Tag Archives: shoot em up

Caliber .50, Arcade

Caliber .50 is an obscure arcade shooter from SETA Corporation, first released in 1989.

It can be played single or simultaneous two-player and is arguably better than the legendary Ikari Warriors. Caliber .50 is like Commando on steroids…

Continue reading Caliber .50, Arcade

Aleste, MSX

I’m not a hundred percent sure if the MSX2 version of Aleste was released before the Sega Master System version or not. There are conflicting reports.

What is almost certainly true, though, is that they were both developed side-by-side in 1987 and released in Japan in 1988.

Continue reading Aleste, MSX

Aleste, Sega Master System

Japanese developer Compile – who made Aleste – has a history of producing classic shoot ’em ups. This one was released for the Sega Master System in 1988.

Continue reading Aleste, Sega Master System

Wings, Amiga

One of Cinemaware‘s last games, Wings was released in 1990 to critical acclaim.

It’s a First World War-based scenario, with you piloting a biplane over German lines, dogfighting enemy fighters and bombing positions on the ground.

Continue reading Wings, Amiga

S.D.I., Amiga

S.D.I. (Strategic Defence Initiative) is a 1986 release from legendary American games company Cinemaware.

Set in a Cold War type scenario, S.D.I. pits East against West in a fight for dominance in space.

Continue reading S.D.I., Amiga

Rocket Ranger, Amiga

Cinemaware‘s Rocket Ranger was first released in 1988 to much critical acclaim.

The game follows the format of most Cinemaware games, with cut scenes interspersed between planning screens and action screens.

Continue reading Rocket Ranger, Amiga

Zone of the Enders, PlayStation 2

Zone of the Enders is a 3D combat game based on the concept of ‘Mecha’ (big, Japanese robots). It was published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001.

Continue reading Zone of the Enders, PlayStation 2

Deathsmiles, Arcade

Deathsmiles is an infamous (and much-loved) 2007 shooter from Cave – a Japanese company known for its relatively innovative and leftfield output. Cave shooters are ‘Bullet Hell’ in overdrive…

Continue reading Deathsmiles, Arcade

Dark Chambers, Atari 8-bit

Dark Chambers is an overhead maze shooter in the style of Gauntlet. That said: it is actually a direct descendent of Dandy – another overhead maze game written by John Howard Palevich and also an influence on the design of Gauntlet.

Continue reading Dark Chambers, Atari 8-bit

Dandy, Atari 8-bit

Dandy is an overhead maze shooter for up to four players, created by John Palevich for the Atari Program Exchange in 1983. It is the precursor to Gauntlet, Dark Chambers, and a whole host of other games.

Continue reading Dandy, Atari 8-bit