After adding a console to your collection, the first thing you want to do is get a handful of games to keep you busy with your new toy.  This budget-friendly list should help you quickly find which games will start you off well without emptying your wallet.

This is my third revision of this particular list, with two to three years in between each revision.  Each revision has allowed me to also expand out the list based on my own experience and recommendations from others.   A couple years ago, I was seeing the Zelda titles and some other popular franchises go out of reach for $10 for even a bare cart.  A few years later, even the super-common Mario carts are out of reach of the cheapskate most of the time.   The NES collectors are ramping up their collections which makes it more of a challenge to build ours on the cheap.  On the bright side, the increased restrictions on price have made me focus more on some of the hidden gems on the the NES that many gamers aren’t really aware of.

The prices listed below are for cart-only games, as it is getting much more challenging (and expensive) to track down boxed NES games.  Prices listed are an average eBay and Amazon price for US games, including shipping.    I also take my experiences with independent retro game stores that I have visited.

Prices Current as of June 2013
Check out the other Cheapest Games Worth Your Time articles

Cheap Classics

	Super Mario Bros. & Duck Hunt: $10 Super Mario Bros. / Duck Hunt / World Class Track Meet:  $5 This has to be one of the most common game cartridges of all time. It is probably also one of the most loved cartridges of all time as well as it contains two essential NES classics. This game pack came with nearly every NES sold and use game stores were quickly littered with a number of copies. It used to be if you were buying this online, you are essentially paying for only the shipping.   However, nostalgic gamers (now armed with NES clones) are starting to scoop these up and raise prices. Shop For Super Mario Bros. & Duck Hunt at eBay Shop For Super Mario Bros. & Duck Hunt at Amazon.com
	Punch-Out: $10 Even though the gameplay is rather simplistic (but challenging) combination of pattern recognition, memorization, and quick reflexes, Punch-Out remains a iconic classic that is still loved decades after its release. We used to have the “Mike Tyson’s” version listed in this slot, but that one has exceeded the $10 mark. Shop For Punch-Out at eBay Shop For Punch-Out at Amazon.com
	Blaster Master: $9 Blaster Master was a wonderful hybrid of side-scrolling action and overhead Zelda-like exploration. If you want a good gaming value that takes a step out of the most famous Nintendo games, Blaster Master is highly recommended. Shop For Blaster Master at eBay Shop For Blaster Master at Amazon.com
	Bionic Commando: $7 If you need an action platformer that thinks outside the Metroid/Castlevania/Megaman formulas, check out Capcom’s wonderful Bionic Commando. You have a bionic arm that extends and contracts that allows you to grab on to fixed objects to swing around and climb up levels. This will become obviously valuable when you realize you can’t jump.   This classic has stayed very stable in the lower end of the price spectrum despite having a sucessful reboot on modern systems. Shop For Bionic Commando at eBay Shop For Bionic Commando at Amazon.com
	Crystalis: $9 In SNK’s Crystalis, the mechanics and story are best described as the precursor of SNES’s Zelda:A Link to the Past. Despite its high graphical and gameplay quality, Crystalis never became a runaway hit, although it is considered today a cult classic. Shop For Crystalis at eBay Shop For Crystalis at Amazon.com
	Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers: $9 Rescue Rangers is probably one of my favorite NES hidden gems — mainly because of how much of an absolute joy it is to play with a friend.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s still an excellent value as a single-player platformer, but you will have a riot with the co-op experience. Shop For Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers at eBay Shop For Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers at Amazon.com
	Excitebike: $7 A perfect example of a simplistic game that actually requires some skill and strategy to really excel. Excitebike is one of the few 8-bit racers to still be especially relevant today. Shop For Excitebike at eBay Shop For Excitebike at Amazon.com
	RC Pro Am: $5 Speaking of relevant 8-bit racers, RC Pro-Am would definately fall into that category as well. Rareware’s classic racer is full of vehicle upgrades, weapons, and all sorts of goodies that keep things entertaining. The animation is also quite impressive for the era. Shop For RC Pro Am at eBay Shop For RC Pro Am at Amazon.com
	Ninja Gaiden: $10 Just like the newer installments, the original will school you with its high difficulty.  As opposed to most action titles filled with repetitive action with very little motivation to keep you going, Ninja Gaiden keeps you going with its deep story and amazing cutscenes. It is a wonderful example of what is possible with the limited resources of an 8-bit system if given the proper artistic direction. And even though the series is still very popular, there’s plenty of Ninja Gaiden carts to go around. Shop For Ninja Gaiden at eBay Shop For Ninja Gaiden at Amazon.com
	A Boy And His Blob: $5 If you’re looking for an interesting gem that is something out of the ordinary, enjoy treasure-hunting and puzzle-solving elements, I would be on the lookout for A Boy And His Blob.  The recent love of the Wii sequel is also another reminder that this franchises worth looking into. Shop For A Boy And His Blob at eBay Shop For A Boy And His Blob at Amazon.com
	Tetris: $5 The grand-daddy of puzzle games in one of it’s purest forms. It may have been experienced more on the original Gameboy, but for a few dollars, you can’t go wrong with the NES version if you are building a collection. Shop For Tetris at eBay Shop For Tetris at Amazon.com
	Castlevania II Simon’s Quest: $8 Much like Metroid, the Castlevania series is one of the deepest franchises to start on the NES. It is also one of the few to still have a long legacy of 2D descendants that still have showed up on modern gaming machines. Up until recently, you could score a cartridge of all three in the series for $10 or less.  However, the second installment, Simon’s Quest, is the only one that is still relatively easy to find on the cheap. Shop For The Castlevania Series at eBay Shop For The Castlevania Series at Amazon.com
	Adventures of Lolo: $5 There were a lot of great action puzzle games like Bubble Bobble, Bomberman, and Snow Bros.   Not that all those are getting a bit more pricey, Adventures of Lolo is one of the really good puzzlers that are still cheap.    Lolo is a charming adventure of solving room puzzles to progress through a castle.  To give you added context, Lolo is developed by HAL Laboratory — the same studio that is behind the Kirby and Smash Bros. series Shop For Adventures of Lolo at eBay Shop For Adventures of Lolo at Amazon.com
	Gradius: $6 If you are remotely familiar with 2D shmups, you are probably familiar with Gradius.  If you’re an NES owner and are interested in dipping your toe into the genre, this revolutionary shmup from Konami  is a great place to start.   The NES version actually help up relatively well to the arcade version .   Any shmupper worth his salt is familiar with the ever-rough-and-ready “Vic Viper”  player craft (so named for its twin frontal prongs and trailing “option” helpers, meant to mimic the fangs and coils of a snake), and instinctively aims for that small central weak point to blast open the shiny crystal “core” whenever a big baddie comes out to play. Other squeal-inducing highlights for fans include ring-spitting “Moai” (Easter Island) statue heads, rapid-scrolling “speed stages”, non-stop “boss rush” encounters against several major enemies in a row, and the “power-up bar” at the bottom of the screen, which allows players to “cash in” generic collectibles for a buffet line of upgrades in any order they choose. Shop For Gradius at eBay Shop For Gradius at Amazon.com
	Life Force (Salamander):  $7 The legendary success of the “named” Gradius games, however, doesn’t fully capture the wider scale of their influence: even if you don’t venture beyond the borders of the shooting genre, not only have outside developers lifted the usual bits and pieces for their own use, but Konami themselves have frequently seen fit to conjure up a slew of spinoffs and tributes to meet demand. Gradius’ closest cousin is the Salamander series, which redeploys the Vic Viper against a different horde of enemies, adds vertical-scrolling levels, and ditches the power-up bar for a more traditional setup Shop For Life Force at eBay Shop For Life Force at Amazon.com
	Zanac: $6 Side-scrolling shooters were just starting to mature in the 8-bit era and Zanac on the NES is one of the best examples of more complex shooting gameplay in the dawn of console gaming.  Developed by shmup powerhouse, Compile, Zanac eschews the usual wave-after-wave of enemy patterns. Instead, Zanac has an artificial intelligence that throws different kinds of enemies at you, depending on what weapon you are using. The result is one of the most innovative brand of shooters out there, as it’s always forcing you to adapt to different situations.  Zanac has an extremely visually repetitive look, given that this is one of the earlier NES titles and was a port of an MSX1 game, but the AI keeps every game at least somewhat fresh, so it’s still an amazing challenge. Shop For Zanac at eBay Shop For Zanac at Amazon.com
	Abadox: $5 It’s getting harder to find obscure shmups at a reasonable price and good quality, but this one is still obscure enought to get on the NES under a tenner.  Developed by Natsume and published stateside by none other than board game company Milton Bradley The game takes a page from Konami’s book, but instead of Gradius chooses to follow in the slimier footsteps of its organic offshoot, Salamander. Prepare yourself for lots of creepy pulsating walls, horizontally- and vertically-scrolling stages, and a stiff challenge that would do the original designers (if not their lawyers) proud. Shop For Abadox at eBay Shop For Abadox at Amazon.com
	Nightshade:  $9 If you’re looking for a Hidden Gem in the adventure genre, Nightshade is a great one to look into.  The game’s bizzare storyline will keep you guessing what is arround the corner.   Considering the limitations of the NES, Nightshade creates a great graphical adventure experience with your standard  use/move/talk/fight/etc actions with a relatively intuitive interface. Shop For Nightshade at eBay
	Street Fighter 2010 For the longest time, this game got a bad rap as a weird entry in the “Street Fighter” series.  If you throw away any preconcieved notions of the title, you will find that this little gem is quite a decent fighting platformer that offers a entertaining and inexpensive alternative to the likes of Battletoads, Double Dragon, or Final Fight.   If you enjoy action platformers like Mega Man and Bionic Commando, you might actually feel at home here.   Street Fighter 2010 will also feed your desire for great boss battles instead of lots of filler. Shop For Street Fighter 2010 at eBay Shop For Street Fighter 2010 at Amazon.com
	Little Nemo: The Dream Master: $6 Here is another gem of a platformer from Capcom.  This sidescroller focuses on puzzle-solving and collecting a certain number of keys in a level to proceed.   As you progress, you also get to obtain different powers from the animals you encounter — many of which are necessary for you to succeed in the game.  It isn’t as straightforward as many other platformers in the era and can be quite challenging at times.  If this sounds like your type of game, you should jump on this value. Shop For Little Nemo: The Dream Master at eBay Shop For Little Nemo: The Dream Master at Amazon.com
	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game: $9 Granted, this is far from the ideal port of the arcade classic, but for some, there are a number of cool aspects about having the NES port.  Some may have spent a handful of their younger years with this cart, but it is also cool to see arcade games shrunk down effectively to lesser hardware. Shop For Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game at eBay Shop For Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game at Amazon.com
	Yoshi: $6 There were a handful of puzzle games released in the wake of Tetris’ popularity and despite using a popular new Mario character, Yoshi was often overlooked as a quality puzzle game.  Personally, I spent quite a good deal of time with the Game Boy version, but the NES cart is a great title to pick up on the cheap if you want a brain teaser that focuses on quick thinking on later levels. Shop For Yoshi at eBay Shop For Yoshi at Amazon.com

Other Cheap Favorites

• Marble Madness: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Smash TV: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Road Blasters: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Dr Mario: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Gauntlet:  $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Cobra Triangle:  $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Section Z – $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Double Dragon II: $9  – eBay / Amazon.com
• Strider: $7  – eBay / Amazon.com
• Solat Jetman: $4   – eBay / Amazon.com
• Rolling Thunder: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Dragon Warrior: $6 – eBay
• Tetris 2 – $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Metal Gear: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Tecmo Bowl: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Paperboy: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Star Soldier: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• 1943: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Sky Shark: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Mafat Conspiracy: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Golgo 13: $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• The Adventures of Bayou Billy: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Yoshi Cookie: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Rampage: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Skate or Die: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com

Nintendo game libraries are always filled with all sorts of collectibles.  Between the cult following of the corporate brand and the fact the platforms have played underdogs at times (especially the Gamecube), it’s not a surprise that there are some treasures to be found in the Nintendo library.

Update: Prices Current As of 05/22/2013

In stark contrast to the Cheapest Games series, this Rare & Valuable series will round up the rarest and most valuable games for a given console or handheld so you’ll know what to look for whether you are buying or selling. Below you will see two prices beside each title. The first is the average daily selling price, which is typically the going rate for the game by itself. The second price is the highest price in the past three months which is usually the price for the new/sealed game. The list is ordered by the balance of the two prices. Note that some of these games are not rare in the sense that there are not many available, but rare relative to demand, which makes the games expensive.

Over the last few years we’ve seen certain titles rise out from under the radar to become big collectors pieces.  We have also seen the values of completed copies rise quite nicely.  If you have had a nice library for some time, you should see some nice increases in overall value, but if you’re just getting started, things are starting to get pricey.    Since we’re seen some fluctuations,  I’ve kept in some of the past values from previous revisions so you can see the changes and we have some historical reference.

Treasured Standard USA Releases

	Fire Emblem Path of Radiance: $77 – $150 2011 Value: $34 – $77 This challenging strategy series finally made its way out of Japan on the GBA and Gamecube and built a small but loyal following in the States.  The second Gamecube installment was released in rather small quantities as the Gamecube was on its final legs.   Since this release, we have seen a growing popularity in the series in the States, causing the value of this release to skyrocket in recent years. Check for Fire Emblem Path of Radiance on Amazon Check for Fire Emblem Path of Radiance on eBay
	Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2 Plus: $75 – $154 2011 Value: $55 – $130 After an ambitious attept to make the Dreamcast the next-gen console for online gameplay, Sega brought its MMOPRG to the Gamecube.   You will find the original release of PSO 1&2 a bit lower on this list, but Phantasy Star Online Plus is a re-release that fixed a few bugs in the intial release and added a few extra areas. The game primarily sold poorly since the Gamecube’s online community was so poor and most dedicated fans bought the original release. Check for Phantasy Star Online Plus on Amazon Check for Phantasy Star Online Plus on eBay
	Skies of Arcadia Legends: $66 – $137 2011 Value: $27 – $63 RPGs seem to be a common genre in recent years in the lists of valuable games.  Skies of Arcadia was originally one of the few great RPGs on the Dreamcast, but this enhanced version eventually came to the Gamecube as well.  Both consoles ended up being commercial disappointments, but that almost creates even more of a sense of collectibility for games like this.   Skies or Arcadia ended up being one of the fastest risers on this list — more than doubling its value in less than two years. Check for Skies of Arcadia Legends on Amazon Check for Skies of Arcadia Legends on eBay
	Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire – $65 – $183 2011 Value: $40 – $65 Pokemon Box isn’t a game but allows players to store and sort Pokemon from the Gameboy Advance Pokemon games. In the US the game was only sold at the Nintendo World store and online, which limited the sales. The European version was never sold in stores but available through the Nintendo of Europe loyalty program. Check for Pokemon Box on Amazon Check for Pokemon Box on eBay
	Metroid Prime / Wind Waker Combo:  $150 – $200 This Pack-In was exclusive to a special console bundle that was only available during the 2005 holiday season.   Unlike some pack-in games, it did have a full game case and there are still sealed copies out there.   I’ve heard many people pass by this release in used game store because it didn’t look especially attractive, but now it is quite the find. Check for Metroid Prime / Wind Waker Combo on Amazon Check for Metroid Prime / Wind Waker Combo on eBay
	NCAA College Basketball 2K3 – $65 – $110 2011 Value: $40 – $100 This is arguably the hardest retail Gamecube game to find in the wild. NCAA Basketball 2K3 is a college basketball game on the Gamecube so it wasn’t destined to sell very well. Sega helped seal the deal when they cancelled all 2K series games on the Gamecube and stopped this game in the middle of production. This is one of the few sports games to become rare and valuable on any system.  The collectability of the game was hyped quite a bit, but prices have been gradually falling as that has cooled down. Check for NCAA Basketball 2K3 on Amazon Check for NCAA Basketball 2K3 on eBay
	Mega Man X Collection:  $59 – $198 2011 Value:  $20 – $40 In retrospect, this one looked like a no-brainer to buy in the bargain bin.  It took a while to catch on with collectors, but the Mega Man X Collection has trippled in value over the last two years. Check for Mega Man X Collection on Amazon Check for Mega Man X Collection on eBay
	Phantasy Star Online Eps 1 & 2: $59 – $120 2011 Value: $50 – $85 Here’s the original version of the Gamecube port.  Most opened copies sell for just under the price of  the “Plus” version.  I don’t think most people even note the difference on eBay. Check for  Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2 on Amazon Check for  Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2 on eBay
	Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes: $52 – $300 2011 Value:  $39 – $61 Twin Snakes is a remake of the original Metal Gear Solid for PS1 and was co-developed by Silicon Knights and Konami. Development was overseen by Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima and Shigeru Miyamoto. Critics loved the game, but the remake didn’t sell as well as the original, as the target market wasn’t really the Gamecube crowd.   Values have jumped considerably for this titles — especially for a sealed copy. Check for Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes on Amazon Check for Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes on eBay
	The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: $54 – $320 2011 Value:  $29 – $40 I guess I shouldn’t find it too surprising that Zelda games are big collectors items, especially when it is a late release on a console.  However, I was a bit surprised that the Gamecube version held its value so well considering that the Wii version is so plentiful (and backwards compatibile on the WiiU).   However, with the increase in completist collectors, this relatively small release makes more sense in retrospect. Check for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on Amazon Check for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess on eBay
	Legend of Zelda Collectors Edition (4 Game Collection): $55 – $200 2011 Value $31 – $40 The Legend of Zelda: Collector’s Edition is a compilation of several installments from the Zelda series: The Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask.    In addition to this slick emulation-powered compliation the pack included a Wind Waker promotional video, The Legend of Zelda: A Retrospective, and a playable demo of The Wind Waker.   There were a handful of ways to get this pack for a limited time — check out ZeldaWiki for more info.   There is no denying this collection is pretty cool for a Zelda fan, even though there are many other ways to play these games.  But between being a Zelda collectable and a piece that didn’t even surface in the retail space, this is a great gem. Check for Legend of Zelda Collectors Edition on Amazon Check for Legend of Zelda Collectors Edition on eBay
	Pikmin 2: $52 – $106 2011 Value: $42 – $100 This is one I easily kick myself over.  I really wanted to get this one after playing the first installment in Shigeru Miyamoto’s wonderful take on the real-time strategy genre, but I figured I’d wait for the game to get cheaper.  That day never came.  Maybe someday? Check for Pikmin 2 on Amazon Check for Pikmin 2 on eBay
	Luigi’s Mansion (Black Label):  $45 – $500 This gem of a game faded into the background after the Gamecube launch and didn’t resurface much until after the console’s passing.  There is a renewed interest in the game after the announcement of the 3DS sequel.   The original Black Label release of the game is becoming a big collectors item — esepecially as a sealed copy. Check for Luigi’s Mansion on Amazon Check for Luigi’s Mansion on eBay
	Tales of Symphonia – $46 – $129 2011 Value: $30 – $54 The Tales series of RPGs from Namco are a popular staple in the genre and the Gamecube is the only console that recieved a North American release of this installments. Check for Tales of Symphonia on Amazon Check for Tales of Symphonia on eBay
	The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (Black Label) – $43 – $350 2011 Value: $20 – $90 The first major Zelda release on the Gamecube and also the biggest change in style to the franchise, Wind Waker was intially a quite affordable game as an aftermarket purchase.  However, after the dust had settled the original Black Label release is seeing an increasing level of demand. Check for The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on Amazon Check for The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on eBay
	Pokemon XD: $45 -  $120 This successor to Pokémon Colosseum came out in 2005, on the tail end of the Gamecube’s lifespan.  Between that fact and it being a Pokemon game, it isn’t hard to see why this title is squeeking into the top 20 of the list. Check for Pokemon XD on Amazon Check for Pokemon XD on eBay
	Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem: $45 – $100 2011 Value: $23 – $43 As both a Gamecube exclusive and a cult favorite, Eternal Darkness is growing as a collectors item.   This survival horror game from Silicon Knights is still commonly recommended to people who are building their Gamecube collections.   I wouldn’t be surprised if we see this one climb a bit higher (especially a sealed copy) if this remains a Gamecube exclusive for a few more years. Check for Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem on Amazon Check for Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem on eBay
	Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time / Master Quest: $41 – $130 2011 Value: $30 – $55 In some ways this release is a bit similar to the Zelda Collector’s Edition mentioned above.  This also contained an emulation-powered release of Ocarina of Time, but also “Master Quest”, which was which is a remix of sorts that is based on an Expansion to Ocarina of Time that was made for the Nintendo 64DD.   This release was given to a limited number of gamers that pre-ordered Wind Waker on the Gamecube. Check for Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time / Master Quest on Amazon Check for Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time / Master Quest on eBay
	Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix – $40 – $125 2011 Value:  $56 – $140 DDR Mario Mix is a regular DDR game with Mario characters, music, and art. It is the only US released DDR game on the Gamecube. Nintendo released the game in limited quantities for the 2005 Christmas season and it quickly sold out. In early 2006 Nintendo restocked shelves but quietly discontinued the game soon after.   This release was near the top of the Gamecube list a couple years ago, but interest has cooled while other games are just heating up as collectors items. Check for Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix on Amazon Check for Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix on eBay
	Super Smash Bros Melee (Black Label) – $39 –  $200 2011 Value:   $23 – $50 Of course, this game isn’t rare by any means, but popular games in a black label box (as opposed to the yellow Nintendo Choice (Greatest Hits) packaging is a bit of a collectors item. Check for Super Smash Bros Melee on Amazon Check for Super Smash Bros Melee on eBay

Japanese Imports

• Biohazard Collector’s Box: $200 – $300
• Pikimin 1 + 2 Set: $100 – $200

Additional Gamecube Games of Value

• Sonic Heroes / Super Monkey Ball Duo Pack: $49 -  $180
• Resident Evil Code: Veronica X: $42 – $90  (2011 Value: $37 – $60)
• Cubivore: $39 – $91  (2011 Value: $30 – $47)
• Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure:  $38 – $350
• Resident Evil – Pure Evil 2-Pack: $37 –   $370
• Pokemon Colosseum: $37 – $150
• Kirby Air Ride:  $36 –  $70
• Gotcha Force:  $37 – $70  (2011 Value $10- $23)
• Ikaruga: $35 – $110
• Digimon Rumble Arena 2:  $34 – $80
• Resident Evil 2:  $35  –   $71
• Killer 7:  $25 -   $70  (2011 Value $10 – $25)
• Baten Kaitos Origins $33 – $63 (2011 Value: $20 – $30)
• Resident Evil 3: $29 – $65

Rarest Games At Affordable Prices

Each of these games are quite hard to find, but routinely sell for $20 or less. If you are an collector and see a mint copy of any of these on eBay for a low price, you might want to snatch them up — you might not see them often and they could be a higher profile target down the line.

• Goblin Commander: $11 – $70
• Rave Master: $11 – $14
• Spirts & Spells: $12 – $14
• Worms 3D: $7 – $25

Related Posts:

• The Rarest & Most Valuable NES Games
• The Best Undiscovered Gamecube Games
• The Best Wii Games Under $20
• The Best XBox 360 Games Under $10

Presented by Ghegs

The Sony PlayStation was released in Japan on December 1994 and the 32-bit system brought with it much greater processing power than the previous console generation’s Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis could offer. With this, many genres could make the leap from 2D sprite-based games into 3D graphics and environment, better reflecting what the games were trying to portray.

Racing games in particular benefited from the new hardware immensely. While the SNES had titles like F-Zero and Super Mario Kart with a pseudo-3D appearance thanks to the Mode 7 mode and the Genesis had Virtua Racing (and later Virtua Racing Deluxe on the ill-fated 32X), the genre took a huge leap towards looking like the real thing visually at this point. But simply being able to drive a polygon car in a 3D environment wouldn’t have been enough, it was necessary to be able to control the car smoothly as well, and the digital nature of the d-pad simply could not provide it. Analogue controls were required. Sony’s own Dual Analog Controller, precursor to the now iconic DualShock, wasn’t released until April 1997, which means there was a gap of almost two and a half years when there were no first-party controllers suitable for racing games on the system. (There was the Sony PlayStation Analog Joystick that offered analogue controls, but due to its flight stick-like design it wasn’t exactly comfortable for playing racing games with and not many racing titles support the controller.)

The neGecon Controller (eBay / Amazon)

Namco was a supporter of the system from the start and released a port of their arcade racing game Ridge Racer as a launch title. They solved the controller issue by also developing and releasing a controller better suited for racing games – the neGcon. At first glance the neGcon can look quite ridiculous. The left and right sides of the controller are connected by a bulging swivel joint, and instead of the X and square buttons there are two red protruding buttons called I and II. L2, R2 and the select buttons have been removed completely.

The neQcon swiveled – photo by blakespot

The swivel joint is what makes the controller so ingenious. You can twist each half of the controller relative to each other, allowing for nearly 360 degrees of rotation. The I and II buttons are analogue and have about 7mm of travel to each of them. The left shoulder button is also analogue, though the right one isn’t. With these buttons steering, acceleration and braking could all be controlled to a degree unseen in home systems before. Even after the introduction of Sony’s own analogue pads, the neGcon was still technically supreme. Thanks to the controller’s shape, it can be gripped and twisted comfortably and it offered far more precise analogue controls compared to the DualShock’s analogue sticks, that had shorter throws and from which the controlling thumb could slip off easily. Also, DualShocks didn’t have analogue buttons to them until the DualShock 2 introduced in 2000 for the Playstation 2, and they have an uncomfortably short travel to them. The neGcon offered the benefits of a more realistic-looking steering wheel controller without the larger price and in a smaller, more portable shape. In fact, many of those wheels for the PS1 actually took advantage and pretended to be neGcons at a protocol level, which also meant they could be used with all the games supporting the controller. While the white neGcon was released in all regions, Japan received an additional, exclusive black neGcon in 1998. It is slightly smaller and the Start button is a triangle instead of a circle, but is otherwise pretty much the same thing. It is, however, considered much rarer.

Due to the neGcon’s special capabilities the games also have additional options for configuring the controls to the user’s liking. Setting the controller’s maximum turning degree and dead zone are featured in nearly every neGcon-compatible title and many also allow to set the analogue buttons’ maximum throw. Not all games are equally flexible about this, though. Some games allow the settings to be set freely to anything to user wanted, others merely provide a few predetermined settings to choose from.

controller in neutral position – photo by blakespot

The neGcon is not completely without problems – the I and II buttons have a surprisingly long throw to them, and you really have to push the buttons deep into their sockets to hit 100%. This can be circumvented by setting the buttons’ maximum throw to a more comfortable level and some games seem to do this automatically. And of course some games work just as fine, if not better, with digital acceleration and brake, Namco’s own Ridge Racer titles being good examples of this. It would have been nice if both the shoulder buttons were analogue, but apparently there wasn’t enough space inside the controller for the required hardware. And the crucial twist function will wear down over time, loosening the feel of it and reducing the precision available.

The exact number of neGcon-compatible games is not known, but somewhere around 100 is a rough estimate. As expected, most of these are racing games but there are some examples from other genres as well – most notably Namco’s Ace Combat and World Stadium series, the latter being a then-popular series of baseball games. It really is a testament to the controller’s capabilities that even Sony’s own flagship racing game series Gran Turismo supported it, as well as their Motor Toon Grand Prix games. In fact, to this day the neGcon might be the only specialized third-party controller, outside wheels, that is supported by first-party games.

Sadly, official support for the neGcon mostly ended with the PS1, even though the PS2 is fully compatible with it. The PS2 came bundled with the DualShock 2 and though the neGcon was still more precise of an analogue controller out of the two, its time was over. Steering wheel controllers were the more common and popular choice for racing games players, and Sony would not support the neGcon in their Gran Turismo games for the PS2. Namco’s PS2 launch title Ridge Racer V naturally supported the controller as did WipeOut Fusion two years later. In the end, the controller came a full circle – the last known game to officially support the neGcon is Namco’s namCollection for PS2, a collection of five of their PS1 games, published in 2005 exclusively in Japan. In that collection the original PS1 Ridge Racer plays just as smoothly with the neGcon as it did 11 years before.

The controller still enjoys the appreciation of fans of PS1 racing games. For some of them the neGcon is the only controller that can provide analogue controls, making it the choice for players wanting to experience the game at its best and be able to do time attack to their fullest potential. And thanks to PlayStation-to-USB adapters it’s actually possible to connect the neGcon to a computer and play many PC racing games with it. The game just has to support the remapping of axes, and games like Live For Speed, GTR, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010), the DiRT games, GRID, as well as many others, do. Some of them also have very extensive configuration options allowing the neGcon to be used very comfortably, like it was designed for these games from the start.

Here are some PS1 and PS2 titles that work great with the neGcon. Even though these are older games, they are still very playable and fun today and are usually fairly cheap to acquire on the used market. The neGcon itself can often be found for around $10-$35 USD so the controller isn’t that expensive an investment either.

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The Ridge Racer Series

It’s only proper to start with the series that begat the neGcon. Originally an arcade game, the series found great popularity on the PS1 due to it’s characteristic fast pace and drift-happy racing. The gameplay is easy to grasp and starting a drift is, most of the time, as simple as letting go of the accelerator for a moment. Still, there are some nuances to the handling that keep it interesting enough and getting the best times is not an easy task. Considering the series did not get DualShock support until the fourth game the neGcon is naturally the best controller of choice here.

The first game may seem light in content nowadays as there are only two tracks to choose from, with the second track being merely an extended version of the first one. It’s very pure in its arcadey-ness, just boot up the console, play a quick game of Galaxian and after a few button presses the car is already revving up the engine on the track. It’s all very immediate and makes it easy to just start the game even if there isn’t time for an extended play session. There are a handful of cars to choose from, with drifting being easier on some than others, and a few more to unlock. As a fun curiosity, after the game has started the game CD can be replaced with any music CD to play the tracks there.

Ridge Racer Revolution is a very traditional sequel, in that it’s very similar to the first game but just has new and more content. The amount of tracks has been upped to three and though they still use some of the same sections, the differences between them are more pronounced this time. The game uses an improved version of the first game’s engine, most notably races now have a day/night cycle and having to do a lap at night really changes the feel of the track.

Rage Racer, however, changes things up quite a bit. For the first time in the series there’s a career mode and instead of just unlocking cars by winning races, they have to be bought with the prize money. The cars’ settings can be slightly tweaked as well, another first for the series. The whole game has a very different vibe compared to the previous games to it, thanks to the more detailed and realistic graphics and handling that places more emphasizes shift control. The track count is up to four, and other than the oval track they are much more complex compared to those found in the first two games.

R4: Ridge Racer Type 4, the last of the PS1 Ridge Racers is said by many to be their favorite in the series and it’s easy to see why. The Grand Prix mode, where you can select between four different racing teams, each corresponding to one of the four difficulty levels, takes you through the game’s eight tracks and that’s where you can spend hundreds of hours unlocking the game’s 321 vehicles. Most of those are just variants of each other with slightly different stats, however. The gameplay is classic Ridge Racer. The cars are split into Drift and Grip types and with the former drifting through a corner is as simple letting go of the accelerator for a moment before putting the pedal to the metal again. It’s easy to get started on, but taking corners with the best line and time still takes some practice.

With the Grand Prix, single race, time attack and multiplayer modes there’s plenty to play and do in RR4. But as an extra bonus, Namco was kind of enough to include a remake of the very first Ridge Racer game on a separate disc. This Ridge Racer Turbo has improved graphics over the original and it runs at buttery-smooth 60 FPS, something very few PS1 games can do. So if you go looking for the game, make sure the bonus disc is included in the deal.

Lastly, there’s Ridge Racer V. Namco wasn’t nearly as prolific with the series on the PS2 as they were on the PS1, but RRV is still a worthy addition to the series. And like Ridge Racer was for PS1, Ridge Racer V was a launch title for PS2 which can be seen in the infamous PS2 jaggies. But the gameplay is incredibly smooth and playing the game with the neGcon is absolutely recommended. Straightening the car after a drift has never before felt quite so fluid and natural in a Ridge Racer title.

As usual, the cars are split into Drift and Grip types and drifting works as it always has. But though it’s easy to do, doing it most efficiently takes quite a bit of practice. This time around there isn’t nearly as sizeable a selection of cars, but the dozen or so vehicles handle very differently from each other. The Grand Prix mode has been split into several smaller ones, and some gameplay modes need to be unlocked. Beating certain times in the Time Attack mode allows the player to challenge the driver in Duel Mode, and after beating all the drivers they can be all challenged together in a Battle Royal. And clearing that unlocks yet another mode. Ridge Racer V is one of the best in the series and a recommended entry to any arcade racing game fan.

The series spinoff R: Racing Revolution does not support the neGcon.

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Cyber Sled

Before Sega started their successful twin-stick robot fighting game series Virtual On in Japanese arcades back in 1995, Namco did something similar two years earlier. Their game was called Cyber Sled and it had a similar setup of two sticks with two buttons on each. Only the combatants aren’t robots, they are tanks or “sleds” capable of sliding sideways and turning on a dime. The fights take places in arenas littered with obstacles that can either help or hinder, depending on the player’s familiarity with the stage.

The tanks deal damage through machine guns and missiles, the former being limited by the heat generated which dissipates quickly and the latter by ammo. Sprinkled throughout the arena are pick-ups that refill the sled’s shields and ammo stock, so keeping on the move is essential. The radar on top of the screen helps in locating the pick-ups and the enemy sled, but it doesn’t show the arena’s obstacles. There are several playable characters to choose from and they have cheesy dialogue before and after a match, bringing some campy humor to the game. The sleds differ from each other in their speed, shield and weapon strengths, but the basic weaponry of machine gun and missiles stays the same. There’s only one round per fight, and they can be over very fast with aggressive, accurate missile attacks.

The game was ported to the PlayStation and being a Namco title it takes advantage of the neGcon. The twist function turns the sled left and right, and the d-pad moves it forward, backward and allows strafing sideways. After a bit of practice it feels quite nice, even if the tank’s turning still isn’t analogue. The port also has the option to play with improved graphics where texture mapping is applied to the original polygons. A two-player mode was also included, and it’s even possible to connect two PS1′s together with a link cable so that players wouldn’t have to deal with split-screen. It’s a fun game for quick, short burts and it’s a small piece of gaming history, being one of the originators of the “3D Arena Robot Battle” -genre.

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Moto Racer

The game has been called “Ridge Racer with bikes” and that is not an entirely inaccurate description. It’s a fast-paced arcade racer, only instead of drifts you can do wheelies and tricks in the air. The game actually covers two different styles of bike racing. There are motocross bikes and speedy superbikes but they are restricted to the tracks designated for them, which is kind of a bummer. But at least you can take that motocross bike and speed along the Great Wall of China, so that’s always a plus. In the Championship mode you go through both types of tracks and there’s also the standard single race, time attack and two player -modes.

The game has a good sense of speed to it which makes it fun to play. Finishing the Championship mode in different difficulties unlocks Reverse and Pocket Bike modes, the latter of which enables racing on tiny bikes that insanely fast. Funnily enough, the game displays an image of a PS1 Mad Catz racing wheel when the neGcon is plugged in. The series continued on the PS1 with Moto Racer 2 and Moto Racer World Tour, but the sequels dropped the neGcon support in favor of DualShock. For the first game, the neGcon is the only choice if analogue controls are wanted.

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Side By Side Special 2000

Side By Side is an racing game series from Taito that originated in the arcades. The series started in 1996 and was followed next year by a sequel. Also in 1997 a PS1 port was released, called Side By Side Special. This release is basically a remix that combined the two arcade games into one.

In 1999 Side By Side Special 2000 was released which is exactly the same as the first game except for one crucial added feature: analogue controls via the neGcon. Many sites online say that the game supports the DualShock, but it only supports the controller’s rumble function, not the analogue sticks. To play Side By Side with analogue controls, the Special 2000 release and a neGcon are required. And it is absolutely recommend as the game is very fun and fast-paced. The tracks start off simple, but soon they introduce driving on gravel and snow which makes a huge difference in the handling. The last track is a long point-to-point downhill race on a mountain road with tricky corners to navigate. The course is in fact the infamous Mt. Akina made famous by Initial D, though it’s actually known as Mount Haruna in real life.

There are 16 cars and 10 tracks to choose from, and though the gameplay modes are limited to single race and time attack, the superb graphics and handling make the most of those. You can even save the replay file to the memory card for later viewing. This is a great title that was unfortunately never released outside Japan, but it is extremely import-friendly and pretty much everything in the game is in English.

The series continued as Battle Gear in the arcades and in 2001 Battle Gear 2 was released for PS2. It even saw a European release as Tokyo Road Race. The game does work with the neGcon but it seems to have been an afterthought, as there are no configuration options for it whatsoever.

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Touge Max G

The developer Cave is far better known for their shoot’em-ups like Dodonpachi, Death Smiles and Ketsui, but they have occasionally branched out to other genres with titles like Steep Slope Sliders, Uo Poko and Touge. Touge is, as its name suggests, a mountain pass racing game with narrow roads and plenty of corners to attack. Touge Max G is the series’ third and last PS1 entry and the best of the bunch. There are plenty of licensed vehicles to unlock as well as some very unexpected surprises. In addition to the usual single race, two player and time attack modes, the game also has a story mode where you follow a character through a series of races and events, occasionally having to choose between a few options to further the story. This is of course completely in Japanese but outside the story mode the game is extremely import friendly and even tuning the car’s settings is done in English.

The gameplay is geared towards drifting but it isn’t quite as easy as it is in Ridge Racer for example. Here the drifts are more difficult to control and it’s easy to keep hitting the sides of the road. But after a bit of practice it’s possible to pull off very long and impressive-looking drifts. The race replays can be saved to the memory card so the best displays of skill will not be lost to time. As a hint of the developer’s heritage, the game also has “drift points” where pulling off drifts gives you score, but hitting a wall resets the current counter. The drift points are somewhat underutilized, but in some story races you have to reach a certain drift point quota to proceed.

It should be noted that the first game in the series, simply called Touge Max, was actually released in US with the completely unrelated name (and box art) Peak Performance. The Story mode was left out, but otherwise the game is intact, including neGcon support. The series continued to PS2 with Touge 3 (released in Europe as Road Rage, continuing the nonsensical naming scheme for localization) but sadly, it does not support the neGcon.

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Initial D

The famous manga and anime series about drifting on mountain roads has naturally been into games many times. The PS1 version come with the expected single race, simultaneous two player and time attack modes, as well as a story mode where you go through Takumi’s races on Mt. Akina and elsewhere as he takes his first steps towards the bigger racing world. The story is told through static CGI images and FMV videos, and the game’s age really shows there, they don’t even have any voice acting. And even though the game was released after the anime started, the iconic music designed to get your blood pumping is nowhere to be heard. It has been replaced by fairly generic guitar rock, which is an odd combination at first if you’re used to the Eurobeat soundtrack associated with the series. For increased enjoyment, blast the authentic music from another source instead.

Luckily the gameplay is solid and very much drift-based, as can be expected. It’s very easy to hit the walls over and over again, but with some practice the drifting starts looking and feeling good. Even the “gutter-run” technique Takumi used many times can be done here. Though at first there’s only one car to drive in, many others featured in the series are unlockable, even the rarely seen Mercedes-Benz driven by Mogi’s “Papa” is there to be raced in. This is another title that never left Japan, but it is very import-friendly.

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Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit

Need for Speed is one of the most prolific racing game series ever created. The series started in 1994 and still goes on today, with the latest entry in the series being released in 2012 and overall there are more than 20 titles bearing the name. The first game was originally published for the 3DO system, but was released for PlayStation in 1996. Sony’s console would end up hosting five NFS titles (seven if you count the two V-Rally games re-branded as NFS games for the USA market) but only the first three games – Road & Tracks Presents: The Need for Speed, Need for Speed II and Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit – would support the neGcon, the latter games dropping the controller support in favor of the DualShock. But for the first three games, the neGcon is the only way to play them with analogue controls.

The series’ first installations are all similar thematically and are about racing expensive, licensed cars in expansive environments. The tracks are big and showy with impressive set pieces, often having little shortcuts and alternative routes which can be used to cut down on track times or just to avoid the other racers. Starting from II the games also lean more towards an arcade-like racing experience, though they also allow tuning the car’s settings to better fit the player’s driving style.

Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit added the titular Hot Pursuit mode where police chases are introduced to mix up the races. The feature was in the first Need for Speed as well (and absent from Need for Speed II) but here it is greatly expanded upon. No longer a single police offer is on the case, this time the racers are chased by multiple police cars at once. And they are not content in just overtaking the player, they will ram their cars, set up road blocks and drop spike strips. The player can listen to the police radio at all times to gain valuable information on where they are planning to stage their traps. Many of these features are still present in the more modern Need for Speed titles.

Aside from Hot Pursuit mode, the gameplay includes tournament, single race, time attack and multiplayer modes, making for a very well-rounded package. And car lovers are treated especially well, as each vehicle has a showcase covering their history and specifications, with real-life photographs and videos included. And even if the player doesn’t find that kind of coverage interesting, they can be safely ignored and the games simply played as the great racing games they are.

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Rush Hour

Rush Hour is a slightly off-beat racing game in that all the action takes place from overhead perspective, even though the game engine is completely 3D. And while the camera always stays above the player’s vehicle, it’s possible to zoom it in or out to the point to making the car look little more than an ant somewhere far down away. The title is also something of a misnomer, as the game doesn’t have civilian traffic on the tracks at all.

The game has the standard championship, single race and time attack modes, with the cars split into “High Performance” and “Heavy Metal” classes, the former being unlicensed but suspiciously familiar looking sports cars and the latter buggies, pickups and the like. More cars can be unlocked through the championship mode. The game has three difficulty settings – Novice, Intermediate and Professional – which alter the vehicles’ top speed as well as the AI’s proficiency. And while the first difficulty is fairly easy to beat the computer in, it puts up one hell of a fight starting from the second one and perfect lines must be taken if a podium finish is to be achieved. On the final difficulty setting the sense of speed is unexpectedly intense for a game where the viewpoint doesn’t show what’s directly ahead. Helping with that are rally-style signs telling the next corner’s direction and tightness.

Altough the gameplay is fairly simple at first glance, it takes a good amount of technique and practice to beat the AI racers. With the time attack mode the game has a lot of replay value to it, so this is something of a hidden gem that doesn’t seem to get much recognition. Special mention must be made for the game’s music which is surprisingly good. It’s mostly riffing guitars, but somehow it suits the game nicely and pumps the player up for racing. The game was released in all territories but was called BattleRound USA in Japan and Speedster in Europe.

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Rally De Europe

The rally racing discipline has never been that popular in the US, which may have been one reason why this title was never released there. But then, it wasn’t released in Europe either. In any case, Rally De Europe (as well as its prequel Rally De Africa) are great rally racing games that have been called “PlayStation’s answer to Sega Rally” by some. The games might not quite reach the excellence and iconic status of Sega’s classic series, but they are great games nonetheless.

The racing happens mostly on dirt and gravel, making powersliding through corners easy and even expected. With the faster cars there’s quite the thrill to it. The game offers the expected single race and championship modes, though as the game leans more towards arcade racing, there is no repairing vehicle damage between races as in the more realistic rally games. The championship mode is a lenghty one, as each car class has its own set of races to conquer before the next class unlocks with faster vehicles.

A notable inclusion is the Memory Battle mode. In this mode, quite unique for the time, a single lap of time attack is played on one of the tracks and the game keeps the replay. Then, up to four other replays can be either played or loaded from the memory card, and the game disc itself holds a large number of replays for all the different classes of cars. The resulting replay can then be viewed with all five cars, basically acting like ghost cars, on the track at once. It’s a very cool feature and nowadays racing against other people’s ghost cars is practically an expected feature in racing games, but back in 1998 when Rally De Africa was released it easily could have been considered new and special.

Rally De Europe has all the tracks from its prequel as an added unlockable extra, so the second game is the recommended one to get. The games never left Japan, but both titles are very import-friendly with most of the text in English.

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V-Rally 2

There were two V-Rally games released on the PS1 and both offer a similar feature list with an Arcade mode, a Championship mode, Time Attack and simultaneous multiplayer modes, with two-player mode in the first game and a four-player mode in the sequel, using the multitap. V-Rally 2 also has a “Trophy Mode” which is in-between the Arcade mode and the full-blown Championship mode where you also have to dedicate time to your car’s repairs between the stages.

The biggest new feature in V-Rally 2 is the track editor. For its time it’s a fairly powerful editor, being able to create both looped and point-to-point tracks, set bumps, alter road elevations, change weather, and even create totally random tracks at the touch of a button. These tracks can then be saved to the memory card and played in the time trial mode, effectively giving the game endless replayability.

For some reason the first game doesn’t seem to work quite right with the neGcon. Turning has this odd jumpy and imprecise feel to it. This was tested on multiple neGcons. The sequel, however, has no such problems and it controls just as smoothly as expected. Naturally V-Rally 2 also has better audiovisual quality, more pre-made tracks and is generally more refined, so there’s little reason to pick up the first game.

Both games were released in all regions, but for the US release EA, the publisher, decided to brand them with the Need for Speed name, even though V-Rally’s developer Infogrames had nothing to do with the Need for Speed series, which were developed by EA Canada at the time. Presumably this was due to rally sports not being as popular in the region and the association was supposed to help the sales. They weren’t even entirely consistent about the names, since the first game became Need for Speed: V-Rally and the sequel V-Rally 2: Need for Speed.

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Colin McRae Rally 2.0

The series bearing the name of the famous Scottish rally driver still continues today under the DiRT moniker but it got its start back in 1998 on the PS1 and PC with the sequel arriving at 2000. As can be expected the games lean heavily on the simulation side of racing games, forcing you to deal with car repairs like a real rally driver as you drive around the globe in mud, dirt, gravel and snow. Damaging the car can have dire consequences and driving with a busted drive shaft can make things very interesting indeed, so it does no good to drive like a maniac here. Proper adherence to the rally discipline is required. Luckily the manual covers some of the basic points and even comes with a handy guide to understanding co-driver lingo. The first game also had a useful Rally School which the sequel sadly lacks.

The game’s championship mode is like the one in real rally sports, with events taking place in different countries. The countries included are Australia, Japan, Kenya, United Kingdom, France, Greece and Italy, Finland and Sweden. Each country has their own feel and style to them and driving on loose gravel feels very different to driving in tarmac or mud. This requires not only the driver’s attention but also setting the car up properly beforehand. In addition to the championship  there are single race, two player, arcade and time trial modes so there’s plenty for players to do. Graphically the game is very impressive. The cars look great, they get visibly damaged as the player clips a rock or tree and soon that initially squeaky-clean Mitsubishi Lancer’s rear bumper will be hanging on a thread, with mud covering all of the car’s bottom half.

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Tempest X3

An arcade classic in the truest sense of the word, the original Tempest was released way back in 1981 by Atari. Dave Theurer, the game’s developer, has said that the idea for the game came from a nightmare of his, where monsters would crawl out of a hole in the ground. Looking at the final product, it’s easy to see the connection.

The player looks down through a blue tube with his yellow claw-like character travelling around a blue tube’s top edge while shooting down at enemies making their way up. The playing area does changes shape as the game progresses, turning into other geometric shapes as well. As was the style back in those days the game continues infinitely, it only ends when the player succumbs to the enemies’ onslaught.

The abstract graphics, neon colors, fast pace and the old-school arcade sound effects can make for a very intense and trippy experience. So it’s not that big a surprise that Jeff Minter, famous for many old home computer games as well as fascination with llamas, would end up remaking the game for the Atari Jaguar, as Tempest 2000. The formula was tweaked by adding power-ups that allow the player to jump, warp stages, or shoot a more powerful laser as well as adding enemy types and more varying designs for the stages. There was even a two-player mode included. This version was then ported to the PS1 as Tempest X3, though with some gameplay differences.

However, the overall experience is intact and the nightmare of blasting enemies crawling up a neon web would again haunt many a player. The original arcade cabinet had a spinner controller for analogue controls and the neGcon works nicely as a replacement.

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Motor Toon Grand Prix

First, let’s get the record straight. The original Motor Toon Grand Prix was released in 1994 shortly after the release of the PlayStation and it never left Japan. It was, by most accounts, not a very good game. But it was developed by Polyphony Digital, who later become famous for a little racing game series called Gran Turismo.

Two years later the game received a sequel, Motor Toon Grand Prix 2. It would get released worldwide, only it was called “Motor Toon Grand Prix” in USA because the first one never made it there and Sony didn’t want to confuse the buyers. It was still released under its original title in Europe, even though it was the first in the series to come out there as well. But the important thing is that the game did come out in all regions, because it is an excellent title. The developers clearly learned their lessons from the first game and the sequel outshines the original in every way.

At first glance it’s a kart racer like so many others. But there are fundamental differences at the core level that make me wish this was the direction the kart racing subgenre took instead of where it is now. Most importantly, the item system, which is the basis of kart racers. There are the usual projectile attacks, traps dropped behind you, speed boosts and so on. But instead of grabbing them from the track, coins are picked up instead. As long as at least one coin is held, a roulette wheel can be spun and the item the wheel stops to is given as a reward. It creates a very different dynamic when coins can be saved up and then multiple items can be released in quick succession, and the player can keep the coins in reserve until they’re needed. And in a stroke of genius, the developers decided to disable items completely on the harder difficulties. So instead of hoping to get lucky with items, the player must master the driving and learn the tracks in order to win. And it must be noted that the game has a speedometer, a true rarity among kart racers.

The game has quite a unique visual style to it. Like in many 40′s and 50′s cartoons the cars are personified and literally stretch towards the direction the player pushes them to. At first it may feel a bit jarring, but soon it feels natural. The tracks are very colorful as well and it all feels very cohesive. There are five cars to start with three more to unlock and five tracks (as well as their reversed versions) to race them on.

There is plenty to do in MTGP. There are modes for single races, time attacks, free fun, a two-player mode (but only via a link cable) and a championship mode. Depending on the difficulty chosen, different things can be unlocked there. Absolutely the coolest unlockables are the three minigames. First is a tank combat game, where the cars have been re-shaped into tanks and they attack each other with either direct or ballistic shots in obstacle-filled arenas. Second is a fairly simple clone of the board game Battleship. The last one is a new racing mode with realistic cars and more realistic handling. This mode also runs in higher resolution and in 60 FPS, which was quite uncommon for PS1 games.

As if all that wasn’t enough, the game also has great replay functions with which to save your best races and use them as ghost cars with the time attack mode later on. There are even hidden ghost cars by the developers to beat. The game is just absolutely full of content and should at least be tried out by all arcade racing game fans, even (and especially) the ones who don’t usually care for kart racers.

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Gran Turismo 2

Sony’s flagship simulation racing series boasts incredible production values and a huge amount of licensed cars. Even the very first game has about 150 vehicles to choose from, but the sequel boosts it up to an incredible amount of 600 cars to buy and unlock, and all the cars are modelled as accurately as the hardware could allow. Car lovers should have no problems finding their favorite vehicles (or maybe even the one they have in their driveway) and take it out for a virtual spin. The sequel also increases the amount of races and tracks available, as well as including rally cars and courses for the first time in the series.

The game comes in two discs, one for Arcade Mode and the other for Simulation Mode. In the former the player can freely choose the track to race on and the car to use but the heart of the game is the Simulation Mode, where the player needs to earn licenses and money in order to enter events and purchase cars to his ever-growing garage. The license tests also unlock more tracks to be used in Arcade Mode and the tests can be a great challenge to get the best ranks in. There’s a great amount of content in the game, there are events dedicated to specific car types and manufacturers, endurance races, and more. All this makes GT2 a game that hundreds of hours can easily be spent on.

The neGcon support is excellent and it allows nearly every facet of the controller to be configured just to the user’s liking.

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Ray Tracers

In 1997 Taito decided to bring their classic franchise Chase HQ to the 3D era with Ray Tracers. As with its inspiration, the main focus is on Chase mode, where you go through several missions through busy streets before encountering a large boss enemy like twin tanks or even a helicopter, whom you then you have to ram into several times to destroy. The player’s car can’t actually be destroyed, but failure to destroy the target in time will result in a game over. There are four characters to choose from and they vary in top speed, attack power and other abilities.

In addition to Chase mode, there is a more traditional Time Attack mode where you race either alone or against an single opponent. It’s a very nice additional feature that brings a lot more replayability to the game. Ray Tracers was released in all territories, though only the Japanese one has the characters talking to each other with actual voice clips.

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Wipeout Series

The neGcon is quite possibly most associated with this futuristic anti-gravity racing game series, and for good reason. The games are extremely smooth and playable and just plain fun. They can be played as either combat racers, or as a more traditional racing game with all the weapon pick-ups turned off. In either case, the best players usually use the neGcon as their controller of choice, especially since the first two games in the series, Wipeout and Wipeout XL (known as Wipeout 2097 in Europe) do not support analogue controls any other way.

The series is known for its blazing speeds, bright neon colors and licensed techno/electronica music. The tracks are often very technical and require the proper use of the vehicle’s airbrakes, which take some getting used to. But after they are mastered, it is exhilarating to fly through a hard corner nearly at full speed, with the craft’s back just barely scraping against the wall.

The PS1 hosted the series three times, with Wipeout, Wipeout XL and Wipeout 3. In addition to the normal game, Europe received Wipeout 3: Special Edition that contained slightly altered physics, gameplay changes, bug fixes and most importantly 10 new tracks. The series continued to PS2 with Wipeout Fusion that also supports the neGcon. Sadly, it would be the last of the series to do so.

Shop for Wipeout Series on eBay
Shop for Wipeout Series on Amazon.com

Others

There are many other excellent titles that can be played with the neGcon, this was just a small part of them. Namco’s Ace Combat series, the two Rollcage games, Crash Team Racing, and so on and so forth. For more coverage on the racing titles, check out Rolling Start!!, a site dedicated to arcade-style racing games with a forum for discussing the games, exchanging tips and engaging in time attack competitions.

Are you wondering if your Sega Genesis collection has any valuable treasures in it? This month we take a look at Sega’s most popular console of all time and its most desired games. Since the console wasn’t a huge success in Japan, we will find quite a few rarities in its library, but there are some other gems from the rest of the world as well.

Update: Prices Current As of 04/02/2013

In stark contrast to the Cheapest Games series, this Rare and Valuable series will round up the rarest and most valuable games for a given console or handheld so you’ll know what to look for whether you are buying or selling.

Below you will see two prices beside each title. The first is the average daily selling price, which is typically the going rate for the game by itself. The second price is the highest price in the past three months, which is usually the price for the new/sealed game. The list is ordered by the balance of the two prices. Note that some of these games are not rare in the sense that there are not many available, but rare relative to demand, which makes the games expensive.

Over the last few years we’ve seen certain titles rise out from under the radar to become big collectors pieces.  We have also seen the values of completed copies rise quite nicely.  If you have had a nice library for some time, you should see some nice increases in overall value, but if you’re just getting started, things are starting to get pricey.    Since we’re seen some fluctuations,  I’ve kept in some of the past values from previous revisions so you can see the changes and we have some historical reference.

Limited Edition Collectibles

These picks range from the unreleased or unlicensed games that found their way into collectors hands to rarity box sets that saw limited production before “Limited Edition” was commonplace.

	Tetris: $3,000 – $16,000 So you think the unlicensed Tetris game for the NES is hard to find? Just try to get your hands on the Japanese Megadrive Tetris. It was developed alongside Sega’s System-16 arcade version, but never reached shelves after legal wranglings gave Nintendo exclusive console rights. However, that little issue doesn’t stop some people from obtaining it. Apparently, there are about 10 copies known to be floating around. See The Latest Megadrive Tetris to Surface
	Genesis Blockbuster World Video Game Championships II: $1,200 – $2,500 Much like the competition carts mentioned in the NES and SNES rare and valuable lists, this little cartridge was used to promote a few games (in this case NBA Jam and Judge Dredd) and let players compete for prizes. In the case of this Genesis game, the cartridge was never meant to be distributed. It’s probably even more rare than the NES cart. (rumor has it that there are only two copies floating around).  Don’t get excited when you see all the reproductions floating around though…
	Ecco The Dolphin Box Set: $210 – $1300 Most Sega fans are well aware of the underwater, puzzle-filled adventure, but you most have probably never seen this rarity. According to an old Sega Force magazine, Sega made a deal with a London aquarium which housed a real dolphin named Ecco that would be benefited by the proceeds. It was sold in very limited quantities in a handful of shops.   A complete box set sold for about $1300 USD on eBay back in 2011 but again only sold for $280 in 2012 (the box set was missing the CD and T-Shirt) (Check out more pictures of the set here)
	Phantom 2049 Box Set : $600 – $900 Sega released a limited collector’s version of this game for the Mega Drive in Australia, most likely due to the character’s popularity there. In addition to the game, it contained a set of the Phantom Glow Zone stickers and a Phantom key-ring. This set doesn’t show up very often — especially in complete and pristine condition. See Latest Phantom 2049 Box Set on eBay
	Maximum Carnage Box Set: $160 – $327 Who says that there isn’t anything worthwhile on QVC? Apparently there were 5,000 copies of this Maximum Carnage set made and they were sold (perhaps exclusively) on the QVC home shopping TV channel. The included book includes the first few issues of the Maximum Carnage comic that the game was based on. See Latest Maximum Carnage Box Set on eBay

The Expensive Japanese Megadrive Imports

	Batman Forever, Justice League, Maximum Carnage, Virtual Bart, WWF Raw, Judge Dread, & Comix Zone Around $280 – $700 each These games are all plentiful and dirt cheap in the US, but in Japan, only a few copies of these games were released. Most of these games were published by Acclaim during the last days of the Genesis and the publisher actually took some extra European game boxes, stuck on a new T number and a barcode on the box, and a Japanese cartridge for the quick and dirty release. Now they are simply collectors pieces. It is very difficult to get solid prices on these games as they rarely appear. Every so often one will show up on Japan’s Yahoo auctions and they usually go for around $300 USD, but are rumored to sell for as much as $700.
	Eliminate Down – $90 – $450 Even though most people won’t enjoy it as much as MUSHA or the Thunderforce series, Eliminate down it one of the better (and most difficult) 2D shooters on the Megadrive. Usually, you can find it around $200, but it apparently sold for about $300 on eBay a while back. See Eliminate Down on eBay
	Panorama Cotton – $ 170 – $350 This pseudo 3D shooter had incredible backgrounds, making the MegaDrive hardware do things that the Nintendo fanboys claimed were impossible on the Sega machine. The game on its own is rare enough (about 5,000 copies were produced), but if you really want to show everyone up, try to find the game with the rare Panorama tea cup that was available initially for free to anyone that sent in a coupon to the publisher. Only about 300 of those tea cups exist and its presence with the game can nearly triple the overall value. See Panorama Cotton on eBay

The Expensive PAL Megadrive Games

	Megaman: The Wily Wars – $ 300 – $530 2010 Value: $150 – $200 The Wily Wars served as a compilation of remakes of the first three Megaman games in addition to an extra “Wily Tower” gameplay mode which let the Blue Bomber battle a fresh batch of robot bosses before facing Wily in the final castle. This popular Megaman title was also available in the US on the Sega Channel, but only saw a true retail release in Japan and PAL territories. It is the only Megaman game to be released on the Megadrive. See Megaman: The Wily Wars on eBay
	Nightmare Circus – $180 – $230 2008 Value: $180 – $230 Supposedly, this game was supposed to be Genesis’s answer to Donkey Kong Country, however, once everyone realized how crappy of a game it really was, it was cancelled in all the major markets, but was eventually released in Brazil in 1996. The game was also available in the US on the Sega Channel. Rumor has it that an English version of the game is out there somewhere, but proof has not materialized. See Nightmare Circus on eBay
	Daze Before Christmas – $100 – $320 2010 Value: $100 – $160 It’s not too often you see a video game with a holiday theme, but Daze Before Christmas is simple platforming game that had a small print run on the Genesis. In fact, as far as we know, the game was only released in Australia on the Megadrive. See Daze Before Christmas on eBay

Top Unlicensed / Homebrew Releases

While most people think of unlicensed games as the cheap crap that came out during the console’s heyday, the Genesis has seen a number of recent releases that are just as good as some of the high-profile games in the Genesis library. Because they were produced in rather small quantities and most of the original purchases aren’t looking to get rid of their copy, the values can stay quite strong.   Here’s some of the biggest collector’s pieces.

	Pier Solar and the Great Architects: (First Editions): $200 – $600 Pier Solar and the Great Architects: (Reprint Edition): $120 -  $227 Pier Solar was a completely homebrew release that was developed by Watermelon Co (and started as a project of the classic Sega website, Eidolon’s Inn).  This 2010 release also had the option to use the Sega CD for extra audio content.   The first print run actually had three variations with different languages, different box artwork and different label artwork. There are 800 of each of the three editions.The Posterity Edition is also first edition that was to thank the earliest supporters of the project.  The Posterity Release has a sticker on the package and a additional magazine. The exact number was never published, so we can only estimate. It was limited to 500 copies but not all of them have been sold.The Reprint does not have all languages and the CD is not included. It has a different box (plastic clamshell) and a different box artwork and label artwork. Numbers were never been published for the Reprint Edition, so it’s completely unknown how many of them have been sold. Check for Pier Solar on eBay
	Star Odyssey: $190 –   $204 This 2011 release from Super Figher Team (of Beggar Prince fame — see below) is an RPG that was localized from an unreleased version of Hot-B’s Blue Almanac, an RPG in the similar to Sega’s Phantasy Star series. The game was slated for a western release, but progress stalled somewhere along the way. The only existing prototype copy of the localization was found to be incomplete and glitch-ridden.   Super Fighter Team cleaned it up and prepped it for an indie release.    The first run of the game sold out of the initial 600 copies.  It seems that Super Fighter Team is open to the idea of a re-release. Check for Star Odyessey on eBay
	Beggar Prince (First and Second Editions): $95 - $144 This is the game that kicked off the “new” Genesis releases.  Beggar Prince was the first new Genesis product released since Majesco published Frogger in 1998, and gamers everywhere were excited at the prospect of owning the game in cartridge form, complete with box and manual. Though Beggar Prince originally appeared in Taiwan in 1996, the rest of the world had never seen it, so it was seen as “new” for everyone in the West.The American company, Super Fighter Team created an English translation of the game and did the first commercial release in 2006.  By September 8, 2006, all 600 copies had been sold. However, a month later, Super Fighter Team announced that they had begun taking pre-orders for a second production run of 300 copies. By June, 2007, this production run had also sold out.   The total print run for Beggar Prince with the original cover art is 900 copies. Check for Beggar Prince on eBay
	Beggar Prince (Third Edition):  $115 – $137 This third print run included several changes including higher-quality cover art, became available for pre-ordering on October 9, 2007 and started shipping on November 27, 2007.   This print run had 600 copies bringing the total print run of the game to 1,500 copies.  Between there being less copies of the game with the new cover and the preference of many current Genesis owners for the new art, the third release is staying quite high in value. Check for Beggar Prince on eBay
	The Legend of Wukong:  $111 – $129 The second Genesis game that Super Fighter Team brought stateside was this RPG was originally developed and released in China in 1996.   It saw a commercial release of the English translation in 2008.   It sold out of the first run of 600 copies and Super Fighter Team hasn’t ruled out the idea of doing another print run. Check for Legend of Wukong on eBay
	Action 52: $40 – $100 2010 Value $22- $40 Action 52 is an unlicensed release with a bunch of poorly made games one cartridge game that originally retailed for $199. The cartridge is only really sought after for collection’s sake as Action 52 is well-known for its low quality and numerous bugs and even fatal crashes. An interesting note: The publisher advertised a prize for a random person who beat level 5 of Ooze — The developer was essentially off the hook, however as the game crashes at level 2. Check for Action 52 on eBay

Treasured Standard USA Releases

	MUSHA: $80 – $253 2008 Value: $34 – $115 2010 Value: $60 – $125 Shmup fans are always willing to pay good money for a quality shooter and on the Genesis, MUSHA is main target on the platform. Coming from the Aleste series of shooters, MUSHA was relatively popular in Japan but the game never caught on state side. On a side note, it was never released in Europe, so it an especially appealing import over there.   As you can see from the historical values above, this one has been climbing the charts for quite a while. Check for MUSHA on eBay Check for MUSHA on Amazon.com
	Grind Stormer:   $70 – $285 Known as “V – V” in Japan, this shmup from Toaplan saw a rather limited release on the North American Genesis.  For the longest time, this release went under the radar, but as Shmup fans are building up their collections, this one is joining MUSHA at the top of the list. Check for Grind Stormer on eBay Check for Grind Stormer on Amazon.com
	Crusader of Centy : $80 -  $150 Crusader of Centy is an Action RPG from Atlus.  Altus is known for doing some smaller print runs for its games and this one is no different.  Usually their games have a bit more of a cult following after them, but Crusader is a bit more low profile — just recently creeping up in value. Check for Crusader of Centy on eBay Check for Crusader of Centy on Amazon.com
	The Punisher: $50 – $130 Licensed beatemups were all the rage in the 90s and The Punisher jumped on the bandwagon, but with a rather limited Genesis/Megadrive-exclusive port of the arcade game.   It didn’t end up selling that well (it isn’t that good of a port) and is now a bit of a challenge to track down — especially in complete condition. Check for The Punisher on eBay Check for The Punisher on Amazon.com
	Miracle Piano Teaching System w/ Piano: $100 – $115 2010 Value: $70 – $90 Back in the 8 and 16-bit eras, The Software Toolworks created these Miracle Piano Teaching Systems for the major consoles to help teach people how to play the piano.  The game comes with all the piano hardware you need to play along, so that adds to the price/value.   If you only have the cartridge, it will be a lot less valuable, but still hard to find.Check for Miracle Piano Teaching System on eBay
	Splatterhouse 3: $50 – $100 2008 Value: $34 – $78 2010 Value: $30 – $55 Splatterhouse 3 was the precursor to the survival horror genre and 3 plays like Double Dragon (but with more gore and violence, of course). Splatterhouse 3 was also the last game in the cult-classic series before the 2010 reboot of the series (which may have sparked intrest in the previous games) Check for Splatterhouse 3 on eBay Check for Splatterhouse 3 on Amazon.com
	Master of Monsters: $40 – $120 2008 Value: : $26 – $60 2010 Value: $18 – $45 Master of Monsters is a turn based strategy game that isn’t typically a well-known game in the Genesis library. The game is fairly rare now but sold well enough initially to warrant a sequel on the Saturn. Many fans of the series think the Genesis version is the most watered down game in the series, but that hasn’t hurt the resale value at all. Check for Master of Monsters on eBay Check for Master of Monsters on Amazon.com
	Double Dragon:   $39 – $188 One of the first big franchises in the beatemup genre saw a few more common releases on the Genesis the the form of a sequel and a mashup game teamed with the Battletoads.  However, the straight port of the original arcade game is the one to be one the lookout for. Check for Double Dragon on eBay Check for Double Dragon on Amazon.com
	Streets of Rage 3: $50 – $75 2008 Value: $34 – $56 2010 Value: $35 – $50 The Streets of Rage series was a popular alternative to the Final Fight series and game brawler fans plenty of fun on the genesis. Even through the third installment in the series isn’t usually regarded as the best of the bunch, it is significantly harder to find that its predecessors. Check for Streets of Rage 3 on eBay Check for Streets of Rage 3 on Amazon.com
	Teenage Mutant Ninja Tutles: Hyper Stone Heist:  $40 – $100 During this game’s release in the early 90′s the Ninja Turtles were at its peak and the arcade game “Turtles in Time” was bringing tons of quarters.  The SNES received a great port of Turtles of Time, but the Genesis got a bit of a different take on the game.  There are some similarities, but Hyperstone Heist has fewer, but longer levels in addition to some differences in special effects and audio.   It is a more challenging game and has become a valued part of the Genesis library. Check for Hyperstone Heist on eBay Check for Hyperstone Heist on Amazon.com
	Warsong: $40 – $83 2010 Value: $16 – $50 Also know by the name, Langrisser in Japan, this tactical RPG is the first in a long series from Nippon Computer Systems.   Many have compared it to the Fire Emblem series that has a cult following on Nintendo platforms. Check for Warsong on eBay Check for Warsong on Amazon.com
	Shining Force II: $40 – $80 2008 Value: : $39 – $103 2010 Value:  $35 – $80 Shining Force 2 is not extremely rare but it is considered one of the greatest RPGs of all time. Developed by the Sonic Software Planning (now known as Camelot) at Sega, this tactical RPG is #48 on IGN’s top 100 list and considered a must own for Genesis collectors. It also was a later release in the Genesis library and came in the cardboard boxes that are hard to keep in good condition. This puts a high premium on mint/complete copies of the game. Check for Shining Force II on eBay Check for Shining Force II on Amazon.com

Additional Valuable Japanese Imports

• Snow Bros: $70 – $280
• Twinkle Tale $90 – $260
• Battle Mania Daiginjo / Battle Mania 2 $90 – $245
• Alien Soldier – $80 – $180
• Yu Yu Hakusho – $60 – $170
• Greylancer – $70 – $170
• Ristar – $50 – $150
• Contra – $50 – $150
• Nagoya Home Banking – ???

Additional Box Sets

• Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego Box Set
• Primal Rage Box Set (picture)

The Rarest US Genesis Games At Affordable Prices

Each of these games have a rarity rating greater than 6, but routinely sell for less than $30. If you are a Genesis collector and see a boxed or sealed copy of any of these on eBay for a low price, you might want to snatch them up — you may never see them again.

• Joshua Battle for Jericho: $11 – $15
• Liberty or Death: $15 – $22
• Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel: $15 – $45
• Rolo to the Rescue: $6 – $10
• Crossfire: $6 – $10

Additional US Sega Genesis Games of Value

These games are quite collectible; resulting in a high resale value, especially for complete, boxes copies.

• Valis III: $30 –   $192
• Herzog Zwei:  $30 – $90
• Castlevania Bloodlines:  $39 – $88
• Mutant League Hockey:  $39 – $84
• New Horizons – Uncharted Waters: $40 – $75
• Zombies Ate My Neighbors : $30   $77
• Sparkster: $29 – $73
• Jurassic Park: Lost World:  $20 – $80
• Splatterhouse 2:  $30 -  $70
• Aerobiz Supersonic: $40 – $60
• Contra Hard Corps: $50 –  $75
• Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker: $45 – $75
• Gunstar Heroes: $40 – $60
• Phantasy Star IV:  $35 – $178
• Aero the Acrobat 2: $28 – $80
• Ghostbusters: $35 – $55
• Shining Force: $30 – $60
• Ghouls’n Ghosts – $24 – $110
• ToeJam and Earl: $30 – $55
• Battletoads:  $30 – $76 (premium for complete cardboard box version)
• Outback Joey – $30 – $60
• John Madden Football ’93 Championship Edition:   $27 – $57
• Time Killers: $20 – $53
• Truxton: $26 – $51
• Valis:  $25 -  $60
• Blockbuster Game Factory Blue / Green: $30 – $50 each
• Death and Return of Superman:  $25 – $50
• Spiritual Warfare: $18 -  $52

Credits: Rarity scores are courtesy of my friends at DigitalPress.

presented by Brickiemart, Adam Sarson, BulletMagnet, and Racketboy

Be sure to check out similar guides in our Genre Guide Collection

Even though I have been a Sega Genesis fan from the beginning, I didn’t quite realize how many Shooters the console had in its library until I saw this guide taking shape.   I always looked at systems like the Saturn, Playstation, TG16, and the Dreamcast as being the primary resources for the genre.  While that may be true, the Genesis / MegaDrive isn’t far behind and has quite a few titles to keep fans of the genre busy.

There are many sub-genres that are essentially shooters, but in this guide we will primarily stick to your traditional horizontal and vertical scrolling shooter.    There are a few other shooters listed in here, but we aren’t going to be extensively covering run-and-guns or most multi-directional shooters at this time.

Anyway, we hope you find this guide useful and we look forward to hearing about your favorites in the comments below!

Thunder Force 4

Thunder Force 4 aka Lightening Force [sic] is a strong contender for the title of best Genesis/Mega Drive shooter. This is Techno Soft’s third entry of the series for this console (and the last sprite-based one). Like the previous Thunder Force you can chose the order you play the first stages in. The power up system also references the third game, you start out with two basic weapons which you can upgrade and slots for other weapons that can be picked up. Techno Soft once again weaves some developer magic to create the game’s visuals, which are stunning to say the least. If you want to show off how great the Genesis/Mega Drive can look, here is the game to demo. Another aspect of Thunder Force 4 that makes it a great shooter is the soundtrack. Unlike other Genesis/Mega Drive shooter gems (M.U.S.H.A., Eliminate Down), Thunder Force 4 will not cost you an arm and leg to own, copies go for a relatively affordable amount online.
Shop for Lightning Force on eBay
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Eliminate Down

Eliminate Down stands among the best of the Genesis/Mega Drive shumps. The game is only available as a very high priced import. It is developed by an obscure company called Aprinet and published by another unknown company called Soft Vision. The developers here managed to create a game that is a gem on Sega’s platform and an essential title to play for any shmup fan.

Eliminate Down is comprised of eight levels. The game scrolls horizontally and features a graphically detailed sci-fi setting. In fact the visuals are one of the first noticeable features about the game. The graphics sport a high degree of detail, especially by Genesis standards. The gameplay is fast and the difficulty is high, but not impossible. Eliminate Down shines by having constant action, creative mini-bosses and bosses on every stage, and a good soundtrack.

Eliminate Down does not rip off from its predecessors, but instead manages to conjure up major fights and attacks that feel fresh and interesting. The only criticisms that one might have are against an annoying sprite flicker that can occur when the action heats up and that some of the sound effects can get aggravating after hearing them for over twenty minutes. These minor points aside, Eliminate Down epitomizes the term “rare gem” and should be discovered and enjoyed by any shooter fan.
Shop for Eliminate Down on eBay

M.U.S.H.A.

M.U.S.H.A. often ranks high on top lists for Genesis/Mega Drive shooters. The game has a strong reputation which it earns through great sound, graphics, and gameplay. The English title is actually an acronym for Metallic Uniframe Super Hybrid Armor. It a vertical scrolling game with seven levels and a solid soundtrack; M.U.S.H.A. itself is a part of the Aleste series by Compile (hence its original Japanese name, “Musha Aleste”). You play a character in a mech (as opposed to a space ship) with the ability to pick up smaller ships to accompany you as power-ups. These smaller ships can take damage for you and fire in a variety of methods.  This game is beautiful and it plays great. M.U.S.H.A. is a must-play game for any shooter fan and anyone looking to experience one of the best titles on Sega’s console. If you are looking for a copy of the game to add to your collection it will cost you. The original cart is rare and goes for high price (always near the top of our Rarest & Most Valuable Genesis/MegaDrive list) when it is put up for sale, especially a CIB copy. However, if you want to own the classics of the Genesis/Mega Drive shooter library, M.U.S.H.A. is required title.
Shop for M.U.S.H.A. on eBay
Shop for M.U.S.H.A. on Amazon.com

Thunder Force 3

Several complaints that people often have with Genesis games versus Super Nintendo usually involve criticizing the sound and graphics. Technosoft proved themselves to be magicians with Sega’s console and with Thunder Force 3 they delivered a game that graphically and aurally rivals most SNES games. This game is among the best on the system and one of Technosoft’s top works. What makes the game succeed is how polished virtually every aspect of it is. The visuals in the game are among the Genesis/Mega Drive’s finest; there are graphical effects here that you will not see in any other Genesis title. Gameplay is smooth (I can’t emphasize that enough) and the bosses are big. The game is challenging, but does not get frustrating. A bit of practice and patience is all it takes to win. Thunder Force 3 is arguably one of, if not the best, shooters on the console. It is highly recommended and an essential title to own for any Genesis shmup collection.
Shop for Thunder Force 3 on eBay
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Steel Empire

Steel Empire is a Genesis shmup with a good amount of character. It handles all the necessary gaming aspects very competently; controls, pacing, sound, and graphics. What sets this title apart from the rest is the unique choice of color palette and art style. This game was steam-punk before steam-punk was cool and the graphics have a rusted look to them (which, by the way, is not a criticism). Steel Empire has seven stages of horizontal scrolling; to get through them you have a choice of a zeppelin or an airplane which is basically a dichotomy of slow-with-a-lot-of-health versus fast-with-less-life. Steel Empire is solid throughout, the art style, unique design of the levels, and enemies make the game stand out above the typical space ship or fighter plane shmup fare. The game can get tough at times, but thanks to the inclusion of a health bar Steel Empire keeps itself from getting “Gradius hard” which make this game a shmup worth checking out.
Shop for Thunder Force 3 on eBay
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Gynoug

Gynoug / Wings of Wor is a hectic rapid fire shooting game that, at times, feels like a bullet hell title. You play a winged character who flies horizontally through the levels, similar to side-scrolling levels from Legendary Wings on the NES. The game consists of six stages with a healthy dose of enemies and big end bosses. The power-ups system is not overly complex, one color orb gives you a wider shot and another makes those shots stronger, You can also collect bombs which will be vital to surviving some of the harder levels. The game has unique enemies on every area and some great effects like a rocking effect that can give you vertigo. Overall, this is another great shooter that fits in well to any shooter collection. Thankfully, obtaining a copy will not cost arm and leg, the game is fairly affordable.
Shop for Gynoug on eBay

Gleylancer

Gleylancer is a title that never had a release outside of Japan until Nintendo brought it to the virtual console in 2008. The game is good and definitely worth owning due to the fact that it is very playable despite the language barrier (and like many popular retro imports, an original cart will cost you). The game starts with a great cut scene introducing the player to the main character; you are a young girl on a mission to save your father. You commandeer the best ship you can find and you’re on your way. There is nothing here that is revolutionary, but it’s a fun game. You have two orbs that accompany you and can behave in a manner that you define at the beginning of the level. The game has nice levels and two endings depending on whether or not you can save dad on the last stage. Another solid entry to the Genesis/Mega Drive library of shooters!
Shop for Gley Lancer on eBay

Elemental Master

Techno-Soft arguably had their best years making Genesis/Mega Drive games. While not as well known as the Thunder Force series, Elemental Master stands as a worthy addition to their catalog of games. For this title the developers decided to break away from the science fiction themes of Thunder Force and Herzog Zwei and instead draw upon fantasy elements for the game’s visuals. Elemental Master is a top-down shmup where you control Laden, a sorcerer trying to stop the evil King Gyra. The game opens up with an impressive cutscene which lays the foundation for the plot. It is revealed in a twist that the game’s antagonist is none other than your own brother, possessed by darkness.

The player takes control of the game after the introduction. The first half of the game is broken down into four selectable stages, each representing an element and a corresponding power-up that is gained after the level’s boss is defeated. The default weapon available at the beginning of the game is a standard parallel two-beam shooter. Unlike many other shmups all the different weapons are permanent and cannot be lost once gained. The four elemental power-ups can be charged up to release an explosive blast; the main default weapon becomes chargeable after the first four stages are completed, which gives the player the game’s most powerful weapon. Other helpful items are scattered throughout the journey including shields, multiple shot, and energy to replenish your health bar.

The gameplay involves you controlling Laden by moving in any direction on a vertical scrolling map. The levels are designed to look like different landscapes, each offering various non-lethal obstacles (and, of course, tons of bad guys). Laden can fire any selected weapon up or down. Graphically Elemental master does not shine as brightly as Techno Soft’s other two shmup masterpieces, Thunder Force 3 or 4, but it does not trail them by much. The bosses are huge and the game’s soundtrack is among the Genesis’ best. Some may say the game is too easy and I agree, unless the game catches you sleeping you won’t have too much difficulty navigating through. Difficulty is still balanced pretty evenly and increases mostly on the last three stages; everything flows well enough that it never gets boring.

The US version of Elemental Master was published by Renovation.  It’s a great addition to any shmup or Genesis collection. The game is not too uncommon and copies can be picked up on the cheap. Also Japanese copies of the game seem to be almost as abundant as their US counterparts; being a shooter with little Japanese text in the actual game, Elemental Master had a good number of copied imported when it was released in Japan.
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Super Fantasy Zone

If you are a fan of the classic Sega franchise Fantasy Zone then you are in luck, unless you live in North America. Super Fantasy Zone is a 16-bit entry into this classic Sega series, the game received a release in Japan and Europe, but not North America. Nintendo rectified this by releasing it for the Wii’s virtual console in 2008. If you are familiar with how Fantasy Zone plays, there will be no surprises here. The game lets you roam freely left or right, like Defender, and it features bright colorful graphics. Like its predecessors there are shops that can be found throughout the levels that gives you temporary upgrades. Unless you count Keio Flying Squadron on the Sega CD, Super Fantasy Zone is the best option available for a bright colorful shooter on the Genesis/Megadrive.
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Gaiares

Gaiares is horizontal shmup released stateside by Renovation. Among the large amount of Genesis shooters, Gaiares rests relatively high among the bunch. The developers had no problem using the console’s color palette to generate some excellent looking visuals. This is highlighted in the boss fights at the end of the game’s eight stages. Each one is massive and fills up a good portion of the screen.

What really sets Gaiares apart is the power up system. Following your ship is a Gradius-like option, but unlike Gradius you can launch it at an enemy and gain their unique type of firepower; repeated launches into the same enemy equals a more powerful version of said weapon. Gaiares is not easy, it’ll give any gamer a good challenge and will probably not be completed on the first playthrough. The game is not uncommon and can be tracked down relatively easily but a CIB version, while not as pricey as some import Mega Drive shmups, might require a bit of extra coin.
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Truxton

Toaplan! Truxton (known as Tatsujin in Japan) was an early release for the Genesis/Mega Drive, hitting shelves not long after the debut of the console. It is an arcade port that I remember being one of the games used in European advertisements to show off how much more advanced the Genesis/Mega Drive was over the 8-bit NES. The game still looks great and it will ooze nostalgia to anyone who paid attention to Sega’s 16-bit console in its early days. It’s not the best-looking game on the console anymore, but that’s excusable due to the fact that it was an early release and based off of an arcade game.  Even though all Genesis/Mega Drive shooters are technically retro and old school, Truxton feels a bit more classic than then the rest. The game comes highly recommended to anyone that enjoys old school shooters with an arcade feel. The arcade-exclusive (save the Japan-only FM Towns computer system) sequel is great too.
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Raiden Trad

Raiden is a classic shooter franchise. As of this writing it spans four official releases and various spinoffs. Raiden Trad is a modified version of the first arcade game released for the SNES and Genesis/Mega Drive. The game is not a visual masterpiece, but Raiden is a franchise that has a standard of quality among shooters; this entry in the series helps to establish it. There are eight vertically-scrolling stages that move along at a slow to medium pace. Raiden Trad lacks the fast-paced rush some shooters can give you, but that’s perfectly fine. There are two types of weapons to upgrade and (of course) large, devastating bombs. Like Truxton, this is an old school game that feels a bit older still than the rest of its contemporaries. The best part about it is that if you want to own a copy it rather common and affordable!
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Bio Hazard Battle

Bio Hazard Battle starts by letting you pick one of four “ships” to play. They all seem modeled after something aquatic, in fact the whole game’s aesthetic features a biological/oceanic theme which makes it visually unique among the typical ‘space ship in space’ shooter. The game overall is good, if not great. The uniqueness of the enemies and the stages is what puts it a notch above other such shooters. The four ships each have advantages and disadvantages over the other ones and there are plenty of power ups to find throughout the game’s eight stages. Bio Hazard Battle (or its more oddly-named Japanese edition, “Crying”) is common to come across and fits in well with any shooter collection.
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Sub Terrania

Sub Terrania is a shooter with a twist to the usual horizontal and vertical scrolling. The game gives you free range to move, but it also imposes heavy restrictions on you. Mainly, you have to manage your fuel. Each stage has a set of goals that does not necessarily just consist of killing a boss, often times you will find yourself rescuing hostages a la Choplifter. If you are craving a typical on-rails shooter where you only have to worry about dodging and shooting, Sub Terrania will get very frustrating very fast. If, however, you have an idea of what you are getting into and you take the time to master the thrust mechanic Sub Terrania can be a very fun game.
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Granada

Wolf Team is a defunct game developer that had was quite prolific during the Genesis/Mega Drive years. Thanks to publisher Renovation, gamers outside of Japan were able to play some of their great titles (as well as great games by other Eastern developers). This may be a point of contention, but neither Wolf Team nor Renovation had their name on many games that would be considered classics or must-haves for Sega’s 16-bit console.

They were, however, two great companies that brought over a lot of good games that helped the Genesis/Mega Drive stand out from its competitors and expand its library to include unique games found nowhere else. Now, Granada is one of those games. It does not have the legacy that Sonic or Zelda has, but it’s downright fun. This game is not a typical scrolling shooter, but instead it plays like a twin stick shooter before consoles could do twin stick. You can roam freely on the stage and your goal is to kill the bad guys and the things that spawn them (not unlike Gauntlet). You fire in the direction you’re facing and you can hold a button down to continue firing in that direction while moving in different ones. This is how the game creates its twin stick feel. The game is not a system-seller, but Granada is great mindless shooting and definitely worth playing.
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Verytex

If you made a three-category list of Genesis shmups which included best, middle, and worst, Verytex would likely be at the top of the middle list. There is nothing wrong here; Verytex is a pretty vanilla shmup developed by Operahouse and published by Asmik which never saw a release outside of Japan. It has some things going for it, but in contrast to the Genesis’ hefty shmup catalog it fails to shine too bright.

The game is comprised of six vertically-scrolling stages. The graphics are decent and its soundtrack ranks slightly above average. There are three weapon types, missiles and shield power ups, nothing too extravagant. The one issue with the game that can cause frustration is inconsistent difficulty and a few cheap shots that will be thrown at you. For example, in some levels of the game enemies will spawn behind you with no warning, killing any player hugging the bottom of the screen. Some levels are simple and can be beaten on the first try while others may take a few attempts. The part that really amps the difficulty, of course, is the end boss. On its last incarnation the final enemy goes into nightmare mode and becomes a series of eyes shooting non-stop heat-seeking fire and fast moving lasers that can hit almost every inch of the screen. The game does not allow you to continue where you died, but instead at mid-points in the level; the final boss is no exception.

These faults don’t break the game, Verytex is worth playing and if you are going to spend the money on an import shmup for your Genesis, Eliminate Down would be a better choice, but if you already own that Verytex makes a good addition to a Genesis collection.
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Slap Fight

Slap Fight (also known as Alcon) might have some value to collectors since it was only released in Japan. This game, released by Tengen for the Genesis/Mega Drive, feels very much like an arcade game (which should be no surprise because it is a port of one). Slap Fight is a vertical shooting shooter that will look a bit aged on the Genesis when you compare it to other games released at the time. The power up method appears borrowed from Gradius, but the game does offer some nice things beyond that, like having multiple ships attach to you in a Galaga-like fashion. Similar to Raiden Trad, Slap Fight does not visually blow you away, but it does capture that arcade feel that shooters developed specifically for consoles just don’t have. It’s not a handicap for those other games, just a different type of gaming experience. If that statement makes sense and you enjoy that arcade feel replicated on a console, Slap Fight will be worth your time.
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Sagaia

Sagaia is decent shooter that is faithful to the Darius series (except for the name of the game; for some reason “Darius 2” didn’t cut it for the title of the game so it was renamed. The same anomaly occurred for “Lightening Force”).  For Sagaia you get to choose your path after each level which gives the game a lot of replay value. The levels all branch off from the previous ones; you can finish the game without having seen most of it. If you ever played the arcade game this is based off of you will miss the massive letter boxed screen, but if you don’t have that as a point of reference Sagaia is a fun and very challenging game. In typical Darius fashion the robotic fish themes are littered through each level. The game falls short of the brilliance that the 32-bit Darius games are, but it’s still a good title to play.
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Dangerous Seed

Dangerous Seed is an arcade game developed and published by Namco that was ported to the Mega Drive for a Japanese-only release. The console version deviates from its arcade counterpart a bit, but it still manages to bring an arcade feel to the system; something that the large Genesis’ shmup library doesn’t have too much of. The game is long, it’s comprised of 12 levels at about a medium difficulty. Dangerous Seed uses an interesting ship mechanic where at different stages you get another ship attached to your own which (depending on how you arrange them) affects how you fire. They also each have a health bar.

Most of the enemies are the same with little derivation. The various bosses are big and usually their most lethal attack is them quickly lunging at you, not a spread of bullets. Overall this is a good little import shooter for the Mega Drive. It falls short of great by being a bit monotonous and graphically average, yet really never fails anywhere else.
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Master of Weapon

Master of Weapon (Taito’s error, not mine!) is yet another Japan-only shooter. The game is an arcade title made by Taito. It features a gun and bomb mechanic similar to Xevious where you have one weapon that can only hit aerial enemies and one solely for ground units. Unlike Xevious, the game is fast-paced. The graphics range from average to good and the difficulty is solid. The boss fights can drag a bit which can result in a loss of interest for those with short attention spans. Otherwise, it’s a solid vertical shooter with a good arcade feel.
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Twinkle Tale

Twinkle Tale is a free-roaming shooter that some people might say is not a real shmup. Regardless of how you make the distinction, this game will satisfy your urge to gun down 16-bit enemies. Twinkle Tale looks great on the Mega Drive and its gameplay makes me think of Elemental Master, but with less restrictive movement. Every stage in the game is diverse and forces you to navigate through various rooms and environments; it is not on-rails so you will not be forced to constantly move vertically or horizontally. Twinkle Tale manages to keep itself interesting throughout each stage; one level even has platforming elements (minus the jumping) in a scenic sky setting. Twinkle Tale never got a release outside of Japan (but it did receive a fan translation) and it can get rather pricey for import copies.
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Whip Rush

Anybody that has a healthy Genesis collection most likely has a few Renovation titles floating around. They were a great publisher that provided a variety of niche titles to the Genesis crowd. Whip Rush is one of the shmups they brought stateside. The game is comprised of seven mostly-horizontal scrolling levels: by “mostly” I mean the game does not always move left to right, some parts of the level will scroll down into a body of water, or in every cardinal direction through a labyrinth-like stage. The presentation features average Genesis-caliber graphics that appear cartoony at some points due to (what I imagine is an intentional) lack of detail. The sound effects show the worst side of the Genesis’ sound capabilities; they can get irritating fast, usually when the ship is firing. In typical shooter fashion there are a few different shot types that can be powered up by getting the same type repeatedly. Having a weapon that can fire behind you is essential to beating the game. Whip Rush also has one of the most varied speed controls I have ever seen in a shmup
Criticisms aside this is a competent little shooter that does little wrong. There is an effort by the developers that shows in the game, from the initial cut scene to the ending. The boss fights may irate some due to the bosses having a hitbox that has limited exposures, but there are more than a few innovative and difficult challenges to be found there.  Whip Rush may be generic, but it definitely has its charm and is worth checking out.
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Phelios

Phelios features the Greco-Roman God Apollo flying on Pegasus in attempt to save his significant other, the goddess Artemis. This is a vertical scrolling shooter that isn’t bad in the slightest. It is reminiscing of Legendary Wings, at least the portions of it where the character(s) are scrolling vertically. Phelios is a port of an arcade game of the same name released by Namco. This is from an era when the arcades were still ahead of console hardware, so it’s no surprise that the port lacks the graphics and details of its arcade counterpart. Phelios loosely bases itself off of mythology for it visual themes and style. And despite the game’s graphics falling short of the arcade version, this Genesis/Mega Drive title is still nice looking game with a good amount of color. For the price this usually demands (not much) Phelios is worth adding to a shmup collection.
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Battle Mania 2 / Battle Mania Daiginjō

Battle Mania Daiginjō is the sequel to Trouble Shooter (as it is known outside of Japan) and it’s a game that never left Japan which is a shame because it is much better than its predecessor. Like it’s prequel you don’t play as a ship or airplane, but as a person (or persons) flying through the air and shooting.   This setup and its mix of both horizontal and vertical scrolling gives the player a good change of pace from more traditional shmups.  The controls are very responsive and tight and the game has solid pacing throughout.  Because of its more unique play structure, it is a bit of a cult classic within the Japanese Megadrive library.

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Curse

If you enjoy retro shooters and importing games (assuming you are not Japanese) owning a Genesis/Mega Drive could be a very rewarding experience. Curse is yet another shooter that never saw the light of day outside of Japan. This game sits right on the bell curve for me in regards to Genesis/Mega Drive shooters. Some of the visuals are nice and it’s not broken, but it feels a bit sluggish. Your ship does have a shield (aka energy bar) that reduces frustration when you make a careless mistake.  Overall, the parallax scrolling is nice eye candy and if you are looking to grow your gaming collection you could do a lot worse than Curse.
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Aero Blasters

Aero Blasters is a game developed and published by Kaneko. It is an above-average shmup that was ported from the arcade (where it was known as “Air Buster”) to both the Genesis and Turbografx. Of the two console versions the Genesis has the better graphics; in fact the game looks great all around. Kaneko managed to take advantage of the Genesis’ color palette and made a shmup that is as colorful as some Super Nintendo games.

The game is a basic side-scroller. It features a limited number of power-ups that really contribute little, the one main fault of the game in my opinion. The stages are varied, starting in a beautiful metropolis (which you watch get decimated) and ends in a fortress. Aero Blasters features plenty of the dodging and shooting you’d expect, Kaneko did, however, add some variety to keep the player interested, though not everyone will agree with all of their choices. On stage two the play will be forced to move at full blast-processing speed through a variety of corridors that take twitch reflexes or memorization to navigate through. Stages three and four change the game physics to mimic zero gravity, and stage six has Ikaruga-like maze elements.

This game is worth checking out if you are going to explore the Genesis’ shmup library. It’s a competent game that offers a good challenge without getting frustrating. While everyone may not agree about Aero Blasters being a great game, few shmup fans will call it a bad one.
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Undead Line

Undead Line is a tough game that plays a lot like Elemental Master.  This is yet another title to add to the list of Japan-only shooters for the Mega Drive. You can choose the order you play the stages in and each level has its own motif, a cemetery, forest, etc. There is a mid-boss and end boss for each stage along with a variety of chests containing power ups to help you out (like a very valuable shield). The game doesn’t look too bad and the end bosses are typically huge (although they often lack a significant amount of animation).  The game will require practice to beat due to the fact that it can difficult at times. If you are not interested in hard gameplay there are difficulty adjustments in the options. Undead Line is a good title that falls short of being great. It’s a good game to own, but only if the price is reasonable.
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Vapor Trail: Hyper Offence Formation

Vapor Trail began as an arcade game by Data East and was ported to the Genesis/Mega Drive by Telenet Japan. Renovation saw fit to bring the title stateside. The console port is faithful to the arcade; the game itself is a vertical shooter that puts the player in the cockpit of one of three different fighter planes. Vapor Trail is a competent game and a fun shooter that features a power-up system based on four weapon types and a shield which takes the place of a bomb that is used in many shooters. Strangely, the game got a sequel in the form of a horizontal mech shooter that was released to the arcade, PSX, and Sega Saturn called Wolf Fang: Kuhga 2001. Following that the series went back to vertical shooting with another sequel called Skull Fang.
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Hellfire

Hellfire, as the name suggests, is one of the more difficult games on this list, but it’s also one of the most under-appreciated  The name references the most powerful weapon that you have at your disposal, but it might as well be an ode to how tough the game can be, especially in the later levels. Initially a port of Toaplan’s arcade version, Hellfire holds up very well even to this day. It’s one of the better-looking and sounding games on this list, despite being released in 1990, and it retains the same solid gameplay that made it a popular arcade title in the late 80’s. What sets it apart from many shmups is the shooting mechanic, which allows you to choose one of four directions (forward, backward, vertical, four-way diagonal) to shoot in with the press of a button, and it works very well. It’s not one of the most well-known Genesis titles out there, but it’s worth a look, especially if you’ve played the rest. If you can find a CIB version, you can expect to pay at least $40.
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Forgotten Worlds

Forgotten Worlds is an arcade game by Capcom that got a port to a variety of consoles. The game does not follow the traditional shooter formula. You can play a one or two-player game, the two playable characters are beefy unnamed tough guys armed with BFGs. The gamplay for Forgotten Worlds is unique due to how you fire. Your gun can be powered up with several upgrades, but you don’t just fire forward in this horizontally scrolling game. Two of the gamepad buttons will allow the character to rotate themselves in a circular motion thus changing the direction they fire. One button rotates right and the other to the left. Upgrades can be bought in shops that appear throughout the levels. Forgotten Worlds is fun game, though the transition from the arcade’s twin-stick mechanics to the Genesis pad might be too much to overcome for some. If you can get comfortable with the rotating shooting mechanic there is a very enjoyable gaming experience here.
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Fire Mustang

Fire Mustang is a port of the arcade game USAAF Mustang released by Taito exclusively for Japan. The game is a side-scroller that takes place during WWII. The game takes some liberties with its history, but most people don’t play 2-D shooters for a history lesson. Oddly enough, this Japanese-developed game put you in command of a US Air Force P-51 Mustang, you fly horizontally through the game fighting off the Germans and Japanese. Shooting consists firing a direct shot forward (or multiple forward shots depending on your accumulated power-ups) and bombs that will fall to the ground. The game is competent and worth playing if it can be found for a reasonable price. If you are going to import only one shooter for the console, this wouldn’t be the top choice.
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Fire Shark

Toaplan! This is another Toaplan game that made its way to the Genesis/Mega Drive. Fire Shark is a sequel for the shooter Sky Shark (an arcade game ported to a variety of platforms). One way to imagine Fire Shark is like Truxton if it had a WWI theme; the games have a very similar feel to them. Fire Shark is not incredibly difficult, but you do have to be careful since your airplane can only take one hit. Luckily, Fire Shark got a multi-regional release and it can be bought for a reasonable price tag online. The title comes recommended for that reason to collectors, if you are looking for a decent shooter for a rainy day you could do a lot worse.
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Battle Squadron

You can look at some games and know right away that they are Amiga games. EA was kind enough to bring a handful of PC/Amiga games to the Genesis/Mega Drive and Battle Squadron is one of them. Like many Amiga games this was not developed by a Japanese development team, but a Western one. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but anyone who has played a good variety of shmups will be able to immediately feel the difference between a Western-made shooter and an Eastern one.  This is not the best shooter for the Genesis/Mega Drive, but it is unique. It is difficult to find this kind of shooter experience on a console and for that reason alone Battle Squadron is worth owning, especially if you are a fan of games along the lines of Tyrian.
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Twin Hawk

Even more Toaplan! If you have played Truxton and/or Fire shark you will be right at home with this shooter. Twin Hawk is a WWII-themed shmup developed by Toaplan and released by Taito. It was originally an arcade game that got a Mega Drive release for Europe and Japan (not North America, unfortunately). Like 1942 you play as a warplane that is in charge of decimating waves of enemies. Unlike 1942 all of your foes consist of tanks and boats. This is a unique feature of the game that isn’t a fault, it’s just a bit odd compared to the plethora of other WWII-themed shooter. Another unique feature of the game is that instead of having a bomb, you call upon additional planes to fly with you and shoot at whatever is in front of them. They are pretty weak overall and similar to the stone centurions you can free in Kid Icarus with the mallet. Still it is an interesting way to do a special attack. The game is not exceptional, but a good title for any shooter or Toaplan fan; since it is not highly priced, it’s a welcome addition to any shooter collection.
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Bio-ship Paladin

Bio-ship Paladin, or “Gunship Gomora”, was released in 1991 on the Mega Drive, a year after it had made its debut in the arcades. It’s a pretty standard shmup in most regards, with the story revolving around the attempted destruction of a city by a fleet going by the name of the Aggressors. It’s your job to pilot the Paladin and stop the alien horde over ten levels. You control a standard gun which fires directly in front of you, but you also get a second weapon that can be used with a crosshairs for more accurate shooting, and a laser which is accessed by holding down the shoot button. The difficulty of the game is lessened a little bit by the power-ups that are available, including enhancements to your armor, which also increases your ship size, speed boosts and attachable weapons. The game looks good, with colors that really pop and stand out, and while the audio is mostly forgettable, it never gets on your nerves. Multiplayer is also available, with two players working together or competing against each other for points. The framerate slows down at times when there’s a lot going on, but for the most part, it runs quite smoothly. If you can find a copy, it comes recommended.
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Sol-Deace

Sol-Deace is not a bad game, but it is a “meh” shmup for the Genesis. The game was brought to the states by Renovation and made by Wolfteam. For Sega’s consoles it exists in three versions, the cartridge, the Sega CD, and the Mega CD (the latter two bearing the name “Sol-Feace”). The cartridge version is a port of the CD version and the Western and Japanese version differ from each other mostly in sound. The voiceovers are done in accordance to the region’s particular language, but for some reason the makers of the Sega CD version did not use the CD for some of the sound effects that the Mega CD did; there are bits of the game in the Japanese CD version that produce sharper and better audio effects as opposed to Sega CD version which got its sound effects from the Genesis console. This aside the game is an alright seven-level horizontal shmup. The power ups are weak and the graphics okay. If you have access to a Sega CD definitely get that version if you are going to give the game a go, the saving grace of this title is the soundtrack. Sol-Deace feature some of my favorite game tunes with some really standout tracks. And luckily for the game, a shmup with a great soundtrack gains a lot more playability.
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Trouble Shooter

Trouble Shooter stars two young heroines, Madison and Crystal as they attempt to stop the bad guys and rescue a hostage. The game is decent enough, if you are looking for something spectacular look elsewhere. Trouble Shooter does manage to distinguish itself from other Genesis/Mega Drive shooters by featuring two jetpack-wearing females instead of a space ship. You can choose your weapons at the beginning of the level and you have the ability to have both girls focus their aim forward or one fire backwards and one fire forward. Trouble Shooter is not a very difficult horizontal shooter. The Japanese- and Korean-only sequel improves on the formula quite a bit.
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Task Force Harrier EX

Treco would release a handful of gems for the Genesis/Mega Drive including the only North American release of a Langrisser game (Warsong). Task Force Harrier EX is one of several shooters the company ported from the arcade to the Genesis/Mega Drive. In this game radical Communists have a new bomber that could destroy the free world and only you and your Harrier jet can stop them. This is not a game you play for colorful graphics. It’s a vertical scrolling shooter that doesn’t look as good as its arcade source, but it can give the player some enjoyment. You have a main attack for flying enemies and a bomb for ground units. The power ups mostly revolve around two smaller ships that flight adjacent to your Harrier and they can be aimed in various positions. Overall, it’s an alright shooter that is not broken and available for a relatively cheap price.
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Grind Stormer

This was a late release by Tengen in the Genesis/Mega Drive’s lifespan. It was developed by Toaplan for the arcade and is ported to the Genesis/Mega Drive by Tengen just like Slap Fight. Unlike Slap Fight, Grind Stormer did get a release outside of Japan. The port has been criticized as being a poor representation of the arcade version, if you can separate the title from its source you have a decent game here. It’s not without its flaws, mainly a lack of polish that other games (Thunder Force 4, Eliminate Down) proved were possible on the console. This is not the best shooter around, but if you are a collector or a Toaplan fan then it’s worth tracking down. Copies of the games are not outrageously priced, but it will cost you a bit to own.
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Insector X

In this bug-themed horizontal shooter you control what can best be described as a giant mechanical wasp armed with a forward cannon. There’s nothing wrong here with the game, Insector X is a competent-enough game that doesn’t have anything broken within it, but overall the game is just average. The graphics aren’t terrible and the environments are interesting for the most part. In traditional shooter form every level ends with a large boss, in Insector X they will be modeled after an insect or arachnid. The game originated as an arcade title (whose visuals and sound were much more cartoony in nature), and found it’s way to the Genesis/Mega Drive by the way of Sage’s Creation. The game doesn’t cost much so it does come recommended if the price is low enough.
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Mega Swiv

The best part about Mega Swiv is the two different control options. Players have the choice between a helicopter (which can fly over certain obstacles) and a jeep (which can shoot in multiple directions), and both can be used at the same time when a second player comes aboard for co-op play. The story is pretty standard for the time, with you being sent in to eviscerate a group of bad guys who have stolen military equipment, and plan to use it on the rest of the world. It’s your job to make sure it doesn’t happen, and while the story doesn’t represent anything great, it doesn’t get in the way either. It’s a pretty run-of-the-mill shmup, and the visuals aren’t anything fantastic, but the co-op is solid and the different play styles add a little variety to the experience.
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Arrow Flash

As a general rule, shmups are usually known as being for hardcore gamers who love a challenge. Arrow Flash, released on the Genesis exclusively in 1990, is the exception to that rule, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some value here. The game lets you switch on the fly between two different ships, a smaller one and a robot-like transformer. They both typically play the same, but some players might prefer one to the other. Due to the comparatively tame nature of the game, it’s a perfect introductory title for those who are interested in the shmup genre, but haven’t really explored it to the level that others have. The visuals are decent, but the sound definitely needs some work. The one thing that really frustrated me about the game was the need to continually press the shoot button to fire, instead of being able to simply hold it down. It’s not the most widely available game out there, but if you find one, you can expect to pay $15-$45 based on condition and completeness.
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Thunder Force 2

Thunder Force 2 was one of the launch titles for the North American Genesis in 1989, and while it’s not as revered as its sequel, it’s still a quality game that should be in the collection of any shmup fan. The game alternates between top-down and side-scrolling stages, and while the top-down levels are decent, the game really shines with the side-scrolling. Obviously the developers agreed, as when the sequel was released the following year, the overhead portions were completely removed in favor of pure side-scrolling. You have two options for weapons, with a more powerful one that shoots just straight ahead, or a secondary option that shoots forwards and backwards at a reduced level. The opening level starts off easy enough, but the difficulty spikes once the second area begins and becomes increasingly difficult throughout the game’s nine stages. Being a launch title, you can forgive the slightly below-standard visuals and audio, but it does take away from the game when looking at it now almost 25 years later. It set the stage for arguably the best shmup on the system, and even though it’s not as good as TF3, it’s still a must-have for serious collectors and players.
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Atomic Robo-Kid

Atomic Robo-Kid started as an arcade game and it was later ported to nearly every console that would take it. If you are looking for fast paced shooter action, you’re in the wrong place. This game is slow (as in, you have to scroll the screen manually), sluggish, and difficult. Atomic Robo –Kid is a one-hit-you’re-dead horizontal shooting/action title. This game may float some gamer’s boats, but overall I see it having a hard time finding a large fanbase. The title isn’t broken in any way, there are just a lot of other titles on the Genesis/Mega Drive that will offer more immediate gratification.
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Zero Wing

If you are familiar with the “All Your Base” internet meme, this is the game where it comes from. Besides the infamous poor translation what else does this game have going for it? Zero Wing is a Toaplan arcade shooter that was brought to the Mega Drive in Japan and Europe, but not the States. This is not Toaplan’s best game, but it is not a train wreck either. The port is very close to the arcade version and it looks decent graphically. One interesting aspect in the game is a tractor beam that you can use to grab and throw enemy ships. This may sounds great, but it doesn’t enhance the game too much. In fact it seems a lot better in writing. Ultimately, all the feature does is pull and throw small baddies, not anything cool like the weapon-stealing beacon in Gaiares. Overall, due to the import price tag (for North Americans) Zero Wing is a game that is best left to collectors who are completionists and people who are interested in it just for novelty’s sake.
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Viewpoint

Let’s get one thing out of the way off the top: Viewpoint is much better on a Neo-Geo arcade unit than it is on any other platform, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it on the Genesis. The gameplay is a pretty faithful rendition of the arcade version, with the full complement of weapons and power-ups present throughout the game to go along with a varied enemy and obstacle set. Of course, the original did present more enemies than the Genesis title does, but if you’ve never played the original, that won’t matter. When it comes to the visuals, you’re playing from an isometric (or “¾”) perspective, and despite the obvious step down in horsepower, it looks pretty good, though the audio is really just average at best. The biggest knock on the game is that it lags, and to be honest, it can get pretty bad at spots. If you can look past the framerate issues, and the fact that you’re not getting the full experience on the Genesis, you’ll find a solid shmup that probably doesn’t get enough respect on the platform due to it not being the best version of the game.
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Darwin 4081

As you may have guessed from the title, evolution plays a key role in this one. In Darwin 4081, a port of the arcade title Super Real Darwin (not, oddly, its predecessor, Darwin 4078), the planet Lakya has inadvertently released their life force that drifts to another planet, Cokyo. The two planets end up going to war with the use of their constantly evolving weapons and ships. The storyline is probably the most interesting thing about the game, along with your ship consistently changing and evolving based on the items that are dropped by your fallen enemies. Darwin 4081 is a vertical shooter that allows you to have a standard weapon that will deal with most of your foes, as well as a ground weapon, specifically for dealing with lizard-like enemies that patrol the land. The “upgrades” to evolve your ship won’t be for everyone, so it’s advised that you try them all out and plan to avoid the ones that don’t help you out. Darwin 4081 is a pretty fast and fluid game, but it certainly won’t blow anyone away in the presentation department, as it’s one of the more bland, generic shooters on this list. Outside of the concept, there really isn’t anything spectacular here, but there’s nothing truly awful either. If you’ve tried all of the rest, give Darwin 4081 a go.
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Cross Fire (Super Airwolf)

Cross Fire (aka Super Airwolf) is a game that switches up it’s gameplay. In Japan the game proudly sports the Air Wolf brand, but outside of that region it is known as Crossfire. I assume this is due to licensing issues. At first the game is very similar to Tiger Heli, you control the helicopter (Airwolf) and lay waste to other airborne bad guys. After that comes the ground phase; you have one more opportunity to use your helicopter, this time you can take out ground unit (mostly foot soldiers) so that the third game phase will be a bit easier. The third phase is straight NES Commando-like shooting. The main character is on the ground and he can freely roam in any direction while dodging fire from other ground units. It’s not a bad combination and it is worth giving the game praise for trying something different. That being said the title is ok at best. There are a lot of better shooters to spend time with on the Genesis/Mega drive.
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Twin Cobra

Adding to Toaplan’s long list of Genesis/Mega Drive games is Twin Cobra. This is an arcade game that was published by Taito. It is the successor to Tiger Heli and like that game it is a vertical scrolling shooter that puts the player in control of a helicopter. You have a forward shot that can be powered up and a bomb that damages all enemies in a circular range. The graphics are only ok by the console’s standards and the game has a fair challenge (which can be adjusted with eight difficulty settings). Twin Cobra falls right on the fence, if you are not a shooter fan already, Twin Cobra will not convert you.
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XDR: X-Dazedly-Ray

There isn’t much to say about XDR, outside of the fact that you probably won’t have much fun while playing it. There are six stages of horizontal shooting, each with a boss at the end, and while some have compared it to Gradius, at least in concept, the two games couldn’t be more different. Graphically, XDR isn’t too bad, but the audio is uninspired in both the music and sound effect departments, and just ends up making the whole experience worse. The gameplay is too slow, and you never really feel like you’re in total control of your ship, which happens to be bigger than most ships in similar games, causing you to have more trouble than you should when it comes to dodging enemy fire. When the best thing you can say about a game is that it has cool boxart, it’s a sign that you should stay far, far away.
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Heavy Unit

Heavy Unit is a game by Kaneko, a company with a decent shooter resume including Air Buster (PC Engine  & Genesis/Mega Drive), Nexzr (PC Engine CD), and Cyvern (Arcade). Unfortunately, Heavy Unit does not stack up to the aforementioned games. It’s not broken, but it’s bland overall. You control a ship that has the ability to transform into a mech, similar to a “variable fighter” in Macross. There are some colorful stages and bosses, but if you are looking for that action-packed thrill that shooter fans expect from the genre, you will be disappointed. The game’s biggest crime is just that it is boring overall and its shooting sound effect gets annoying fast. Heavy Unit never got a release outside of Japan, so it does get a bit pricey. It’s recommended for collectors and completists only.
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Xenon 2: Megablast

Xenon 2 is the prime example of a game that simply hasn’t held up well. The background graphics aren’t bad, and it is nice to be able to travel in reverse in a vertical shooter, but that’s pretty much where the positivity ends. It’s painfully slow, to the point where it’s almost unplayable. The speed of the game actually contributes more to the difficulty than anything else, and even though you can upgrade your ship, it doesn’t make the game any more enjoyable. It’s a good thing that you can reverse too, because there are several instances in the game where you’ll be trapped and have to back up, though there’s a good chance that you’ll get destroyed in the process. Note that if you want to purchase the game, it was originally region locked to Europe, so you’ll need an adapter if you’re planning on playing it on a standard console from another region.
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Xiao Monv: Magic Girl

Few people have even heard about this unlicensed Mega Drive title from Gamtec, but it’s actually pretty fun to play. I’d love to tell you something about the story, but it’s in Chinese, and I can’t translate. If anyone knows anything, please let us know in the comments. From what I can tell, it’s a vertical shooter, but it doesn’t look anything like a standard shmup with the cute and colorful appearance. The game tends to be a little slow and the frame rate can be choppy, but it doesn’t seem to affect the difficulty of the game, which remains pretty easy throughout the five levels that are present. You have three different weapons at your disposal, and enemies ranging from smiling faces to pencils will come at you from all directions, so sitting at the bottom of the screen will lead to trouble with enemies sneaking up on you from behind. The most interesting part is that the game contains a life meter, which isn’t usually present in games from the shmup genre. It’s not a long or difficult game though, and is a largely forgettable experience.
Shop for Xiao Monv: Magic Girl on eBay

Gadget Twins

Gadget Twins’ art style is very kiddy and calling it a shooter is a bit of a stretch. You don’t actually shoot, but punch in a short range in one of four of the cardinal directions. You play a happy little submarine that is always smiling unless you die. All the environments and enemies in the game have a cutesy look to them, which is fine and works for some games like Parodius and Harmful Park, but this game feels like some cheap Fisher-Price product. There are shops throughout the level like Fantasy Zone, but that doesn’t make it interesting. The game is weak overall and hard to enjoy. Add this to your collection only if you are morbidly curious or a collector that is a completest.
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Divine Sealing

Stay far, far away from this one. Much like Magic Girl, Divine Sealing was an unlicensed game that never made it outside of Asia, but those in other parts of the world certainly aren’t missing out. Divine Sealing is a vertical, top-down shooter where you are trying to rescue a princess through five levels of standard enemies and bosses. What’s your reward for passing each level? A striptease, of course! Suffice it to say, if you do try and play this game, it’s probably best to do it with only age-appropriate people in the room. It’s best to play this game with the sound off, but unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to stop the visuals from destroying your eyes. There’s legitimate seizure potential when sitting in front of the screen with these levels, and at the very best, you’ll be so sick of what you see, that you’ll need to turn it off. The gameplay is the best thing about Divine Sealing, but it’s still not good, as your ship is far too jumpy, and as evidenced by a YouTube video, you can actually sit in one spot, hold the shoot button and never get touched. Believe me, you’re not missing anything if you never play Divine Sealing.
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Burning Force

When I first got my Sega Genesis, I was addicted to Space Harrier, and I couldn’t help but be reminded of it when I first booted up Burning Force. The first thing that you notice when you start up the game is the vibrant color being used, and it really is quite striking, but being an early Genesis title, don’t expect anything of note in the graphics department. If you’re an audiophile, there are two distinct parts to the discussion here. The first being that the music is solid, and you can sound test all of the tracks from inside the options menu, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, the rest of the audio is rather uninspired, which is kind of understandable considering that the game was released in 1990. I mentioned Space Harrier off the top, and while Burning Force borrows from the series, it is a little different. First, you control Hiromi Tengenji, as she takes on her enemies while riding a scooter. Unlike Space Harrier, you can really only move side-to-side and not vertically, but you do have your standard missiles and guns available at your disposal. The game runs at a pretty solid framerate, and when it dips, it really isn’t noticeable, but the sense of speed isn’t good. Where Space Harrier nailed the speed aspect, Burning Force seems incredibly slow by comparison, and the game isn’t really difficult, even with the adjustable settings. It’s one of those games that falls right in the middle of the quality Genesis shmups.
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Super Smash TV

Super Smash TV has attained a cult-like following in the years since its release in 1992, and surely the recently released Hotline Miami took some inspiration from the bloody gore fest designed by Probe and Acclaim. The game is set in the future, with your character on a TV show where he must fight for his life. The goal is to kill as many enemies and bosses as possible, with money and prizes being the reward at the end. The game is fast, with enemies coming at you from every possible corner, while weapons and power-ups are consistently dropped for you to add to your arsenal. The game’s difficulty does see a pretty big spike as you progress, and the bosses present a sturdy challenge. Adding a second player for co-op adds to the fun, and helps out with the tougher levels, without question. On the negative side of things, the audio could have used some more work, and the controls can sometimes get in the way, but there’s nothing here that stops the game from being fun, especially with two players. It’s one of those games that was better in the arcades, but is still worth a look on the Genesis.
Contra? Leynos? Alien Soldier?
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Additional Unlicensed Titles

• Action 52
• The Earth Defend

It may seem like the DS came out just a few years ago, it was released over 8 years ago and, now that that DSi and 3DS have been trying to fight off the Android and iOS onslaught, the original DS is becoming the “New Game Boy Advance” in our minds.

However, with the great success of the Nintendo DS came many of copies of quality titles in circulation, which then leads to especially-affordable aftermarket prices.  So if you’re looking to take advantage of the best deals to build up your Nintendo DS collection, this is just the list for you.

(Prices listed are an average eBay price for US games, including shipping.)
Check out the other Cheapest Games Worth Your Time articles

	Sonic Rush: $8 Even with some of the new 2D console releases, Sonic Rush is stil one of the best Sonic the Hedgehog games of the 21st century, especially if you are partial to the 2D Sonics. Sonic Rush takes all of the great things you loved about the 16-bit Sonic, modernizes them a bit to create compelling and satisfying experience that the Sonic Advance series couldn’t dream of attaining. Sonic Rush also uses both of the DS’s screen to give Sonic more visibility and is backed by an amazing soundtrack from Hideki Naganuma of Jet Set Radio fame. Shop for Sonic Rush on eBay Shop for Sonic Rush on Amazon.com
	Space Invaders Extreme:  $8 If you are into old-school games with a modern flair, Space Invaders Extreme is practically a required purchase for your DS library.  I feel like SIE is essentially the closest thing I have found to a quality 2D version of Rez.   There have been some other Space Invaders revival games released since this one, but I still find this to be the sweet spot.  If you want more in-depth commentary, check out my full review of the game.  If you end up enjoying this one, Space Invaders Extreme 2 is also about $10. Shop for Space Invaders Extreme on eBay Shop for Space Invaders Extreme on Amazon.com
	Rhythm Heaven: $6 If you enjoy Rhythm games, it doesn’t get much better than Rhythm Heaven.  And if you aren’t a fan of games that test your musical prowess, this is one you might want to try.  Rhythm Heaven is one of the later DS releases on this list, but eventually sold quite a few copies bringing the resale value down quickly. Shop for Rhythm Heaven on eBay Shop for Rhythm Heaven on Amazon.com
	Elite Beat Agents: $6 As an Americanized followup to the very popular Japanese title, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, Elite Beat Agents is a wonderful music rhythm game.  It’s filled with quirky personality and catchy tunes and ended up being one of the most plentiful DS releases that didn’t involve a major Nintendo character.   I wouldn’t be surprised if you can find this one for next-to-nothing in the near future. Shop for Elite Beat Agents on eBay Shop for Elite Beat Agents on Amazon.com
	Advance Wars: Days of Ruin: $8 Even if you aren’t typically the gamer that goes for turned-based strategy games, you really should consider the Advance Wars series.  As usual, Nintendo does such a wonderful job making an otherwise-intimidating genre very friendly while maintaining the addictiveness.  The first DS installment, Dual Strike is still a little pricey, but you should be able to find Days of Ruin as a better value. Shop for Advance Wars: Days of Ruin on eBay Shop for Advance Wars: Days of Ruin on Amazon.com
	Meteos: $4 Puzzle games are perfect for portable platforms like the DS. Meteos, in particular, is not only one of the most compelling puzzlers I’ve played in a while, but it also fits in surprisingly well with the DS touch screen and feels incredibly natural when playing. To the old school puzzle fans that grew up playing Tetris on their Gameboy, controlling a puzzle game with a stylus might seem intimidating, but I can assure you, you will wish there were other puzzle games like this. (And, BTW, avoid the Disney version — it’s more expensive and not as good) Shop for Meteos on eBay Shop for Meteos on Amazon.com
	Clubhouse Games: $5 This gem of a cart is filled with lots of high-polished classic diversions such as classic card, board, and parlor games.  That may not sound terribly exciting, but the execution of these games on the DS is amazing.  It is a great single player cartridge, but it is amazing when playing with a friend via wifi.   For the longest time, Clubhouse Games was a rather pricey cart in the aftermarket, however, it saw a budget re-release that flooded the market with lots of copies. Shop for Clubhouse Games on eBay Shop for Clubhouse Games on Amazon.com
	Brain Age & Brain Age 2: About $5 each While these two landmark titles for the DS might not get the hardcore gamer excited, I can vouch for the fact that they are still quite a bit of fun (I’m especially partial to the original Brain Age).  They are also great for letting your familiy members try out or have as a gift.   My mom has had Brain Age for about 4 years and still plays it quite regularly.   I’m still waiting for a title that executes this concept quite as well as Brain Age to show up on my smartphone… Shop for Brain Age Series on eBay Shop for Brain Age Series on Amazon.com
	Bangai-O Spirits: $6 The original Bangai-O made an appearance on the Japanese N64 and became a cult classic on the Dreamcast.   This little gem from Treasure is a portable follow-up that got a bigger print run, but not quite the attention it deserved.  If you enjoy shooters, this one is a steal. Shop for Bangai-O Spirits on eBay Shop for Bangai-O Spirits on Amazon.com
	Metroid Prime Pinball: $8 There’s a number of video pinball games out there, but Metroid Prime Pinball is one of the finer examples on a handheld system.  It has all the polish and style that you can expect from a Metroid title while still oozing classic pinball fun. Shop for Metroid Prime Pinball on eBay Shop for Metroid Prime Pinball on Amazon.com
	Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure: $10 I love games that combine classic genres.  So when Henry Hatsworth showed up in town, combining classic platforming with puzzle elements, I couldn’t look the other way.  If you enjoy either of the two genres, or just want to get some great retro fun, I strongly recommend picking this one up. Shop for Henry Hatsworth on eBay Shop for Henry Hatsworth on Amazon.com
	N+ : $7 This minimalistic 2D action game started as an online Flash game before getting a more polished release on XBLA, the DS, and PSP.   Platforming fans should have a blast controlling the little black ninja as he jumps, climbs, and rebounds from the walls of N+’s many creative levels.   The game received lots of critical acclaim but remained an underground hit.  Score it on the cheap while you can. Shop for N+ on eBay Shop for N+ on Amazon.com
	Soul Bubbles: $8 This whimsical puzzle game reminds me a bit of one of my favorite Gameboy Gems, Bubble Ghost — but with a more modern, touch-based twist.  I’m guessing most DS owners haven’t even heard of this one, but it may be a bit of a challenge to find it anywhere other than in online outlets.  If you enjoy puzzle adventures, this one is worth tracking down, however. Shop for Soul Bubbles on eBay Shop for Soul Bubbles on Amazon.com
	Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords: $9 This classic blend of the puzzle and RPG genres was rather innovative in its day and still holds up as a quality title.  If you are a hardcore fan of either genre, this won’t blow your mind, but it is a great change of pace.  Puzzle Quest is finally starting to come down in price, so you can now score a copy for under $10. Shop for Puzzle Quest on eBay Shop for Puzzle Quest on Amazon.com
	Hotel Dusk: Room 215: $7 If you are into graphical adventures like the old SCUMM games or the Ace Attorney series on the DS, Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is an excellent value.   Initially, this was a bit of an underground gem, but sales warranted an additional print run that has kept the resale prices low. Shop for Hotel Dusk: Room 215 on eBay Shop for Hotel Dusk: Room 215 on Amazon.com
	Geometry Wars: Galaxies: $6 Some of you maybe be tired of the Geometry Wars franchise by now, but if not, the DS version can be easily obtained for $10 or less.   If you haven’t played the series, it’s a great ultra-retro styled shooter that is in the vein of Asteroids and Robotron with a modern flair.  Good stuff. Shop for Geometry Wars: Galaxies on eBay Shop for Geometry Wars: Galaxies on Amazon.com
	Nanostray 2: $5 It’s quite uncommon to find shmups that are actually designed for handhelds in this modern age. The Nanostray series effectively adapts this old-school genre to the hardware in terms of put control and impressive graphics. Even though it is a 2D shooter, it uses some of the most impressive 3D graphics considering it is an early DS release.l Nanostray 2 actually improved a bit on the original and is easier to find, leading to a lower resale value. Shop for Nanostray 2 on eBay Shop for Nanostray 2 on Amazon.com
	Star Fox Command: $4 We all went quite a while without having a pure space-shooting adventure with the Star Fox crew.   The DS installment pretty much delivered that premise to us with some rather gimmicky touch-screen controls added in.  Once you get use to them, Star Fox Command is a more-than-enjoyable experience as is quite a bargain for a big-name Nintendo release. Shop for Star Fox Command on eBay Shop for Star Fox Command on Amazon.com
	Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith: $9 No don’t write this one off just yet.  Yes, it’s a licensed Star Wars game on a portable platform.  And no, it’s not even a Lego Star Wars.  Actually, if you’re an old-school fan, you’re sure to enjoy this more than the Lego Star Wars.  Revenge of the Sith on the DS is more in line with the old-school 2D hack-n-slash/beatemups that we loved in the arcade.  The game is sprite-based and everything.  It actually seems more like a nice GBA game than a typical DS title. Shop for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on eBay Shop for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on Amazon.com

Other Cheap Gems:

• Picross 3D:  $10  eBay / Amazon
• Scribblenauts: $9 eBay / Amazon
• The Legendary Starfy: $9  eBay / Amazon
• WarioWare DIY: $9  eBay / Amazon
• Wario: Master of Disguise: $8 eBay / Amazon
• Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol: $7 eBay / Amazon
• Polarium: $5  eBay / Amazon
• Feel The Magic XY & XX: $5  eBay / Amazon
• Zoo Keeper: $5  eBay / Amazon
• Drawn to Life: $7  eBay / Amazon
• Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter: $6  eBay / Amazon
• Mr Driller Drill Spirits: $7  eBay / Amazon
• SimCity: $7 eBay / Amazon
• Cooking Mama: $8 eBay / Amazon
• Exit: $7  eBay / Amazon
• Scurge: Hive: $5  eBay / Amazon

See the other entries in the Retro Gaming 101 Series

The RetroGaming 101 series is aimed at gamers who are just starting out in the classic gaming scene or are curious about an older console that they don’t know much about yet. Those of you that are especially knowledgeable about the featured console, I encourage you to add any information that you think would be beneficial into the comments section. If you are new to the featured console, and still have questions, you can also use the comments section and I will do my best to help you out.

This guide was originally published back in 2007, but I have expanded and updated it to get it up date and to the standards of our newer guides!

Historical Impact

• After Sega’s giant success with the Genesis/Megadrive, the company want to get a jump on the 32-bit generation and beat newcomer Sony to the market.
• The Saturn was Sega’s third home video game console released in North America and was sold between 1995 and 1998.
• The Saturn ran into a number of issues leading up to its launch such as a betrayed fanbase (Sega CD and 32x failures), a surprise early launch date, and a high price of $400 USD (about $525 in today’s money).
• The Saturn’s 3D processor was added on as an afterthought to help it compete with the Playstation. Not only was it not quite as powerful as the PS1′s, but having two main processors in the Saturn made it much more challenging for game developers. This ultimately resulted in most games going to the Playstation.
• The Saturn’s “3D Controller” (bundled with NiGHTs Into Dreams) is one of the first controllers with an analog stick. There is some debate as to whether it was designed before the Nintendo 64 controller.  (see more info in the Accessories section below)
• The Saturn may have been a commercial failure, but it remained a cherished console by its diehard fans.
• The Saturn’s lifespan was cut especially short because of the upcoming Sega Dreamcast — Sega’s final console release and a fresh start on taking a lot of the concepts they tried to implement with the Saturn to a new level.
• There are a number of Dreamcast games that made their start in development as Saturn games.  Shenmue is the highest-profile example (It even featured a Sega Saturn console within the game’s world).  There is even video footage of a development-phase version of Shenmue running on Saturn  hardware.
• More Sega Saturn History from Wikipedia
• You may also wish to read Games That Defined The Sega Saturn

The Lid of the Model 2 Saturn

Strengths

• The Saturn has one of the best 2D processors in 2D gaming.
• The console was blessed with many excellent old-school games such as 2D fighters, shooters, and platformers. Most of these 2D games that received Playstation ports were inferior in a number of ways.
• The Saturn also had a number of quirky and engaging games from Sega’s development houses that were never ported to other consoles. For the best examples, see The Best Sega Saturn Games For Today.
• The Saturn’s second-generation gamepad is still touted as one of the best controllers ever for old-school games. It is essential a more polished version of the six-button Genesis controller. It has a solid directional pad, a six button layout (great for fighters), along with trigger buttons and a comfortable fit.
• The Saturn also had an optional 1MB/4MB RAM Expansion cartridge that gave it more graphical capabilities over the Playstation. It allowed near-perfect ports of many of the hottest arcade titles while the Playstation had to cut out frames of animation and certain gameplay elements to be able to handle the game. (See list of games that support additional video RAM)
• With the Multi-Tap add-on, the Saturn can support up to 10 players on games like Saturn Bomberman. See the Saturn Multiplayer libary for additional titles
• The Saturn is one of the most well-built and durable game consoles of all time.

A Model 1 Saturn by RealRedRaider

Weaknesses

• As with the Playstation, load times can be rather long on the Saturn (however they are improved over the Sega CD and Neo-Geo CD).
• The Saturn had a small amount of game save memory. The memory is also lost when the internal battery dies. External memory cartridges are rare and have been relatively expensive.
• The 3D processing is not quite as impressive as later Playstaton games. However, some titles such as Virtua Fighter 2 and Dead or Alive are quite impressive considering the limitations of the system.
• Many third-party developers such as Electronic Arts left the Saturn platform early so many of the major titles went to the Playstation.
• The Saturn library is especially lacking in the RPG genre. There are only a few top-notch titles such as Shining Force III, Dragon Force, and some favorites from Working Designs.

Accessories

	Standard Controller (First Gen) Just like the with the Sega Genesis before it (and the Xbox that followed later), the Sega Saturn went through two major controller revisions.  The original Saturn controller wasn’t necessarily bad, but it was a bit chunky.  The designers seemed to want to make it more of an art piece for a their pricey new console. Shop For Sega Saturn Controller on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Controller (First Gen) on Amazon.com
	Standard Controller (Second Gen) The second revision of the Saturn controller was a bit more like the 6-button Genesis controller with its lean, slimmer body, but with the shoulder buttons added.    In the end, this second-generation Saturn controller is one of the favorite gamepads of all time among die-hard retro gamers.  Assuming you don’t need an analog thumbstick, this controller is the peak of quality for a six-button layout controller – great for fighters if you don’t have the budget for a joystick. A more modern example of this controller’s popularity is the USB remakes put out by Sega for the PS3 and PC that quickly sold out (and the cheaper replicas showing up on eBay). Shop For Sega Saturn Controller on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Controller (Second Gen) on Amazon.com
	3D Controller The summer of 1996 brought gamers both the Nintendo 64 (in Japan – fall release in the US) and the release of a hot new property on the Saturn: NiGHTS into Dreams.   Much like the new N64 controller, NiGHTS made use of an analog joystick on the controller.   Since the standard Saturn controller wasn’t equipped with one, the game launched with the “3D Controller” bundled with it.  The circular shape seems a bit odd when compared with its peers, but it was a fine controller.  If you look at the layout, you can see that it is essentially the foundation for the Sega Dreamcast controller (just change the shape a bit, get rid of two of the face buttons and add a VMU slot) Shop For Sega Saturn 3D Controller on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn 3D Controller on Amazon.com
	Virtua Stick The Sega Saturn is one of the best consoles for 2D fighters and Sega was one of the few companies to make first-party 6-button arcade-style joyticks.  And while it was a step up from its console predecessors like the NES Advantage and the Genesis arcade stick, the Virtua Stick isn’t quite up to the standards from the modern products from Hori.    Even though it does not have arcade-quality components, it does the job for non-competitive gaming – a nice step up from a standard controller. Shop For Sega Saturn Virtua Stick Controller on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Virtua Stick Controller on Amazon.com
	Virtua Stick Pro This beauty is a Japanese exclusive and is a step up from the standard Virtua Stick in many ways.   The hardware is much more in line with the arcades.   The joystick mechanism is from Seimitsu and the buttons are more in line with what you would expect from a Hori or Agetec stick.   It also features two sets of controls that are set up just like an arcade cabinet.  It does plug into both controller ports on the Saturn, but you can’t get a better fighting setup for your Saturn.  This controller is still a great collectors item today, so be prepared to pay some nice cash for one. Shop For Sega Saturn Virtua Stick Pro Controller on eBay
	Twin Stick These controllers are specifically design for the game Virtual On, which is basically a fast-paced 3D area fighting game featuring mechs.  (Watch a video of the game to get a better idea)   The controller makes it much more of an arcade-like experience and makes quite a huge difference in the game.   Those that enjoy the series typically invest in the controller.  They make for a nice collector’s piece as well.   If you get a Saturn-to-Dreamcast adapter, you can also use them for the Dreamcast Virtual On game as well. Shop For Sega Saturn Twin Stick Controller on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Twin Stick Controller on Amazon.com
	Virtua Gun / Stunner Because of a decreased interest in light gun game and the Columbine shooting the Saturn was the last major console to have a first-party light gun.   The Virtua Gun was sold separately, but also as a bundle with Virtua Cop.   If you’d like to learn how to upgrade the gun to a full-arcade quality, gun check out this guide. Shop For Sega Saturn Virtua Gun Controller on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Virtua Gun Controller on Amazon.com
	Racing Wheel Just like with the fighting sticks, Sega took the extra effort to come out with a first-party steering wheel.  And like the Virtua Stick, it isn’t the highest quality, but it gets the job done and looks slick and consistent with the Saturn’s great design aesthetic. Shop For Sega Saturn Racing Wheel Controller on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Racing Wheel Controller on Amazon.com
	Mission Stick Wrapping up the lineup of first-party controllers that aim for bringing home an arcade experience is the Mission Stick.  The obvious reason for the stick is flight simulators, but it is actually a popular for other Saturn games like Panzer Dragoon, Stellar Assault, GunGriffon, Afterburner, or Space Harrier. Shop For Sega Saturn Mission Stick Controller on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Mission Stick Controller on Amazon.com
	Multi-Tap The are a handful of great games that support lots of extra players (Saturn Bomberman being a fan-favorite).  If you want to have more than two controllers hooked up to your Saturn, you can use one or two Multi-Taps to add up to 10 more controllers.  (each supports 6 controllers – however, Saturn Bomberman “only” supports 10 players) Shop For Sega Saturn Multi Tap on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Multi Tap on Amazon.com
	Netlink Modem The Dreamcast was the first console to popularize online gameplay on a console, but Sega tinkered with the concepts with the Saturn Netlink system.  It was only supported by a few games, but this modem was the foundation – a dialup modem that plugged into the expansion cart slot Shop For Sega Saturn Netlink Modem on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Netlink Modem on Amazon.com
	Netlink Mouse Not required for much, but if you wanted to surf online on your Saturn, a Mouse comes in handy.   It can also be used on light gun shooters Virtua Cop, Virtua Cop 2, and The House of the Dead. Shop For Sega Saturn Netlink Mouse on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Netlink Mouse on Amazon.com
	Netlink Keyboard Adapter And to go along with the mouse, you can also get this keyboard adapter.  Since this is the mid-90s we’re talking about, this is for a PS/2 connection instead of the USB that we are used to now. Shop For Sega Saturn Netlink Keyboard Adapter on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Netlink Keyboard Adapter on Amazon.com
	Floppy Drive Here’s a great PC-inspired add-on for you!  This rare Japanese periphial lets you save game data on a standard Floppy Disk.  You can copy standard game saves to it (but the Backup Memory cart below is a lot more practical) and some games such as the Japanese version of Panzer Dragoon Saga, Dazeamon 2′s shmup construction kit support it directly. Shop For Sega Saturn Floppy Drive on eBay
	Backup Memory There are a few different cartridge expansion options.  The official Backup Memory cartridge is only for storing game saves.  This is rather important if you are an RPG fan as the built-in Saturn storage is rather limited. Shop For Sega Saturn Backup Memory on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Backup Memory on Amazon.com
	Video RAM Expansion Cartridge These cartridges were either included with certain Japanese imports that required them or sold separately from a third-party.    They gave the Saturn an extra boost of video memory (kinda like a video card upgrade for your computer without upgrading the GPU) that was required for some of the high-end arcade ports from Capcom or SNK (like X-Men vs Street Fighter, King of Fighters and Metal Slug)   The result were 2D arcade ports that blew the Playstation versions away. Shop for Sega Saturn RAM Expansion Cartridge in the Racketboy Store Shop For Sega Saturn Video RAM Expansion Cartridge on eBay
	Action Replay Cartridge These third party cartridges offer the best of the features in one package – especially if you get the Action Replay 4M Plus model.  This model will boot imports (although you will need a modchip or swap trick to boot burned discs), has 4MB of video ram, has game save space and has some cheats built-in. Shop for Sega Saturn Action Replay Cartridge in the Racketboy Store Shop For Sega Saturn Action Replay Cartridge on eBay Shop For Sega Saturn Action Replay Cartridge on Amazon.com
	Video CD Card / Movie Card This Japanese add-on is essentially a daughtercard that plug into the Saturn in the area where the battery door is in the back of the console.  It allows the Saturn to play Video CDs (VCD / White Book Standard) and also lets it play higher-quality full motion video in games (typically for cutscenes).  Lunar Complete is one game that best makes use if the VCD card.   The US version of Gungriffon (for the intro video) and the Japanese import, Sakura Taisen Hanagumi Tsushin utilizes it as well. Shop For Sega Saturn Video CD Card on eBay
	Electronic Book Operator & Photo CD Operators These two software discs were released in Japan and Europe and let the Saturn view the two types of media they are named after.   The Electronic Book Operator allows the Saturn to read eBooks in the EB, EB-G or EB-XA disc formats (sorry no Kindle support…)   The Photo CD Operator lets the Saturn view up to 100 starndard Photo CD images with some nice viewing options. Shop For Sega Saturn Operator CD on eBay

Game Library

• Games That Defined the Sega Saturn – If you want to check out the games that made the biggest impact on the original Saturn demographic, this guide will take you through the biggest titles.
• The Best Saturn Games for Today – These are the games that I would most recommend you looking into (if you can afford them all) as they are the most timeless titles and often the best exclusives.
• The Best Sega Saturn Games Under $25 - If you need a good place to start your collection on a budget, this list should be your first stop.  It will cover most of the Saturn essentials.
• Sega Saturn Hidden Gems – If you’ve already got the most popular games under your belt, this Hidden Gems list will help you expand into the best under-appreciated games
• 2D Shooters / Shmups – The Saturn is a must-own for hardcore shmup fans as there are so many great arcade ports and console exclusives
• 2D Fighters – Fighters are another great reason to own a Saturn — there’s even some great exclusives to be had/
• Multiplayer Games – The Saturn can be great for multiplayer if you have a Multi-Tap (see above in the accessories section)
• Rarest and Most Valuable Saturn Games - Be on the lookout for these valuable titles
• Homebrew Games – there’s actually a pretty good Saturn Homebrew community to look into

Some Popular Saturn Games in North American Cases

Collecting Notes

Imports

• The Saturn had strong support in Japan also provided collectors with a wealth of excellent games to choose from when almost everyone else had given up on the system.
• A mod chip by itself does not allow for booting of imports.
• There are were originally three different ways to boot imports: an Action Replay Cartridge, a Sega Saturn Modchip or Swap Trick teamed with region-patched games, or a specific hardware modification to enable imports.
• Another newer option to playing imported Japanese games on your Sega Saturn is the region free BIOS. A region free BIOS was developed based on the Japanese BIOS that allows the booting of Japanese or American games. It also replaces the American splash screen with the, much cooler, Japanese one. However, the region free BIOS does not effect video modes or CD-R booting, so other modification is required if one wants that functionality.
• It is worth mentioning that some PAL games have issues running at 60hz on North American & Japanese consoles.

Examples of Japanese Game Cases – by Afrokid

Playing Backups / CD-Rs

Emulation

• If you would prefer to play your Saturn games on your PC instead of the actual console, you may need to wait a bit longer for perfect compatibility. While you may get to have a handful of games playable if you have a modern PC, many games are quite glitchy if playable at all.
• If you want to emulate on the PC, you best bet is probably SSF — check out our writeup on this emulator
• Other available emulators include Satourne, Saturnin, Yabause, and the hacked GiriGiri emulator.

The Saturn Console’s Retail Box

Affordability

• A Saturn console is relatively inexpensive, but the value of the consoles has been gradually increasing the last couple of years. More people are discovering the great games that are only availible on the Saturn and snatching them up on eBay. You can usually find one around the $50 range.
• There are a few of the more common games that can be found for a few dollars, but most of the more popular games are becoming collectors items. Many of the most worthwhile games are now ranging from $25 to the $100 ballpark.
• To find the best Saturn games on a budget, read The Cheapest Sega Saturn Games Worth Your Time.

Technical Frequently Asked Questions

• Why do I have to keep setting my Saturn’s Clock? – You may need a new system battery (they are cheap, don’t worry)

See our other great Shmup Guides & the rest of our Hidden Gems Series

Not that most of you really need to hear me say this, but the classic scrolling shoot-em-up (or “shmup”) has become something of a rarity in and of itself these days. With so few commercial releases on the horizon, the tiniest crumbs of emerging information are immediately seized upon by the most devoted remaining fans and obsessively documented; after all, nobody knows when, or if, the next one might appear. Such is the lot of gamers whose genre has fallen on lean times.

Not too terribly long ago, however, gaming’s parallax-scrolling skies were positively dominated by pixilated airplanes and spaceships, to the point that entire squadrons could pass overhead all but unnoticed. Even today’s incorrigible enthusiasts must struggle mightily to unearth their scant fallen remains, and many of these rusty relics, to be sure, are hardly worth digging up, but others very much deserve some overdue time in the spotlight, and to be discovered by a new generation of gamers, not to mention those among the “old guard” who missed them the first time around. This list is an attempt to, at long last, highlight a handful of these most interesting and appealing obscurities of shmupdom.

A few brief notes about the nature of this piece:

1. As with all of the other “Hidden Gem” articles on Racketboy, “hidden” is a very subjective term, dependent on one’s innate familiarity with the subject in question…and that’s before the inevitable, vain attempts to hash out what exactly constitutes a “gem”. If anything I’ve erred a bit on the side of obscurity, including titles that even longtime shooter fans might not know about, though I have tried to include a handful of somewhat more recognizable ones too. Either way I’m sure that plenty of suggestions/demands will surface in the comments, so have at it!
2. For the sake of both length and consistency, only “professionally-developed” games are covered here; the ever-growing slew of “homebrew” shooters out there will have to wait for their own separate chance to shine.
3. As an addendum to the above, the selected entries stick pretty close to the conventions of “pure” shmups, and mostly steer clear of “borderliner” territory: the likes of run-n-guns, rail shooters, etc. would also assuredly need their own corresponding articles to do them justice.
4. Since there are so many notable-yet-unknown shooters out there but only a limited amount of space to work with (at least up to the point at which readers’ eyeballs start to shrivel), I “cheated” a bit by including one or more marginally-related “Honorable Mentions” alongside each “main” writeup: these aren’t discussed in as much detail, but are definitely deserving of some attention in their own right.

Without further ado, then, please enjoy discovering, or re-discovering, these “Hidden Gem” Shmups!

Omega Fighter

Ask a well-traveled shmupper to name some examples of shooters that were “ahead of their time”: you’re certain to hear him rattle off a number of entries found on the “Defining Shmups” list, and rightly so. A handful of well-decorated veterans, however, might throw you a curveball in the form of this unsung pioneer from UPL, hardly the company’s only shooter but almost certainly the magnum opus of their largely-underground catalog. No major surprises await in the setup (blow up each part of a Big Ol’ Meanie-Face Spaceship before it rips Earth a new one), presentation (no better than par for the time), or weapons (a spread shot or straight laser), but Omega Fighter stands apart as one of the very first shmups to place a decided emphasis on exploiting a scoring system that ventures beyond the self-explanatory boundaries of “kill lots of things” and/or “pick up lots of things”: try to find a more recent release that hasn’t in some way followed in this shooter’s unsung footsteps!

Moreover, here you can observe perhaps the genre’s earliest significant foray into “proximity-based” scoring: basically, the closer you dare to get to an enemy when you shoot it down the more points you’re awarded for it, up to ten times its base value if you’re right up in its face when it pops off of this mortal coil. Once you’ve got the core concept down you’ll start to see how the rest of Omega Fighter ties so nicely into it. For example, as the “laser” weapon grows stronger its range shrinks, becoming more and more of a “lightsaber” as you hoard powerups: essentially, how far you go along this path factors into how much risk you’re willing to take on in pursuit of high multipliers, trading quicker kills for decreased personal safety. The occasional “bomb pods” you pick up, for their part, not only add one-hit shields to the side of your ship but can be spent for either a traditional screen-clearer or a temporary “slow down” effect that makes it easier to zip up close to baddies and pick them off for the biggest points. Good stuff, especially way back in 1989: sadly, neither Omega Fighter nor its tweaked follow-up, Omega Fighter Special, ever got the recognition they deserved and to this day remain confined to arcade boards and emulated files.

Honorable Mentions:
Another little-known shmup that ventured bravely into unknown territory long before others dared is Nichibutsu’s Choutoki Meikyuu Legion  (eBay) : in most respects it plays similarly to other late-80s scrolling shooters, but eschews a “traditional” smart bomb for the ability to rewind time a couple of seconds to undo your mistakes (missed a crucial target or item? Go back and get it!), years before Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time put the ability on the map (though technically the original release of Pitman, more famously remade as Catrap for Game Boy, managed to beat it there). Namco’s Dangerous Seed (eBay / Amazon) is another product of that era which feels a bit more advanced than most would expect, thanks to a strong default fire rate and effective special weapons to help you overcome the odds; the title is also short but intense, a departure from the often marathon-length shmups of the day. “Legion” has yet to make it to a home format, but “Seed” did hit the Japanese Mega Drive.

Biometal

Athena hasn’t ever occupied anything close to a “top-tier” position in the hierarchy of game developers, but shmuppers are at least somewhat likely to recognize them for their unique Dezaemon series of design-your-own-shooter workshops. You’d expect such an outfit to eventually put its money where its proverbial mouth is and release a handful of its own original shooters the “traditional” way: this they did, though none were destined to create much of a splash. A bit of shame, as one of these, Biometal, was actually a rather bold step forward for the genre at large; Athena, in fact, remained fond enough of it to include a mini-sequel, Biometal Gust, on Dezaemon 2 for the Saturn. Aside from a highly Giger-esque aesthetic for the titular alien baddies things look pretty pedestrian at first, but before long you might have to do a double take: a LOT more unfriendly bullets are sent your way than you’d ever expect from a 16-bit shooter, especially on the non-Blast-Processed SNES.

How could one expect to survive such an onslaught in the days before microscopic hitboxes became all the rage? With a handy-dandy shield of rotating spheres, which can be deployed at any time but must be regularly turned off to recharge the batteries. This indispensable device has offensive applications too: it can be hurled, boomerang style, to pierce right through larger targets, or expanded outwards to pick off pesky small ones. Biometal was lucky enough to be tapped for localization back in the day, though its publisher was none other than Activision, who even back then thought it’d be a swell idea to replace the game’s soundtrack with remixes of songs by 2Unlimited (yup, that cheesy electronic group that you always used to hear getting the crowd pumped at NBA matchups). Thankfully the rest of the game was left more or less untouched, so you can still save yourself a few bucks by picking up the domestic version if you’re willing to mute the TV and put on your own music (unless you’re in the mood for a good, hearty laugh, of course).

Shop for Biometal on eBay
Shop for Biometal on Amazon.com
Honorable Mentions: Naturally, Biometal wasn’t the only shooter to overstimulate players years before “bullet hell” became a household shmupping term. Enemy attacks in Taito’s Grid Seeker: Project Storm Hammer (eBay) , for instance, aren’t quite so intense, but you are encouraged to frequently position your craft’s bullet-absorbing pods to not only add supplemental fire but build up energy for special attacks. Capcom’s Varth: Operation Thunderstorm (eBay) has also outfitted its humble light-orange airplane with nifty pod-based shields to keep matters semi-reasonable in the face of overwhelmingly-cranky enemies, though its use is strictly limited to defense (which you’ll definitely need, since constant back-and-forth movement is weirdly required to charge up your bomb stock). Both games remained arcade exclusives for a long time, but in recent years each has made an appearance on its respective PS2-era “Arcade Classics” compilation, and can be easily sampled.

Change Air Blade

A vast majority, if not the entirety, of play time spent on most shmups casts the computer as your sole opponent: if a second player does join in it’s almost certainly in the spirit of cooperation, to bring down this same constant, artificial adversary. If one happens to hunger for the more exciting and unpredictable challenge of testing his skills versus a flesh-and-blood human competitor, he’s largely out of luck, unless a copy of Twinkle Star Sprites is handy (and even there a bit of a “puzzle” mindset is required to perform effectively, in addition to twitch reflexes). Precious few competitive-minded shooter junkies have so far happened across this purer, laser-focused alternative, published to arcades by none other than Sammy, who also brought Arc Systems’ Guilty Gear to fighter fans: you can always take on the CPU here too, of course, but the heart and soul of Change Air Blade lies in matching your wits against those of a wily, cutthroat shmupper just like yourself.

Each player selects one of eight combat-ready planes and is assigned to either the top or bottom of the screen before mercilessly lighting each other up. The “bottom” player goes about things in fairly “traditional” shooter fashion, collecting powerups by hitting targets and stocking a couple of smart bombs to weasel out of trouble: the “top” player, on the other hand, is the big bad “enemy”, and gets to call upon cannon fodder helpers as well as “boss armor” that summons huge, multi-part attachments to make life difficult for the opposition. Some attacks only chip away at either player’s lifeline, but others are shmup-standard one-hit kills: you’ll want to keep a sharp eye out for the “Change” item which instantly switches the combatants’ sides. Deplete all three of your rival’s lives and the match is yours: best of three matches wins, so get to it, as there are dear friends out there in sore need of hard-nosed digital comeuppance!

Honorable Mention: There’s no versus play to speak of here, but Oriental Soft’s G-Stream 2020 (eBay) might still be a worthwhile side trip for shmuppers seeking a fuller impression of the genre and its sometimes-murky historical timeline; any who have played Trizeal, the most famous production of tiny-but-determined developer Triangle Service, will instantly recognize the beginnings of the latter’s weapon and medaling systems, first laid out here. In some ways G-Stream is actually a bit more complex than its spiritual successor, since powering up one type of shot can weaken another, and your charge attack can be used not only to shield yourself from bullets but to spawn extra bonus medals; there’s even an unusual “proximity” mechanic which involves “dive-bombing” enemies as they expire to quickly collect their fading energy to power your own special attacks. Like Change Air Blade this one’s never made landfall outside of arcades, so you’ll have to look around a bit for a go at it.

Cybattler

As was noted some time back in the “Shmups 101″ Beginner’s Guide , considering how much inspiration the genre draws from various “giant mecha” anime it’s curious how frequently Japan’s signature fighting robots are upstaged onscreen by more “traditional” (as far as it goes) air- and spacecraft. Leave it to none other than Jaleco to strike a steel-knuckled blow for artificial hominid facsimiles everywhere, and depart a bit from long-standing shooter conventions in the process; thankfully, they also have the good taste to leave the genre’s storied mastery of aesthetically-pleasing wanton destruction very much intact. At the beginning of each level your combat-hungry mech is granted two main weapons, generally some type of gun plus a beam sword: the former usually requires a short break to recharge between volleys, encouraging players to spend lots of quality time snuggling right up to targets before cleaving them gingerly in half.

Though the background of each stage still scrolls from beginning to end, unlike most shooters you can freely face your ‘bot in any direction as you move around, though firing off your gun will lock your orientation and allow you to strafe: when you’re in “melee mode”, on the other hand, you’ll be slashing all over the place like a madman, all the better to counter the legion of adversaries constantly assaulting you from all sides. No need to worry about taking damage from brushing up against them, though; just bring them down or back off before they decide to point-blank you. It can get pretty hectic pretty quickly when a gargantuan battle cruiser is spitting out evil battle-droids at a mile a minute, but this is definitely another lost arcade-exclusive classic that you’ll wish had made it to some other format down the line.

Honorable Mentions: So Cybattler still isn’t quite vintage enough for some of you robo-fans out there? If so, seek solace in Konami’s Finalizer: Super Transformation  (eBay) and Nichibutsu’s UFO Robo Dangar (eBay) , from 1985 and 1986 respectively: both are charmingly simple airplanes-transforming-into-robots venues that also manage to feel a fair deal less frustrating than most of their contemporaries. Guardian Force (eBay) is another recommended destination for those who most enjoyed Cybattler’s freedom to attack in (and be attacked from) any direction: here you occupy the driver’s seat of a tank with a rotatable turret (think Sunsoft’s SWIV) and some memorable secondary weapons, including a giant green glowing yo-yo of death. Unlike the previous sub-entries it actually got ported to the Japanese Saturn, so if you’re not into emulation this is probably the easiest of the bunch to get your mitts on.

Vasara (series)

You know, I think Cybattler really WAS on to something, in more ways than one. Sitting back and sending waves of projectile doom at one’s enemies from the relative safety of the far reaches of the screen is all well and good, but sometimes, dagnabbit, you’re just in the mood to get up close and personal with your adversary, making your point with a good old-fashioned sword or spear, showing no fear of glowing bullet nor shining laser beam: y’know, doing battle the straightforward, honorable(-ish) way! As it turns out, a number of famous samurai and other historical Japanese warriors felt the same, at least according to Visco; though they took to the field of conflict on hover bikes, they still kept their trusty melee weapons close by their sides, wielding them with valor as they dismantled their enemies’ armies of infernal death machines. Er, anyway, while Vasara’s take on the Sengoku era may not be the one covered in the textbooks, it is a refreshing and under-appreciated variation on the brand of 2-D action we all know and love.

In both of the Vasaras every selectable character can both fire off standard shots and charge up a powerful short-range physical strike, which can obviously damage targets (slicing lots of them open is always the key ingredient for high scores, though the two games implement it a bit differently) as well as deflect most common bullet types: as in Cybattler, if you accidentally touch an enemy you just bounce off, for only their attacks can actually hurt you. Even with these considerable advantages on your side neither game is anything close to a cake walk (the two-loop “Hard” mode in Vasara 2 will make you cry), especially if you want to further boost your score by bringing down all of the flag-bearing “prestige” targets (including a veritable truckload of mid-bosses) and collecting piles of gold precisely as they shimmer for bonus points. Sadly, Visco was bought out not long after the sequel hit arcades, and neither one has ever been ported to home systems or made available for (legal) download.

Honorable Mentions: If you’ve read the site’s PS2 Shmup Rundown you may remember seeing some praise for Skonec’s Homura (eBay / Amazon) , which places decidedly more emphasis on shooting than Vasara does but still demands a healthy amount of well-timed swordplay to both clear out the screen for a fat multiplier and to send unfriendly fire right back at the fools that launched it. Likewise, you’ve almost certainly happened across the name of departed developer Raizing somewhere on this site, but chances are you’ve never tried their very last shmup, Brave Blade (eBay) , which was never graced with a home port and only runs in emulators that support its native ZN1 hardware. While the polygonal graphics have tarnished with age and constantly “juggling” medals to increase their value may be a bit too much for some to keep up with, it’s still a fine choice for solving all your problems with a good, sharp edge.

Cyvern: The Dragon Weapons

I like to think that someone over at Kaneko, while brainstorming possible concepts for the company’s next project, casually asked his eight-year-old nephew what kind of game he’d like to play, and received an immediate, heartfelt answer: “Dragons! Laser-breathing CYBER-dragons, with GUNS on them!”  However this one actually came into being, it’s a relatively recent arcade exclusive very much worth taking for a spin, as it draws inspiration not only from the fever dreams of a Masters of the Universe marketing executive but many of its more illustrious latter-day shooter contemporaries. Each of your three selectable dragons, for instance, possesses both a “normal” shot and a powerful “banish” attack, activated by holding down the attack button a la many Cave games, though the latter is fueled by a meter and must be replenished via either powerups or downed enemies.

Timely use of the “banish” is crucial, both for neutralizing major threats quickly (a central Psikyo strategy) and for scoring: not only do certain targets surrender different awards and items when banished, but destroying stuff on the ground with dragon breath reveals point-rich medals whose values increase as they’re collected, much akin to many Raizing releases. Combine all of this with a dollop of performance-based secrets, a solid presentation (you’ll wince whenever your poor dragon howls as it takes a hit) and a downright intense challenge level (there’s even a second loop for utter masochists, as well as a presumed fan hack called Cyvern Plus somewhere out there), and you’ve got a bona fide underground favorite for shooter fans sufficiently in the know. Just be prepared to put in a LOT of practice time if you want to see anything past the first couple of levels, let alone the end credits!

Honorable Mentions: Speaking of slightly-embarrassing childhood indulgences, if you still long to savor the sweet sensation of fictional destruction wrought large you ought to give Seta’s Twin Eagle II: The Rescue Mission (eBay) a go: the game is admittedly somewhat rough around the perimeter, but the sheer amount of stuff you can blow up with reckless abandon is hard to resist. Buildings, trees, passing cars, and most anything else in your path is handily reduced to flaming rubble by your borderline-psychotic helicopter, accented by flashing multiplier pop-ups (sorry, civilized society, but there are bonus point to be had!); creative types can even shell a space observatory and watch as the smoldering dome rolls over and flattens nearby targets like an oversized bowling ball. I’m not sure who it is you’re supposed to be rescuing (as if it matters), but chances are that by the end finding him or her will be easy, as nothing much else will be left standing!

Dragon Breed

It would appear that there’s room for more than one dragon-themed shooter on this list; our very next specimen comes to you courtesy of storied R-Type developer Irem, whom you’ll also be hearing from again in short order. Unlike Cyvern, it must be noted, you technically control a puny gun-toting human mounted atop said dragon; moreover, when you first see a screenshot or two, you’ll probably think to yourself “that’s got to be the most ridiculously huge hitbox in shmup history.” True, the snakelike drake that your character rides takes up more screen space than just about any other controllable entity the genre has seen, but play for a few minutes and you’ll be delighted to find that only your rider is vulnerable to any and all damage: that overgrown lizard of yours is totally invincible, and let me tell you that there’s no more satisfying feeling than watching those pesky little approach-from-behind enemies that killed you a hundred times in other shmups brush harmlessly off your dragon’s majestically-sweeping tail (and die from the impact, to boot!).

There is technically a little bit of run-n-gun in this game, as your character will occasionally have to dismount to pick up powerups and whatnot, but you’ll definitely want to stick close to your scaly pal most of the time, due to not only that handy-dandy bullet-blocking tail of his (which, when he’s got certain weapons equipped, can even be whipped around in a protective circle to clear the immediate area) but his powerful charge shot too. Some unconventional maneuvering is required to keep yourself safe from every angle, but if you’re down with that then you’ll definitely be down with this game: if you want to “legitimately” snag Dragon Breed but can’t handle a PCB or the handful of bygone computer ports from way back when, you can download “Irem Arcade Hits” from DotEmu, which includes (despite the “Hits” moniker) this and a bunch of other Irem obscurities, though some users have had trouble running them.

Honorable Mention: If you love segmented dragons but would prefer a somewhat more familiar shooting format Jaleco’s Saint Dragon (eBay) (aka “Tensei Ryuu”) ought to have you covered: you’re given control of another serpentine dragon whose tail can cancel out certain enemy shots, and the surreal, slightly creepy atmosphere can stand toe-to-toe with Irem’s equivalent, but your appendage is much shorter here, and can’t be relied upon as constantly, so be prepared to do a good deal more “traditional” dodging here. Like Dragon Breed this one got a couple of home ports in real time, specifically to the Amiga, Commodore 64 and PC Engine, so if you’re the olde-tyme collector type it just might warrant a spot someplace on your shelf.

Mystic Riders

If you’ve ever saddled up the trusty ol’ flying broom and shot down evil critters with magic spells, you presumably either live a much more interesting life than I do or were playing one of the Cotton series of “cute-emup” shooters. Even most of Hogwarts’ best video gaming students, however, probably haven’t heard of Mystic Riders (aka “Mahou Keibitai Gun Hohki”),  another hidden gem from Irem: though you’re technically riding some sort of magic rod instead of the more iconic house-cleaning apparatus, you’ll soon learn to love it just the same, as it offers several additional methods of attack in addition to your standard-issue rapid fire and charge shots. For one thing, close-up enemies can be fended off with the flame coming out the back; even better, you can pull a spin move that grants a moment of near-invincibility, or go right ahead and toss the thing to conk enemies over the head from any direction!

There’s basically no limit to how frequently you can use any of these moves, which renders them ripe for abuse, but remember, this IS an Irem game, so you’re gonna need to do just that to survive: red gems dropped by enemies or hidden in chests and other places boost both your firepower and your score, so smack around everything you can with either spell or staff to uncover as many as possible, and bring along a pal to lend a hand if/when things get too hairy. As you probably feared, Mystic Riders was apparently either a bit too cute or not quite cute enough to manage a home port back when it first came out, though the recent Irem Arcade Hits PC compilation has it if you’re not afraid of the aforementioned issues it carries. Considering the sorts of straits Irem’s been in lately it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see it anywhere else, which makes you just want to, well, throw a magical staff at somebody (DISCLAIMER: The  author strongly recommends that you vent all such frustrations in-game).

Honorable Mentions: As it happens, both HMs for this entry are not only cute-em-ups but rabbit-themed. First up is Keio Flying Squadron (eBay / Amazon) for the Sega CD, which immediately establishes itself as a Japanese game by not only starring a 14-year-old in a leotard and bunny ears (in the mid-1800’s, no less), but pitting her and her pet dragon against a super-intelligent raccoon bent on (eco-friendly) world domination. Prepare to do battle with giant Daruma dolls, the U.S. Navy, and more flying chicken heads than you can handle; letting up on the fire button spawns mini-dragons which can be expended as power shots, and you can also adjust the exact position of your hitbox in the options menu. Then you’ve got Rabio Lepus (aka “Rabbit Punch”) by Video System, many of whose members later went on to form Psikyo: your somewhat Twinbee-esque rabbit-shaped ship will claim hard-fought victory via a stock of homing carrot missiles and a risky-but-powerful short-range punch attack. “Keio” was, believe it or not, localized in all regions but is quite pricy nowadays; “Rabio” made a trip to the PC Engine and PS2 (as one of those somewhat-sketchy “Oretachi Geesen Zoku” entries), but never left its native land, though the rabbit ships also scored occasional cameo roles in the Aero Fighters (aka Sonic Wings) series.

Recca

Naxat Soft is best-remembered by most for its work on the PC Engine, some of which was quite technically impressive in its day, but even none of those iconic productions stand as the company main claim to fame when it comes to feats of pure programming: that honor almost certainly goes to Recca on the Famicom, which has nothing to do with the “Flame of Recca” anime but was rather the 1992 entry in the company’s “Summer Carnival” series of time-attack “Caravan” games. More sprites, faster scrolling and higher blood pressure than you ever thought that little system could induce (and occasionally decidedly more than it, or you, can comfortably handle) is hurled in the player’s face right from the get-go, leaving us mere mortals to make the absolute best of the power-ups and adjustable speed setting we’re granted in hopes of making it through with all of our digits intact: of course, if you’d prefer not having to worry about losing your lives so frequently the requisite Time Attack and Score Attack modes (plus a hidden variation or two) are available for perusal.

Perhaps this game’s most memorable single feature, however, is its unique “bomb” weapon: if you stop shooting for a moment a ball of energy begins to form on the nose of your ship, and can absorb frontal enemy fire as it does so. Hit the “bomb” button once it’s fully charged and it’ll explode into a fireworks display that does big damage to nearby targets, though of course you’ll have to carefully choose every fleeting opportunity to lay off the fire trigger to charge one of these bad boys up. If this state of affairs sounds familiar, you’ve probably played Cave’s (also-infamously-difficult) Pink Sweets, which drew direct inspiration from Recca nearly a decade and a half later; not coincidentally both games had a fellow on staff named Shinobu Yagawa, whose imprint can also be found on a number of Raizing’s famously merciless shooters. If you still think you’ve got a snowball’s chance or better of conquering Recca there’s one last thing you might have to do: develop a taste for instant ramen, as a secondhand copy will cost you dearly.  (Update: Recca has since been announced for the 3DS eShop)

Shop for Recca on eBay

Honorable Mentions: As inferred earlier, while it’s not quite as much of a technical marvel as Recca, Nexzr (and its “Score/Time Attack Only” variation, Nexzr Special) on the Turbo CD is another quality Naxat production (in conjunction with Kaneko) worthy of praise, especially for its vivid visuals and soundtrack, though its mechanics are actually considerably simpler in nature than Recca’s. Back on the Famicom, tech heads can also check out Konami’s Crisis Force, a late vertical shooter that occasionally allows transformation into a crazy crystalline super-ship, as well as Hot-B’s Over Horizon (eBay) , an attractive side-scroller that enables you to freely switch up not only your speed, shooting direction and option formation, but specific weapons’ behaviors, via “Edit Mode”. Both are some of the most impressive 8-bit shooting trips you’re likely to take, but only the latter ever made it overseas, and only to Europe. Finally there’s long-lost DOS shooter Sideline (eBay) , which comprises a surprisingly robust overall package for such an unknown commodity, but little “official” information of any use is still out there by now, so feel free to search out a demo online and sample it for yourself.

Alpha Mission (series)

When one thinks of SNK it’s almost certain to call to mind one or more of the famous brawlers from King of Fighters, or perhaps the cartoony commandos and tanks from Metal Slug (for your sake I’ll assume that Doki Doki Majo Shinpan! never once entered your mind): while even most contemporary gamers are at least aware of the Neo-Geo’s existence, far fewer are cognizant of SNK’s surprisingly significant presence within the hallowed halls of shooter history. The most distinctive of its contributions are the pair of Alpha Mission (aka “Armored Scrum Object”, or “ASO”) releases, which implement a unique, and rather technical, weapons system: at first glance the constant slew of collectable letters scattered across the screen may make your head spin, but take a bit of time to learn what everything does and your path to victory (or at least a not-too-embarrassing credit) will become much clearer.

At a glance both games play largely like prettier Xevious sequels, as you progress vertically whilst attacking air and ground targets separately; you can enhance your basic weapons and speed in traditional fashion (just watch out for “power-down” items mixed in with the rest), but the most interesting things you’ll find along the way are pieces of various high-output “armor”, which, once you’ve completed a set, can be activated and equipped on demand to temporarily give you both a special weapon to lay waste with and the ever-so-welcome ability to screw up without dying instantly. While most of the main ingredients stay the same across both entries, certain details are tweaked between the two (most notably you can buy armor with the “G” you collect between stages in the sequel): outside of the arcade, the first Alpha Mission was ported to the NES, the sequel made it to the Neo-Geo CD and both are downloadable on the PSN, so give ‘em a whirl if you’re not too afraid of having to utilize a third button (madness!) to succeed in a shooter.

Shop for Alpha Mission on eBay
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Honorable Mentions: Another worthwhile SNK-developed shmup you probably haven’t encountered is 1992’s Last Resort (eBay / Amazon) : sure, it’s one of many, many “tributes” to R-Type, but it’s a pretty darn good one, featuring enticingly gritty spritework and the ability to freely rotate and lock your bullet-blocking pod, not to mention charge it up and hurl it right into enemies’ faces. Also, for the Neo-Geo CD (but not developed directly by SNK), is Saurus’ Ironclad (eBay) (aka “Choutetsu Brikin’ger”), which is cut from similar cloth to Last Resort but also features a branching stage structure and a more “steampunk-ish” setting; your “pod”, in fact, is a transforming robot with a drill arm (and killing enemies with it means extra score medals!). Thankfully for those too financially strapped to get into Neo-Geo collecting, the pair have made late appearances on SNK Arcade Classics Volume 1 and the Wii’s Virtual Console, respectively.

Chouzikuu Yousai Macross – Macross II

I don’t really need to get into the whole “ack, a licensed game!” thing now, do I? Everyone already knows how many half-baked cash-grab products the industry has endured and continues to endure: long-running anime Super Space Fortress Macross (aka “Robotech” to many Westerners)  is certainly no exception to having had its name slapped onto some shoddy stuff over the years. Thankfully there’s also a bright side to its countless merchandising exploits, with its most distinctive glimmer coming, fortunately for us gamers, in the form of side-scroller Macross II, a 1993 Japanese arcade exclusive from Banpresto. Instead of focusing in on story or atmosphere as you might expect, this is one of a very small handful of “Caravan-style” releases for arcades, in which the sole object is to rack up as many points as you can within a brief span of time. Your lives are unlimited, but the real enemy to contend with is the ever-decreasing timer; if your score comes up below par after time runs out the game is over.

As fans might expect power-ups grant access to both Fighter (speedy air-to-air) and Gerwalk (slower air-to-ground) forms, while the Battroid (mecha) activates when a smart bomb is used; a few types of deadly missiles are also here, of course. With all of these at your disposal you pick one of three routes to take and set about blasting and collecting every shiny thing you see, plus some you don’t: decimating enemy formations and snapping up dropped coins before they vanish are a given, though you’ll also want to shoot around for hidden targets and pickups (including cute little Minmay dolls) and keep a careful eye out for bonuses awarded by destroying certain enemies at particular times…be sure to go about it all quickly, as you’re never given more than two measly minutes to rack up a number big enough to move on (if you’re having trouble, teaming up with a second player to combine your winnings might help). The harried play style might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s certainly something you’d never expect from a licensed game, especially not as well-executed as it is here.

Honorable Mentions: Believe it or not, there are actually a couple of other good Macross-branded shooters out there for otaku indulgence: in arcades, for starters, there’s Super Space Fortress Macross (eBay) and Macross Plus (eBay / Amazon) , both solid if fairly standard vertical-scrollers (though the latter borrows the lock-on targeting mechanism from Rayforce). On the Japanese Super Famicom you’ve also got Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie (eBay / Amazon) , a well-presented horizontal shooter which allows forms to be switched freely and certain enemies to be converted to the player’s side via a short-range energy field. If you still haven’t had your fill of licensed animated robotics head on back to the not-so-local arcade and set your scanners for Mazinger Z (eBay) , which features bullet-canceling melee punches, a boss that whips a subway train at you, and lots and lots of emphatic yelling: what more could a true-blue old-school fan ask for?

Harmful Park

Racketboy regulars might recognize this one from the PS1 Shmup Guide, but most others are likely scratching their heads; not surprising, seeing as Harmful Park is 1) A Japanese PS1 exclusive, 2) Developed by Sky Think System, a blink-and-you-missed-them company almost nobody has ever heard of, and 3) Stupidly expensive on the used market (though if you can make purchases on the Japanese PSN it’s available as a PS3 download for a lot cheaper). Either way this colorful and endearing side-scrolling cute-em-up is more than worthy of another mention around here, not only because it’s so far under the radar but because it’s lovingly-crafted and lots of fun: if you’ve ever dreamed of wielding an arsenal of exploding pies to save a crazy amusement park from takeover by a mad scientist, I’m happy to announce that you’re about to add a whole lot of long-deferred meaning and satisfaction to your life.

Once they’ve left the launch pad players can switch at any time between four different weapons, which are powered up individually and also affect how your stock of smart bombs manifest themselves. Timely use of the whole lot is essential to score attacking, as destroying formations of enemies in one shot multiplies their value (for example, use the ice cream laser to take down horizontal lines of baddies), though you’ll also want to catch all of the green gems they release, and send a few shots into out-of-the-way places to find invisible targets as well. As you leave a jelly bean-induced path of destruction in your wake you’ll get to take in all of the park’s colorful and lively attractions, from the haunted house to the waterslide to the rollercoaster to the hidden subterranean beer hall(!); if you feel like a break from the main game you can tackle the challenging stand-alone Score Attack level, or even a trio of multiplayer mini-games included on the disc. In short, don’t let the silly, light-hearted theme fool you: this is easily one of the PS1’s premier shooters.

Shop for Harmful Park on eBay
Shop for Harmful Park on Amazon.com

Honorable Mentions: Remember the heyday of Great Greed, Zen: Intergalactic Ninja and Awesome Possum, when environmental themes seemed to pop up in video games almost at random, where you least expected them to? Capcom was there, of course, and threw its own biodegradable hat into the ring with Eco Fighters (eBay) (“Ultimate Ecology” in Japan): to their vast credit, this side-scroller sports an attractive cute-em-up veneer so as to avoid too heavy-handed a tone, and sports an unusual mechanic in the form of a rotatable arm on the player’s ship, which can be manipulated at will to aim one’s secondary weapon in any direction. Interestingly, the original concept was first submitted to Capcom by a fan for a design contest, and was handed over from there to the same in-house team which worked on the Mega Man-themed arcade fighters: nowadays you can easily take this eco-trip back to the occasionally-glorious 90’s on Capcom Classics Collection 2 for the PS2 and XBox, or the “Reloaded” variation on the PSP.

Mr. Heli no Daibouken

This entry makes for our third visit to Irem on this list…for all the success they found with R-Type it’s strange to think how few of their other shooters ever managed to leave much of an impression on the industry, even when by all accounts they ought to have done just that. One particularly unassuming candidate is Mr Heli (aka “Battle Chopper”), which, it should be stated, due to its departures from genre protocol, might not quite qualify as a “true” shmup in some readers’ eyes. To wit, while stage progression remains linear, in most areas your titular chubby ‘copter must be moved along manually (in similar fashion to Irem’s later submarine shooter, In the Hunt), can be freely faced forwards or backwards, and will begin to gradually lose altitude if left stationary in midair (not to mention “walk” on the ground if you land). No matter how you choose to classify it, though, the game is an enjoyable and charming diversion that more people ought to partake of.

As you go along your merry rotor-powered way you’ll notice a slew of conspicuous rock formations lying around: shoot them away to reveal crystals (grab the big ones quick, or they’ll split into less-profitable shards), which are used as currency in “mini-shops” also hidden under certain piles of rubble. These kiosks only carry one upgrade at a time, but there are lots of them scattered about, and all you need to do to make a purchase is fly into it; the necessary cash will be deducted automatically and your new weapon or ability (which, you’ll be happy to hear, is never ammo- or time-limited) will be equipped instantly. This translates into little need to slow down your progress for shopping purposes, which is a good thing, since there’s a timer constantly ticking down for each level; you do have an energy meter (refilled by buying fuel cans) in addition to multiple lives, but finishing Mr. Heli still isn’t easy, as enemies spawn relentlessly and make mining the necessary money even more difficult to do before time expires. If you’re up to the task another batch of old-time computers and the aforementioned Irem Arcade Hits compilation have this, though the most popular home port went to the PC Engine, whose edition was re-released to the Virtual Console later down the line.

Shop for Mr. Heli no Daibouken on eBay
Shop for Mr. Heli no Daibouken on Amazon.com

Honorable Mentions: As first referenced in the Saturn Shmup Rundown, if you’ve played R-Type Final on the PS2 you might have encountered (alongside Mr. Heli himself) an unlockable ship called “Crossing the Rubicon”, whose “Force” device sprouts a pair of creepy mechanical tentacles: you might not be aware that it’s actually another cameo, this time from X-Multiply  (eBay) , a lesser-known Irem shooter similar to R-Type but even more dark and unsettling in terms of atmosphere (and that’s saying something). Should you prefer something a bit more outside the company’s usual, um, “comfort” zone, you might want to fire up Fire Barrel (eBay) , which plays more akin to Seibu Kaihatsu’s Raiden games, with a touch of pre-Nazca sprite detailing in the graphics. The former game was ported, alongside the punishing Image Fight, to the PS1 and Saturn in Japan, but the latter has remained an arcade exclusive; thankfully some longtime emulation issues were recently ironed out, so curious players can get a fuller sense of what the game’s about.

Sengeki Striker

Though very few people on this side of planet Earth are acquainted with developer Warashi, they were actually one of the more enduring shmup-centric developers in Japan, quietly churning out solid titles from Shienryu to Triggerheart Exelica before abruptly vanishing into the night but a short time ago as of this writing. None of their output ever amounted to much more than modest success, commercially speaking, but the arcade-exclusive Sengeki Striker is a name that causes even many shooter historians to scratch their heads, partially due to the fact that it didn’t run correctly in most emulators for quite a few years; more recently things have been patched up, and the time is thus ripe for a second look. At first blush you’ll quickly recognize a handful of assets that have been carried over from Shienryu, especially in the sound effects department (I’d know those crackly explosions anywhere), but it quickly becomes evident that you’re dealing with a different beast entirely.

For one thing, enemies are a fair deal more aggressive (especially if you’re playing the default “Asia” ROM; it’s recommended you stick with the somewhat less ridiculous “Japan” version), to the point that you’ll need to adhere to a whole different sort of bullet-dodging philosophy than in its Raiden-esque cousin. Moreover, while you only get a single “primary” weapon this time, you can also amass up to four gunpod assistants, in either (enemy-seeking) Vulcan or (straight-on stream) Laser varieties: after firing for a few moments they’ll stop shooting, which is your signal to lay off the trigger for a moment to activate their satisfyingly-destructive special attack, which you’ll need to exploit to the fullest extent you can. Gunpods can also block a handful of bullets before breaking up, and will likely save your bacon more than a few times amidst the enemy’s barrages. Little developer-published information on the game exists, and as such the scoring system remains something of a mystery (dropping air targets onto ground ones appears to have something to do with it), but even without knowing all the specifics Sengeki Striker is a less-traveled path that more shmuppers ought to take a walk down.

Honorable Mentions: It’s tough to make mention of Shienryu or any of its relatives without bringing up its VERY direct ancestor, Athena’s Daioh (eBay) . The former’s weapons system and overall gameplay style were brought to bear here before its staffers migrated en masse to Warashi; the U.S. version of the game gave you access to all three types of shots and bombs at once, requiring a full six-button cab setup to operate. As it did with Biometal, Athena later placed little mini-tributes to Daioh into several of its Dezaemon releases. Gratia: Second Earth (eBay) , on the other hand, is another arcade-exclusive Jaleco shmup that almost nobody has played, and features separate land/air planes of attack, though this time it’s implemented in a horizontal format, via an odd isometric background perspective. Thankfully you can forget the frequently-wimpy ground bombs of past titles, as this one’s exploding laser arrays can decimate the opposition once you get comfortable with them.

Gemini Wing

It can be tough for contemporary shmuppers to stand back and take stock of the long-standing and sometimes-baffling gaming entity known as Tecmo, wondering aloud why they never stuck to the shooter route for all that long, despite having made some early and rather important contributions to it. In the end one really can’t blame the company for where things have ended up, considering the trajectory that the industry at large has taken and the successful “guilty pleasure” niche they’ve built in response, but it’s tough not to discover something like Gemini Wing and continue to wistfully daydream about what might have been. The basic gist is obvious the first time you sidle up to the cab: by default your only weapon is a rather weak twin shot, hardly adequate considering how crowded with creepy-crawlies the screen frequently gets, so you’ll have to grab some better stuff from the bad guys. Mooching powerups from the opposition is fairly standard procedure, of course, but its soup-to-nuts application here takes things to a level seldom seen since.

As you fly along you may notice various colored orbs trailing behind you: these aren’t Gradius-esque multiples, but rather ammo for your all-important arsenal of single-use special weapons, most of which you’ll be nabbing directly from dragonfly-like enemies as they swoop and dangle them temptingly in front of your nose (the types they carry shift every few seconds, so time your grabs carefully). Hit the B button to spend whichever one you’ve had the longest (weapons are expended in the order you collect them), and don’t be shy about it either: you’ll need to be liberal with the use of just about every triple shot, flamethrower, or expanding laser ring the game gives you if you want to survive more than a couple of minutes, tops. Few shooters demands that you work with so much “limited ammo” outside of smart bombs, lending Gemini Wing a genuine sense of tension and a test of resource management for those up to the challenge: back in the day it was ported to over a half-dozen defunct computer systems, though most seekers today will probably end up emulating the arcade original.

Honorable Mentions: So you just can’t get enough of stealing weapons directly from enemies…and you already have Einhander? Allow me to first guide you towards Telenet Japan’s Gaiares  (eBay / Amazon) for the Mega Drive, whose indestructible option helper initially seems reminiscent of roughly ten bazillion other R-Type pretenders but is actually intended to be launched into baddies to steal away their weapons: doing so repeatedly will increase its power. There are lots of armaments to try out, but you’d best figure them out quickly, as this is one of the system’s more challenging offerings; you don’t fool around with a villainess named “Z.Z. Badnusty”. Then there’s AI’s Blazeon (eBay) , published by Atlus and given a silly “Bio-Cyborg Challenge” subtitle in the USA: fire special missiles into certain enemies to stun them, then touch them to full-on transform into them and gain their abilities. Finding an arcade cab running it is unlikely in this day and age, but the SNES port should be pretty cheap.

Space Manbow

Exhibit A: The MSX, a computer system from the 1980s which saw its greatest popularity by far within its native Japan. Also, as it happens, one of those platforms not considered particularly shmup-friendly by nature, due to the hard-and-fast limitations of the hardware, especially when it comes to the system’s rather choppy scrolling. Exhibit B: Konami, yet another developer in need of no introduction when it comes to its numerous and important contributions to the scrolling shooter. That said, look around their catalog a bit you’ll likely be surprised, as with Irem, at how many releases bearing its name have faded into obscurity even as Gradius has become a long-standing icon. Put the two together and you get, naturally, Exhibit C: one of the least-likely one-off successes in all of gamedom, namely Space Manbow on the slightly upgraded MSX2 hardware.

As the name alludes, you pilot a ship shaped like a mambo fish (officially the sharptail mola, for the biology enthusiasts out there); not that you’ll notice this much, as you’ll be too busy wondering how the heck Konami made the MSX’s shortcomings all but vanish into a smooth, effortless void. Weaponry is simple but effective, consisting primarily of top- and bottom-mounted options that can fire forwards, backwards, or up-and-down, crucial for picking off those unassuming little enemies that Konami loves to pack into inconvenient spots and torment players with: just be careful where and when you shoot, as movable obstacles can screw you out of an escape route in certain sections (oh, and always keep collecting those red power-up items, as your power level decreases automatically over time). By focusing most of its energy on the parts that matter, the game’s creators manage to craft not just a great shmup on the MSX but a worthy shooter on any platform: despite its obscurity Manbow has managed to chalk up both a WiiWare release and a “tribute” character (Mambo the “actual” flying fish, in the Parodius series) for itself. Not bad at all for a “handicapped” title, wouldn’t you say?

Shop for Space Manbow on eBay
Shop for Space Manbow on Amazon.com

Honorable Mentions: As it happens, those wascawwy pwogwammers at Konami managed to squeeze a couple more worthwhile shooters out of the humble MSX: Knightmare (eBay / Amazon) (aka “Majou Densetsu”) is perhaps foremost among them, making up for its own stilted scrolling with smooth character movement and plentiful powerups and targets of interest. The game later received ports to the PS1 and Saturn on a collection disc, plus a non-shmup sequel, Maze of Galious; its lead character, Popolon, even made an appearance in the very first Parodius, also on the MSX. Konami developed a similar game for the system with additional exploration and puzzle elements, Hi no Tori, which as the title suggests is based on Osamu Tezuka’s “Phoenix” manga. One last Konami MSX project of note is Pippols: though not a “pure” shmup (it plays more like a vertical variation on Capcom’s SonSon than anything else), the scrolling is again remarkably smooth, plus it’s tough not to smile at least a little when playing as such an infectiously happy little elfin dude.

Game Tengoku

If you have a fellow shmupper or two over for an afternoon and someone blurts out the phrase “parody shooter”, the subject will almost certainly shift to Konami’s above-mentioned Parodius, or perhaps Hudson’s Star Parodier…suddenly inject Jaleco into the conversation, however, and the ensuing awkward silence is sure to be broken by a throat-clearing “…they made enough shooters to parody in the first place?” Indeed they did, and their erstwhile stab at silliness took the form of Game Tengoku (aka “The Game Paradise”), which calls up characters from a half-dozen bygone Jaleco properties and pits the motley team against a creepy evil guy (you can tell by the creepy evil mustache) intent on taking over the local game center one circuit board at a time. As they valiantly soar towards their goal the crew will encounter not only a slew of in-house references (the “Tuff E Nuff” advertisement in the first level is but one prominent exhibition), but set pieces from all sectors of the arcade’s bygone heyday: from pinball machines to UFO catchers to racer cabs, if you ever put a quarter into it you’ll probably end up flying by it, if not engaging in a dogfight with it.

Gameplay-wise things are pretty straightforward on the ground floor, as everyone packs a standard shot, a slow charge attack, a smart bomb for sticky situations, occasional “helper option” pickups (which are cute mini-versions of the main cast), and that’s about all there is to tell. Playing for score gets substantially trickier, as many enemies surrender eggplant-shaped point items, which must be collected in rapid sequence to increase their value: this is a challenge in and of itself, since the timing is very tight and there’s no onscreen indicator to help you keep track, but it can become downright maddening with baddies and their shots darting in from every side. Still, it’s hard not to have some fun blasting away everything from blocky Space Invaders look-alikes to flashy super robots, and if you snag the well-done Saturn port (don’t bother with its PS1-exclusive polygonal sequel) you also get an exclusive mode with an extra character and levels (including, believe it or not, a karaoke-themed one): if you don’t mind the fact that you probably won’t get every single joke due to the less-than-mainstream source material, you ought to spend a few credits with Game Tengoku.

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Honorable Mentions: One final under-the-radar Jaleco nugget that you might want to check out is the fairly traditional side-scroller Earth Defense Force  (eBay / Amazon) (commonly known as EDF). The game grants you one of several weapon choices for each stage, as well as the ability to shift your gunpod helpers between a few different formations: as you get farther in your arms will level up and new option layouts will become available, giving rise to a number of additional combinations to try out. Originally an arcade title, a less-challenging Super NES variation, Super EDF, was also released and localized: both are worth a shot as long as you’re up for some experimentation as to which loadout works best for which area.

Coryoon

Aliens invading from another galaxy? Eh, no big deal. Mad dictator unleashing bloodthirsty armies across the globe? Old news. Inter-dimensional necro-virus warping the very fabric of reality? Yawn. Some random faceless wizard turning your bishoujo princess pal pre-pubescent? NOW it’s personal! So begins the epic tale of Coryoon for the PC Engine, another production by Naxat Soft, also widely revered on the system for the “Crush” digital pinball games. You play the part of the titular chibi-dragon as he metes cutesy justice out upon everything from chubby unicorns to grumpy hermit crabs – just try not to “d’aww” out loud when you see his adorable little cheeks puff up as he prepares a charge shot. Along with that, you’ve got access to the usual complement of three main weapon power-ups and four “card suit” sub-abilities, which can add a shield, shrink your hitbox or one of a handful of other enhancements.

Oh, and there’s fruit. LOTS of fruit. Displaying due reverence to the nonsensical arcade stylings that inspired it, just about everything you shoot in Coryoon drops some manner of point-boosting fructose, presenting players with plenty of incentive to keep moving and collecting at all times, though when enemies and shots are all over the place it can be a bit hard to tell what’s what at a glance. That said, Coryoon still isn’t too challenging to conquer: if you’re at least partially powered up a hit will only reduce your weapon level instead of killing you, and the 1-ups (thanks in part to all that fruit) pile up quickly. So yeah, this one isn’t exactly a “serious” shooting excursion, but hopefully you already knew that going in, and if you need a slightly more “focused” diversion the game includes two “Caravan” variations for you to tune your time-attacking skills in. Unfortunately our fire-breathing moppet friend has yet to see release outside of Japan or on any “legit” digital download service, which renders his game more of an elite acquisition than such a friendly outing ought to be.

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Honorable Mentions: So, your sweet tooth still isn’t satisfied? No need to even switch off the PC Engine if you’re hankering for more off-the-beaten-path cute-em-ups, though you will want to attach the CD add-on while you’re up. Air Zonk (eBay / Amazon) (or “PC Denjin: Punkic Cyborgs”), a spinoff of the system’s marquee PC Genjin (“Bonk” or “BC Kid” in the West) platformers, is one desirable acquisition (ever use milk bottle missiles to dispatch a football mascot boss? Without being arrested, I mean?), as is its CD-only sequel Super Air Zonk (eBay) and the somewhat more Gradius-flavored L-Dis  (eBay / Amazon) , both developed by a Japan-centric outfit called Dual. Then there’s Magical Chase (eBay / Amazon), by Quest (the Ogre Battle guys): it combines features from a number of other shooters (positionable options, money/shop powerups, gem-dropping pink hedgehogs on beach balls…well, maybe not that last one) into a fun if somewhat breezy journey. The two Zonks and L-Dis all earned trips to the Virtual Console (though the latter in Japan only); Magical Chase never did, but was both localized and ported to the Game Boy Color, though neither product is anything close to an impulse buy if you can find ‘em.

Battle Mania (series)

In the world of shmups (and video games at large, to a degree) it can sometimes feel like there are only two polar-opposite thematic design philosophies to follow, with little room to breathe in between: if you’re developing a shooter, it seems, you either have to take yourself 100 percent seriously (even when nothing about your game makes any earthly sense) or go all-in on silliness and cuteness (at the expense of potential customers less secure in their masculinity). The elusive middle ground can be a bit tough to find sometimes, but thankfully an unassuming pair of teenage girls with jetpacks (whose first game was localized in the USA as “Trouble Shooter”) fly to the Genesis/Mega Drive to save the day…well, if you can consider such a seemingly minor dilemma worth calling in heavily-armed mercenaries for, I suppose. Though the games were developed by Vic Tokai, Sega apparently thought enough of them to award the heroines, Mania and Maria (Madison and Crystal in the West), cameos in its self-referential SeGaGaGa on the Dreamcast many years later.

Stirring in ample helpings of both self-aware wackiness and blissfully-oblivious “anime cool”, players will take up the fight against everything from standard-issue cyborgs to giant Monty Python-esque crushing feet to their own mirror reflections, summoned out of a skyscraper window by an evil robed being…brought swiftly to justice by your partner, who somehow drives a car straight through the side of said skyscraper before joining up with you (wonder how many points on her license that’ll be). Once you actually start analyzing how these games play you’ll discover that there’s a degree of finesse involved in keeping both of your characters’ shots focused on targets approaching from all sides (thankfully, only one of you can take damage), though having a rechargeable special weapon at your disposal certainly helps. Above all, while it’s hardly the deepest or most impeccably-polished series out there, it’s hard not to just let go and enjoy yourself when playing Battle Mania, and that alone ought to make the games worth a try.

Honorable Mentions: Another Genesis shooter you may have missed is Hot-B’s Steel Empire (eBay / Amazon) (aka “Empire of Steel” or “Koutetsu Teikoku”), which places a similar emphasis on splitting your attention (and firepower) between both the left and right sides of the screen, though it ditches Battle Mania’s anime-inspired world for an attractively retro-chic, “Jules Verne” aesthetic (it was also remade for the Game Boy Advance, though most prefer to play the original format). East Technology’s Gigandes (eBay) is another highly obscure curio, and has never transcended its original arcade format, to boot: unlike most shooters (except maybe Taito’s Mega Blast) you can collect and attach special weapons to all four sides of your tiny craft and thus take on threats from multiple directions at once, but don’t you dare get complacent, as escaping death is still deceptively tough!

Nostradamus

I doubt that very many out there have ever so much as name-dropped developer Face, who finally petered out around the return of the century; moreover, even if you did happen to glimpse their name someplace (Money Idol Exchanger, maybe?), it almost certainly wasn’t while playing this long-lost 1993 shooter. Released the same year as Toaplan’s genre-shifting masterpiece Batsugun, Nostradamus embodies many similar qualities, dipping a tentative toe into “bullet hell” territory whilst remaining true to an older, slightly more “restrained” development philosophy…if you consider screaming, screen-clearing phoenix wings “restrained”. Story-wise, it would appear that everyone’s favorite clairvoyant kook, Michel Nostradamus, was actually right on the money when he foretold that “the great king of terror” would arrive in the distant future of 1999: thankfully, by that time humanity has developed fighter craft with ludicrous firepower and unlimited ammo, though we still haven’t figured out the whole “explodes when one unfriendly shot so much as grazes it” thing (or how to turn around, or adjust altitude, or apply brakes…).

Thankfully, said firepower more than lives up to its description, with your craft’s impressively-wide standard shot complemented by one of two “E.B.A.” (Energy Boost Accelerator) attachments, which provide supporting fire but are much more impressive accoutrements when charged up: their “wings” form an energy column that can be dragged behind you to absorb bullets, and when you release the button an enormous blast which pierces through targets, does massive damage and cancels most unfriendly fire is unleashed. You can use it as much as you want so long as you have a few moments to bottle it up, but this is a stricter limitation than it might appear: you’ve got a lengthy nine-stage ordeal ahead of you, chock full of less-then-hospitable opponents, without any sort of instant-activation smart bomb to save your hide from imminent oblivion. On the bright side Nostradamus boasts some very strong spritework for a no-name shooter, so you’ll definitely enjoy the sights as you crawl ever closer to your destination: it’s also the poster child for a hard-to-track title, as it’s never set foot outside of Japanese arcades, so if you’re not emulating you’re probably not playing it.

Honorable Mention: If the likes of Nostradamus is still somehow too narratively coherent for you to enjoy it, I recommend that you 1) Seek help, and 2) Play Ryu Jin, brought to you by Taito, who certainly have more than their fair share of nigh-indescribable games stashed deep within their proverbial closet. I have absolutely no idea what the setup is here, except that you apparently have to blow up several planets’ worth of malevolent machines, giant bugs, and odd Japanese statuary-inspired baddies. Or something. Anyway, all four selectable craft barely need power-ups, since their charge shots ready themselves so quickly and do so much damage, but you know what? You still get a stock of smart bombs too, plus the bizarre “Big” item, which turns you gigantic and totally invincible for a few seconds – thank goodness the artists saw fit to actually redraw the larger sprites instead of just scaling and pixelating them to kingdom come. Just in case I need to say it, this one’s just as elusive (and weird) an acquisition as Nostradamus.

Hyper Duel

If you fancy yourself a shooter enthusiast and haven’t heard of Tecno Soft’s Thunder Force series, well…for now just head over to the Defining Games of the Shmups Genre article, and I’ll see you in my office later. Hyper Duel, on the other hand, I’d be more inclined to forgive you for overlooking, not only because it never managed to spawn a years-long series spanning multiple systems, but due to the fact that it started as a Japanese arcade exclusive before being ported to the Saturn in its home territory…and said port is now even more prohibitively expensive than the infamously-inflated Radiant Silvergun. Anyway, now that you know it’s out there, Tecno Soft devotees and lovers of fast-paced, instinct-driven shmupping in general ought to saddle up if they have the opportunity, since it retains much of what made Thunder Force so popular, and in some ways might just improve on it.

You pilot one of three “Buster Gears”, which can freely transform between “fighter” (spaceship) and “armor” (robot) modes: press Button A to fire shots as the former, and Button B to instantly shift over to the latter, guns still blazing. The ship is your go-to choice when you need to be speedy and nimble, while the mech’s exchange of decreased mobility for higher attack power and range is ideal for taking on bigger threats. Holding down both buttons at once activates a special attack, which recharges when not in use and varies depending on the form you’re currently in, though you should keep an eye out for two types of AI helpers to pick off stragglers and take a bullet or two for you: there are always plenty of threats to keep you busy, but powering back up after dying is usually quick. The “scoring system”, which increases your point total as you sit still, is rather goofy to say the least, but is easy enough to ignore in favor of some good old blast-em-up action: if you do decide to take a chainsaw to your wallet in favor of the aforementioned Saturn port you can also access a special “Saturn Mode” with improved graphics plus a few gameplay tweaks and enhancements.

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Honorable Mentions: Hyper Duel’s closest immediate relative is likely Blast Wind (eBay) , another little-known Tecno Soft property that wound up as a (stupidly expensive) Japanese Saturn exclusive: though it scrolls vertically as opposed to horizontally, you’ll still be regularly switching between a pair of complementary weapons and making things explode to synth rock, not to mention choosing one of two branching paths in the middle of each level. Elemental Master (eBay / Amazon) , on the other hand, harks back to the company’s work on the Genesis, and carries over several of Thunder Force’s conventions in the guise of a less-conventional Tolkien-esque fantasy setting; while your character’s constant “jogging in place” animation looks a bit silly, being able to shoot up or down to clear the way sprinkles in some additional bits of flavor. Human Entertainment’s Bari-Arm (eBay / Amazon) (aka “Android Assault”) on the Sega CD is quite similar thematically to Hyper Duel, though going into “robot mode” just means you’ve maxed out your shot power, and a special attack is charged by laying off the fire button for a few moments. Still lots of cheese rock to feast one’s ears on, though!

Ordyne

Namco. Pac-Man. Dig Dug. Galaga. Xevious. …Ordyne? Yes indeed, though you might not have ever so much as laid eyes on it, this one is definitely another jewel in Namco’s enviable crown, especially if you’re a fan of the Fantasy Zone series. Unlike Sega/Sunsoft’s classic, however, whose play style calls Defender to mind, Ordyne is laid out like a more typical side-scroller, with the left-to-right stage/boss progression you’ve come to expect; as you bring down enemies (who exit the stage with a sharp, balloon-like “pop”) with your trusty forward gun and ground bomb, many will leave behind floating “crystal” items, which you can accumulate and keep a stock of throughout. What’re they used for? That Fantasy Zone influence should quickly assert itself once you enter one of many mid-level shops, and the friendly girl behind the counter is paying off her college tuition loans by the time you’re done browsing.

Most of the available enhancements (such as a Pac-Man-shaped bullet-eater) are temporary in nature, and players normally only get to choose one at a time (which at least prevents them from blowing all their cash at once on bulking up): on the other hand, they can sometimes get lucky at a competing “Dream Co. Ltd.” establishment if they can stop its slot reel precisely for a big payday. Once you’re outfitted it’s just a matter of dispatching the baddies and dodging obstacles en route to the finish line: while Ordyne is neither as challenging nor as immediately distinctive as a Parodius title (no ballerina panda-ducks of doom here), it remains an endearing, cartoon-flavored romp, and its visuals have held up remarkably well from when it first hit arcades in 1988. Though Ordyne’s creators have mostly kept a lid on it since then, the original version did eventually make it onto Volume 4 of the “Namco Museum” series for the PS1, and its PC Engine port was also re-released onto the Wii’s Virtual Console.

Honorable Mentions: Data East’s Wonder Planet (eBay) , completed around the same time as Ordyne, is another nifty “cute-ish-em-up” inspired by a bigger name, in this case Konami’s Twinbee: here, as there, you’re picking off sky targets and dropping bombs on ground-based ones in a vertically-scrolling effort to win back all the planets from the bad guys, though instead of bells you’ve got another “shop” system at work, in which individual stores sell a particular type of product (bombs, shields, etc.). Unlike most other such games, however, many of the goodies you purchase aren’t time- or ammo-limited, so you can slowly build yourself up closer to your ideal output; in exchange the screen quickly gets a lot more frantic than it ever does in Ordyne, so those in search of a stiffer challenge have found their alternative. Unfortunately, collectors can forget about ever seeing it played natively on anything other than an arcade machine.

Aldynes: The Mission Code for Rage Crisis

One of the surest ways to guarantee that your game languishes in obscurity for years on end is to release it on a system that almost no one buys: developer Produce (comprised largely of former Irem staffers) pretty much hit the jackpot in this department, by sending 1991’s Aldynes (its very first game, no less) to NEC’s ill-fated SuperGrafx, an upgraded PC Engine whose library never even reached the double digits before the competition devoured it alive. It’s too bad, as this rather awkwardly-titled shooter combines some of the best features of both R-Type and Gradius while maintaining a faster-paced feel all its own; obtaining and playing an original copy is obviously a considerable ordeal, but it’s also available for download on the Japanese Playstation Store if you’re willing to jump through a couple of hoops on that end instead.

In most respects Aldynes is an instantly-graspable side-scroller, with 3 weapons to pick up and power up, along with a small army of helper drones to further boost your firepower: with the push of a button they can be instructed to focus on frontal assault, rotate in close for defense, or seek out targets on their own. If you need just a little bit more to get you through a tough stretch you can also stop shooting for a moment and charge up a small shield on your ship’s nose that can both block bullets and “tickle damage” adversaries that get too friendly. Pour on one of the system’s few genuinely impressive audiovisual presentations (parallax-philes, rejoice!) and satisfying doses of firepower, garnish with a good challenge; stir and let sit on collector’s shelves for any number of agonizing years to cool. Voila – a picture-perfect “hidden gem” shooter, just like Mother used to make! Bon appetit!

Honorable Mentions: While the PC Engine obviously performed much better at retail than its short-lived successor, the system, despite an enviable library, never truly got its due against its competition, especially in the Western hemisphere. This goes double for the console’s “Super CD” add-on and its own well-realized set of shmups, including Rayxanber III , generally considered the pinnacle of a long-defunct line of dark, detailed shmups by Data West (no relation to Data East…I think). Then there’s CAProduction’s visually-stunning Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire, which has built up more than a little eBay infamy due to not only its sky-high secondhand asking price but the presence of pirated copies to muddy the waters (thankfully there’s a much cheaper Japanese PSP collection that includes it, too). If you’re more in the mood for a visit to the arcade scene be sure to give Tecmo’s surprisingly solid Raiga Strato Fighter, which only ever made it onto a rather lackluster XBox compilation, a try; again, there’s no bikini volleyball or exploding ninja heads, but one still wishes the company had given its fans more shooter love, tough post-death recovery notwithstanding.

Gleylancer

If you’re a shmupper it’s hard not to have at least a little place in your heart for Sega’s Mega Drive/Genesis, regardless of which console your folks bought you as a kid: not only did it boast a deep roster of good-quality shooters and the processing speed to run them smoothly, but the system was commercially successful enough to render much of its best stuff readily available to a wide audience, oftentimes worldwide. Of course, some worthwhile games still never managed to reach too much of their potential fan base, unfortunate victims of market forces, cultural factors and profit projections…the slightly-Engrishy Advanced Busterhawk Gleylancer is among the foremost of these, and original carts remain elusive on the used circuit, though digital customers now have access to the game on the Wii’s Virtual Console for a much more reasonable price. By hook or by crook, it must be said, 16-bit fans need to try this one out if they ever get a chance to do so.

Developed by NCS/Masaya (also responsible for the infamous Cho Aniki series), Gleylancer trades oily, rippling man-flesh for a more standard “determined girl in a starfighter” setting, but also contains a nice array of options for the shmupping faithful to tinker around with. Speed can be toggled between four setting at any time, which is handy, but more intriguingly players must choose one of seven (count ‘em) configurations for their gunpods when they start up the game. Most of these allow their firing direction to be altered and/or locked by a combination of player movement and pressing/holding the C button, though there are somewhat simpler Gradius-esque and “fire and forget” homing settings too. Combine all of this with an array of secondary weapon pickups and it’s your call whether to go with reverse-firing mines, tracking lasers, or trailing beam swords, among many others: equip your favorites and set off to save your dead old dad, getting an eyeful of nicely-done cutscene artwork to tell him about when you get there.

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Shop for Gleylancer on Amazon.com

Honorable Mentions: Aprinet’s Eliminate Down (eBay / Amazon) , the only game the company ever made apart from an F-1 racer, is frequently spoken of in the same breath as Gleylancer due to its own system-exclusive rarity; fundamentally it plays most like Toaplan’s Hellfire, with three weapons that can be switched freely, but unlike Gleylancer it’s never been ported elsewhere or reissued digitally so be ready to fork out if you want to own it. Halfway between the aforementioned Cho Aniki and the rest of Masaya’s shooters, on the other hand, lies Gynoug (aka “Wings of Wor”), a fellow Genesis side-scroller: you command a winged angel-ish character who confronts a lineup of odd humanoid enemies, though the tone is a good deal more macabre here than in Adon and Samson’s decidedly tongue-in-cheek home territory. Sega’s own Bio-Hazard Battle (eBay / Amazon) (aka “Crying: Aseimei Sensou”) is yet another Genesis exclusive (though it technically appeared in arcades on “Mega Play” cabinets) worth looking into, especially if you like “organic”-themed shooters, and it eventually got Virtual Console and Steam releases too.

Chikyuu Kaihou Gun ZAS

If you’ll recall another axiom from our Shmups 101 guide, portable systems have never been a very popular destination for shmuppers: when it comes to games that frequently require pixel-perfect accuracy for survival, let alone further success, the small screen just isn’t the hippest place to be. There are exceptions, of course, including a few, like M-Kai’s Judgment Silversword on the Wonderswan, that have managed to build themselves a considerable cult following (and in its particular case a spiritual sequel or two): on the other end of the spectrum there’s this pint-sized Japan-only 1992 release, whose title roughly translates to “Earth Liberation Army”, from T&E Soft (anyone remember Hydlide?), which manages to do a lot of pretty darn impressive stuff on, of all places, the original black-and-white Game Boy, one of the least shmup-friendly systems ever produced.

For starters, check out those visuals: yes, Virginia, there ARE multi-layered backgrounds happening on that tiny grayscale display, thanks to a Christmas mirac..I mean, a bit of programming voodoo on the part of the developers. Your weapon of choice for conquering this little monochromatic marvel is simple, but handy: a pair of gunpods that can be either condensed into a stronger, more precise stream or spread out to cover a wider area with a press of the B button, and you thankfully don’t lose them after dying either (interestingly, Toaplan’s V-V, to be covered here later on, was messing around with a similar setup the following year). Most stages throw in interesting obstacles for players to find their way around, and a stage select in the Options menu allows everyone to practice their favorites at will: if you still love that dear old gray brick of yours and want to show it just how much you care, look no further than this little plastic wonder, but be prepared to drop a wad of cash for a genuine copy.
Shop for Chikyuu Kaihou Gun ZAS on eBay

Honorable Mentions: If you’d like to add another worthy shooter to your Game Boy library Solar Striker (eBay / Amazon) (developed in part by Nintendo’s “R&D1” team, one of whom was Gunpei Yokoi, creator of the Game Boy) is a solid choice: it’s several degrees simpler in design than ZAS but still plays quite capably, especially considering the format, and is loads easier to find. In terms of doing a lot with limited hardware, however, head on over to the NES (or, more accurately, the Famicom) and cozy up to Capcom’s Titan Warriors (eBay) , a sequel to their first shmup, Vulgus, and a fine example of a well-tooled 8-bit shooter…or, rather, it would have been had it not been abruptly cancelled shortly before release (thankfully, contemporary shmuppers have access to the ROM online). It actually did ZAS one better by allowing players to manually spread or condense their options nearly all the way across the screen, a feature replicated by Konami’s Thunder Cross  (eBay) , released to arcades in 1988, the same year Titan Force was supposed to hit shelves: while it did well enough with audiences to spawn a sequel it’s still a largely-unknown commodity to many modern gamers.

Thunder Dragon 2

A considerable number of genre fans have yet to cross paths with the likes of NMK, despite their onetime partnership with Tecmo, but if you ask those few familiar with the bygone company to describe it, they’re apt to sit back, stare into space, exhale deeply, and soul-search for quite some time before coming up with…let’s just call them the right words. This is a team that, in one moment, would hand its customers something relatively pedestrian, like GunNail or the “P-47” side-scrollers, but the next everyone would be trying to make sense of something like Hacha Mecha Fighter (“…did I just use giant turnips to juggle a fez-wearing monkey?”) or the nutso single-screen puzzle-platformer Saboten Bombers; overall quality, as you might suspect, was spread all over the map, and many shmuppers eventually threw up their hands in favor of perusing catalogs less likely to refuse a breathalyzer test. If there’s one piece of the company’s colorful heritage that’s made more believers out of even grizzled old joystick jockeys than you’d ever expect, however, it’s Thunder Dragon 2 (aka “Big Bang: Power Shooting”): while it hasn’t escaped its creators’ penchant for out-of-nowhere nonsense, there are more than enough good intentions built in to make a playthrough worth more than just a rainy-day chuckle.

At a glance you’d never know that this one was anything special: you’ve got two standard-issue planes for the 1P and 2P sides, power-ups, missiles, point items, smart bombs…am I missing something here? Grab the controls for a minute and you’ll see what I mean: right at the get-go, the usual “Stage 1 Start, Good Luck” message appears, but if you tool around a bit in the meantime you’ll find that you can shoot and destroy the onscreen letters for bonus points, and if you can blow up the whole thing quickly enough you get an extra item. Why? Well, why the heck not? Moreover, once you’re into the action proper, a hilarious unseen announcer presides over your flight: bring down a sizable target or drop a bomb and you might hear a muffled “Get outta my sight!” or “Buuuurrrn!” suddenly ring out, among many other priceless quips. It’s totally silly, but as you dodge bullets and search between barrages for hidden pickups you won’t mind having this bizarre wingman along for the ride; such dashes of goofiness spice up the otherwise-solid, if hardly revolutionary, parts of the game, and lend it an offbeat ambience you just can’t find anywhere else. Don’t expect to see this one in the Gamestop bargain bin, though, as like the rest of NMK’s arcade output it’s never scored a home port.

Honorable Mentions: Did the above make you giddy to take more chances on less-than-reputable developers, in search of the most hidden of hidden gems? Allow me to assist you in your harrowing search, starting with Baryon: Future Assault  (eBay), from fly-by-night Korean developer Semicom. Seemingly envisioned as a means to siphon off a bit of disposable income from the DonPachi series and Cave’s style in general, the game includes a familiar “tap to shoot, hold for laser” mechanic, though the overall feel is less manic: there’s no chaining here either, though enemies drop lots of shiny things to pick up. It’s nowhere near as polished as its inspiration, obviously, but if you’re okay with that then this might be one of the best (non-Psyvariar) Korean shooters you’ll encounter. Allumer’s Zing Zing Zip (eBay) should be your next stop, despite coming from a company best known for shameless R-Type ripoff Rezon: this one adopts a visual style similar to Capcom’s “1940” series, albeit with some really silly-looking character artwork tacked on. It’s pretty standard gameplay-wise, except that by maneuvering in certain ways you can temporarily power yourself up, punctuated by a loud “Woo!” or “Oh yeeeah!” As you’re probably expecting at this point, none of this affable cheesiness ever left the arcades.

Rude Breaker

You know Compile, right? The guys who did M.U.S.H.A. on the Genesis and Blazing Lazers on the Turbografx-16, among many others? Sure you do: they were shooting game mainstays for over a decade back during the genre’s golden age, though they ended up more and more dependent on puzzle hit Puyo-Puyo as the end approached. Anyway, just about everyone is likely to have missed this particular vert-scroller, seeing as it only ever took up residence on NEC’s PC-98 computer system, whose most famous non-doujin shmup, tragically, is the notorious hentai shooter Steam Hearts: while the title of this game almost makes it sound like another release whose screenshots we’d have to censor, Rude Breaker is actually a non-objectionable and rather interesting entry into Compile’s pantheon, as it bears many of its developer’s hallmarks even as it abandons others, in an apparent effort to appeal to shmuppers who might not have jelled with the company’s other work.

For one thing, while Compile shooters are (in)famous for their lengthiness, Rude Breaker is quite short by comparison, consisting of five levels which can be completed in around twenty minutes total: for another, at the beginning players are asked to choose one of three side arms to equip (Vulcan, Laser or Missile), and whichever one is selected is the only power-up variety to appear for the rest of the playthrough. Longtime fans may be struck by the dearth of both the longevity and the weapon variety that they’ve come to expect, but others who prefer quicker, more straightforward shooting sessions (which did indeed become something of a genre standard in the years to come) will be happy to see a nod in their direction: that said, the default difficulty level remains modest, the extend rate remains generous and the usual “two-hit kill” system remains in place, so Rude Breaker remains plenty accessible to all comers. Seekers devoted enough to sniff this one out should also enjoy the plentiful graphical details (note the copious shrapnel flying off of your targets as you attack) and another search for hidden medals to uncover…not to mention mercilessly riding the power-up carriers for extra points.

Honorable Mentions: Hey, do you hear those plaintive cries, from way over there? It’s a couple of other Compile shooters you probably haven’t played, imploring you to give them a chance, too…you wouldn’t refuse such a handsome bunch, would you?  The pricey Sylphia (eBay / Amazon) and Seirei Senshi Spriggan (eBay / Amazon) can both be found on the Turbo CD; each takes place in its own distinctive fantasy world, though the former stars a fairy with elemental powers somewhat akin to those found in Lords of Thunder, while the latter puts you at the helm of a magical mech, with a semi-freeform weapons system that allows you to mix and match colored power-ups as you see fit (its side-scrolling sequel isn’t as good though). Compile fans on the NES have Gun-Nac (eBay / Amazon) , a rather kooky offshoot of Zanac and a bit better-known than the previous two thanks to having been localized way back when, but still somewhat underappreciated: if nothing else it’s one of the few games out there to properly warn us that not only are there indeed rabbits on the moon, but they’re all out to kill us!

Rapid Hero

Deep in the grimiest recesses of a diner foyer, movie theater lobby, or bowling alley, we’ve all seen it: that incredibly generic-looking no-name shooter cabinet that you still end up putting a bit of spare change into, when nobody’s looking…and, against all odds, enjoy playing a lot more than you thought you would (not that you’d ever admit it, of course). If you ever happen to glimpse Rapid Hero peering out at you from a distant corner in one of these places it’s impossible not to know exactly what you’re in for (I mean, come on, it’s made by a company named “Media Trading”): heck, all the title screen shows is the game’s logo flashing back and forth with a jet fighter blasting off. Should you choose to satisfy your shameful desire for some utterly-indistinguishable blasting action, don’t be shy about it: pop in that quarter, quickly progress past the amateurish character artwork, and knock yourself out.

Mechanics-wise this is as meat-and-potatoes as it gets: you can upgrade your regular ol’ forward shot a few times, grab a laser or missile augmentation to apply some extra damage, and that’s really about it apart from the usual complement of smart bombs and some star-shaped score boosters. You know what, though? That’s all right: sure, the game’s uber-basic style, like many of its kin, borrows elements from Psikyo’s shooters, but there’s always an engaging amount of action onscreen to keep you busy, a few neat set pieces to keep an eye out for (first and foremost the recurring samurai robot boss, who’s introduced in level one as he cleaves a skyscraper in half), and a challenge level that feels just about right. So go ahead, you naughty thing…you’ll never find Rapid Hero anywhere outside of an arcade cab, so indulge, nobody’s judging you…unless, of course, you want to be really bad and emulate. Ooh, that sent shivers down my spine…I could get used to this.

Honorable Mentions: …ahem Okay, all you closet F-14 fetishists, gather ‘round, because it’s time to come to terms with your generic-shooter-loving selves once and for all. Let’s begin our journey with Air Gallet (eBay) , the only shooter (albeit a visually-impressive one) completed by the short-lived Gazelle, one of several Toaplan offshoots which ended up succumbing to the industry’s merciless shifts much sooner than its siblings; Gallet is best-remembered as perhaps the only video game whose title screen promises that it’ll “blow your socks off!” Still not feeling the healing? Alright, we’ll move on to Visco’s Storm Blade (eBay) , which presents four selectable characters for your perusal, but don’t worry, as the whole lot of them pilot scandalously standard aircraft, and embark on a mission to match. If you think you’re ready to dive really deep into your shmupping id, Semicom’s Wyvern Wings, a Korean chimera which lifts assets from Psikyo even more shamelessly than the rest, awaits with open ailerons. All are faceless, all are rather fun, and all are arcade-exclusive: so gather in a circle and repeat, “I like generic shooters, and that’s okay!” …oh, and remember, the safe word is “Bydo.”

V-V (aka V-Five / Grind Stormer)

Speaking of which, whenever developers take it upon themselves to “borrow” each others’ ideas, it’s always a tense moment for their fans, as the odds always seem to be straight-up 50-50 that we’ll end up with either a welcome refinement or a soul-shattering abomination. Famed developer Toaplan, cheeky buggers that they were, decided to tempt fate not once but twice during their existence, grafting Gradius’ unmistakable “power-up bar” weapon system onto both 1986’s Slap Fight (aka “Alcon”) and 1993’s V-V (sometimes rendered “V-Five”): fortunately the gaming gods were with them and both efforts had positive outcomes, though the latter better represents the developer near its peak and thus edges out its predecessor for the final spot on the list. Toaplan also put out an alternate version, Grind Stormer, which is exactly the same game except that it uses more traditional power-ups; most players prefer the way V-V does things, so in this case it appears that mimicry was indeed the correct path to take.

That’s not to say that this game should just be dismissed as “Gradius, but vertical”: for one thing Toaplan’s bold spritework here is some of its best, and for another players are always guaranteed to have at least a basic set of “option” helpers even when they respawn after dying, making recovery a fair bit easier. Moreover, when equipped with the “default” shot weapon one can easily widen or focus their shots with a bit of upward or downward movement, a touch of instant flexibility that would be further refined in Batsugun and eventually in Cave’s DonPachi after some of Toaplan’s staffers relocated there. In the end V-V (whose plot, if you’re interested, involves an evil video game that drives its challengers insane…play if you dare!) doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, but it does mix a lot of quality ingredients together and, against all odds, actually constructs something worthwhile out of them, making its relative obscurity all the more puzzling. The arcade original was ported to the Genesis/MD (technically it was a “dual pack”, with both V-V and Grind Stormer on the cart), but it’s been noticeably scaled down to fit the hardware.

Shop for V-V / Grind Stormer on eBay
Shop for V-V / Grind Stormer on Amazon.com

Honorable Mentions: Another oft-overlooked late Toaplan classic is Dogyuun (eBay) , which (surprise, surprise) never left Japan or its original arcade format: it’s just as much of a looker as V-V, and it’s also got a one-of-a-kind “weapons system”. Playing alone your pickups are pretty limited, but if a second player joins in you’re free to scoop up the 2P ship with the C button to combine your crafts and massively boost your firepower: heck, feel free to toss in two tokens, quickly join forces with your “partner”, and go through the whole game with a super-ship. Weird to be sure, but still surprisingly addictive! On a different note entirely there’s Abadox (eBay / Amazon) for the NES, developed by Natsume and published stateside by none other than board game company Milton Bradley: like V-V the game takes a page from Konami’s book, but instead of Gradius chooses to follow in the slimier footsteps of its organic offshoot, Salamander. Prepare yourself for lots of creepy pulsating walls, horizontally- and vertically-scrolling stages, and a stiff challenge that would do the original designers (if not their lawyers) proud.

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Thanks yet again to the denizens of the shmups.com forums for their help in compiling this incredibly daunting list…and to Racketboy for his patience while we hammered it all out!

Presented by Ack & Racketboy

Due to its age, and the bizarre state of the video game industry in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Atari 2600 has seen some of the cheapest and common, as well as some of the rarest and most valuable games ever released. Because of the rarity of certain games, it is nigh-impossible to build a complete collection for the console, especially if one attempts to collect the different versions of some companies’ games.

But if you happen to look in on your Atari 2600 collection and spot one of the titles mentioned below, or wander across them in a bargain bin at a local flea market or yard sale, thank your lucky stars, because you will hold a real piece of gaming history. So take a look, one of these might just be sitting in your closet right now.

In stark contrast to the Cheapest Games series, this Rare & Valuable series will round up the rarest and most valuable games for a given console or handheld so you’ll know what to look for whether you are buying or selling. It should be noted, prices vary based on condition and completeness of the title.

	Gamma Attack: $20,000 - $50,000 The only game released by company Gammation, programmed by Robert L. Esken, Jr., and seeing only a handful of cartridges produced, Gamma-Attack remains one of the rarest video games ever made.  How rare you ask?  There is one copy known to exist, in the hands of collector Anthony DeNardo.The eBay auction in February 2008  for Gamma-Attack was Mr. DeNardo’s copy, put up to showcase his amazing find.  The auction had a $500,000 Buy-It-Now price.  Back when originally published this guide in 2009, we had this game valued between $5,000 and $10,000.  This is what Mr. DeNardo estimated the worth at in 2008,  but he confessed that he had received even larger offers for the title.Nearly five years later, the video game collecting market has taken off quite a bit, so it is easy to value Gamma Attack between $20,000 and $50,000 making it arguably the most valuable video game of all time. It is worth noting that the ROM of Gamma Attach has been released, and in 2008 Gammation unveiled GammAttack4, a re-release of the game for PC emulators.  Gammation’s website is www.gammation.com.   You can also occasionally find reproductions of the game on eBay
	Birthday Mania: $15,000 – $35,000 Distributed by Personal Games, Birthday Mania cartridges were specially ordered cartridges with personalized title screens and spaces on the front where names could be written in. The game focused on the player blowing out birthday candles, and the game was billed as a perfect birthday gift. It didn’t really catch on, so there are very few of these out on the market.So how rare is it? Well, there’s only a couple claimed to exist. One is supposedly in the hands of Jerry Greiner, known Atari collector and enthusiast, while another belongs to a user at AtariAge (I won’t list his name since he appears to value his privacy). Since Greiner has never actively proven his ownership, it means the one from AtariAge is the only known in existence. (Yes, that could very well make it more rare than the NES Nintendo World Chamption Cartidges)Back in 2009, the highest known offer for a copy of Birthday Mania was $6500, but it was turned down by the owner.With recent sales of Air Raid and the rise of collecting over the last 5 years, Birthday Mania could easily fetch 2 to 5 times the amount of that offer.
	Air Raid: $3,400 – $33,400 This game was apparently the only released by MenAvision with possibly only twelve official copies ever seeing the light of day. The cartridge is blue, with a t-shaped handle on the end.Gameplay centers around the player attempting to protect a city by shooting down flying saucers, airplanes, and other kinds of enemies which are trying to bomb said city. To do this, the player must fly around in their own aircraft, launching missiles at enemy ships. Waves are continuous, though scores are tabulated so players can compete against themselves.For many years, only cartidge-only versions of the game had surfaced.  In 2004, the cartridge sold $3,305 and another one was listed in 2009 for $5,000 and passed without a bid.  However, in 2012, we have now see two boxed copies sell on eBay and GameGavel — for $14,000 and $33,400 respectively. These recent sales made it one of the highest priced video game transations of all time (a bit behind the $41,300 that was paid for a copy of Stadium Events for the NES).  For the record, it would be very interested in seeing one of the other two games change hands just so we can see the values/ See Latest Air Raid Cartridge on eBay
	Atlantis II: $5,000-$18.000 This was a special tournament version of the Atari 2600 game Atlantis. The gameplay is much faster, the scoring system has been slightly altered from the original, and enemy ships are worth far less than the original version, where the city of Atlantis must be protected from the evil Gorgon spaceships. Copies of the cartridge were sent to the top players in the Defend Atlantis competition, primarily because there were far more than four people capable of maxing out the score in the original Atlantis. Of those receiving the cartridge, four were chosen and sent to Bermuda for the final round of the competition, where the winner won $10,000. The game looks identical to Atlantis, though a sticker with “Atlantis II” typed on it was stuck to the front of the box. It is unknown who won the competition.
	Red Sea Crossing: $10,400 -  $14,000 This game was created by Steve Slack at Inspirational Video Concepts in 1983 and was advertised in some magazines, but wasn’t uncovered by gaming collectors until 2007 at a garage sale.   As the story goes, there were only 100 copies produced, but they were quickly lost with no idea what happened to them.   There are only 2 copies that have surfaced.   According the the advertisement, the game was supposed to come with a coloring book and an audio tape, but we have yet to see any of those items surface.   In September 2012, the cartrridge sold for nearly $14,000 on eBay.  Another copy showed up at Medium Bob’s Curioisity shop in Philadelphia and was later sold on GameGavel for $10,400.   If a copy ever is sold with the coloring book and/or the audio cassette, I’m sure it could climb higher on this list.
	Gauntlet: $3000-$5000 This title has nothing to do with the later action RPG series Atari would release. Instead, the plot follows Sir Robert Whittenbottom as he runs the gauntlet of an ancient tribe in an attempt to prove his manhood and join the tribe. The player could run around or leap over various obstacles, and could survive multiple hits before finally succumbing to wounds. The game was mail-order only from Answer Software and was not contained in a box, instead coming in a foam case.We haven’t really seen much activity on this release in recent years.   Copies back in the early 2000s went for about $3,000.   I think it would be safe to say that it could reach $5,000 or more if went up for sale in good condition. Check for Gauntlet on eBay
	Karate – Ultravision release: $2500-$4000 Some of you may be shocked by this winding up on the list, because the Froggo release of this game for the Atari 2600 really isn’t rare at all. If you happen to be the proud owner of the Ultravision release of this game however, count yourself among the lucky few because both the T-case and square case Ultravision releases are considered worth these exorbitant rates. Functionally however, there really isn’t much of a difference, so owning the Froggo version will let you play the game. Check for Karate (Ultravision) eBay
	Superman (Sears Telegames Picture-Labeled Version):  $1,000 – $3,000Don’t get too excited if you have the standard Superman release with the red text on the labels.   Even a typical Sears release of the Superman game with the text-only label is only worth $150 to $200.  However, if you have the Sears version that has the yellow text and the picture of Superman on it (see comparison shot with the standard release), you’re in luck.  It is the rarest of the Sears Telegames variants and can fetch a few thousand dollars.  A boxed copy recently sold on eBay for over $30,000 in November 2012.
	Pepsi Invaders: $815 – $2125 This was a revision of Space Invaders, specially designed and built for the executive level of the Coca-Cola corporation, so there are believed to have only ever been 130 of these games, at most. Instead of waves of aliens being fended off, the player must shoot invading letters that say PEPSI, as well as a flying Pepsi logo that replaced the flying saucer at the top of the screen. The game also includes a three-minute timer, so the player can’t dally about.A recent copy on eBay and only sold for $815, although, there wasn’t a lot of varifcation that is was the real deal.  Other verified sales on eBay include a 2005 sale for $1,825 and a 2010 sale for $2,125. Check for Pepsi Invaders on eBay
	The Music Machine: $380 -  $500 – $5250 This title by Sparrow was only available through religious bookstores. That’s right, it’s a religious game for the Atari 2600, where two children must collect the Fruits of the Spirit that fall from the Music Machine in a basket, then grab a heart to move to the next level. This game was the only video game release by Sparrow, though they still exist today. A Music Machine LP was released at the same time which contained several inspirational songs which could be listened to at the same time. In 2009 sealed copy sold on eBay for $5250.00.   A loose cartridge of the game sold for $500 in August of 2012. and also for $380 in September 2012 Check for The Music Machine on eBay
	Eli’s Ladder: $1500-$1700 Easily the rarest educational game ever made, as well as one of the rarest for the Atari 2600, primarily due to an extremely limited release. Players must answer basic math questions to help Eli climb a ladder to get back to his ship so he can fly to the moon. The game also came packed with a wall chart and motivational stickers for children, which are also difficult to find. Check for Eli’s Ladder on eBay
	River Patrol: $760 – $2000 Due to a very limited run for a port of an obscure arcade game, River Patrol is considered extremely rare. There’s speculation that as few as six copies may be in circulation among collectors. It is unclear why the game is so rare, though there is speculation that it has to do with the trouble engineers had programming the game to licensing problems over the arcade game, as well as its 1984 post-video game crash release date. The game also holds the distinction of being one of the few 2600 titles with music. Players must navigate a large boat down a river strewn with obstacles.  Back in 2009, the game was valuabled between $300 and $500, but in 2012, the game cartridge (without box) sold on eBay for $760. Check for River Patrol on eBay
	Cubicolor: $1,183 – $1,425 Even in the early days of the console business, there were times that a game got pushed aside by a publisher and developers go indie to sell their creations.  Cubicolor was developed by Rob Fulop during his days at Imagic.  After the company refused to publish it, Rob sold it on his own.  Since we don’t have the distribution methods we do today, the game was very limited in quantities.  Earlier reports suggested there were “less than 100″ copies of the game circulated, however later information reported that there were 50 cartridges made.   Each cartridge was signed and numbered by Rob.   The recent sale on eBay also mentioned that the cartridge included an “original letter from Rob about the game, [which] also included is the packing envelope and game instructions .The letter and envelope both have Robs company logo on it (PF. Magic).  In the letter he mentions being flattered that anybody would pay attention to these games anymore.He also talks about his fascination with Rubiks Cube, and Cubicolor being designed and programmed in 8 weeks. He goes on to say he kept 50 copies of the ROM and guaranteed that no more will ever be made.”   If you would like to see more pictures of the cart and the letter from Rob Fulop, check out this archived copy of the eBay auction contents. Check for Cubicolor on eBay
	Xante Releases: $200-$1350 individually Xante was a small company based out of Oklahoma which opted to sell popular games via blue rewritable cartridges. Whenever a player grew tired, they could return to a Xante kiosk and have a new game written on their cart, complete with generic label and box. Games released this way include Alien, Solar Storm, No Escape, Demon Attack, Beany Bopper, and Crypts of Chaos. There are certain Brazilian releases with the same-style cartridge, such as Spacegame, but these generally are worth the same amount, so don’t feel bad if it turns out not to be a Xante cart. It’s still worth quite a bit.The last eBay sale of a Xante release was Beany Bopper in October 2012 for $579.
	Mangia: $720 – $1000 In this game, you must either eat the plates of pasta your mother is constantly making, or throw it to your pets. Eat too much and your stomach explodes, but don’t get rid of the plates quick enough and your table collapses. The game is also noted for having one of the most annoying sound effects of the entire Atari 2600 library. This is a black cartridge Spectravision release, but was only released through the Columbia House Record Club. It may also be worth mentioning that a European release of the game was recently sold on eBay for about $200.   Also a boxed copy that was missing the instruction manual just sold in December 2012 for $1000. Check for Mangia on eBay
	Out of Control: $270 – $2200 The point of this game is to weave your ship through space buoys and pop several balloons before executing a perfect landing in a space station. There’s also a minimalist idea used for the sound and visuals. But what’s really impressive is the price tag. The game had the unfortunate problem of releasing in the middle of the video game crash of 1983, so manufactured amounts were very little, and the game didn’t sell very well, hence why it’s so difficult to find now.   Loos cartridges show up on eBay fairly regularly for under $300, but the boxed copy has fetched well over $2,000 Check for Out of Control on eBay
	Condor Attack – Ultravision Release: $200 - $1,830 Much like Karate mentioned above, this game is only valuable if you have the Ultravision release.   There are bare cartridges showing up on eBay fairly regularly, but a complete, boxed copy only shows up every now and then.  In November 2012, a boxed, albeit roughed-up copy,  sold for $1340.   A more pristine copy sold a month earlier for over $1800. Check for Condor Attack (Ultravision) on eBay
	BMX Airmaster – Atari release: $300-$800 While this game is not terribly uncommon, it’s the TNT release that can be found so easily. But late in this game’s production, Atari bought the rights and produced a limited number of their own cartridges for it. Of these, fewer sold, making it difficult to find a copy of Atari’s BMX Airmaster. Don’t be fooled by the “RARE” label you see on most auction sites next to this game. Rarely is it really the rare version.
	Lochjaw: $300-$1375 This is the original release of the game Shark Attack, put out before Apollo changed the name due to a pending lawsuit of copyright infringement for the film Jaws. Certain minor changes were also made to the game, though these aren’t really noticeable. The point of the game is to grab as many diamonds as possible without letting the shark get you. If the shark does get you, he eats you, just as he eats any diamonds he comes into contact with. The Loch Ness Monster can also be found hiding in various undersea caves, and will hunt the player down if disturbed. Check for Lochjaw on eBay
	Quadrun: $180 – $410 First, this title was released exclusively via mail-order by Atari. Second, it was kept in limited quantities because the play-testers hadn’t liked the game. This is what happens when you let a group of little girls test your game(seriously, that’s actually what happened). For the record, the game’s also the first Atari game to utilize voice synthesis.Loose copies of Quadrun routinely show up on eBay for under $200, but a compete copy can fetch over $400. Check for Quadron on eBay
	Tooth Protectors: $140 – $600 Tooth Protectors was a mail-order only release by Johnson and Johnson, though it’s never been as popular as Chase the Chuck Wagon. Then again, it also happens to be rarer than Chase the Chuck Wagon. It’s an interesting marketing tool, where you play the Tooth Protector, who must save teeth from the Snack Attack. To do this, you must knock back the crumbs that Snack Attack shoots at you. If a tooth takes too much damage, you can clean it by using your trusty Reach toothbrush, Johnson and Johnson dental floss and Act fluoride mouthwash. Seriously.Since it was only a mail-order release, there isn’t a retail box.  However, one recent eBay sale featured the orginal styrofoam formed backing that was included in the mailer.  How they kept that, I have no idea. Check for Tooth Protectors on eBay
	Chase the Chuck Wagon: $65-$400 This game is practically the poster child for what went wrong with the home video game market during the Golden Age. It was a mail-order release by Ralston-Purina, advertising dog food based on a popular commercial in the early 1980s. Also, it’s not as rare as certain other Atari 2600 games(AtariAge doesn’t even rank it in their top 40). Still, it’s box and manual are considerably rarer, so finding a complete copy is extremely difficult. Check for Chase the Chuck Wagon on eBay

Rare Atari 2600 Carts That Aren’t Really Games

	Video Life: $1800-$2700 This “game” was only available via mail-in order to CommaVid, and only if the sender already owned a copy of the rare Atari 2600 game Magicard. The game is an Atari version of Conway’s Game of Life, a game, which happens to be a cellular automaton. One doesn’t play the game so much as simply watch it and see what happens as “life” is created on the screen. It is rumored that fewer than twenty cartridges of the game were ever released.
	Magicard: $850 – $2400 First off, this is actually a programming tool released by CommaVid. It features a plane cartridge with a bland white label and a 100+ page manual. Magicard was not packed into a box. The cartridge was available via mail-order only, hence its rarity. Several sample programs were included in the cartridge to help give an understanding of how it worked. The cartridge worked in conjunction with the keyboard controller.The cart actually just sold with the manual in September of 2012 on eBay for $2400.
	Color Bar Generator: $230-$480 The purpose of this diagnostic cartridge was to enable television owners to check the alignment and quality of their televisions. It came with fifteen different patterns, including one specifically for checking the adjustment of the color generating circuitry of the Atari 2600. Several of these patterns were simply single color screens.  Back in 2010, Chris Kohler scored an awesome deal in what turned out to be a complete-in-box Color Bar Generator.  I haven’t seen one of these advertised on eBay since then, but a boxed unit could probably reach $1,000 or more if promoted properly.
	ECPC Cartridges: $150-$695 These were reprogrammable cartridges released by Romox. They could be taken to Romox’s Software Centers so they could be rewritten and taken home again. Some of the games to be loaded onto them were exclusive to the Romox carts, so if found, it’s one of the only ways to play titles like Castles and Keys, Flapper, Bartender, or Topper.
	Copy Cart: $100-$600 The Copy Cart was basically a blank cartridge that could have other games copied onto it. You will also need the Duplicator to handle the process, as the cart is pretty useless on its own. While there aren’t very many of these, there’s also not much of a market, hence why the price doesn’t go as high as some of these other titles. For the complete package, the cart was originally packaged with both the Duplicator and the game Dishaster, but finding all three together can be extremely tough.

Additional Games of Value

There are quite a few other rare and valuable Atari 2600 titles. If interested in finding more information, the website AtariAge.com keeps lists of rare titles and offers a forum for those interested in Atari collecting. Here’s just a few other titles that are rare, valuable, or both:

• Malagai: $320-$1150
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre:    $120 – $500
• Mr. Do’s Castle: $30 -  $700
• Spider Maze: $150-$300
• X-Man: $70-$280
• Q*Bert’s Qubes: $78-$575
• Stronghold: $175-$300
• Cakewalk: $150-$700
• Wall Defender: $238-$450
• Video Jogger: $105-$950
• Video Reflex: $105-$950
• Z-Tack: $238-$450
• Motocross/Tomarc: $145-$350
• Assault: $238-$450
• Jogging Pad: $250-$950
• Great Escape: $238-$450
• Halloween: $130-$450
• Springer: $90 – $338
• Custer’s Revenge: $90 – $300
• Swordquest: Waterworld: $85-$400
• Beat ‘Em & Eat ‘Em – $60 – $500
• Crazy Climber: $60 – $430
• Berenstain Bears: $45-$130
• Sir Lancelot $40 – $273
• Cosmic Corridor: $30 – $270
• Scuba Diver – $25 – $293

Sealed Games

This list isn’t by any means a comprehensive price guide, but it will give you an idea of what some sealed 2600 games can sell for on eBay

• Beat ‘Em & Eat ‘Em” $67 – $500
• Shuttle Orbiter: $250
• Gremlins: $80 – $338
• The Power of He-Man: $200
• Star Wars: The Arcade Game: $153
• GI Joe: Cobra Strike: $100 – $130
• Shootin’ Gallery – $90
• River Raid: $71
• Freeway: $70
• Math (Sears): $65
• Ikari Warriors: $51
• Off the Wall: $50
• Cosmic Ark: $50
• Spider-Man: $50
• Pac-Man: $40
• Space Invaders: $40
• Rampage
• Solaris: $15

The next update to the Cheapest Games series is a look at the Playstation 2′s wonderful library.  There are quite a lot of PS2 games now that are absolute steals considering the quality of the games.  As we see more titles show up as re-releases and downloadable classics on the PS3 and more people moving away from the PS2 completely, now is the perfect time to stock up on titles.

It was challenge to narrow this list down as there are SO much quality games for under $10.  In the featured section, I tried to include some hidden gems that might not be given a chance if they were just in the Honorable Mentions list below (which is still very long).

(Prices listed are an average eBay and Amazon prices for used US games, including shipping.)

Cheap Classics

	Jak & Daxter Series: $5 each As the leader of the last console generation, the PS2 library was blessed with an incredible selection of many high-quality platforming series, each of which has a number of sequels. First up is the Jak & Daxter series from by Naughty Dog (of Crash Bandicoot fame). The original J&D game borrowed heavily from it’s Bandicoot roots with a great deal of running and jumping, but later installments had additional shooting action as well. If you remotely enjoy 3D platformers, each installment of the PS2 trilogy can be found for next to nothing. Shop for Jak & Daxter Series on eBay Shop for Jak & Daxter Series on Amazon.com
	Ratchet & Clank, R&C Going Commando, R&C Up Your Arsenal : about $5 each If you want more shooting action in your platformers, Ratchet & Clank have plenty to keep you busy. The series is noted for the inclusion of many exotic and unique weapons and gadgets to blow up all sorts of stuff within a cool futuristic universe. Much like Jak & Daxter, the series became one of the PS2’s mainstays and is one of the more common titles on eBay. Finding lots of cheap copies should not be a problem for any new PS2 owner. Shop for Ratchet & Clank Series on eBay Shop for Ratchet & Clank Series on Amazon.com
	Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty: $4 While some MGS fans didn’t enjoy Sons of Liberty as much as the original PS1 Metal Gear Solid, part 2 was still a landmark experience, as you could expect from Hideo Kojima. Metal Gear Solid games are also, of course, a cornerstone of a PS2 collection for most gamers, so don’t hesitate to pick one up at this low price. Of course, there is also the MGS2 Substance release, that is essentially the same game, but with some added modes and options. Substance will nearly double the price, however at around $11 shipped. Metal Gear Solid 3 is also available for around $13 if you want to expand your collection. Shop for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty on eBay Shop for Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty on Amazon.com
	Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater: $5 It was difficult to top the orignal Metal Gear Solid on the PS1, but Konami may have pulled it off with MGS3: Snake Eater. Now that the early adopters have finished up the game and are moving onto new stuff, Snake Eater is quickly dropping in value and you should be able to scoop it up for a bit less than $15 without too much effort. Shop for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater on eBay Shop for Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater on Amazon.com
	Gran Turismo 4: $4 Cutting-edge racing fans may be moving to the Xbox 360 and PS3, but if you are like me an are usually a generation behind, the PS2 installments of the Gran Turismo series will suit you just fine. Both Gran Turismo 3 and 4 are technical marvels and a still quite pleasing to the eye. If you want to be a cheapskate, you can probably get by with getting GT3, but if you want to “splurge”, spend a few extra dollars and pick up part four. Shop for Gran Turismo Series on eBay Shop for Gran Turismo Series on Amazon.com
	Wipeout Fusion : $5 If you want a more arcade-like racing experience with a futuristic flair, you should look into the Wipeout series. Wipeout Fusion is the best value for the PS2 and will give you a healthy dose of speed and thumpin’ music to double the flow of adrenaline. Like its predecessors, the emphasis is on guiding your futuristic racing craft through twisting courses filled with loops, tight turns, and massive jumps, all while making use of the many power-ups littering each track. I personally prefer F-Zero GX on the Gamecube, but if you’re tied to Sony, Wipeout is still a solid futuristic racer. Shop for Wipeout Fusion on eBay Shop for Wipeout Fusion on Amazon.com
	Viewtiful Joe & Viewtiful Joe 2 : $6 each As an old-school fan of the beatemup genre (think Double Dragon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, & Final Fight) and cel-shaded games (Jet Grind Radio, anyone), I couldn’t help but be excited about Viewtiful Joe. While it has the looks of a stylish, cartoon-like 3D game, it plays like a two-dimensional brawler with some Matrix-like gimmicks and mind-teasing puzzles thrown in. The Viewtiful Joe games were the talk of the game industry for a spell, but now that the hype has died down, you can pick up these gems dirt cheap. Shop for Viewtiful Joe on eBay Shop for Viewtiful Joe on Amazon.com
	God of War & God of War 2: $6 each This action/adventure masterpiece not only pushed the limits of what the PS2 could do, but it also brought new life into a rather over-played genre.  The only reason why this doesn’t rank higher is that PS3 owners now have the God of War Collection available to them.  Of course, the PS2 originals are more affordable, but you might want to hold out for the enhanced versions. Shop for God of War Series on eBay Shop for God of War Series on Amazon.com
	Devil May Cry Series: $5 each Much like Viewtiful Joe, this rather new Capcom franchise had its time in the spotlight (and still has many fans). With Capcom pumping out sequels, you can easily pick up the first couple of installments for just a few dollars (although, you probably only want the first). Shop for Devil May Cry Series on eBay Shop for Devil May Cry Series on Amazon.com
	Twisted Metal: Black : $4 Before he created God of War, David Jaffe started the PS2 off with this vehicular combat masterpiece. Considering it was released within the PS2’s first year, Twisted Metal: Black has maintained a surprising amount of value over the last six years. Nevertheless, this critically-acclaimed title is still a good value at the $8 range. Shop for Twisted Metal: Black on eBay Shop for Twisted Metal: Black on Amazon.com
	TimeSplitters 2 : $7 If you want a high-quality FPS that is designed for consoles, you need to pick up TimeSplitters 2. Developed by the same team that worked for Rareware on the N64’s Goldeneye 007, Timesplitters 2 has killer level design, great weapons, and a variety of multiplayer and minigame options. It may not have the realism that some modern gamers crave or a fascinating storyline, but it tops Halo in my book in terms of gameplay and all-out fun. Shop for TimeSplitters 2 on eBay Shop for TimeSplitters 2 on Amazon.com
	Beyond Good & Evil: $6 This amazing adventure game didn’t get nearly the attention that it should have when it was originally on retail shelves, but it has since gathered quite a following and has shown up on my Hidden Gems series. Its engaging storyline, quirky characters, and enticing graphics come together in a treasure of a game from Ubisoft. Since it seemed to have a larger print run on the PS2, it is actually a bit more affordable than its Gamecube and XBox counterparts, so take advantage, PS2 owners.   However, if you have a 360 or PS2, you might want to consider the downloadable HD version. Shop for Beyond Good & Evil on eBay Shop for Beyond Good & Evil on Amazon.com
	Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time: $4 For the longest time, Sands of Time nearly got ignored as much as Beyond Good & Evil, but eventually enough people read all the positive reviews and gave it a try. Over the last few years, numerous sequels have spawned, giving this classic franchise new life. The Sands of Time may still be a front-runner for the best in the series, and it is definitely the best value. Shop for Prince of Persia: Sands of Time on eBay Shop for Prince of Persia: Sands of Time on Amazon.com
	Resident Evil 4: $8 After a long stint on the Gamecube, the Resident Evil series eventually returned to the PS2 (so it could make more money) with the highly-acclaimed Resident Evil 4. Resident Evil 4’s game mechanics have been completely redesigned to incorporate fast-paced gunplay, quick controls and shootouts involving massive crowds of enemies in large open areas. This, combined with an abundance of healing items and ammunition, results in a different gameplay experience from other Resident Evil games. Shop for Resident Evil 4 on eBay Shop for Resident Evil 4 on Amazon.com
	Burnout 2 & Burnout 3 Takedown : $6 each I have to admit, I’m personally not much for Gran Turismo and those overly-realistic racers. The Burnout series, on the other hand, it a racing series for the rest of us that want more high-speed action and fun gimmicks such as Burnout’s glorification of high-speed crashes. While the original Burnout can be picked up for about $9, I would recommend either paying an extra dollar for Burnout 2 or just a few more for Burnout 3 or Burnout Revenge. I think most fans of the series would agree that the third installment was the peak of its excellence. Shop for Burnout Series on eBay Shop for Burnout Series on Amazon.com
	Katamari Damacy : $9 Katamari almost lived a life as an obscure import title or at least a hidden gem on the PS2, but its quirkiness and unique gameplay caused fans to spread the word about Namco’s fantastic ball-rolling treasure. The eventual success got more copies printed and sequels as well bringing the aftermarket price to an affordable level. Shop for Katamari Damacy on eBay Shop for Katamari Damacy on Amazon.com
	Mark of Kri & Rise of Kasai: $4 each The Mark of Kri was a refreshing gameplay experience and displayed a unique graphical style. Making use of the dual analog sticks, it managed to make fighting with multiple opponents an accessible and fun, yet challenging, experience, while still giving players the opportunity to try other approaches, like shooting enemies at a distance with a bow or crawling sneakily from behind. The visual style, the closer you get to an animated look without using cell-shading and the mix between cartoonish characters and scenes of extreme graphic violence gives this game a unique and compelling look.  Even though it went relatively unnoticed by the general public it did warrant a sequel on the PS2 by the name of Rise of the Kasai.Shop for The Mark of Kri on eBay Shop for The Mark of Kri on Amazon.comShop for Rise of Kasai on eBay Shop for Rise of Kasai on Amazon.com
	Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus : $5 Sly 2 & Sly 3 : $6 each This wonderful platformer series has a lot of good things for it. In addition to a slick cell-shaded graphical style, it also incorporates a number of gameplay elements such as stealth and acrobatics in addition to standard platforming fare. Sly 2 ditched the original game’s lengthy platforming levels for a nonlinear approach. Players must complete missions not only as Sly but as the brawny hippo Murray and timid turtle Bentley, in order to give variety. Roaming around the city levels, staying hidden by creeping along the shadows and rooftops, is a thrill.  The trilogy is now available on the PS3 as downloadable HD versions, so keep that in mind when making your purchasing decision. Shop for Sly Cooper Series on eBay Shop for Sly Cooper Series on Amazon.com
	Soul Calibur 2 : $4 Soul Calibur 3:  $6 Anybody remotely interested in 3D fighters should not overlook the Soul Calibur series. After the rave reviews as a Dreamcast exclusive, the original Soul Calibur was followed up as a multiplatform sequel with a great deal of hype. However, even though Soul Calibur III wasn’t much better, most gamers are selling off their copies and picking up newer installments. Now is your time to take advantage of this bargain. Shop for Soul Calibur 2 on eBay Shop for Soul Calibur 2 on Amazon.com
	Indigo Prophecy: $9 If you are in the mood for an especially cinematic experience in your adventure games and enjoy mystery thrillers, you really need to look into Indigo Prophecy (known as Fahrenheit outside of North America). You follow Lucas Kane, your ordinary guy who manages to unconsciously commit a random act of murder. As if that wasn’t intriguing enough, the game also changes the plot and the outcome based on the decisions you make throughout.   Indigo Prophecy has been a multiplatform hidden gem for a number of years, but it just not becoming more of a budget titleShop for Indigo Prophecy on eBay Shop for Indigo Prophecy on Amazon.com
	The Red Star: $7 So this pick might appeal a lot more to the old-school enthusiasts that frequent this site as opposed to the general gaming public.   However, this hybrid beatemup/shootemup is one of the best hidden gems of the PS2′s library for fans of the genres. Shop for The Red Star on eBay Shop for The Red Star on Amazon.com
	Kim Possible: What’s The Switch: $5 Don’t write this one off just because it’s based on a Disney kids TV series.  Every so often a Disney-licensed game manages to surprise us with solid gameplay.  If you are a fan of 16-bit platformers and are looking for a solid budget platformer, this Kim Possible installment should impress you with its two-dimensional gamplay coated and cartoony 3D graphics.  The difficulty level isn’t too high, but there is a challenge in trying to unlock everything.Shop for Kim Possible: What’s The Switch on eBay Shop for Kim Possible: What’s The Switch on Amazon.com
	Killer 7: $9 Killer7 difficult to classify into a genre.  It is essentially an on-rails shooter, but it has a first-person perspective and has the feel of a survival horror adventure. This quirky title received a decent amount of buzz due to it’s graphical style, originality, and bizarre setting, but not very many gamers actually gave this one a chance.   Anyway, if you like dark games and crave something out of the ordinary, score a copy of Killer7.Shop for Killer 7 on eBay Shop for Killer 7 on Amazon.com
	Crimson Sea 2: $9 The original game in this epic sci-fi shooter series was an XBox exclusive, but PS2 owners got treated to the much-improved sequel.  The developers at Koei did an excellent job refining the controls, pacing, and the upgrade system throughout the game.  And of course, Crimson Sea 2 still has the intense shooting and slashing of aliens, interesting characters and storyline that built its cult fanbase.Shop for Crimson Sea 2 on eBay Shop for Crimson Sea 2 on Amazon.com
	Contra Shattered Soldier & Neo Contra: $6 each For some strange reason, Shattered Soldier got a bad reputation when it came out, but if you’re a fan of the Contra series, you’ll feel right at home.  As you might expect, Shattered Soldier is absurdly difficult and it has all the staples of classic Contra games but with updated visuals. Some of the mechanics of this game are cool too, like being able to lock your firing position.  Neo Contra was also released on the PS2 a couple of year later, but it typically doesn’t receive as many glowing recommendations.Shop for Contra: Shattered Soldier on eBay Shop for Contra: Shattered Soldier on Amazon.comShop for Neo Contra on eBay Shop for Neo Contra on Amazon.com
	Bombastic: $6Bombastic is the PS2 sequel to PS1 gem, Devil Dice. Decent to great solitaire puzzle play, but it really shines for frantic multi-player goodness. The game introduces a new concept to the whole Devil Dice idea: when you match dice, they explode — which creates some chain reactions, and generally causes more regular pain and frustration to your little devil dude. What is particularly nice about this incarnation, is that you can quite easily unlock “classic” play — turn off the exploding dice, and play by the old skool rules.Shop for Bombastic on eBay Shop for Bombastic on Amazon.com
	Aqua Aqua: $4If you are a puzzle game fan with a Dreamcast or N64, you may be familiar with the game Wetrix.  Well, Aqua Aqua is a bit of a sequel.  Aqua Aqua puts you in control of an earth-like terrain on a mission to help the Aquas find balance between dry land and water. By creating mountains from land-based pieces called “uppers,” you can trap rain and water-based pieces to create lakes.  If the mountains grow too high, a devastating earthquake may occur. If the water flows too freely across the land, you will ultimately flood your terrain and fail. You must balance these forces while dealing with other (sometimes helpful) obstacles such as bombs, fireballs, and ice cubes.  Interesting, eh?Shop for Aqua Aqua on eBay Shop for Aqua Aqua on Amazon.com
	Rayman 2: Revolution : $4 Rayman 3: Hoolum Havoc: $5With Rayman Origins becoming a hit on modern consoles, Rayman is seeing a resurgence in popularity.  Fortunately, these PS2 installments are becoming more affordable.   These games have more of a 3D feel to them than the original Rayman and the newer downloadable titles, but still have much of the magical platforming goodness.Shop for Rayman Series on eBay Shop for Rayman Series on Amazon.com
	Phantom Brave: $9It is often difficult to find a solid tactical RPG on the cheap, but this little gem from Nippon Ichi Software can still be found for just under $10 if you shop around.  This could easily become a more expensive classic as time passes and collectors start swarming the PS2 library.Shop for Phantom Brave on eBay Shop for Phantom Brave on Amazon.com
	Grand Theft Auto III: $6 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City: $6  Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: $8While it didn’t originate on the PS2, the GTA series blossomed on the console to become one of the biggest franchises in the industry.  Since then, it has shown up on a number of consoles and devices and these installments have seen some enhanced versions.   If you’re fine with playing the PS2 originals, you can get them dirt cheap now and they will probably drop in value a bit more over the next few years.Shop for Grand Theft Auto Series on eBay Shop for Grand Theft Auto Series on Amazon.com
	OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast: $6Sega has so many awesome franchises under their belt, but in recent years they have struggled to do them justice.  However, their recent resurrection of the Outrun franchise was right one the mark when it came to maintaining the exhilarating arcade feel in a modern gaming world.  If you liked the original Outrun back in the day, you’ll love this new installment.  And if you just want a more arcade-like racer to add to your library, this is a great place to start.Shop for OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast on eBay Shop for OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast on Amazon.com
	Final Fantasy X: $9 Final Fantasy X was an early showpiece for the Playstation 2 and its beautiful cinematic experience attacted a new audience.  (Much like Final Fantasy VII did on the PS1).  It’s also worth noting that Japanese Famitsu readers voted Final Fantasy X the best game of all time. Shop for Final Fantasy X on eBay Shop for Final Fantasy X on Amazon.com
	La Pucelle Tactics: $9Developed by Nippon Ichi, creators of Disgaea, this is the next logical step if you’re a fan of that series and want more.  La Pucelle Tactics is surprisingly deep and has plenty of hours worth of adventure and battles.  The tactics in the game are fun and advanced, however most players can easily enjoy the system. While it isn’t flowing with eye-candy, the classic graphics don’t hold the game back. The only time you may complain is when you do not get the good ending. However, as opposed to only having end-of-game endings in Disgaea, La Pucelle has different endings for each chapter.Shop for La Pucelle Tactics on eBay Shop for La Pucelle Tactics on Amazon.com
	Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution: $3 As one of Sega’s last incredibly solid franchises, the Virtua Fighter series is one of the best in its genre. Each iteration of Virtua Fighter 4 is top-notch, but as new installments are released, including the PS3 released of Virtua Fighter 5, it becomes easier to find copies of part 4 for next to nothing. The Virtua Fighter series has never been for the casual gamer, but if you want to have a beautiful and technical fighting experience without spending much, Virtua Fighter 4 can’t be beat. Shop for Virtua Fighter 4 on eBay Shop for Virtua Fighter 4 on Amazon.com
	Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color: $9I love games that pair unlikely game genres together for something new and interesting.  Magic Pengel takes the monster-collecting RPG genre, made famous by the Pokemon series and adds some interactive art that may remind some of Mario Paint.  And, of course, it uses a cel-shading technique to make the graphics as cartoony and fun as possible.  Obviously, this isn’t your typical action RPG, but isn’t that the point?Shop for Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color on eBay Shop for Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color on Amazon.com
	Super Monkey Ball Deluxe : $6 The Monkey Ball series was some of Sega’s last true example of pure creativity and genius as a multiplatform developer. Both games have a fun and challenging single-player mode, but also serves as a killer party title due to its diverse mini-games. As opposed to Gamecube owners, who had to buy both installments to get all the puzzles and mini games, Super Monkey Ball Deluxe give PS2 owners everything (plus bonus levels) on one convenient (and affordable disc). Keep in mind, however, that these games require precise controls and the Gamecube controls are still regarded as superior in the original ports. Shop for Super Monkey Ball Deluxe on eBay Shop for Super Monkey Ball Deluxe on Amazon.com
	Mister Mosquito: $9Often mentioned on lists of the weirdest games of all time, Mister Mosquito is all about using your stealth and strategy to suck blood from a family of humans.  Yes, you must observe the daily routines of this familiy and penatrate a targeted ares of a family members’ body (which is typically only availible at specific times).  The result is a game that is strangely compelling and credit must be given to the developers for creating something so original.Shop for Mister Mosquito on eBay Shop for Mister Mosquito on Amazon.com
	Disaster Report: $9 Disaster Report is essentially a survival horror game that actually does not have any enemies. The only threat in your way is the aftershocks of a massive earthquake.  It’s a relatively low-budget title and this mainly shows up in the sound design, framerate issues and animation. It’s very enjoyable though and a great diversion from the typical “horror” game.  It’s sequel, Raw Danger, is also dirt cheap.Shop for Disaster Report on eBay Shop for Disaster Report on Amazon.com
	Drakan: The Ancient’s Gates: $7Sequel to the PC game Order of the Flame, Drakan on the PS2 is an action/adventure game where you fight on the ground and in the air, on the back of your dragon. The ground parts play in a style similar to Tomb Raider, a blend of action, exploration and puzzle-solving in a medieval-fantasy setting more reminiscent of RPG’s. This game actually has some RPG elements, like a quest system or the ability to level up Rynn, the main character, but overall it’s more Legend of Zelda than Final Fantasy, with a bigger emphasis on exploration and combat instead of a complex story or party management.  The flying parts, where you fly mounted on Arokh’s back, on the other hand are obviously more action oriented, with the dragon basically scorching every creature who dares to block his path, making for a nice change of pace that prevents the game from getting too repetitive.Shop for Drakan: The Ancient’s Gates on eBay Shop for Drakan: The Ancient’s Gates on Amazon.com

Honorable Mentions

• Metal Arms: Glitch in the System: $5 –  eBay / Amazon
• Lumines Plus: $4  – eBay / Amazon
• Rumble Racing: $8 - eBay / Amazon
• Street Fighter Alpha Anthology: $9 - eBay / Amazon
• Hot Shots Golf 3:  $3 - eBay / Amazon
• Virtual On Marz: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Frequency: $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Taito Legends 2: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Mega Man Anniversary Collection: $9 - eBay / Amazon
• Raiden 3: $8 - eBay / Amazon
• R-Type Final: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Castle Shikigami 2: $4 - eBay / Amazon
• Silpheed: The Lost Planet : $5 – eBay / Amazon
• Mobile Light Force 2: $4 - eBay / Amazon
• Guilty Gear X2: $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Midway Arcade Treasures: $5 - eBay / Amazon
• Midway Arcade Treasures 3: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Gungrave: $8 - eBay / Amazon
• Gungrave Overdose: $5 - eBay /  Amazon
• Resident Evil: Code Veronica: $3 - eBay / Amazon
• ATV Offroad Fury 2: $4 - eBay / Amazon
• Micro Machines V4: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Snoopy vs the Red Baron: $5 - eBay / Amazon
• Destroy All Humans 2: $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Crimson Tears: $5 - eBay / Amazon
• Mad Maestro: $4 –  eBay / Amazon
• Ape Escape 3: $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Primal: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Soul Reaver 2: The Legacy of Kain Series:  $7 –  eBay / Amazon
• Second Sight: $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Downhill Domination: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Savage Skies: $4 - eBay / Amazon
• Bully: $4 - eBay / Amazon
• Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection: $4 - eBay / Amazon
• Pinball Hall of Fame: The Gottlieb Collection: $4 - eBay / Amazon
• Flipnic: Ultimate Pinball:  $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Dragon Quest VIII:  $9 - eBay / Amazon
• SSX 3 - eBay / Amazon
• Alien Hominid: $3 - eBay / Amazon
• Final Fantasy X-2: $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 - eBay / Amazon
• Dr. Muto: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Balder’s Gate: Dark Alliance:  $8 - eBay / Amazon
• Killzone: $4 - eBay / Amazon
• War of the Monsters: $9 - eBay / Amazon
• Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild: $4 - eBay / Amazon
• King of Fighters XI: $5 - eBay /  Amazon
• Fur Fighters: $3 - eBay / Amazon
• Half-Life: $9 - eBay / Amazon
• Winback: Covert Operations:  $4 - eBay / Amazon
• Tekken 4 : $4 – eBay / Amazon
• Tekken 5: $8 - eBay / Amazon
• MLB Power Pros: $3 - eBay /  Amazon
• Stretch Panic: $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Ghost Hunter: $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Zone of the Enders: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Maximo vs Army of Zin: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Dynasty Tactics: $6 - eBay / Amazon
• Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy: $7 - eBay / Amazon
• Red Faction: $3 - eBay / Amazon
• Red Faction 2: $3 - eBay / Amazon
• Battle Engine Aquila: $5 - eBay / Amazon
• Bujingai: The Forsaken City: $7 - eBay /  Amazon
• 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker: $3 - eBay / Amazon
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell : $3 – eBay / Amazon
• Space Channel 5: Special Edition: $7 – eBay / Amazon
• Maximo: Ghosts to Glory : $5 – eBay / Amazon
• Star Wars Starfighter : $4 – eBay / Amazon
• SOCOM 3: U.S. Navy Seals : $4 – eBay / Amazon
• Ridge Racer V: $4 – eBay / Amazon
• Need for Speed Underground: $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• V-Rally 3 : $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• SOCOM II: U.S. Navy Seals : $2 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Smuggler’s Run 2: Hostile Territory : $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• MDK2 Armageddon : $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• X-Men Legends : $5– eBay / Amazon.com
• X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse : $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Dark Cloud : $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• ChoroQ: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com