Recommend me a good shoot 'em up

[xdscast]

When I was little I effin loved these games. So much intense action, last second bombs and holding on to dear life with your co-op partner next to you with sweaty palms. They arent as fun as they once were, but they're still pretty sweet. Recommend me a good shooter. Last one I played was Mars Matrix, it was pretty cool, you cant really make a bad one IMO. I also like Viper Phase 1 and 19XX, so recommend me somehting.

[Jedah]

Anything developed by Cave or Raizing. Read the reviews hosted on this site.

[dementia]

I really enjoy Mars Matrix. It's probably one of my favorite Shooters. If you like it, you might like the Gigawing games which utilize a similar reflection mechanic (or you might not like them, because for whatever reason I don't).

Later Toaplan games like Batsugun might whet your fancy. When Toaplan disbanded the former members formed Takumi (Mars Matrix), Cave, and Raizing, the current STG giants. These games are mostly very manic shooters with high bullet counts.

If you like the more subdued pacing of Horizontal Shooters, Border Down for the Dreamcast and Gradius V for the PS2 are easily the best in recent years.

[Hayama Akito]

Aero Fighters games are really good titles to start in the Shooting scene.

[xdscast]

Hey wow, these are great recommendations, all I need now is a Neo Geo, and an arcade cabinet with each game. Some beginner level lessons Kanji would be beneficial too.

So nothing for DC, Saturn, PSX/2, Xbox, GC or 360?

[lock]

Xdscast, do you have any problem in using neogeo emulators? They are very easy to use... You have emus for Xbox too.

[bullethell]

Steps:
a) Find your old dreamcast
b) Order Ikaruga from your import online shop of your choice
c) Find your VGA box or buy one if you havent one already
d) Tate your CRT monitor
e) Say goodbye to the people around you
f) Welcome to Ikaruga world
g) After days, log in again to the forums and repeat my thread everywhere.

Dont try these steps with another random shmup, you might be dissapointed. Or if you do, pick up a PS2 Cave shmup.

[Ex Omni]

Ikaruga

Radiant Silvergun



Both better come to the 360. I've heard Ikaruga probably will.

[Bakke]

Try my favorite ones:

Battle Garegga (ARC on MAME) : If you have the SAT version, that could be awesome, cuz,... yeah! Arranged SuperSweep guys songs

Radiant Silvergun(SAT): Treasure plus Hitoshi Sakimoto for the win.

Any of the available Cave games for PS2

All G.Rev shmups for DC : Under Defeat and Border Down

Senko no Ronde Rev.X for X360: Can't tell about the US version.

[illegal]

I guess I'm a fan of the more old-fashioned ones...

for the PS2, I would recommend Gradius V (horizontal, though). Raiden 3 is also nice, but not if it costs a lot.

On DC, there's a lot, but none of it is cheap, of course. I liked Border Down best (also horizontal, and it has these Gradius influences). Ikaruga is awesome and stylish but it's not entirely my kind of game. That's not the game's fault though, it's me :)

Slightly older is the very rare (or expensive) ZanacXZanac on PS1, which was Compile's rather awesome swansong.

PSP has the awesome Konami shooter packs, of which most is available on PS1 as well, if you start digging. Sadly I don't have a PSP, but I do have Gradius Gaiden on the PS1 ;)

If you prefer things cheaper, hit the PS2 budget bins. From time to time shmups are to be found there (XIIStag sucked, though :p )

As for emulation, I actually bought Sonic Wings (Aero Fighters) 2 & 3 for NeoGeoCD on ebay and the only way I can run them is through emulation. Technically I'm still being evil with the bios but my own sense of justice thinks it's very reasonable ;)

[AlphaONE]

One of my personal faves is Psyvariar 2 :D

[Topdrunkee]

Guwange, & Sengoku Blade 2.
(Hey I love the theme of the games.)

[Flying Omelette]

If you're into NES/Famicom, try Zanac and Over Horizon.