Tag Archives: shmup

Every respectable shoot-‘em-up has a hook. The Raiden series has its distinctive purple plasma beam, which moves like a giant serpent, before latching onto to foes and siphoning away their health away. R-Type’s distinction is ...

Typically, a developer’s final project is an imprudent mess, if not an outright disaster. From Ion Storm’s Daikatana, Maxis’ SimCity 2013, Realtime Worlds’ APB, Flagship Studios’ Hellgate: London, to Free Radical’s Haze, there’s been a ...

In the shoot-‘em-up pantheon, every prodigious title has a distinguishing play mechanic. R-Type is built around a fascinating risk/reward where players can augment their offensive output by abstaining from fire, accumulating energy in their wave ...

Not long ago, publishers relied on a persistent procession of new titles to survive. But now, a steady stream of remakes and remasters are an important part of most business models. As the practice of ...

While we might bemoan the intermittent meme shoehorned into modern localizations, yesteryear’s adaptations were especially cringe-inducing. Case in point: when XS Games brought over the esteemed Psikyo STG, Gunbird, some sweeping changes were made. From ...

In a perfect world, cute-‘em-ups would be released with regular frequency. But save for two Deathsmiles titles, the disappointing Otomedius, and QP Shooting – Dangerous!!, the last decade has delivered a discouraging number of adorable ...

The combination of publisher-backed titles, remakes, and indies means that it’s often hard to keep up with the persistent barrage of new releases. Case in point: when Blue Rider was released on the PC and ...

Oh, dear Tech-Gamers, it has been some time, eh? Since I’ve been gone, I’ve acquired a BrideGear, a Pride(-and-Joy)Gear, and a whole lot of happiness. I missed you all, however, so TG is back on ...

In the grand pantheon of arcade shooters, few are more prestigious than 1981’s Defender. While the William Electronics-developed coin-op wasn’t an immediate success (creator Eugene Jarvis has blamed the groundbreaking five-button control method), the game proved ...

Much like 1996’s Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams extended a holiday-themed remix for SEGA Saturn owners, Orange Juice’s Xmas Shooting – Scramble !! offers a festive offering for PC owning shoot ‘em up fans. Build upon ...