psikyo, 1999)
- 1944: The Loop Master (Capcom, 2000)
- Wyvern Wings (Semicom, 2001)
- G-Stream G2020 (Oriental Soft, 2002)
Fantasy Shooters
Horizontal
- SF-X (Nichibutsu, 1983)
- Baraduke (Namco, 1985)
- Section Z (Capcom, 1985)
- Darius (Taito, 1986)
- Airwolf (Kyugo, 1987)
- R-Type (Irem, 1987)
- Chuka Taisen (Taito, 1988)
- P-47: The Freedom Fighter (Jaleco, 1988)
- Vulcan Venture (Konami, 1988)
- Atomic Robo-Kid (UPL, 1989)
- Darius II (Taito, 1989)
- Megablast (Taito, 1989)
- R-Type II (Irem, 1989)
- Hellfire (Toaplan, 1990)
- Parodius Da! (Konami, 1990)
- USAAF Mustang (UPL, 1990)
- Rezon (Allumer, 1991)
- Xexex (Konami, 1991)
- Andro Dunos (Visco, 1992)
- Boogie Wings (Data East, 1992)
- Koutetsu Yousai Strahl (UPL, 1992)
- R-Type Leo (Irem, 1992)
- Gokujyou Parodius (Konami, 1994)
- Twin Action (Afega, 1995)
- Sengoku Blade (Psikyo, 1996)
Other
The games in this category often combine shooting with melee combat.
Top-Down (Gauntlet-style)
Platform
- Karnov (Data East, 1987)
- Psycho-Nics Oscar (Data East, 1987)
- Act-Fancer (Data East, 1989)
- Toki (Tad Corporation, 1989)
- Cyber-Lip (SNK, 1990)
- Rolling Thunder 2 (Namco, 1990)
- Caveman Ninja (Data East, 1991)
- Gunforce (Irem, 1991)
- Gunforce II (Irem, 1994)
- Metal Slug (SNK, 1996, with several sequels)
Other
- Bosconian (Namco, 1981)
- Vanguard (SNK, 1981)
- Nova 2001 (UPL, 1983)
- Grobda (Namco, 1984)
- Vanguard II (SNK, 1984)
- Cosmo Police Galivan (Nichibutsu, 1985)
- Shoot out (Data East, 1985)
- Ikari Warriors (SNK, 1986)
- Ark Area (UPL, 1987)
- Contra (Konami, 1987)
- Super Contra (Konami, 1988)
- Cabal (Tad Corporation, 1988)
- Dead Angle (Seibu Kaihatsu, 1988)
- Enforce (Taito, 1988)
- Victory Road (SNK, 1986)
- Blood Bros. (Tad Corporation, 1990)
- Sunset Riders (Konami, 1991)
- Tank Force (Namco, 1991)
- Hard Times (Playmark, 1994)
- Area 51 (Atari, 1995)
Links
- SHMUPS! is a website dedicated to shoot-em-up games,
mostly of the 2D scrolling variety.
Last modified 2009-06-20