you are one ship against an entire enemy force may God have mercy on your enemies
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top
be counting down our picks for the top
be counting down our picks for the top 10 classic shoot-’em-up games for our
10 classic shoot-’em-up games for our
10 classic shoot-’em-up games for our list we rank the best games from the
list we rank the best games from the
list we rank the best games from the classic 2d shoot-’em-up genre or Smuts
classic 2d shoot-’em-up genre or Smuts
classic 2d shoot-’em-up genre or Smuts for short we excluded games with a 3d
for short we excluded games with a 3d
for short we excluded games with a 3d perspective so titles like starfox 64 as
perspective so titles like starfox 64 as
perspective so titles like starfox 64 as much as we love them are out as usual
much as we love them are out as usual
much as we love them are out as usual one game per franchise number 10
one game per franchise number 10
one game per franchise number 10 geometry wars retro evolve too
geometry wars retro evolve too
geometry wars retro evolve too you
here’s a dual stick shooter that’s just
here’s a dual stick shooter that’s just as bright and colorful as it is
as bright and colorful as it is
as bright and colorful as it is addictive you control a small ship that
addictive you control a small ship that
addictive you control a small ship that can fire and move in any direction when
can fire and move in any direction when
can fire and move in any direction when you successfully hit and destroy enemies
you successfully hit and destroy enemies
you successfully hit and destroy enemies they leave behind bright green orbs
they leave behind bright green orbs
they leave behind bright green orbs which you collect to increase your
which you collect to increase your
which you collect to increase your multiplier sound simple right well it’s
multiplier sound simple right well it’s
multiplier sound simple right well it’s a game where high scores matter so
a game where high scores matter so
a game where high scores matter so you’ll want to grab as many as you can
you’ll want to grab as many as you can
you’ll want to grab as many as you can for bragging rights
for bragging rights
for bragging rights on the leaderboards number nine un
on the leaderboards number nine un
on the leaderboards number nine un squadron as much as we enjoy a simple
squadron as much as we enjoy a simple
squadron as much as we enjoy a simple shoot-’em-up combining them with other
shoot-’em-up combining them with other
shoot-’em-up combining them with other genres to create bizarre hybrids can be
genres to create bizarre hybrids can be
genres to create bizarre hybrids can be amazing too
amazing too
amazing too that’s one of the many reasons we can’t
that’s one of the many reasons we can’t
that’s one of the many reasons we can’t get enough of this title which adds RPG
get enough of this title which adds RPG
get enough of this title which adds RPG mechanics like acquiring cash to help
mechanics like acquiring cash to help
mechanics like acquiring cash to help customize your plane you won’t get bored
customize your plane you won’t get bored
customize your plane you won’t get bored of it too quickly because it has three
of it too quickly because it has three
of it too quickly because it has three playable characters each with a
playable characters each with a
playable characters each with a different plane
despite the difficult learning curve we
despite the difficult learning curve we used to be hooked on this one it’s
used to be hooked on this one it’s
used to be hooked on this one it’s graphics were exceptional for the time
graphics were exceptional for the time
graphics were exceptional for the time and the music and sound mix can really
and the music and sound mix can really
and the music and sound mix can really get you immersed in the action
you’ll love trying to avoid all of the
you’ll love trying to avoid all of the enemies who try to either crash into you
enemies who try to either crash into you
enemies who try to either crash into you or the turrets that try to pick you off
or the turrets that try to pick you off
or the turrets that try to pick you off don’t be too intimidated because the
don’t be too intimidated because the
don’t be too intimidated because the phase shields that you buy and find
phase shields that you buy and find
phase shields that you buy and find throughout the game allow your jet to
throughout the game allow your jet to
throughout the game allow your jet to endure a lot of damage there’s no one
endure a lot of damage there’s no one
endure a lot of damage there’s no one touch deaths for you here
number 7 1942 long before the Call of
number 7 1942 long before the Call of Duty’s and Medal of Honor Sprott the
Duty’s and Medal of Honor Sprott the
Duty’s and Medal of Honor Sprott the world war ii shooter into the 21st
world war ii shooter into the 21st
world war ii shooter into the 21st century there was this game you control
century there was this game you control
century there was this game you control an American fighter plane trying to make
an American fighter plane trying to make
an American fighter plane trying to make its way into Tokyo and you face a horde
its way into Tokyo and you face a horde
its way into Tokyo and you face a horde of opposing Japanese planes along the
of opposing Japanese planes along the
of opposing Japanese planes along the way thankfully you can use the game’s
way thankfully you can use the game’s
way thankfully you can use the game’s role or loop-de-loop maneuvers which
role or loop-de-loop maneuvers which
role or loop-de-loop maneuvers which help you to avoid enemy fire number 6
help you to avoid enemy fire number 6
help you to avoid enemy fire number 6 Thunder force 4
whereas many other shoot-’em-ups can be
whereas many other shoot-’em-ups can be beaten through mere button-mashing
beaten through mere button-mashing
beaten through mere button-mashing and a bit of joystick expertise this
and a bit of joystick expertise this
and a bit of joystick expertise this title requires you to use your brain and
title requires you to use your brain and
title requires you to use your brain and strategize the game gives you a range of
strategize the game gives you a range of
strategize the game gives you a range of options for weapons like the chargeable
options for weapons like the chargeable
options for weapons like the chargeable thunder sword when it’s powerful blast
thunder sword when it’s powerful blast
thunder sword when it’s powerful blast you can also choose the order in which
you can also choose the order in which
you can also choose the order in which you tackle the stages giving you a good
you tackle the stages giving you a good
you tackle the stages giving you a good deal of control over your shoot-’em-up
deal of control over your shoot-’em-up
deal of control over your shoot-’em-up experience number 5 space invaders even
experience number 5 space invaders even
experience number 5 space invaders even though infinity Jean was notable for
though infinity Jean was notable for
though infinity Jean was notable for bringing the series into the seventh
bringing the series into the seventh
bringing the series into the seventh generation of consoles and introducing
generation of consoles and introducing
generation of consoles and introducing the concept of evolution to the games
the concept of evolution to the games
the concept of evolution to the games nothing matched the original for pure
nothing matched the original for pure
nothing matched the original for pure shoot-’em-up fun the title was a pioneer
shoot-’em-up fun the title was a pioneer
shoot-’em-up fun the title was a pioneer in the industry as a whole and it set
in the industry as a whole and it set
in the industry as a whole and it set the bar high for years to come ever
the bar high for years to come ever
the bar high for years to come ever since its release gamers have loved
since its release gamers have loved
since its release gamers have loved trying to destroy the mystery ship on
trying to destroy the mystery ship on
trying to destroy the mystery ship on top of the screen to get bonus points
top of the screen to get bonus points
top of the screen to get bonus points number 4 r-type final
the r-type games have been beloved by
the r-type games have been beloved by gamers ever since the first title in the
gamers ever since the first title in the
gamers ever since the first title in the series but this installment took the
series but this installment took the
series but this installment took the franchise to a new level and the change
franchise to a new level and the change
franchise to a new level and the change yielded fantastic results providing more
yielded fantastic results providing more
yielded fantastic results providing more weapon configurations than any other
weapon configurations than any other
weapon configurations than any other game on this list with a vast array of
game on this list with a vast array of
game on this list with a vast array of unlocks available you’ll have fun trying
unlocks available you’ll have fun trying
unlocks available you’ll have fun trying to collect the over 100 playable ships
this installment didn’t do much for the
this installment didn’t do much for the series other than perfect the experience
series other than perfect the experience
series other than perfect the experience it takes the mechanics of the earlier
it takes the mechanics of the earlier
it takes the mechanics of the earlier games and combines them with graphics
games and combines them with graphics
games and combines them with graphics that push the ps2 to its limits it
that push the ps2 to its limits it
that push the ps2 to its limits it features flawlessly designed levels with
features flawlessly designed levels with
features flawlessly designed levels with clinician bosses waiting at the end of
clinician bosses waiting at the end of
clinician bosses waiting at the end of each you’ll be in good shape to face
each you’ll be in good shape to face
each you’ll be in good shape to face them because now you have way more
them because now you have way more
them because now you have way more control over the multiples those small
control over the multiples those small
control over the multiples those small satellites that add to your firepower
number two radiant Silvergun this is one
number two radiant Silvergun this is one of the rarest games to find today with
of the rarest games to find today with
of the rarest games to find today with the eBay listings for the original
the eBay listings for the original
the eBay listings for the original starting at 170 bucks thankfully it was
starting at 170 bucks thankfully it was
starting at 170 bucks thankfully it was re-released on the Xbox Live Arcade in
re-released on the Xbox Live Arcade in
re-released on the Xbox Live Arcade in 2011 allowing gamers today to experience
2011 allowing gamers today to experience
2011 allowing gamers today to experience it’s brilliant take on the jar its
it’s brilliant take on the jar its
it’s brilliant take on the jar its unique weapon system allows you to
unique weapon system allows you to
unique weapon system allows you to combine three different main guns to
combine three different main guns to
combine three different main guns to create six weapons if those aren’t
create six weapons if those aren’t
create six weapons if those aren’t enough options for you you can still use
enough options for you you can still use
enough options for you you can still use the energy sword and absorb bullets with
the energy sword and absorb bullets with
the energy sword and absorb bullets with it
before we get to our number one let’s
before we get to our number one let’s take a look at some honorable mentions
there’s a ton of sweet shoot-’em-ups out
there’s a ton of sweet shoot-’em-ups out there but we had a feeling that one
there but we had a feeling that one
there but we had a feeling that one title would be at the top of this list
title would be at the top of this list
title would be at the top of this list even before we started ranking it it’s
even before we started ranking it it’s
even before we started ranking it it’s unique gameplay mechanism allows you to
unique gameplay mechanism allows you to
unique gameplay mechanism allows you to switch between light and dark polarities
switch between light and dark polarities
switch between light and dark polarities allowing you to absorb bullets from
allowing you to absorb bullets from
allowing you to absorb bullets from enemies whose polarities match your own
enemies whose polarities match your own
enemies whose polarities match your own without taking any damage
you’ll get to know the system pretty
you’ll get to know the system pretty well because the hardest parts of the
well because the hardest parts of the
well because the hardest parts of the game fill your screen with bullets and
game fill your screen with bullets and
game fill your screen with bullets and if you’re not on your toes to better get
if you’re not on your toes to better get
if you’re not on your toes to better get used to blowing up a lot there’s
used to blowing up a lot there’s
used to blowing up a lot there’s literally dozens of more 2-d shooters
literally dozens of more 2-d shooters
literally dozens of more 2-d shooters out there and it’s impossible to put
out there and it’s impossible to put
out there and it’s impossible to put them all on this list so let us know
them all on this list so let us know
them all on this list so let us know what your favorite classic shoot-’em-up
what your favorite classic shoot-’em-up
what your favorite classic shoot-’em-up game is and for more action-packed top
game is and for more action-packed top
game is and for more action-packed top 10s published daily be sure to subscribe
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