Top 10 Classic Shoot 'em up Video Games

Here’s a dual-stick shooter that’s just as bright and colorful as it is addictive. You control a small ship that can fire and move in any direction. When you successfully hit and destroy enemies, they leave behind green orbs, which you collect to increase your multiplier. Sounds simple right? Well its a game where high scores matter, so you’ll want to grab as many as you can, for bragging rights on the leader boards.

As much as we enjoy a simple shoot ‘em up, combining them with other genres to create bizarre hybrids can be amazing too. That’s one of many reasons we can’t get enough of this title, which adds RPG mechanics like acquiring cash to help you customize your plane, to the classic shoot ‘em up formula. You won’t get bored of the it too quickly, because it has three playable characters, each with a different plane.

Despite the difficult learning curve, we used to be hooked on this one. Its graphics were exceptional for its time, and music and sound mix can really get you immersed in the action. You’ll love trying to avoid all of the enemies who try to crash into you and the turrets that try to pick you off. Don’t be too intimidated, because the Phase Shields that you buy and find throughout the game allow your jet to endure a lot of damage. No one touch deaths for you here.

Long before the “Call of Duty’s” and the “Medal of Honor’s” brought the World War II shooter into the 21st century, there was this game. You control an American fighter place trying to make its way to Tokyo, and you face a horde of opposing Japanese planes along the way. Thankfully, you can use the game’s roll or loop-the-loop maneuvers, which help you to avoid enemy fire.

Whereas many other shoot ‘em ups can be beaten through mere button-mashing and joy-stick expertise, this title requires you to use your brain and strategize. The game gives you a range of options for weapons, like the chargeable Thunder Sword with its powerful blast. You can also choose the order in which you tackle stages, giving you a good deal of control over your shoot ‘em up experience.

Even though “Infinity Gene” was notable for bringing the series onto the seventh generation of consoles, and introducing the concept of evolution to the games, nothing matched the original for pure shoot ‘em up fun. The title was a pioneer in the industry as a whole, and it set the bar high for years to come. Ever since its release, gamers have loved trying to destroy the mystery ship on top of the screen to get bonus points.

The “R-Type” games have been beloved by gamers ever since the first title in the series, but this installment took the franchise to a new level. It nixed the traditional top down gameplay of the prior title in exchange for side-scrolling combat, and the change yielded fantastic results. You’ll love using it to try and collect the over 100 playable ships.

This instalment didn’t do much for the series—other than perfect the experience. It takes the mechanics of the earlier games and combines them with graphics that push the PS2 to its limits. It features flawlessly designed levels with punishing bosses waiting at the end of each. You’ll be in good shape to face them, because now you have way more control over the multiples, those small satellites that add to your firepower.

This is one of the rarest games to find today, with eBay listings starting from $170. Thankfully, it was rereleased on the Xbox Live Arcade in 2011, allowing gamers today to experience its brilliant take on the genre. Its unique weapons system allows you to combine the three different main guns to create six weapons. If these still aren’t enough options for you, you can use the energy sword and absorb bullets with it.

Before we get to our number one, let’s take a look at some honorable mentions:

“Sine Mora” (2012)

“Galaga” (1981)

“DoDonPachi” (1997)

“Firepower 2000” (1992)

There’s a ton of sweet shoot’em ups out there, but we had a feeling that one title would top this list before we started ranking it. Its unique gameplay mechanism allows you to switch between light and dark polarities, allowing you to absorb bullets from enemies whose polarity you match without taking damage. You’ll get to know the system well, because the hardest parts of the game fill your screen with bullets and if you’re not on your toes, get use to blowing up. A lot.

There’s literally dozens of more 2D shooters out there that it’s impossible to put them all on this list. So let us know what your favorite classic shoot ‘em up game is, and for more action-packed top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.