

CAVE · Arcade, Nintendo DS, PS3 +1
Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku-tachi is a vertical bullet hell shoot 'em up developed by Cave and released in 2003.
2 listsOften paired


Steer by what it is tap once for more of it, twice for none of it
194 games like Batsugun · 1979 – 2018


CAVE · Arcade, Nintendo DS, PS3 +1
Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku-tachi is a vertical bullet hell shoot 'em up developed by Cave and released in 2003.
2 listsOften paired
Sega console exclusive
Takumi Corporation · Arcade, Dreamcast
A prediction is that before human civilization, there was once an advanced civilization on Mars. A sorceress destroyed the civilization and everything that was remembered of it, except a chip called "INFINITY". In 2100, millions of people w
1 listOften paired
Sega console exclusive
Takumi Corporation · Arcade, Dreamcast
A prediction is that before human civilization, there was once an advanced civilization on Mars. A sorceress destroyed the civilization and everything that was remembered of it, except a chip called "INFINITY". In 2100, millions of people w
1 listOften paired


Success Corporation · Switch, PS4, Windows
Psyvariar Delta is a classic shooter known for the Buzz System, where players level up by grazing enemy fire and chaining Buzz. Also included in this version are 2 HD remakes of the arcade classic Psyvariar Medium Unit and Psyvariar Revisio
88 rating2 lists0 h main storyOften paired


Treasure · Arcade, Switch, Sega Saturn +2
Unlike in most other shoot 'em ups, there are no power-ups. All weapons are available from the start. Weapons can 'level up', however, becoming more powerful as the player uses them to score points. There are a selection of 7 weapons that c
81 rating9 lists3.5 h main storyOften paired


CAVE · Arcade, PlayStation, PS3 +2
DonPachi is a 1995 vertical manic shoot-'em-up originally in arcades and was the first game from the developer Cave. Settings are mainly woodland and enemies are military vehicles and robots, culminating in the final boss, a huge robotic be
80 rating4 listsOften paired


The Assembly Line · Acorn Archimedes, Amiga, Atari ST +6
No-one likes a and loser. And no-one comes more universally despised than Xenites. For a thousand years they have been plotting revenge for their humiliating defeat in the last Galactic Conflict. Now the very fabric of time is in danger. Th
75 rating2 listsOften paired
NEC console exclusive
Capcom · Arcade, PC Engine SuperGrafx, TurboGrafx-16
The year: 1941. The place: 20,000 feet in the air over the North Atlantic. Lightning flashes across the skies of war-torn Europe. Your mission: beat back the imperial forces before they can use their new weapon! In 1941: Counter Attack, th
64 rating3 listsOften paired


Psikyo · Arcade, PlayStation, PS3 +6
Gunbird uses anime-styled character as the player's chosen craft. A story plays out in between levels and before boss fights, telling a tale of how the protagonists are trying to collect pieces of a magic mirror to make a wish.
65 rating6 listsOften paired
Nintendo exclusive
Konami · Famicom Disk System, Family Computer Disk System, NES +2
Stinger is a shoot-em-up developed by Konami. It is the North American version of the sequel to Twinbee.
64 rating1 listOften paired
Nintendo console exclusive
Adventure Planning Service · Switch, Windows
Crimzon Clover: World Ignition is a fast-paced, top-down bullet-hell shooter where players command one of three unique ships through relentless waves of enemy fire. The game expands on the original with multiple play modes: Boost (adaptive
89 rating2 lists1 h main storyOften paired
Sega console exclusive
Eighting · Arcade, Sega Saturn
Battle Garegga is a vertically scrolling shoot'em up arcade game. The storyline takes place in a sort of diesel punk versions of the 1940s. Main heroes are brothers Brian and Jason — the sons of genius designer who want to destroy the evil
69 rating1 list
Timed Sega exclusive
Psikyo · Android, Arcade, Dreamcast +5
Seven warriors are challenged to head on a quest to find three powerful elements of Sun, Moon and Stars. Whoever brings the elements to the Potion God will be rewarded the legendary Almighty Potion and all its magical powers.[3] Through ga
75 rating2 lists
Timed Nintendo exclusive
Capcom · Arcade, NES, PS3 +2
On a planet 6000 light-years from earth, there were creatures called Exes, which resemble large insects, that were used for industrial purposes. However, these creatures one day took to revolting against their creators. Two battle machines
41 rating3 lists
Sega console exclusive
Data East · Arcade, Sega Genesis
Vapor Trail is a shoot-'em-up that features 2 players controlling the jet fighters simultaneously for battle across numerous levels.
1 list
Sega exclusive
Master System, Sega Master System/Mark III
Power Strike II is a top-down vertical shoot 'em up video game developed by Compile. It was published by Sega in 1993, only released in Europe and Brazil. This game moves from the setting of previous games to a steampunk version of the 193
1 list


X-Troll · Amiga, Atari ST, Atari ST/STE
Lethal Xcess is a shoot 'em up game developed by two members of demo crew X-Troll and published by Eclipse Software in 1991 for the Atari ST and Amiga. It is a sequel to 1990's Wings of Death, in which its wizard hero goes into far future t
1 list
Nintendo exclusive
Thin Chen Enterprise · NES
Searing gunfire inflicts heavy damage on both sides as you slice into a murderous squadron of enemy fighter jets. As the commander of a fast and powerful helicopter, you must face an intense struggle against a pair of patrolling choppers be
1 list
Nintendo exclusive
Tose Co. · NES, Switch
In Super Xevious: Gamp no Nazo the player controls a spaceship named the Solvalou in its mission to destroy a powerful supercomputer named GAMP, which took over Earth during an ice age. Gamp no Nazo features a heavy focus on puzzle-solving,
3 lists


The Bitmap Brothers · Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Arcade +7
Xenon is a 1988 vertical scrolling shooter computer game, developed by The Bitmap Brothers and published by Melbourne House which was then owned by Mastertronic. Xenon was followed in 1989 by Xenon 2: Megablast. The player assumes the role
75 rating3 lists
NEC console exclusive
Compile · MSX, TurboGrafx-16
A vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up in the Xevious franchise. Adds bosses, power-ups and a story to the Xevious model.
1 list
Atari console exclusive
Sirius Software · Atari 2600, Atari 8-bit, Windows
Your mission, as a master tank commander, is to drive through the city of Teriyaki and blast away as many Worms and Blocks as possible without running out of fuel.
1 list
Atari console exclusive
Sirius Software · Atari 2600, Atari 8-bit
Your mission, as a master tank commander, is to drive through the city of Teriyaki and blast away as many Worms and Blocks as possible without running out of fuel.
1 list
Timed Sega exclusive
Tose Co. · Arcade, MSX, NES +4
Exerion is a vertical shoot 'em up released by Jaleco in 1983 and licensed to Taito for distribution in the United States. Screenshot from arcade version Exerion is a shoot 'em up game featuring parallax effects and inertia simulation, som
63 rating7 lists


Atari ST, Atari ST/STE, Commodore 64 +3
Hades Nebula is a futuristic vertical scrolling shooter set in the year 2124. As humanity searches for new habitable planets due to dwindling energy reserves, players pilot a small spacecraft on a mission to thwart the villainous Emperor Ha
1 list
NEC console exclusive
TurboGrafx-16, MSX
A vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up in the Xevious franchise. Adds bosses, power-ups and a story to the Xevious model.
1 list


MS-DOS
Overkill is a vertical scrolling shooter that was released by Epic Games and Precision Software Publishing in 1992. The game was designed and developed by Tech-Noir Productions and Ste Cork. Overkill was Epic's first vertical shooter. The g
1 list
Nintendo exclusive
Hudson Soft · NES
Adventures of Dino Riki is an overhead shooter created by Hudson Soft, similar to games like 1943: The Battle of Midway, where the object is to dodge on-screen enemies. Dino Riki can jump or shoot weapons (rocks, axes, boomerangs, and torch
58 rating1 list


The Vision Factory · CD-i, Philips CD-i
Alien Gate is a fixed shooter. Each stage consists of the player's ship facing off against a giant head that spawns several smaller enemies. Once all the required enemies are defeated, the player must defeat the head as a boss. The backgrou
2 lists
Nintendo console exclusive
Konami · MSX, NES, Nintendo 3DS +1
Star Soldier is a 1986 vertically scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Hudson Soft for the Nintendo Entertainment System and MSX. It is the first game in the Star Soldier series. The player pilots the starship "Caesar", t
55 rating2 lists
Nintendo console exclusive
Namco Limited · Arcade, NES, Switch +1
The gameplay is very much like that of the original Xevious except this time it is a little more difficult. Several new enemies have also been introduced (including a silver Galaxian flagship, a rare silver Galaga "scorpion" ship, two jet p
41 rating2 lists


Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST +3
Warhawk is an action/simulation game built around a futuristic VTOL craft. The player maneuvers with 360 degrees of flight control through 6 unique levels. Take to the skies over desert and volcanic planets, through ancient castles and tow
2 lists
Sega exclusive
Master System, Sega Master System/Mark III
Basic Sega shoot-em-up in which you must guide your ship through three zones while avoiding hazards. Your only weapon are bullets as your only defense, but if you shoot the flashing red pieces on the terrain, chances are that a green ship w
2 lists
Nintendo exclusive
Asmik Ace Entertainment · SNES
Gameplay involves being the pilot of an Apache Helicopter, and shooting enemies down in the style of a vertical scrolling shooter. Large red gunships can be shot down to gain power-ups for the helicopter in order to upgrade the guns and hav
1 list
Nintendo console exclusive
Tecmo · Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Arcade +8
Humans and aliens are living in harmony in the future, until a tabloid journalist stirs up hatred towards aliens. They respond by invading the planet, and it's down to the protagonist to clear up a situation scarily similar to reality in th
4 lists
Timed PlayStation exclusive
Gremlin Interactive · PlayStation, Sega Saturn
Loaded is a violent, bloody top-down shooter which places you in the boots of one of six characters, who are all strange and deformed, from a psychotic clown to a huge baby. Loaded is a mission based game, where you have to complete various
74 rating4 lists
Sega exclusive
Sega Genesis
Arrow Flash is a side-scrolling space shooter. The player controls a female spaceship pilot who is sent on a mission into deep space to save the Earth from an assault by an evil dragon from another galaxy. Moving vertically or horizontally,
50 rating2 lists
Atari console exclusive
Arcade, Atari 7800, MSX +1
The player controls a ship (bearing a resemblance to the Battlestar Galactica) which can fire and move left or right. The player must continuously monitor the onscreen temperature and fuel gauges; if the ship overheats, its weapon is disabl
75 rating3 lists
Nintendo exclusive
Winning Entertainment Group · NES
Abadox is a video game for the NES, subtitled The Deadly Inner War. It is a side-scrolling shoot 'em up in the vein of Gradius and R-Type. The game is notable for its unique visual design, as the game takes place inside the intestinal tract
60 rating1 list


NMK · Arcade, NES, Switch +1
A vertical scrolling shoot 'em up. Fire guns and drop bombs on the enemies in this deep space battle. Pickup assorted power-ups. The screen also scrolls left and right if your ship nears the edges of the screen.
3 lists
Sega exclusive
Master System, Sega Master System/Mark III
Blade Eagle 3-D is a vertical shoot-em-up which has no story involved. You just have to shoot your way on three planets (you have to travel through space first), blasting as many enemies as possible. Along the way, there are several bosses
49 rating3 lists
PlayStation console exclusive
SNK · Arcade, PS4
Chopper I is a 1988 arcade hall video game, developed by SNK. The objective of this top-down game is to infiltrate enemy territory and essentially destroy all objects. The game can be played with 1 or 2 players; both players, each occupyin
68 rating3 lists
Nintendo console exclusive
Arcade, Switch
Cybattler is a up-scrolling shoot 'em up game where you take control of the mecha CYX-0017 BLANCHE that can shoot and slash with its plasma sword in all direction in a space themed environment. As you make progress you have to fight of vari
1 list
Nintendo exclusive
HAL Laboratory · SNES
Hyper Zone plays like a cross between a racing game and shooter. The object of the game is to navigate each level while shooting enemies and earning points, until finally an encounter with a boss ends each level. After enough points are acq
1 list
Timed PlayStation exclusive
Switch, PS3, PlayStation Portable +1
The celestial planet Conceyta orbits with its moon in a dust- and gas-covered solar system. Within lurks an evil unknown to man that bears a danger so much greater than any threat yet witnessed. A dark, mysterious power has manifested itsel
65 rating3 lists


Video System · Arcade, Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD +3
When enemy forces wipe out the jets of the Aero Fighters, they must scramble using heavily-modified World War II warplanes in the third installment of the comical Aero Fighters series.
70 rating5 lists
Sega console exclusive
Namco Tales Studio · Sega Genesis, Sharp X68000
Granada is a free-roaming scrolling shooter. You control the titular maneuver cepter Granada as you make your way through each stage, destroying the enemy's weapons. You have a map that tells you where your targets are on the stage, and onc
51 rating1 list
PlayStation console exclusive
SNK · Arcade, PS3, PlayStation Portable
Ozma Wars is a 1979 fixed shooter arcade game, and the very first game developed and published by SNK, who were still known as "Shin Nihon Kikaku" at the time. The game is also known as the second ever vertical shoot 'em up game, after Tait
2 lists