Group Description
The genre commonly referred to as "shoot 'em up" (often abbreviated to
shmup) has originated with the fixed-screen top-down shooter
Space Invaders (1978). This group, however, includes only
scrolling (horizontally, vertically, in an isometric or 3D fashion) shooters. In these games, the player controls a character (most commonly an aircraft) that must defend itself against large amounts of enemies by shooting at them. This style of game is generally agreed to have originated with Konami's
Scramble (1981) and Namco's
Xevious (1982). The player is able to control the character's movement in at least two (more commonly four) directions; however, the forward motion is also determined by the speed of the scrolling. Besides shooting at enemies, the player is also commonly engaged in collecting power-ups, which typically enhance the character's weapons or defense.
Limitations:
In order to be included in this group, the shooter should answer the two main conditions:
scrolling environments and
free movement in at least two directions: vertical in side-scrolling games, horizontal in top-down ones. Chase-view shooters and rail shooters should
not be included in this group.
Fixed-screen shoot-'em-ups should
not be included in this group either. In general, the distinction between scrolling shooters and fixed-screen shooters is this: in a classic scrolling shooter, barring unusual situations (such as boss battles) the player usually is allowed to avoid or bypass enemies instead of shooting them, and new enemies enter the screen consistently at specific moments regardless of the player's actions. In a fixed-screen shooter the player typically faces wave after wave of enemies, and the next wave will not show up until the previous one has been defeated. A fixed-screen shooter may have a background with a scrolling effect but this alone doesn't make it a scrolling shooter.
Side-scrolling shooters in which the playable character is restricted in his movements (i.e. is unable to sustain himself in the air for a prolonged period of time, having to jump over obstacles or platforms to proceed, etc.) should be
excluded as well.
Related groups:
Game Title | Year | Platform | Publisher | User Score |
Crimson Katana: exA Label | 2022 | Arcade | exA-Arcadia PTE. LTD. | ... |
Andro Dunos II | 2022 | Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows | Just For Games SAS | ... |
Sol Cresta | 2022 | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows | Platinum Games Inc. | ... |
R-Type Final 2 | 2021 | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Windows Apps, Xbox One, Xbox Series | NIS America, Inc. | ... |
Abarenbo Tengu & Zombie Nation | 2021 | Nintendo Switch, Windows | City Connection Co., Ltd. | ... |
Arkfront | 2021 | iPad, iPhone, Windows | Intensity Faucet Games, Inc. | ... |
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix | 2021 | Nintendo Switch | UFO Interactive Games, Inc. | ... |
7 Sexy Sins Tadaima | 2020 | Android, Linux, Macintosh, Windows | Zai studio Co., Ltd. | ... |
Jet Lancer | 2020 | Macintosh, Nintendo Switch, Windows | Armor Games Studios | ... |
Zenodeath | 2020 | Windows | Team Grybanser Fox | ... |
Crisis Wing | 2020 | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series | Eastasiasoft Limited | ... |
Akyrios Exa | 2020 | Arcade | exA-Arcadia PTE. LTD. | ... |
Dodonpachi True Death: exA Label | 2020 | Arcade | exA-Arcadia PTE. LTD. | ... |
Image Striker: Steam Edition | 2019 | Windows | Terarin Games | ... |
Deep Space Waifu: World | 2019 | Windows | Neko Climax Studios | ... |
7 Sexy Sins | 2019 | Android, Windows | Zai studio Co., Ltd. | ... |
Vasara Collection | 2019 | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PS Vita, Windows, Xbox One | QUByte Interactive Ltda. | ... |
Hentai Girl Division | 2019 | Windows | Mature Games | ... |
Radirgy Swag | 2019 | Nintendo Switch | Dispatch Games LLC | ... |
Epido | 2019 | Windows | SekaiFrieden | ... |
Final Star | 2018 | Xbox One | Dynamic Voltage Games | ... |
Rigid Force: Alpha | 2018 | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One | Headup Games GmbH & Co. KG | ... |
Deep Space Waifu: Fantasy | 2018 | Windows | Neko Climax Studios | ... |
Rival Megagun | 2018 | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One | Degica Co., Ltd. | ... |
Deep Space Waifu: Nekomimi | 2018 | Windows | Neko Climax Studios | ... |
Selected Covers
Selected Screenshots
Game group created by
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