Yeah I made this thread because I've been playing a lot of emulated games on my joypad. And I'm looking for a specific genre (mostly). I used to play these awesome flying games, where the action was hectic you had a buttload of upgrades for your primary and secondary fire, everything on screen was shooting at you. I forget what those types of games are called... And also anybody know any great ones. Also feel free to tell me which games you think are a "must play", I wanna play the best of the games I missed growing up.

Those are called "Shoot 'em ups"

I'll leave the suggestions to other members as I have strict taste in games, usually.

oh, thanks!

As for great Shoot 'em ups, you must play Ikaruga. I think this is seriously the best shmup in the history of shmups. Throwing strategy in the middle of that insanity is just awesome.

Though, you've already played it, no doubt.

There is one Japanese-only shmup that is notorious for being near impossible. I'll look it up and post the name, but those videos I saw were fucking... just no. No.

I'll start my list off with some classics. R-Type 1, 2, the third lightning, Gradius 1, 2, 3 (if you can get the arcade version of 3 the snes version has slowdown issues) Salamander, (also known as lifeforce) and Axelay are good choices to start off with. I'll mention some really kick ass shoot em ups when I get back from work.

hi jeff!

first,
And I'm looking for a specific genre (mostly). I used to play these awesome flying games, where the action was hectic you had a buttload of upgrades for your primary and secondary fire, everything on screen was shooting at you is it Shoot'em up the word looked for?
or you mean Danmaku, like the CAVE game, Dodonpachi, Dangun Feveron & some Psikyo games, as Gunbird 1 & 2, Strikers 1945 serie... i wait to before advising something.

second, the advised games will depend of the system(s) you have, if it's only emu, or console 3D.
or gimme the list of the systems you can play & i'll post an exhaustive list :) then?

Hey Simon. I figured you would be around eventually since shoot em up was mentioned.
Just to clarify on his statement above, Danmaku is also known as "Bullet Hell" here in the states. Basically "Bullet Hell" is a type of Shooter who's purpose if to unload tons and tons of shots on the screen and you have to franticly dodge them and fire back. I know all shooters are like that to a certain degree, but Danmaku games pump out the bullets at an insane rate, sometimes regardless of level.

Edit: I can't believe I forgot about the number one difference between a standard shooter and a Danmaku game. Danmaku bullets will usually come at you in patterns, especially in Boss Fights. Therefore, a combination of good memory and lightning quick reflexes are needed to overcome such games. That, or a massive amount of quarters/continues.

Thanks for the help guys. And yeah it is efinitely the genre I was talking about. tell about near every system you can think of, i know this great ROM site, with an awesome list, tracking down emulators is the easy part. Oh and HI Simon!

then i start with arcade (all is playable in Mame)

ARCADE

1941 - Counter Attack - Arcade
1943 - The Battle Of Midway - Arcade
1944 - The Loop Master - Arcade
19XX - War Against Destiny - Arcade
Aero Fighters - Arcade
Air Buster - Arcade
Air Gallet - Arcade
Ajax - Arcade
Armed Police Batrider - Arcade
Bakuretsu Breaker - Arcade
Battle Bakraid - Arcade
Brave Blade - Arcade
Carrier Air Wing - Arcade
Chariot (Three Wonders) - Arcade
Cybattler - Arcade
Cyvern - The Dragon Weapons - Arcade
Daioh - Arcade
Dangun Feveron - Arcade
Darius Gaiden - Silver Hawk - Arcade
Dimahoo - Arcade
DoDonPachi - Arcade
Dogyuun - Arcade
DonPachi - Arcade
Dragon Blaze - Arcade
Dragon Spirit - Arcade
Dragon Saber - Arcade
ESP Ra. De. - Arcade
Earth Defence Force - Arcade
Earth Joker - Arcade
Eco Fighters - Arcade
Fantasy Zone - Arcade
Fighter & Attacker - Arcade
Forgotten Worlds - Arcade
Galaga - Arcade
Galaga88 - Arcade
Gekirindan - Arcade
GigaWing - Arcade
Gokujou Parodius - Arcade
Gradius - Arcade
Gradius II - "Vulcan Venture" - Arcade
Gradius III - Arcade
Gunbird - Arcade
Gunbird 2 - Arcade
Guwange - Arcade
Hellfire - Arcade
Hotdog Storm - Arcade
Hyper Duel - Arcade
Image Fight - Arcade
In The Hunt - Arcade
Last Duel - Arcade
Lightning Fighters - Arcade
Mars Matrix - Arcade
Mercs - Arcade
Metal Black - Arcade
Nebulas Ray - Arcade
Nostradamus - Arcade
OutZone - Arcade
Parodius - Arcade
Phelios - Arcade
Progear no Arashi - Arcade
R-Type - Arcade
R-Type II - Arcade
R-Type Leo - Arcade
Raiden - Arcade
Raiden Fighters II - Arcade
Raiden Fighters Jet - Arcade
Rayforce - Arcade
Ryu Jin - Arcade
Salamander - Arcade
Salamander 2 - Arcade
Sengeki Striker - Arcade
Sengoku Blade - Arcade
Sexy Parodius - Arcade
Side Arms - Arcade
Skull Fang - Arcade
Sonic wings limited - Arcade
Space Bomber - Arcade
Space Invaders - Arcade
Space invaders 95 - Arcade
Storm Blade - Arcade
Strikers 1945 - Arcade
Strikers 1945 II - Arcade
Strikers 1945 III - Arcade
Syvalion - Arcade
Thunder Cross - Arcade
Thunder Cross II - Arcade
Thunder Dragon 2 - Arcade
Thunder Force AC - Arcade
Truxton (Tatsujin) - Arcade
Truxton 2 - Arcade
Twin Cobra - Arcade
Twin Cobra 2 - Arcade
U. N. Squadron - Arcade
Vasara - Arcade
Vasara 2 - Arcade
Viper Phase One - Arcade
X Multiply - Arcade
Xevious 3D - Arcade
Zero Gunner - Arcade
Zero Wing - Arcade

NEO-GEO

Aero Fighters 2 - Neogeo
Aero Fighters 3 - Neogeo
Alpha Mission 2 - Neogeo
Andro Dunos - Neogeo
Blazing Star - Neogeo
Captain Tomaday - Neogeo
Ghost Pilots - Neogeo
Last Resort - Neogeo
Ninja Commando - Neogeo
Prehistoric Isle II - Neogeo
Pulstar - Neogeo
Strikers 1945 Plus - Neogeo
Twinkle Star Sprites - Neogeo
Viewpoint - Neogeo
Zed Blade - Neogeo

Ironclad - Neogeo CD

SEGA

Power Strike - MasterSystem
Power Strike II - MasterSystem

GG Aleste - Gamegear
GG Aleste II - Gamegear

Arrow Flash - Megadrive
Battle Mania - Megadrive
Battle Mania II - Megadrive
Dangerous Seed - Megadrive
Divine Sealing - Megadrive
Elemental Master - Megadrive
Eliminate Down - Megadrive
Fire Shark - Megadrive
Gaiares - Megadrive
Gley Lancer - Megadrive
Granada - Megadrive
Gynoug - Megadrive
Heavy Unit - Megadrive
Herzog Zwei - Megadrive
Insector X - Megadrive
M.U.S.H.A. / Aleste - Megadrive
Sol-Deace - Megadrive
Super Fantasy Zone - Megadrive
The Steel Empire - Megadrive
Thunder Force II - Megadrive
Thunder Force III - Megadrive
Thunder Force IV - Megadrive
Twinkle Tale - Megadrive
Undead Line - Megadrive
V-Five - Megadrive
Vapor Trail - Megadrive
Verytex - Megadrive

Bari Arm - Megacd
Keio Yuugekitai - Megacd
Lords of Thunder - Megacd
Robo Aleste - Megacd
Silpheed - Megacd
ZaXXon Motherbase 2000 - Megacd

Blast Wind - Saturn
Cotton 2 - Saturn
Cotton Boomerang - Saturn
Hyper Duel - Saturn
Radiant Silvergun - Saturn
Shienryu - Saturn
Soukyugurentai - Saturn
Thunder Force V - Saturn

Border Down - Dreamcast
Chaos Field - Dreamcast
Gigawing 2 - Dreamcast
Gunbird 2 - Dreamcast
Ikaruga - Dreamcast
Karous - Dreamcast
Mars Matrix - Dreamcast
Psyvariar 2 - Dreamcast
Radirgy - Dreamcast
Trigger Heart Exelica - Dreamcast
Trizeal - Dreamcast
Under Defeat - Dreamcast
Zero Gunner 2 - Dreamcast

NINTENDO

Abadox - NES
Crisis Force - NES
Gun Nac - NES
Isolated Warrior - NES
Over Horizon - NES
Recca (Summer Carnival 92') - NES
Silver Surfer - NES
Star Soldier - NES
Super Star Force - NES
Zanac - NES

A-Force - Gameboy
Aero Star - Gameboy
Chikyuu Kaihou Gun ZAS - Gameboy
Mercenary Force - Gameboy
Nemesis 2: The Return of the Hero - Gameboy
Nemesis GB - Gameboy
Solar Striker - Gameboy
Trax - Gameboy

Axelay - SuperNES
Biometal - SuperNES
Caravan Shooting Collection - SuperNES
Cho Jikuu Yosai Macross - SuperNES
D-Force / Dimension Force - SuperNES
Darius Force - SuperNES
Darius Twin - SuperNES
Flying Hero - SuperNES
Gradius 3 - SuperNES
Imperium - SuperNES
Marchen Adventure Cotton 100% - SuperNES
Parodius III (jinkyu osaberi parodius) - SuperNES
Phalanx - SuperNES
Pocky & Rocky - SuperNES
Pocky & Rocky 2 - SuperNES
R-Type III the third Lightning - SuperNES
Spriggan Powered - SuperNES
Super Aleste - SuperNES
Super Earth Defense Force - SuperNES
Super R-Type - SuperNES
Super Strike Gunner - SuperNES
Thunder Spirits - SuperNES
U. N. Squadron - SuperNES

Star Soldier - Vanishing Earth - N64

Darius R - GBA
Gradius Advance - GBA
Hudson Best Collection Vol.5 / Shooting Collection - GBA
Invader - GBA
Iridion 3D - GBA
Iridion II - GBA
Super Star Shooter Advance - GBA

Ikaruga - Gamecube
Shikigami no Shiro II - Gamecube
Star Soldier - Gamecube

Nanostray - DS
Nanostray 2 - DS
Space Invaders Extreme - DS

NEC

Aero Blasters - Pcengine
Atomic Robokid Special - Pcengine
Burning Angels - Pcengine
Coryoon Child of Dragon - Pcengine
Cybercore - Pcengine
Dead Moon - Pcengine
Detana!! TwinBee - Pcengine
Download - Pcengine
Final Blaster - Pcengine
Final Soldier - Pcengine
Gokuraku Chuka Taisen - Pcengine
Gradius PCE - Pcengine
Gunhed - Pcengine
Image Fight 2 - Operation Deepstriker - Pcengine
Magical Chase - Pcengine
Mr. Heli - Pcengine
Ordyne - Pcengine
Override - Pcengine
P47 The Freedom Fighter - Pcengine
Paranoia - Pcengine
PC Denjin - Pcengine
Power Gate - Pcengine
Psycho Chaser - Pcengine
R-Type part 1&2 - Pcengine
Rabio Lepus Special - Pcengine
Raiden - Pcengine
Salamander - Pcengine
Side Arms - Pcengine
Soldier Blade - Pcengine
Super Long Nose Goblin - Pcengine
Super Star Soldier - Pcengine
Tenseiryu Saint Dragon - Pcengine
Terra Cresta 2 - Pcengine
Ultimate Tiger - Pcengine
Violent Soldier - Pcengine
W Ring - Pcengine
Xevious Fardraut Densetsu - Pcengine

1941 - Counter Attack - Supergrafx
Aldynes - Supergrafx

Alzadick (Summer carnival 92’) - Pcenginecd
Download 2 - Pcenginecd
Gate Of Thunder - Pcenginecd
Hellfire S - Pcenginecd
Macross 2036 - Pcenginecd
Nexzr - Pcenginecd
Psychic Storm - Pcenginecd
R-Type Complete CD - Pcenginecd
Rayxanber II - Pcenginecd
Rayxanber III - Pcenginecd
Sapphire - Pcenginecd
Serei Senshi Spriggan - Pcenginecd
Side Arms Special - Pcenginecd
Spriggan Mark 2 - Re-Terraform Project - Pcenginecd
Star Parodia - Pcenginecd
Super Airzonk - Pcenginecd
Super Raiden - Pcenginecd
Sylphia - Pcenginecd
Terraforming - Pcenginecd
Winds Of Thunder - Pcenginecd
Zero Wing - Pcenginecd

SONY

Air Grave - PS1
Bokandesuyo - PS1
Einh�nder - PS1
G-Darius - PS1
Gaia Seed - Project Seed Trap - PS1
Game Paradise 2 - PS1
Gatchaman: The Shooting - PS1
Geppy-X - PS1
Gradius Gaiden - PS1
Harmful Park - PS1
Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius - forever with me - PS1
Night Raid - PS1
R-Type DELTA - PS1
R-Types - PS1
Raiden DX - PS1
Raycrisis : Series Termination - PS1
Raystorm - PS1
Salamander Deluxe Pack plus - PS1
Shooter Space Shot - PS1
Sonic Wings Special - PS1
Stahlfeder - PS1
Strikers 1945 II - PS1
The Raiden Project - PS1
Thunder Force V: Perfect System - PS1
X2 - PS1
Zanac X Zanac - PS1

1945 I&II The Arcade Games - PS2
Capcom classics collection 1 - PS2
Gigawing Generations - PS2
Gradius III & IV - PS2
Gradius V - PS2
Gunbird 1&2 - PS2
Homura - PS2
Mobile Light Force 2 - PS2
Psyvariar - PS2
R-Type Final - PS2
Raiden III - PS2
Silpheed : The Lost Planet - PS2
Taito Memories volume 1 - PS2
Taito Memories volume 2 - PS2
The Shooting ~Double Shienryu~ - PS2
XII Stag - PS2

Gradius Collection - PSP
Salamander Portable - PSP
Sengoku Cannon - PSP
Space Invaders Extreme - PSP
Star Soldier - PSP

MSX

Aleste - msx
Aleste 2 - msx
Aleste Gaiden - msx
Nemesis - msx
Nemesis 2 - msx
Nemesis 3 - The Eve of Destruction - msx
Parodius - msx
R-Type - msx
Space Manbow - msx


List done with tha French SHMUP SITE // http://www.shmup.com

Good lord, what a list!

Hey Jeff. If you're at all interested in playing any console shmups, I would suggest you start with the Saturn, Dreamcast and PlayStation. But especially the Saturn (japanese) since it has the bigger library. Let me know if you need any recommendations. :)

Thanks for all the help guys, and that is quite a list Simon! Thanks Shmup i was thinking of going to play some saturn games!

i will continue, i m currently eating ^^.

Let me list a few TG-16/cd games now since the Turbo Grafx/ PC Engine has allways been considered the shooter's console.

Gate of Thunder
Lords of Thunder (while you are playing a knight and not a plane it's still a kick ass game.)
Sapphire (this was the Einhinder/Radient Silvergun of it's time)
Gunhed/ Blazing Lazers
Star Soldier

Saturn recommendations:

vertical shmups

Batsugun
Battle Garegga
Blast Wind
Donpachi
Dodonpachi
Gekirindan
Gunbird
Kyukyoku Tiger 2 Plus
Layer Section (aka RayForce)
Layer Section II (aka RayStorm)
Radiant Silvergun
Shienryu
Sonic Wings Special
Soukyugerentai (aka Terra Diver)
Strikers 1945
Strikers 1945 II


horizontal shmups

Cotton 2
Darius II
Darius Gaiden
Fantasy Zone
Parodius Da! Deluxe Pack
Gradius Deluxe Pack
Hyper Duel
Jikkyo Oshaberi Parodius
Kaitei Daisensou (aka In The Hunt)
Metal Black
Thunder Force Gold Pack 1
Thunder Force Gold Pack 2
Thunder Force V
Arcade Gears: Image Fight and X-Multiply
Dezaemon 2 (highly recommended if you can read Japanese)
Konami Antiques MSX Collection Ultra Pack
Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus

i did my best i have updated the list (http://67.19.221.50/~forums/showpost.php?p=1129609&postcount=9)

Nice selection Bro'

Simon B. and ShumpFighter named all the good ones.
I would subject you play the games on your TV if you can. The experience is great.

Thunderforce AC is one of my favs, because the hardware is what would be used in the Sega Genesis. It's also pretty much Thunderforce III, but slightly better.

Hmmm... since no one has mentioned Einhander yet. I never played it before but it seems like a decent game. 1942? I heard there was going to be a new rendition of it.

jlkirakun: Yeah! it's right, there is the 1942 HD reedition on the X360LiveArcade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07kKl_S4z5w&feature=related

That HD rendition looks awesome, and I just finished R-Type Leo yesterday. Thanks again guys for all the help.

I got the 1942: Joint Strike demo for my PS3 yesterday.

It's pretty fun, but I don't know if it's worth the full buy. =/

i forgot Battle Garegga for the arcade, awesome game though, but the scoring system is enough complicated, but what a fu**in' game is !! probably my fav arcade game (after Ketsui of course, i wait the X360 release & i buy the machine ^^)

& the quick list of my favs ever:

MAME: Battle Garegga, Armed Police Batrider, Dodonpachi, ESP Rade, 19XX, Thunder Cross 2, Out Zone, Salamander 2 (but all konami, taito, capcom, cave, psikyo are the greatest)
NEO-GEO: Blazing Star, Last Resort, Pulstar, Sonic Wings 2, Viewpoint
NEO-GEO CD: Iron Clad "aka Choutetsu Brikinger"

GB: ZAS (Chikyuu Kaihou Gun ZAS)
GBA: Gradius Advance, Iridion 3D, Iridion II
NES: Crisis Force, Recca, Gunnac, Over Horizon, Zanac
SNES: macross, super aleste, axelay, Gokujou Parodius (paro2, exclu for snes with little dracu as selectable charct)

MD: Gleylancer, TF3&4, Musha Aleste
MG-CD: Bari-Arm, Dennin Aleste, Sol-Feace
SAT: Radiant Silvergun, Darius Gaiden, Thunder Force V
DC: Border Down, Zero Gunner 2, Ikaruga

PCE: Final Soldier, Magical Chase, PC Denjin - Punkic Cyborgs
PCE CD: Lord & Gate of Thunder, Rayxanber III, Hellfire S, Nexzr, Seirei Senshi Spriggan, Spriggan Mark 2, Ginga Fukei Densetsu: Sapphire, Super Darius II, Zero Wing

PSX: R-Type Delta, G-Darius, Gradius Gaiden, RayCrisis, Zanac X Zanac
PS2: Dodonpachi Daioujou, Espgaluda, Gradius III+IV, Gradius V, Ibara, Mushihimesama, Psyvariar 2: Ultimate Final, Psyvariar Complete Edition, R-Type Final, Raiden III
PSP: Space Invaders Extreme

MSX: Aleste 2, Nemesis 2 & 3, Space Manbow

X68000: Dive On, Thunderforce 2, Phalanx

Awesome, thank again. I'm really loving these. I wish my gamepad would stop messing up, it needs a patch, I'm guessing, ever since I got Service Pack 3 my gamepad seems to be deleting it's drivers... either that or a virus.

trash all your pc gamepads & buy a PSX converter, 16 butons man! a must have for all your emulators. to connect your PS/2 pad on your USB

PSX pad => PSX converter => USB :)

Yeah I've been thinking about tracking one down. The reason I bought my gamepad was because It looked exactly like a PSX controller, except a different color. I heard that picking up a PS3 sixaxis controller actually can function as a gamepad right out of the box and a driver download.

PS3 and 360 controllers work, too.

I have no problem with my PC controller. It's a Saitek and I'm gaming happily with it. The last one I had was a Gravis, and those controllers are crap.

ok guys, cause i am an old player & i always loved my snes pad.

& the ps pad is a good snes advanced pad for me, more butons, more ergonomic, & a cross which is a cross & not this fucked circle like almost the pc pad have. :D