Shoot 'em up
Ongoing coverage on Shoot 'em up.
Latest coverage
Cauldron Scare Attack - A PC Shoot em up inspired by 8bit classic Cauldron
Sunteam has released Cauldron Scare Attack, a new PC shoot 'em up inspired by the classic 8-bit games Cauldron and Cauldron II. The Halloween-themed game features The Hag battling King Punglekin's monsters using magic and collecting power-ups.
Cho Ren Sha - A X68000 Shoot 'em up arrives on the Amiga and it's impressive!
The 1995 Sharp X68000 vertical shoot 'em up Cho Ren Sha 68k has received an unofficial port to the Commodore Amiga, developed by apolkosnik. This port runs the original game code directly on Amiga systems with a 68020 CPU or higher, emulating the X68000's hardware and supporting AGA or RTG graphics. Early feedback is positive, praising the game's performance and fidelity to the original's frame rate and audio.
Lifeforce - 1980's scrolling shooter by Konami for arcades gets an Amiga port via TjLaZer
The 1986 Konami arcade game Life Force has received a new homebrew port for the Commodore Amiga, developed by TjLaZer. This adaptation for AGA chipset Amigas, including the A1200 and A4000, features two-player cooperative play and both horizontal and vertical scrolling stages. The developer recommends specific hardware configurations for optimal performance.
PS5 Getting Surprise Remake of 90s PlayStation Action Game
A remake of the 1996 PlayStation action game Devil Blade is coming to PlayStation 5, developed by M2 and originally created by Shigatake Games. The vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up, which first received a PC release in 2024, earned an "Overwhelmingly Positive" user rating on Steam. Details regarding the console release date and full platform list are yet to be announced.
Psikyo Memories gets Nintendo Switch 2 release date, list of games
Edia has announced that Psikyo Memories will be released on Nintendo Switch on February 18, 2027. The collection includes twelve shoot 'em up titles, with physical and digital versions planned for Japan. A special edition featuring extra merchandise is also available.
Heliobane (Amiga) - An AI Shoot 'em up through Steam rebuilt for the Amiga 1200 by Coze
Heliobane, a vertical shoot 'em up originally developed for the Amiga 1200, has been rebuilt for the platform by Coze. This retro version is a rebuild of World 1 from the upcoming PC Steam game, featuring pilot Wren battling the parasitic Umbrine hive mind across five stages with upgradable weaponry. Standalone Amiga files and emulated versions for Windows, macOS, and Linux are available, with the full PC release planned for November 2026.
Defender (Williams) - 1980's scrolling shooter by Williams Electronics for arcades is getting an Acidbottle Amiga port
Developer Acidbottle is creating a new horizontal shoot 'em up for the Amiga, aiming to faithfully recreate the classic arcade game Defender. The project started in the Godot engine on PC and is now being translated to the Amiga using AI tools and the official arcade source code as reference. An early alpha build is available for testing on high-end Amiga setups.
VOID LANCER - A rather decent C64 Shoot 'em up from Snow-G
Void Lancer is a new biomechanical horizontal shoot 'em up for the Commodore 64, developed by Snow-G using 6502 assembly language with AI assistance. The game features six distinct stages inspired by H. R. Giger's art, a Gradius-style power-up system, precise hitboxes, and an original SID soundtrack. It also incorporates advanced techniques like a 32-sprite multiplexer and procedurally rendered graphics, along with challenging bosses and a fastloader.
Sturmjager announced for Nintendo Switch
Byteproduct announced that its new science-fiction shoot 'em up game, Sturmjager, will be released on Nintendo Switch on January 14, 2027. The game features ten action-packed levels, epic boss fights, local co-op, three game modes, and adjustable difficulty settings. It also includes a deep scoring system and an exclusive soundtrack by Rafael Dyll.
Xevious 3D/G is this week’s Arcade Archives game for Nintendo Switch 2
Hamster Corporation announced that Xevious 3D/G will be released digitally for the Nintendo Switch 2 on September 24, 2026. This reimagining of the classic shoot 'em up Xevious utilizes 3D polygons and includes new weapons and enemies. The Arcade Archives series faithfully reproduces classic arcade games with various convenient features and modes.
Space Trolls of Mahlsdorf - A fully-featured shoot ’em up for the ZX Spectrum by Papi & Sohn
Papi & Sohn have released Space Trolls of Mahlsdorf, a new shoot 'em up for the ZX Spectrum featuring co-op gameplay for up to three players. The game utilizes tools like Multi-Platform Arcade Game Designer and Shmupkit, offering distinct ship types and a challenging campaign.
Edia announces Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes 1 & 2 for Nintendo Switch, Psikyo Memories and Toshinden Collection for Switch 2
Edia has announced the upcoming release of several classic game collections for the Nintendo Switch, including Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes 1 & 2, Psikyo Memories, and Toshinden Collection. These titles, originally from PC Engine, PlayStation, and arcades, are slated for a worldwide release in 2027, aiming to bring retro gaming experiences to modern platforms.
ChromaBlast - A new AI vertical scrolling shoot 'em up for Amiga OCS/ECS and AGA! (BETA)
Developer GuruVision has released a beta demo for ChromaBlast, a new vertical scrolling shoot 'em up for the Commodore Amiga OCS/ECS and AGA platforms. Developed with AI assistance from Claude AI and featuring custom assembly and C code, the game challenges players to fight the "Grey Armada" across five levels with a combo-driven evolution system. The project, led by Michele Ferrigno, aims for high-performance, OS-independent gameplay.
Toaplan Arcade Garage: Flying Fire Shark Review – How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb
This review covers Toaplan Arcade Garage: Flying Fire Shark, a collection featuring the shoot 'em up classics Flying Shark and Fire Shark, along with their international variants. Developed by M2, the collection offers extensive customization options and faithfully preserves the original arcade experiences. While Flying Shark felt somewhat underwhelming compared to its sequel, the "Super Easy Mode" provides an accessible entry point for newcomers, and the overall package is praised for its excellent soundtrack and M2's meticulous attention to detail in preserving these retro titles.
24 years later, one of the most influential Japanese games of all time becomes one of the highest-rated Steam games of…
Touhou Koumakyou: New Classic, a polished version of the influential 1998 bullet hell game, has launched on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. The game has achieved a 98% positive rating from nearly 3,000 user reviews, making it one of the highest-rated Steam releases of the year. Developed by Alliance Arts and featuring remade music and graphics by original creator ZUN, the game preserves the core experience of the original Touhou Project title.
Ravenous Greed Is a Game Boy-Era Platformer with Multiple Arcade-Style Stages
Lillymo Games has announced Ravenous Greed, a new Game Boy-inspired retro platformer set to release in early 2027 for PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC. The game features a unique premise where players control a hero cursed into a raven's body, tasked with gathering riches to regain human form. Ravenous Greed blends traditional platforming with various arcade-style mini-games including shoot 'em up, rhythm, skateboarding, and cooking.
Razing Core - A Vertical Shoot 'Em Up for the Sega Master System that's well worth checking out
The eagerly awaited shoot 'em up Razing Core, developed by Badcomputer with music by Lovepenguin, has been released for the Sega Master System. The game pushes the console's limits with fast-paced gameplay, smooth 60fps scrolling, and impressive sprite counts, featuring seven stages, massive bosses, and weapon upgrades.
Moonbringer Is A Tiny Twin-Stick-Style Blast Of Roguelite Mayhem
Moonbringer, a twin-stick style shoot 'em up with roguelite progression, has launched on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with Play Anywhere support. Priced at £4.19, the game features auto-firing ships, three worlds to conquer, and a skill tree for persistent upgrades.
Ravenous Greed announced for Nintendo Switch
Ravenous Greed, a new title from Lillymo Games, has been announced for Nintendo Switch with an early 2027 release window. The game blends platforming, shoot 'em up, and rhythm gameplay with a Game Boy-inspired aesthetic and soundtrack. It is designed to be more approachable than the studio's previous titles, featuring no game overs and a focus on continuous progression.
Ravenous Greed is all around us as Lillymo Games unveils Game Boy-inspired Green Series
Lillymo Games has announced the Green Series, a new collection of Game Boy-inspired releases that will reimagine existing and new intellectual properties. The series will debut with Ravenous Greed, a genre-hopping action game featuring platforming, shoot 'em up, and rhythm mechanics, scheduled for PC and consoles in early 2027. This initiative aims to capture the restrictive visual style of Nintendo's original handheld.
