Old Side-Scrolling Shooters

The Vault Dweller

always looking for water.
When I first started playing games it was in the arcades. I would play anything, but my favorite were the side-scrolling shooters where you had some form of a vehicle and enemies approached from the top or sides as you moved up or to the right (though honestly it looked more like you didn't move and the background moved behind you). I have bad reflexes and I sucked at those games, but I couldn't stop playing them.

Nowadays arcades are largely gone from the neighborhoods I remember seeing them. It's easy to see why since it's much cheaper and convenient to play at home. Though I miss the atmosphere and more importantly the type of game. I've hardly seen any side-scrolling shooters with the exception of the Metal Slug series which happens to be one of the best ever in that regard...probably the best.

I can't blame companies for not making them anymore since I think the genre disappeared with the arcade crowds, but I wouldn't be surprised if some companies made a few to appeal to those who miss those times.

Seems I'm lucky at least once;

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/780/780163p1.html

Also feel free to comment not so much on the game as much as those older games and whether you played them alot. I remember not every playing one I didn't like though some were certainly more fun than others. Raiden, Aero Fighters, Galaga, and R-type stand out most of all.

Sincerely,
The Vault Dweller

*EDIT*

Amazingly in spite of that little screen for watching the game the 3-D graphics provided such realistic depth in that video I actually started feeling motion sick.
 
From what I've read, it sounds like the Wii's virtual console has a lot of old sidescrollers on it.
Besides that, I haven't heard much about them either. Though it doesn't stop me from playing a flash version of Raiden online all the time:).
 
It just occured to me a few years ago, that the Defender-clone game on the Amiga I played "Witness" - was titled as a wordplay on the original game.

Damn I'm slow.

Also, good old times. Though I did prefer to play Asteroids on the arcades. Good sidescrollers I remember from my time were Project-X, Silkworm, Hybris (20 years old today, dammit!), Chronos from the ZX. Good times. I think I'll fire up an emulator.
 
I can recommend Raptor - Call Of The Shadows was a nice game for its time and should still run on newer machines
 
Yes, Raptor was brilliant. I don't know how many hours I've spent in front of my old PC, playing it.

Also.. I don't know where the heck I've put it after that...
 
Two Dos games made my childhood Tyrian(2000) and Seek and Destroy. I still enjoy playing them on Dosbox, and my brother built up a gameport connector just by himself, to be able to play them with old joypad. These are just marvelous examples of beforementioned arcades and I really recommend them.
 
Man I want a ps2 :(
.. though I like Raiden II's retro graphics alot more than the 3D stuff on Raiden III.

Someone, please, make me a quick 'NMA top 10 shooters'-list, the only ones I've played (the ones I liked/can remember) are Raiden 2, some Kenta Cho's and Jets'n'Guns.
 
GreyViper said:
I can recommend Raptor - Call Of The Shadows was a nice game for its time and should still run on newer machines
Wow, that is amazing. I literally just found and installed this game on my computer a week ago.

Zone 66 was another fun top down space ship game but it was far more free form.

My favorite side scrolling came was probably Rivercity Ransom. I love the games where you can pick a pipe and hurl it at people. Non-stop enjoyment.
 
Have you played Ikaruga on the gamecube? It's a really good old school style ship shooter but utilizes what can be done with more advanced graphics. I would go so far as to call it one of the best in the genre.
 
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