Electronic Gaming Monthly's Top 10 Shoot 'Em Ups

Gate of Thunder & Lords of Thunder (TurboGrafx)

#10

If this were a countdown ranking the greatest shoot 'em up soundtracks of all time, then Gate of Thunder and Lords of Thunder would be right there at the top of the list. Both of these early-90s TurboDuo classics are known for their rockin' soundtracks, featuring some of the slickest metal licks you'll hear in any 16-bit game. But while their soundtracks may get most of the love and attention, let's not forget that Gate of Thunder and Lords of Thunder are also two great shooters that deserve their spot on this list. And with both earning an average score of 8.5 out of 10 from Electronic Gaming Monthly, that's exactly what they'll get -- one spot on the list that they can share.

Let's start with Gate of Thunder, which Martin called "without a doubt, one of the best shooters that I've played in a long time." He loved the phenomenal graphics, the huge bosses, near-perfect gameplay and, of course, the incredible music. Although Steve gave it a slightly lower score, he still raved that "Gate of Thunder marks a milestone for the Turbo. This is the first disc game that is all-out fun from start to finish." I guess he forgot how great Ys Book I & II was on the TurboGrafx-CD.

The 1993 follow-up, Lords of Thunder, was also a big hit with the Review Crew, who ended up awarding it the Game of the Month. Sushi-X summed it up perfectly: "Killer tunes? Sharp graphics? Tight gameplay? You want it, you got it! Lords of Thunder literally rocks you to your knees with its pounding bass and guitar rhythm." Martin liked it a bit less than Gate of Thunder, complaining that the gameplay isn't quite as good as the first game. Still, he raved about the slick tunes, incredible graphics and big, nasty bosses, ultimately concluding that "cool cinemas and spectacular sights and sounds make this a winner." With both Gate of Thunder and Lords of Thunder averaging an impressive 8.5 out of 10, it's up to you to decide which shooter comes out on top.

Tempest 2000 (Jaguar)

#9

Say what you will about Atari's doomed 64-bit console, but at least the Jaguar had Tempest 2000. While others debate the quality of Alien vs. Predator or Cybermorph, I think we can all agree that Tempest 2000 was both an incredible shoot 'em up and a killer revamp of the classic arcade game. In fact, the game was so good that it's one of the few shooters on this list to get a perfect 10 out of 10 from one of the editors. Ed called it "the type of game I want to see on the Jag! What really makes the game perfect is that it is new. I am very tired of the me-too type games and nothing done on any system to date eve comes close to Tempest."

While Dayton wasn't ready to give it a perfect score, he did argue that "Tempest 2000 is an excellent game" and "a good ole dose of nostalgia." "It's got gobs of power-ups, tough enemies and the exotic bonus stages will keep you drooping. The only thing missing is the roller coaster." Hell, even Al, who gave Tempest 2000 the lowest score of the bunch, called it "my favorite game for the Jaguar so far." The truth is, Al's score is likely the only reason this game showed up this low on the list. With an average score of 8.5 out of 10, Tempest 2000 earns a spot as EGM's ninth best shoot 'em up of all time.

Space Invaders Extreme (PSP & DS)

#8

While most of the shoot 'em ups we're going to talk about today are from the 1990s, there is one big exception -- Space Invaders Extreme. This instant classic came out on the PSP and Nintendo DS in 2008, not only making it the only game on the list to be released in the 21st century, but also the newest game by a full decade. And I don't know about you, but if there's one shooter I want to represent the new millennium, Space Invaders Extreme is definitely that game. It's a phenomenal shoot 'em up that expertly reinvented one of the genre's most celebrated forefathers.

Shane gave the game an A-, praising it for keeping "the series' time-tested gameplay" and "adding a few clever twists and a funky coat of post-modern paint. These additions aren't necessarily shocking, but the immense variety and unpredictability should put even seasoned coin-op veterans on edge." G. Ford called it a "tight package," but complained that it's "a little too brief." And what was the game's real success? "The robotic yet slightly sexy disembodied voice." With Shane's A- and two B+ scores from Ray and G. Ford, Space Invaders Extreme lands at the number 8 position.

Space Megaforce (Super NES)

#7

When I set out to crunch the numbers and make this list, there were a few games and franchises I knew would show up. Lords of Thunder, Tempest 2000 and Space Invaders Extreme were all no-brainers, same with a few we have yet to reveal. But what about Space Megaforce? That's not one I would have thought of. Not because it's not a great shoot 'em up deserving of being on this list, but rather because it rarely gets brought up when talking about the genre's best.

Looking back on the reviews from 1992, it's clear that the editors were worried that this top-tier shooter might get lost in the shuffle. Just look at Ed, who started his review by noting that "without a doubt, this sleeper of a cart is the best shooter ever made for any home system to date!" That's high praise. Sushi-X also loved the game, calling it "awesome" and saying that it's "THE shooter to look forward to in 1992. Kicking music compliments this high-powered shoot 'em up. Big bosses light up the screen, and incredible power-ups are to be found everywhere. Schwinggggg!" Oh, yeah, I guess I should probably mention that Sushi-X would occasionally quote Wayne's World. A lot of video game critics did back in the early 1990s. Let's just focus on the fact that the surprising Space Megaforce comes in at number seven with an average score of 8.75 out of 10.

G Darius (PlayStation)

#6

While Darius was never as popular as R-Type and Gradius, I would argue that it was ever bit as iconic as those classic shoot 'em ups. Even if you've never played the gorgeous widescreen arcade cabinet or one of the many console ports, I have a hunch that you'll still recognize the cool boss designs and fishy theme. But despite the memorable art style and action-packed sequels, it took ten years and six installments before Electronic Gaming Monthly finally fell in love with this series.

As it turns out, there's a really good reason for this. After calling G Darius "the best U.S. 32-bit shooter to date," Dan explained that "the game is truly revolutionary, letting you capture mid-bosses (and using Street Fighter-style moves to pull out their special attacks) or making you play giant-beam tug-of-war with the larger-than-life bosses." John also liked it, explaining that "G Darius is a perfect example of exactly the right way to bring an old school 2D shooter into a 3D environment. Behind all the flash (and believe me, there's a ton of it), lies a very well thought-out gameplay system that has all the elements of a great shooter." Everybody loved the bosses, special powers and music. And while a few complained about the occasional slowdowns, it wasn't enough to keep G Darius from averaging an impressive 8.75 out of 10.

Axelay (Super NES)

#5

When the Super NES launched in 1991, shoot 'em up fans were largely disappointed in the early selection. While games like Super R-Type and Gradius III were met with positive reviews, they did little to take advantage of the system's advanced hardware. All this changed with the release of Axelay in 1992. By using the Mode 7 effects and the system's large color palette, this Konami classic is considered by most to be the Super Nintendo's first truly impressive shooter, and one look the fire boss is all you need to understand why.

Ed was floored by this technical feat: "Wow! This is the game that all shooter fans will want to have. Spectacular, and I mean SPECTACULAR, Mode 7 effects, along with HUGE intimidating bosses. The graphics are about the best the Super NES can do and there's no trace of slowdown." Sushi-X also liked the game, calling it "the most innovative shooter I've seen since Gaiares." That said, he gave the game the lowest score, noting that "the scaling is a little choppy." Still, he concluded that "if you like shooters, then Axelay is a must." While some may argue that the game hasn't aged particularly well in the last thirty years, that's not going to keep it from coming in fifth place with an average score of 8.75 out of 10.

Star Fox (Super NES)

#4

While Axelay helped to push the boundaries in 1992, it was the release of Star Fox one year later that truly gave us a glimpse of what a next-generation shoot 'em up could look like. Using the Super Nintendo's Mode 7 capabilities and a new Super FX chip to simulate 3D graphics, this was a sea change for the shoot 'em up genre. All four editors were blown away by the experience, but I think Steve makes an interesting point that still holds true: "Like most games from Nintendo, Star Fox boasts more than just great imagery and brilliant sounds, it also has incredible depth of play that extends from the first mission to the final battles."

Sushi-X was also impressed, raving that "this type of action has thus far been restricted to the arcade genre, but with astounding success, Star Fox has brought that feel home." He loved the "top-notch gameplay" that is "topped off with fairly smooth transitional graphics" and proclaimed that he "can't wait for the sequel." I have some bad news for Sush, but first we need to talk about this 8 out of 10 score from Ed. While he was impressed by the effects and challenging missions, he was disappointed with the visuals. He mentions multiple times that "the only drawback was the plain graphics." He was looking for a little more detail in the polygons. His score ends up bringing the average down to 8.75 out of 10, which is good enough for a fourth-place finish.

Gaiares (Genesis)

#3

Before there was Axelay, Star Fox or even Space Megaforce, the go-to shoot 'em up was a game called Thunder Force III. This was the title that all other shooters were compared to, with most falling way short of that high-water mark. However, there was one game that managed to steal attention away from the mighty Thunder Force. That game was Gaiares, an inventive side-scroller with an unusual name and a whole bunch of mind-boggling bosses.

As you might expect, all of the EGM editors were quick to compare the two shooters. Sushi-X told Thunder Force III to "move over!!!" "Once I started playing this game, I couldn't put it down. Few words can describe this shooter. Innovative power-ups, rockin' tunes, crisp graphics and the best end bosses ever." Martin echoed those thoughts, calling Gaiares "phenomenal." "8 Meg of incredible graphics put it in a league all its own. If you thought the lava in Thunder Force III was intense, wait till you see the hyperspace scene." Now, to be fair, EGM's critics admitted that Thunder Force III had better music and a few other things going for it, but as far as the Review Crew was concerned, Gaiares was the new standard for shoot 'em ups. That is why it manages to land at third place with an average score of 8.75 out of 10.

Star Fox 64 (Nintendo 64)

#2

1997 was a big year for the Nintendo 64. Over the course of only a few months, Nintendo and their third-parties managed to not only release San Francisco Rush, Blast Corps, Mario Kart 64, Turok, Shadows of the Empire, Diddy Kong Racing and the mighty GoldenEye 007, but they also gave us the second-best reviewed shoot 'em up of all time -- Star Fox 64. Released four years after the mind-blowing original, this long overdue sequel may have been overshadowed by James Bond and Mario Kart, but you wouldn't know it based on the reviews. As far as EGM was concerned, this was another home run.

Shawn used his review to posit an interesting theory he had been batting around: "I'm starting to see a pattern with games released by Nintendo for the N64 -- a nice pattern. Star Fox 64 is close to the best N64 game I've played thus far -- almost as good as Mario 64. Why? Simply because Star Fox 64 not only has the same awesome control and play the original had, but also adds so many things that make this version so much better." Sushi-X also loved the game, but was a little mixed on the battle mode. And that's not all: "The other disappointment was the inability to play with others in the Normal Mode. Sorry, everyone, that's for one player only." Other critics complained about the short length and occasionally annoying camera perspective. But even with these problems, all four editors agreed that Star Fox 64 is better than the original and gave it an average score of 9.1 out of 10.

Einhander (PlayStation)

#1

By the end of the 1990s, 2D shooters felt like a distant memory. While we may have started the decade arguing Gaiares vs. Thunder Force, we ended it with classic shoot 'em ups taking a backseat to 3D fighters, cinematic adventures and, of course, sneaky stealth missions. But while Metal Gear Solid and Tekken may have been taking up most of the oxygen, there was one PlayStation shooter that definitively proved that the genre still had a little life left in it. That game is Einhander, and it's Electronic Gaming Monthly's best reviewed shoot 'em up of all time.

Looking back at the reviews, I'm impressed by how many good reasons EGM comes up with for loving Einhander. Crispin gushes over the cunning design that forces players to use strategy, as well as the cool power-ups, spectacular bosses and satisfying length. Dan, on the other hand, focused on the great graphics, that take 2D shooters to a whole new level. "Einhander shows just how well mixing polygonal graphics in with 2D gameplay can work." And then there's Kraig, who loved the game for all the reasons we've already mentioned, as well as raving about the ingenious gameplay: "You can use your grappling arm to pick and choose from the enemy's weapons and use them for your own purposes. And trust me, you'll need as many as you can get." Kraig is one of three EGM editors to conclude that Einhander is the best shoot 'em up since R-Type, a franchise that failed to crack the top ten. Weird.

In case you're wondering, EGM would go on to review only 48 more shoot 'em ups after Einhander. That's 48 games spread across eleven years and 130 issues, and at no point were any of them able to top an average score of 9.25 out of 10. And that is why Einhander is not only a high-water mark for the genre, but also Electronic Gaming Monthly's best reviewed shoot 'em up.