However, Space Invaders, released in Japanese arcades in 1978, is generally credited with inventing and popularizing the genre proper. Shoot em ups were popular throughout the 1980s and early 1990s as they evolved. From the mid 1990s and the burgeoning use of 3D graphics in video games, shoot em ups became a niche genre based on design conventions established in the 1980s and increasingly catered to specialist enthusiasts, particularly in Japan.

Shoot em ups encompass various types, or sub genres. In a fixed shooter such as Space Invaders, the protagonist can only move across one axis and enemies attack from a single direction. In a multi directional shooter the protagonist may rotate and move in any direction. By contrast, a rail shooter protagonist is viewed from behind and moves into the screen, while the player retains control over dodging. Tube shooters feature similar viewpoints, and their protagonists fly through abstract tubes. Scrolling shooters encompass both horizontal shooters and vertical shooters (featuring side on and top down viewpoints respectively) and in turn bullet hell games and cute em ups. Run and gun games feature protagonists on foot, rather than spacecraft, that often have the ability to jump; they may feature either scrolling or multidirectional movement.

LIST GAME:

Angel, Destroyer

Version: 1.03 | Developer: Team DEVICE

Solid side scrolling danmaku action.

In the beginning you choose one out of three secondary weapons

Anti Aircraft (homing missiles)

Armor Piercing

High Explosive

While playing you can switch through all of them (after collecting powerups) but your first choice will always be the strongest.

The overdrive gauge starts to fill as soon as you stop shooting.

Wait until the gauge is full, then shoot again and your attack will be much stronger for a short time.

Grinding the enemy bullets (flying really close to them) results in bigger scores.

System requirements

OS: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP

Processor: Pentium3 500MHz

RAM: 64 MB

HDD: 90 MB

Graphics: 8 MB VRAM, DirectX 8.1

Armed Seven Battle of Steel Copes in 1989

Version: 1.00 | Developer: Astro Port

Straight forward horizontal shooting action, old school style.

You have three different weapons, your main and sub gun fire at the same time while the third charges up automatically and can be fired when the gauge is full.

Depending on your movement your main gun will aim up and down but holding down the shoot button will lock it in place. I think this feature works much better in a vert shmup like Under Defeat but maybe thats just me.

System requirements

OS: Windows 2000/XP

Processor: Pentium3 1GHz

RAM: 256 MB

HDD: 150 MB

Graphics: DirectX 8.0

Die Feen

Version: 1.50 | Developer: Nekomiminokakera

Die Feen (german for The Fairies) was Wagners first completed opera, but remained unperformed in his lifetime. It has never established itself firmly in the operatic repertory although it receives occasional performances, on stage or in concert, most often in Germany.

Oh, and its also a cute and challenging vertshmup

You have to collect the Feen and 4 of them will function as your options. They have their own life bars and you can arrange them in five different formations.

With the cute graphics and the peacefully piano soundtrack this could be a very relaxing game but dont let the atmosphere fool you!

From the first stage on there will be plenty of enemies rushing at you from all directions and covering the screen with bullets.

System requirements

OS: Windows 2000/XP/Vista

Processor: Pentium3 1.2GHz

RAM: 256 MB

HDD: 200 MB

Graphics: 32 MB VRAM, DirectX 9.0c

eXceed3rd Jade Penetrate (Black Package)

Version: 1003 | Developer: Tennen Sozai

The manic bullet patterns, the tiny hitbox, the good looking sprites, the nice soundtrack and some things more are all reasons why I really like the eXceed series. And Jade Penetrate is no exception!

This is plain shoot em up action and if thats not what you want then you are at the wrong place So download and PLAY!

System requirements

OS: Windows Me/XP/Vista

Processor: Pentium4

RAM: 512 MB

HDD: 250 MB

Graphics: 128 MB VRAM, DirectX 8.0

Kidou Yousei Valstar

Version: 1.03 | Developer: 2CCP

After updating to v1.03 the game froze after stage one so thats why I included both, v1.00 and v1.03.

System requirements

OS: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP

Processor: Pentium2 350 MHz

RAM: 128 MB

HDD: 300 MB

Graphics: 64 MB VRAM, DirectX 8.0a

RefleX

Version: 1.01 | Developer: Siter Skain

The Phoenix is armed with a spread shot cannon and a very powerful shield able to reflect most shots from enemies. Blue shots can be reflected, red and purple shots will be absorbed, and solid weapons (missiles) cannot be reflected and will go through the shield. As the shield is used, an energy meter will be drained which is also tied to the main gun, making it weaker. When the shield turns red, then its energy is very low and will drain soon leaving the Phoenix vulnerable.

The Phoenix can take six hits before it is destroyed. There are no powerups in the game, so there is no way to restore life once lost. As one keeps playing, extra lives/credits will be gained for new games. In order to be successful in RefleX, one must know how to properly use the reflection shield to cause massive damage to the enemy and protect themselves from attacks.

One note: After stage 7, the rules of the game will change a little…

System requirements

OS: Windows 2000/XP/Vista

Processor: Pentium4 2.0 GHz

RAM: 128 MB

HDD: 200 MB

Graphics: 64 MB VRAM, DirectX 8.1

Samidare

Version: 1053 | Developer: Project Blank/Amusement Makers

Samidare is a shooting game from Amusement Makers / Project Blank(P.N.B) (RebRank). It is a danmaku game with shields and is perhaps Amusement Makers most well known work in the West. As a RebRank game, it is neither a Touhou game, nor a Seihou game. However, it pays homage to both with elements such as the in game history and the extra stage.

Samidare takes place on and around the Earth in the 30th century.

Samidare is essentially a danmaku shooting game, though the dodging element of gameplay is slightly de emphasized. This is due in part to the existence of a shield gameplay mechanism, which players can also use to unleash hyper attacks. While the player pilots different units in the main story mode and the extra stage, there is no significant change in gameplay.

System requirements

OS: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP

Processor: Pentium 750 MHz

RAM: 128 MB

HDD: 120 MB

Graphics: 32 MB VRAM

Tails Gear

Version: 1.10b | Developer: Blue & White

No sprites here though, everything is in 3d played on a 2d plane.You control a spacehip/plane with 3 flying options (think Gradius)moving around you that you can position however you please.They can either move about following you or you can make them stick to one formation. These options are the key to your survival as they can block enemy bullets.So when facing bosses or bigger ships, postion them in front of you so they can act as a shield.One thing to keep in mind is that they have a life bar so you cannot hide behind them forever.The game in normal mode is challenging from the get go. The bosses battles are long and really tough, with loads of bullets, lasers, missiles etc coming straight at you all at once.Very good Doujin.Not for the faint hearted (even easy mode is tough especially the later levels.)

In all, I would highly recommend that game,it is highly addictive, well put together with super tight gameplay.

System requirements

OS: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP

Processor: Pentium 1 GHz

RAM: 256 MB

HDD: 120 MB

Graphics: 16 MB VRAM, DirectX 7.1

TWilight INSanity

Version: 2.00 | Developer: Eikyuu Loop

Players get to choose a pair of characters from 3 available options and then must play through a number of vertical scrolling stages. Many enemies and some powerful bosses appear and will fire bullets in patterns that the player must try and avoid to survive, while firing their own attacks back. Most enemies will be destroyed quickly but bosses have health gauges, possess several phases and have their own bomb phase as a last resort.

Players can use the basic firing attack (the style of which differs depending on who is currently being used) and tension attacks, which are basically this games bombs. Only one character of the chosen pair are onscreen at any time but the player can switch between them at the tap of a button, changing the firing and tension styles accordingly.

System requirements

OS: Windows 2000/XP

Processor: Pentium3 1 GHz

RAM: 256 MB

HDD: 120 MB

Graphics: 64 MB VRAM, DirectX 9.0c

Notes for list games:

So this is part II of my little collection. Thx for the positive feedback on the first one!

Ill upload the third part next week but I dont know yet if there will be a fourth part.

All games tested on Windows7 (32&64).

No installation required, just unzip them and start playing (all games are patched to the latest version).

If you get ugly colors try to run the game in windowed mode or change your color depth to 16 Bit.

Download:

Mirror 1:

Mirror 2: