Shmup refers to 'Shoot 'em up' (STG = Shooting Game in Japan). The term is broadly used to describe video games where a player is placed in charge of a craft or being, tasked with shooting several enemies using projectiles in stage-like environments. The vast majority of shmups are set in a two-dimensional (2D) space, however the term can extend to more contemporary three-dimensional (3D) games. Enemies come in all shapes and sizes, with stages traditionally ending with an enemy boss fight. Other than earlier shmups with a single screen playing field where an infinite gameplay loop was the norm (mostly due to hardware constraints), the common climax of many shmups is to reach and defeat a final enemy (end-of game boss) in order to finish the game. Another genre staple is a stock of lives granted at the start of play, and in most games the opportunity exists to earn more in order to aid progression.
The genre's origins are debatable, but can mostly be attributed to the widespread success of Space Invaders (Taito, 1978) in arcades. This led to a boom of shmups during the 80's, as Japanese developers rushed to capitalise on the lucrative video game market, and saw the birth of several shmup series that would go on to span decades. As the rise of affordable gaming systems in the home gained traction, many conversions of popular arcade titles were published to meet the demands of players, who were eager to experience their favourite arcade games in the comfort of their own home. Shmups would go on to be created solely for home systems, bypassing the arcades entirely. The majority of shmups originated from Japan, but a flourish of notable efforts from European developers also occured during the 80's and 90's. A modern day resurgence of the genre has resulted from new titles being developed around the world, and although it may never reach the heights of popularity it once enjoyed, the genre lives on thanks to the enthusiasm of shmup fans the world over.
Key motivation among many players is high scoring, and while the mechanics of scoring may differ widly from game to game, the primary aim is to take advantage of how points are generated based on how the game is played. Examples include: chaining (defeating a group of enemies in quick succession), grazing (piloting your craft closer to enemy bullets) or milking (letting an enemy - often a boss - regenerate or regain life in order to extend the amount of points available). An impressive score will earn the player pride of place in the high scores table for a game, with all the bragging rights that come with adding your name (traditionally a small number of initials) to it.
Scoring is a good indicator of a player's skill level. While it is possible to 'complete' a shmup by credit-feeding - buying extra lives with credits, whether by spending real money in an arcade, or choosing the option to continue while playing at home - any score gained up until the point of continuation will be wiped, meaning a final score will always be considerably lower than it could have been. When a player successfully finishes a game without having resorted to using extra credits, this is known as '1CC' or '1 Credit Clear'. The player can expend lives yet still gain a 1CC, as the term refers to a run where no continues were used. Taking this self-imposed difficulty further still is the concept of '1LC', '1 Life Clear' or 'No Miss', where a player cannot lose a single life. Such brutal difficulty is really only reserved for players at the very highest of skill levels in a given game, but can be a great way of extending the life of a shmup when a 1CC has already been achieved.
With so many shmups released across multiple formats, a fully comprehensive overview of the genre is beyond the scope of this thread. The following list is intended as a spotlight on both notable titles that have have been ported to modern formats (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360), as well as more recently released titles by independent developers. Those listed below are relatively easy to obtain digital versions of via the likes of Steam, PSN and the Xbox Marketplace, and can be played using arcade-like controller devices at home.
Notes:
- Game titles link to wikipedia entries, developer or publisher websites.
- Where applicable, release year refers to the original arcade release.
Akai Katana
(CAVE, 2010) [X360]
Battle Garegga Rev.2016
(Raizing, 1996) [PS4, Xbox One]
Blue Revolver
(Stellar Circle, 2016) [PC]
Bullet Soul: Infinite Burst
(5pb. Inc., 2014) [PC, X360]
Crimzon Clover: World Ignition
(Yotsubane, 2011) [PC]
Dangun Feveron
(CAVE, 1998) [PS4, Xbox One]
Danmaku Unlimited 3
(Doragon, 2017) [Mobile, PC, Switch]
Dariusburst Chronicle Saviours
(Pyramid | Chara-Ani | G.rev, 2015) [PC, PS4, Vita]
Deathsmiles
(CAVE, 2007) [Mobile, PC, X360]
Deathsmiles II: Makai no Merry Christmas
(CAVE, 2009) [X360]
DoDonPachi DaiOuJou
(CAVE, 2003) [PS2]
DoDonPachi DaiOuJou Black Label EXTRA
(CAVE, 5pb. Inc., 2009) [X360]
DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu ver 1.5
(CAVE, 2008) [Mobile, PC, X360]
DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu Black Label
(CAVE, 2011) [PC, X360]
DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou
(CAVE, 2012] [X360]
Eschatos
(Qute, 2011) [PC, X360)
Espgaluda II
(CAVE, 2005) [Mobile, X360]
Game Tengoku CruisnMix
(Jaleco, 1995) [Saturn, PC, PS4]
Ginga Force
(Qute, 2013) [X360]
Ikaruga
(Treasure, 2001) [Dreamcast, GameCube, PC, PS4, Switch, X360]
Ketsui Kizuna Jigoku Tachi
(CAVE, 2003) [DS, Mobile, PS3, X360]
Mahou Daisakusen
(Raizing, 1993) [FM Towns, PS4, X68000]
Mecha Ritz Steel Rondo
(HEY, 2013) [PC]
Muchi Muchi Pork!
(CAVE, 2007) [X360]
Mushihimesama
(CAVE, 2004) [Mobile, PC, PS2, X360]
Mushihimesama Futari
(CAVE, 2006) [Mobile, X360]
Pink Sweets Ibara Sorekara
(CAVE, 2006) [X360]
Radiant Silvergun
(Treasure, 1998) [Saturn, X360]
Raiden V
(MOSS, 2016) [PC, PS4, Xbox One]
Racketboy shmup articles
Games that defined the shmups genre
Shmups 101 - A beginner's guide to 2D shooters
The best shmups to get started
The best undiscovered shmups
Dreamcast shmups library - 2D shooters galore
GameCube 2D shooter library - classic shmup action
The GameBoy Advance (GBA) shmup library
The phenomenal Playstation (PS1) shmups library
The Playstation 2 (PS2) shmups library
The Sega Dreamcast shmups library
The Sega Genesis/MegaDrive shmup library
The Sega Saturn's explosive shmups library
Miscellaneous
Eurogamer: The return of Battle Garegga, the mad king of shmups - Welcoming article on the deep mechanics of Battle Garegga
Hardcore Gaming 101 (Old Site) - Fantastically detailed shmup articles
Hardcore Gaming 101 (New Site) - Existing articles being transitioned here
Shmups Forum - Shmup Messageboard
Shmupulations - Great resource of interviews covering Japanese game development (not just shmups)
Twitter: @SHMUPbot - Shmup News
Twitter: @Shmups - Shmup News
Youtube: STGWeekly - Playthroughs/Interviews
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