List of SNES shmups (US releases only)

[Austin]

Hey guys, I was wondering if there were any US-released SNES shmups out there I am unaware of. From what I can tell, the SNES has a little over a dozen of them. Unfortunately, half are, well, um, err.... Yeah.

 

I'm curious to see if maybe there are any gems that I missed, or if I've really played all the US releases. Here's a list I've compiled of what I've owned and played in the past:

 

D-Force

S.T.G. Strike Gunner

Darius Twin

Super Nova

Imperium

Super E.D.F. (Earth Defense Force)

Phalanx

Space Megaforce

Super R-Type

R-Type III

Blazeon

Raiden Trad

Gradius III

U.N. Squadron

Axelay

Firepower 2000

 

**note: strictly side-scrolling or vertical shmups need apply only; no classic arcade ports (e.g., Space Invaders), no games that have shmup portions in them (e.g., Jim Power: The Lost Dimension), no 3rd person behind-the-back shooters (e.g., Star Fox, HyperZone, etc.), and no run-'n-gunners (e.g., Contra III).

Edited March 20, 2010 by Austin

[jeremysart]

**note: strictly side-scrolling or vertical shmups need apply only; no classic arcade ports (e.g., Space Invaders), no games that have shmup portions in them (e.g., Jim Power: The Lost Dimension), no 3rd person behind-the-back shooters (e.g., Star Fox, HyperZone, etc.), and no run-'n-gunners (e.g., Contra III).

 

I was going to post up HyperZone, but then I noticed the portion in asterisks

 

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i90bBSKFGKk

Some might find it too short or easy, but it was always one of my favorites back in the day, especially with the reverse controls option enabled.]

Edited March 20, 2010 by jeremysart

[Sonic R]

Here are a couple that I do not see on your list:

 

Aero Fighters

Biometal

 

Both of these are of USA release -

Biometal in infamous for its soundtrack, but the game is great otherwise, and Aero Fighters is the first in the Aero Fighters series, the following sequels of Aero Fighters 2 & 3 were on the Neo Geo

[jboypacman]

I was just going to say Aero Fighters myself.

[+thegoldenband]

I haven't played it, but doesn't Thunder Spirits qualify?

[Dittohead Servbot #24]

I don't get what a "shmup" is.

[SoulBlazer]

I don't get what a "shmup" is.

 

It's slang for 'Shoot Em Up', AKA, a shooting game. Usually when one says the term they are talking about a space based games with ships, or a air game with planes. I've seen it used with ground based action games also.

[NightSprinter]

I haven't played it, but doesn't Thunder Spirits qualify?

 

I believe it does, regardless of it being the SNES version of "Thunderforce III" on the Genesis.

[Austin]

Ah, thanks guys, I completely forgot about those (I'm actually surprised at myself about that--I've owned both TS and Biometal and played them plenty).

 

So the current list is:

 

Aero Fighters

Thunder Spirits

Biometal

D-Force

S.T.G. Strike Gunner

Darius Twin

Super Nova

Imperium

Super E.D.F. (Earth Defense Force)

Phalanx

Space Megaforce

Super R-Type

R-Type III

Blazeon

Raiden Trad

Gradius III

U.N. Squadron

Axelay

Firepower 2000

 

Any others I may have missed?

Edited March 21, 2010 by Austin

[in the dark]

I think you have them all listed. I personally would throw Cybernator in the middle of those, but that is just me. I understand the category and choice that you are making there. There were a lot of shooters that did not make it to the US, many were excellent that were missed. I am a shmup fan myself. I have many of those and I am still looking for some of those in that list. And I hope at some point to begin collecting the Japan shooters that never made it to the US shores. Gradius III, Space Mega Force, and Super R-Type are among my favorites in that list. I have been playing Gradius III for the last few weeks.

[Austin]

I think you have them all listed. I personally would throw Cybernator in the middle of those, but that is just me. I understand the category and choice that you are making there. There were a lot of shooters that did not make it to the US, many were excellent that were missed. I am a shmup fan myself. I have many of those and I am still looking for some of those in that list. And I hope at some point to begin collecting the Japan shooters that never made it to the US shores. Gradius III, Space Mega Force, and Super R-Type are among my favorites in that list. I have been playing Gradius III for the last few weeks.

 

If I've happened to cover them, does anyone want to help in listing the Japanese ones? Asides from the above games released in Japan (I would assume they all were, considering most if not all came from there), I have only personally played and owned Acrobat Mission.. Good game, but what else is there shmup-wise that's Japanese-only?

 

The Jap list to start (Asides from the games listed above):

 

Acrobat Mission

 

Any others?

[in the dark]

I think you have them all listed. I personally would throw Cybernator in the middle of those, but that is just me. I understand the category and choice that you are making there. There were a lot of shooters that did not make it to the US, many were excellent that were missed. I am a shmup fan myself. I have many of those and I am still looking for some of those in that list. And I hope at some point to begin collecting the Japan shooters that never made it to the US shores. Gradius III, Space Mega Force, and Super R-Type are among my favorites in that list. I have been playing Gradius III for the last few weeks.

 

If I've happened to cover them, does anyone want to help in listing the Japanese ones? Asides from the above games released in Japan (I would assume they all were, considering most if not all came from there), I have only personally played and owned Acrobat Mission.. Good game, but what else is there shmup-wise that's Japanese-only?

 

The Jap list to start (Asides from the games listed above):

 

Acrobat Mission

 

Any others?

Lets see,

Cosmo Gang: The Video

Cotton 100%

Parodius (really don't know the names of the different ones in the series)

Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie (I wished that this had made it to the US)

Pop'n Twin Bee

 

There is also a Twin Bee that is a side scroller, not sure it would fit in your defined category. Something about a Bell adventure? This is only some of them that I am sure about. I've played these before.

[Austin]

Lets see,

Cosmo Gang: The Video

Cotton 100%

Parodius (really don't know the names of the different ones in the series)

Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie (I wished that this had made it to the US)

Pop'n Twin Bee

 

There is also a Twin Bee that is a side scroller, not sure it would fit in your defined category. Something about a Bell adventure? This is only some of them that I am sure about. I've played these before.

 

Provided the Twin Bee side-scroller is still a classic shooter in the R-Type or Gradius sense, then yes, it qualifies. I know several of the early Twin Bee games were horizontal, side-scrolling shooters.

 

So the Japanese list thus-far:

 

Acrobat Mission

Cosmo Gang: The Video

Cotton 100%

Parodius (need to look up individual releases, if other platforms are any indication, there are probably multiples)

Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie

Pop'n Twin Bee

 

I know there are most-likely some Dezaemon (Shooter-maker) games for the SNES.. I suppose that would count, but we'll set those aside for now.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Austin

[Austin]

I have many of those and I am still looking for some of those in that list.

 

Also, I forgot to note that if you don't mind your games cart-only, just about all of the games listed above can be had cheap (as in $5 - $10 cheap, after shipping). U.N. Squadron, Axelay, and Space Megaforce may be between $10 and $20 cart-only after shipping on auction sites. R-Type III seems to be listed at higher prices, but I see a cart-only version on eBay right now for about $26 after shipping--It hasn't sold yet, so you can probably assume what its real value is (e.g., less). Aero Fighters is really the only one that's worth some serious dough, even as cart-only (I believe it's a R8, according to Nintendo Age.. I had no idea it was that rare until just recently).

 

The reason I say this--and the main reason I wanted to make this list--was to gauge what the prices are and to track down copies myself (Over the past week and a half I've gathered most of the ones I initially listed via cheap BIN auctions on eBay--the rest I will need to hunt down next payday, sans-Aero Fighters and R-Type III.. Fortunately I have R-Type III on the Wii's VC, so no biggie on that one).

 

Gradius III, Space Mega Force, and Super R-Type are among my favorites in that list. I have been playing Gradius III for the last few weeks.

 

Yeah, I've recently acquired Gradius III again this past week and have been playing it myself. It's a fantastic port, and not nearly as difficult (thankfully) as the arcade version. I'm also looking forward to receiving Super R-Type in the mail this upcoming week. It's a personal favorite of mine on the SNES--A great concoction of R-Type II arcade combined with new stages, elements and music.

 

If you haven't tried it, I recommend checking out Firepower 2000. I've been playing that one a lot this past week as well. It's very well done and has a good amount of variety.. It's also very cheap, which is always good.

Edited March 21, 2010 by Austin

[BrianC]

There is also a Twin Bee that is a side scroller, not sure it would fit in your defined category. Something about a Bell adventure? This is only some of them that I am sure about. I've played these before.

 

Provided the Twin Bee side-scroller is still a classic shooter in the R-Type or Gradius sense, then yes, it qualifies.

 

Twin Bee Rainbow Bell Adventure is a platformer, not a shmup, so it doesn't qualify.

 

So the Japanese list thus-far:

 

Acrobat Mission

Cosmo Gang: The Video

Cotton 100%

Parodius (need to look up individual releases, if other platforms are any indication, there are probably multiples)

Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie

Pop'n Twin Bee

 

I know there are most-likely some Dezaemon (Shooter-maker) games for the SNES.. I suppose that would count, but we'll set those aside for now.

 

Cosmo Gang the Video is a Galaga '88-esqe single screen shooter, so I don't know if you would count that one. There are three Parodius games on SNES, Parodius/Parodius Da!!, Gokujou Parodius, and Jikkyou Oshaberi Parodius. The first SNES Parodius and Pop 'n Twinbee also got European releases.

 

It's worth mentioning that the JP versions of Imperium, Super Aleste (Space Megaforce), and Biometal have some differences from their US counterparts. Biometal has a different soundtrack, Super Aleste has more cutscenes, and Imperium (called something Dion in Japan) has some different graphics and music.

 

There is a Dezaemon on SNES. It definitely counts and even has its own pre-programmed shmup with it (called something like Daioh Gale, I think). As for other releases, there's Hudson Soft's Caravan Collection, though it's ports of three NES games, Star Force, Star Soldier, and Hector '87 (Starship Hector), so I don't know if it counts.

 

Even though it seems to be pretty much the same as Super Nova, it's worth mentioning that the Japanese name of the game is Darius Force (not to be confused with the completely unrelated D-Force), so it's in the long line of Darius games.

Edited March 21, 2010 by BrianC

[in the dark]

I have R-Type III complete. Picked it up years ago as a sell out. I am thinking I got it for around $19. And Firepower 2000 is an old favorite. Just not as well liked as the ones that I have listed. I do not have a Wii so the VC is not a choice for me. I personally would rather have hard copies, something that I can hold in my hands. Original hardware is one of my quirks. A lot of the ones that I have was purchased new. Only now do I have a desire to have all of the SNES shooters. Some of the ones that I need that are on your list are,

Aero Fighters

D-Force

S.T.G. Strike Gunner

Imperium

Super E.D.F.

U.N. Squadron

 

[mbd30]

Starfox?

[BrianC]

deleted, Aero Fighters was mentioned in an earlier post.

Edited March 22, 2010 by BrianC

[ECWfan]

There is also Caravan Shooting Collection for the Super Famicom.