Shoot ’em Up

Introduction Dragon Blaze was developed and published by Psikyo, released in arcades in 2000 as a vertically scrolling shoot ’em up set in a fantasy world where players pilot dragon-mounted warriors rather than conventional aircraft. Each of the game’s selectable characters rides a different type of dragon with its own weapon pattern and special charge…

Introduction Gunbird 2 was developed by Psikyo and published by Capcom, released in Japanese arcades in 1998 as the sequel to 1994’s Gunbird. The game expanded on the original’s whimsical, character-driven premise with an even larger roster of unusual playable pilots, each again flying their own distinctly themed vehicle and wielding a unique weapon and…

Introduction Gunbird was developed and published by Psikyo, released in arcades in 1994 as one of the studio’s earliest shoot ’em up releases, distinguishing itself from typical military-themed shooters of the era with a colorful, fantasy-adventure setting. Players choose from a roster of unusual protagonists, including a witch, a ninja, and a genie, each piloting…

Introduction DoDonPachi was developed by Cave and published by Atlus, released in Japanese arcades in February 1997 as the second game developed by the newly formed Cave studio and the sequel to 1995’s DonPachi. Running on Cave’s custom 68000-based arcade board, the game refined DonPachi’s already demanding bullet-pattern shooting into what many consider one of…

Introduction Strikers 1945 Plus was developed by Psikyo and published by SNK for the Neo Geo MVS arcade system, released in 1999 as a Neo Geo-exclusive spin-off within the Strikers 1945 series. Rather than a full numbered sequel, the game functions largely as an expanded remix of the original 1995 Strikers 1945, built specifically to…

Introduction Strikers 1945 III, released in Japan as Strikers 1999, was developed and published by Psikyo, released in arcades in 1999 as the third mainline entry in the Strikers 1945 series. The game moved its setting forward from the World War II theme of the first two games to a more contemporary, near-future military conflict,…

Introduction Strikers 1945 II was developed and published by Psikyo, released in arcades in 1997 as the direct sequel to the original 1995 Strikers 1945. The game expanded the roster of playable World War II-themed fighter planes with new aircraft and refined each one’s weapon patterns and special bomb attacks, while introducing a wider variety…

Introduction 1941: Counter Attack was developed and published by Capcom, released in Japanese arcades in February 1990 and reaching North America that May as the third entry in the studio’s 19XX vertical shoot ’em up series, following 1942 and 1943: The Battle of Midway. Set in a fictionalized continuation of the earlier games’ World War…

Introduction Strikers 1945 was developed and published by Psikyo, released in arcades in 1995 as the Japanese shoot ’em up studio’s tribute to Capcom’s earlier 19XX series, borrowing that franchise’s WWII fighter-plane theme while building an entirely original game around it. Players choose from a roster of real and fictional World War II-era aircraft, each…

Introduction 1943: The Battle of Midway was developed and published by Capcom, released in arcades in 1987 as the direct sequel to 1984’s 1942. Set once again during World War II, the game puts players back in the cockpit of a fighter plane, this time a Lockheed P-38 Lightning battling through a campaign loosely themed…

Introduction 1944: The Loop Master was developed by Eighting and published by Capcom, released in arcades in 2000 as a direct continuation of the 19XX series that began with 1942 back in 1984. Set in the closing stages of World War II, the game returns players to the vertical-scrolling shoot ’em up formula of its…