G-Darius HD (Switch eShop)

Brush off that arcade-grade resolve and get ready for an old adventure realised in all-new clarity. This is a shoot-em-up experience like few others, and while it has all the genre hallmarks of intensity and adrenaline-inducing action, it binds it with superlative artistry, epic set-pieces, and an alien world as strange as it is wonderful.

The sense of incrementally increasing in power and being able to turn the tide against the Belsar is what makes G-Darius HD so much fun to play. It’s initially threatening, but once you learn the lay of your first route, get powered up, and figure out how to make practical use of your captures and duelling laser, it’s safe to say G-Darius really hits the spot.

Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube840k

GALAK-Z: The Void: Deluxe Edition (Switch eShop)

Twin-stick-style space shooter GALAK-Z isn’t a game for everyone: its rogue-lite nature, high difficulty level and punishing policy on death (even in its easier Arcade mode) will infuriate some players who are just expecting a quick blast of non-stop action.

Treat it like the slower-paced exploration and survival game it’s supposed to be, though, and your patience will be rewarded with some genuinely satisfying space combat and a wide variety of customisable parts (not to mention its brilliant mech upgrade), all wrapped up in a fantastic '80s style aesthetic.

Gleylancer (Switch eShop)

Gleylancer's fantastic use of parallax scrolling adds not only speed but excitement to its varied eleven stages of 16-bit shmupness, which takes you down through icy depths, weaves between small gaps in tight tunnels, slowly loops around a gigantic battleship, or hurtles through an asteroid field.

The ways your Movers — the floating gun turrets that follow your ship — can behave are so different from one another they have a direct impact on how you tackle everything from “popcorn” enemies to level bosses, and the newfound flexibility of Modern Mode feels like the perfect twist on an already brilliant idea. Gleylancer is as fresh and thrilling as it’s ever been, only now it’s as authentic, or accessible, as you want it to be too.

Graceful Explosion Machine (Switch eShop)

Graceful Explosion Machine is a masterful example of a modern arcade shooter done right. Eye-catching visuals and extremely fine-tuned gameplay combine to make this a memorable and compelling experience for anybody looking to get into a faster paced, action focused game.

That being said, there is a minor element of repetitiveness which never goes away entirely; the selling point comes not from the amount of levels, but from how many times you'll be playing each one. We still give it a very strong recommendation, though; considering the amount of polish and replayability on offer, this is quite the bang for your shmup buck.

Gunbird (Switch eShop)

Gunbird is a lot of fun, both in its gameplay and the use of a wacky cast of characters. A single-credit mode similar to the Hi Score (with online leaderboard) one that features in Hamster's ACA Neo Geo/Arcade Archives series would have been a good inclusion, but the game is still very replayable.

The co-operative/competitive two-player mode works particularly well, whether on the big screen or playing undocked in TATE mode. There's a good challenge with the default settings, and tweaking the options can make things easier if you'd like to see all the ways the story can play out. Gunbird is another great option for shmup-loving Switch owners.

Gynoug (Switch eShop)

Gynoug hasn’t quite got that special extra spark that turns a great game into a spectacular one, but even so, it’s still a unique and thoroughly enjoyable 30+-year-old shmup capable of standing proudly next to any other sold on the eShop, and yet another affordable retro re-release sitting in that perfect middle ground between modern convenience and hardcore authenticity.

Hyper Sentinel (Switch eShop)

Hyper Sentinel is 'neo-retro' executed to perfection. Once you accept that the visual and audio directions are both design choices made to pay tribute to the original Commodore 64 game and sit down to take on your first Super-Dreadnought, you’ll be hooked.

Every time you get a 'Game Over', the only thing on your mind will be on how to prevent whatever got the best of you in preparation of your next sortie (while, at the same, time browsing the leaderboards to see how your friends are faring in each level).

Hyperlight Ultimate (Switch eShop)

Hyperlight Ultimate is a great little arcade shooter that was good on 3DS and now arrives on Switch in a much more complete and satisfying form, bringing it up to date with a nice lick of paint and a handful of new multiplayer modes.

The subtle gameplay tweaks here help make things a little less hardcore than in the original game, but this is still pretty tough stuff that comes highly recommended to fans of the genre who like a stiff challenge, so long as they stay away from the ill-advised Panic mode. It nails that hypnotic, one-more-go vibe that makes the best of this genre — games like Resogun and Geometry Wars — so endlessly addicting to play.

Ikaruga (Switch eShop)

It's not by chance that Ikaruga is so highly revered. It is the result of a combination of an incredibly talented team making the most of excellent hardware and bringing in the unique double polarity gimmick that stealthily introduces puzzle-solving mechanics into a bullet hell shmup. It's no great surprise that it remains an incredibly compelling experience all these years since release and it should be at the very top of your shoot 'em up list on Nintendo’s hybrid console.

Beyond portability, what truly elevates this version above all others is the possibility of throwing a Joy-Con to a friend for a spot of co-op play anytime, anywhere, as easy as your ship switches polarity. The old king sits once again on its rightful throne; the perfect shmup on the perfect system for it.

Last Resort (Neo Geo)

Last Resort may be a little rough around the edges in places - the broken two-player mode being the most obvious example - but it's still one of the best shooters on the Neo Geo and a solid purchase for Switch-owning blaster fans.

The impeccable presentation really makes the game stand out from the hordes of similar titles, and it's challenging enough to ensure that you won't have it licked in the space of an evening. Casual players may find it a little too stern a test - especially with the checkpoint system which forces you to re-play sections of the game upon death - but serious shooter addicts will be totally at home.

Layer Section & Galactic Attack S-Tribute (Switch eShop)

Layer Section will always be a high roller, and if you’ve never played it, you’re in for a ride like few others. As a Switch port, on the other hand, the relatively bare-bones production is the only real negative. Notable historical works deserve the gold standard: a bigger, bolder package that offers the best possible representation.

To that end, City Connection has failed to do this game the justice it deserves, which makes it very lucky that Layer Section & Galactic Attack S-Tribute is still so damn good.

Mushihimesama (Switch eShop)

There’s a reason why Mushihimesama is regarded as one of Cave’s best shoot-em-ups – it’s weird and colourful, it’s incredibly refined, and the many gameplay modes ensure that both newbies and veterans will be kept busy for quite some time.

Night Striker Gear (Switch eShop)

The Space Harrier-style gameplay might not be to everyone's tastes, but the visuals in M2's revival of Taito's shooter are absolutely jaw-dropping, and it's almost worth the asking price alone to experience them.

While Night Striker Gear's appeal won't last forever, it's such an incredible audio-sensory thrill ride that you can easily forgive it for any shortcomings relating to its longevity. If you're a fan of this style of game and love chasing high scores, then this is a near-essential purchase.