Bullet Heaven

The Games:

Beat Hazard (PC)

:Boogie Wings (arcade)

Capt. Tomaday (arcade)

Deathsmiles (360)

Defenders of Avalon (PC)

Fast Striker (Dreamcast)

Galaga Legions (XBLA)

Galaga Legions DX (XBLA/PSN)

Game Type (XBIndie)

Guwange (Arcade/XBLA)

Hydorah (PC)

Infinity Danger (XBLI)

Jamestown (PC)

Lethal Judgment: Origins (PC/XBIndie)

Lifeforce/Gradius (Arcade)

Mars Matrix (XBLA)

According to Wikipedia, the "Shmup" is a game where the player controls a lone character, often a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks.

The thing they didn't mention in that one sentence, is the dodging of their attacks resembles something as simple as several bullets flying around, to what amounts to a broken pinata spraying its contents everywhere in every direction. These games resulted in the player dying almost constantly, which was a good thing when arcades were around. Keep dying, keep inserting quarters or tokens, and keep playing. Quarter Munchers, more or less. The fans call them Bullet Hell. We call them Bullet Heaven.

The art styles of the games are incredibly varied. Outerspace fights, several variations of World Wars and Inter-World Wars, Steam Punk, cutesy, graphic, sexualized, insane- all styles of games with any style of artwork, all with the same basic premise: blow the crap out of everything, and try not to die. That last part is, well, it's inevitable. You will die. Many times.

Still, they had their place. They still do, on MAME, on the old and new consoles through digital downloads and sometimes through retail outlets, and through hobbyists who make their own shmups on the PC. Here we'll take a look at a bunch of them, and offer opinions and rate the frustration level, fun level, and persistence level. That last one will let you know how long you might be able to put up with it.

Believe me, there is equal amounts of fun, frustration, and elation to be had in these here titles!

Below: Otomedius Excellent for the XBox 360, $30 at retail, $50 at collector's edition retail