Here’s the games I have reviewed so far on the Nintendo Switch in each genre, from best to worst. Note: If multiple games have the same score, they will be sorted alphabetically.

1. Shmup
2. 2-Stick Shooter
3. Space Shooter (Other)

.

Shmup

Game	Genre	Grade
Ikaruga	Bullet Hell Shmup	A-
tl;dr Ikaruga is a Bullet Hell Shmup that’s at its best on the Switch, which not only plays smoothly while docked, but even has features to make the best use of the Switch in portable mode. If you like this genre, you need this game.
Jamestown+	Bullet Hell Shmup	A-
tl;dr Jamestown+ is a Bullet Hell Shmup that has players blasting 17th century colonial European troops and aliens in outer space. The bonkers setting comes with a fantastic presentation, some wonderful and clever game mechanics that add a lot of strategy, plenty of variety and imagination, and a superb co-op mode. It’s a shame the game’s structure makes you re-play levels repeatedly and forces its story on you over and over again, but overall this is one of the best games in this genre on the Switch.
Radiant Silvergun	Bullet Hell Shmup	A-
tl;dr Radiant Silvergun is a Bullet Hell Shmup that remains one of the greatest games in the genre thanks to its wide selection of weapons, its excellent level design, and its phenomenal boss design. The high challenge level and technical nature of the gameplay may make this less-appealing to newcomers to the genre, but every serious Shmup fan should consider this game an absolute must-have.
Shoot 1UP DX	Shmup	A-
tl;dr Shoot 1UP DX is a Shmup where players control an entire squadron of ships at once, adding potentially dozens of ships to their force. There are multiple creative fun mechanics at work here, difficulty options to cater to every skill level, and just overall this is one of the most enjoyable Shmups I’ve ever played. It’s not as precise and well-crafted as Ikaruga, but it is arguably just as much of a blast to play, and Shmup fans should absolutely add this game to their collection, especially at the fantastic price of $6. Do not miss this one!
Super Mega Zero	Platformer / Shmup	A-
tl;dr Super Mega Zero is a challenging Platformer with some Shmup sections where players control a zero who can’t jump, but who can touch numbers to jump or dash that many times. This is one of many creative gameplay mechanics that this game is constantly adding into the mix, and combined with excellent level design, a fantastic soundtrack, and some really fun (if a bit overly-easy) Shmup levels all make for a game that’s a lot of fun, and should be a no-brainer for fans of challenging Platformers.
1993 Shenandoah	Shmup	B+
tl;dr 1993 Shenandoah is a Shmup originally intended for release on the Amiga in 1993, but only just now seeing light of day on the Switch. Its old-fashioned design may put off some players, but the excellent upgrade system, solid local co-op play, and unique presentation all combine to make this a pretty unique game that’s worth checking out for fans of the genre.
Astro Aqua Kitty	Shmup	B+
tl;dr Astro Aqua Kitty is a Shmup with free-roaming movement and RPG-style upgrade mechanics. There are a few elements that could do with some tweaking here, but overall this is an excellent entry in the genre, well worth playing.
CounterAttack: Uprising	Shmup	B+
tl;dr CounterAttack: Uprising is a Shmup with an absolutely terrible presentation, but truly delightful gameplay with a massive wealth of customization options that let you build toward a delightfully powerful loadout. If you enjoy Shmups, this is definitely one you’ll want to give a chance – it’s not much to look at, but it’s got the goods where it counts.
Crimzon Clover – World EXplosion	Bullet Hell Shmup	B+
tl;dr Crimzon Clover is a Bullet Hell Shmup with simple yet fun gameplay mechanics, good stage design and boss design, a ton of action happening on-screen at any given moment, and… a surprisingly easy difficulty level? Shmup veterans may scoff, but the solid game design still makes this worth checking out, and newer players will find this a great game to help them ease into the genre.
Danmaku Unlimited 3	Bullet Hell Shmup	B+
tl;dr Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a Bullet Hell Shmup that has players absorbing the bullets of defeated enemies and “grazing” live bullets to power up a “trance” meter for a temporary power boost. This is a solid and visually-striking entry in the genre, but the way players’ attacks fill the screen with beams feels overpowered and can be distracting. Still, this is a must-have for fans of the genre.
Dezatopia	Shmup	B+
tl;dr Dezatopia is a Shmup with a unique four-direction weapon mechanic that has players trying to balance out their use of the game’s weapons in some interesting ways, with a retro-style presentation that looks and sounds great (though goes a bit too heavy on the slowdown). The superimposed shop mechanic is somewhat less successful, but overall this is a fun and unique Smup, albeit a somewhat messy one, and fans of the genre should definitely give it a look.
Dimension Drive	Bullet Hell Shmup	B+
tl;dr Dimension Drive is a Bullet Hell Shmup with the unique hook of having players hopping back and forth between two screens. It’s a great mechanic that’s used very well here, though some players may have difficulty adjusting to it. Also, the game keeps interrupting things with its story. However, if you can learn how to deal with the unique gameplay, you’ll find this to be a superb entry in the genre.
Gleylancer	Bullet Hell Shmup / 2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr Gleylancer is a Shmup originally released on the Sega Mega Drive in Japan in 1992, and this release updates the game in numerous ways, including new control options that bring it closer to a 2-Stick Shooter. The original game is a solid entry in the genre, and the port is fantastic. If you enjoy this style of game, you should absolutely grab Gleylancer.
Graceful Explosion Machine	Shmup	B+
tl;dr Graceful Explosion Machine is a Shmup where players must cycle through four weapons to fend off different types of enemies. This weapon-managing element makes the game delightfully strategic for a Shmup, and the core gameplay here is really good as a result. I just wish it was properly implemented in an endless mode, and I wish the game’s otherwise-excellent presentation wasn’t marred by muffled sound. This is still a fantastic game, but a few small changes could have made this a must-have game on the Switch.
Horizon Shift ’81	Arcade / Shmup	B+
tl;dr Horizon Shift ’81 is an Arcade-Style game with Shmup elements that incorporates elements of multiple early-80s retro arcade games while still bringing its own unique horizontal-swapping twist on the genre. This is a fantastic game and a wonderful love letter to an era of gaming, although like the games of that era it can be repetitive in places. Overall, this is a superb game well worth playing.
Indie Gems Bundle – Explosions Edition	Compilation / Bullet Hell Shmup / Roguelike / 2-Stick Shooter / Match-3 Puzzle	B+
tl;dr Indie Gems Bundle – Explosions Edition is a Compilation of three Action-packed games, each of them ranging from good to great. If you’re a fan of Shmups and 2-Stick shooters, you’re bound to find something to love in this package, even if the savings over purchasing these games individually is minimal.
Just Shapes & Beats	Bullet Hell Shmup / Music-Rhythm	B+
tl;dr Just Shapes & Beats is a Bullet Hell Shmup where you can’t shoot, you can only dodge as the screen throws all manner of obstacles at you to the beat of some amazing music. It’s a difficult, punishing game, but if you fancy a challenge, this game is well worth a look.
Sky Force Reloaded	Bullet Hell Shmup	B+
tl;dr Sky Force Reloaded combines quality bullet hell Shmup-style gameplay with RPG-style upgrades in a way that encourages players to keep coming back, along with a good presentation. Fans of the genre should definitely give this one a try.
Sky Racket	Shmup / Arcade Brick Breaker	B+
tl;dr Sky Racket is a family-friendly game that combines the Shmup and Brick Breaker genres into one fun, cohesive style of gameplay with a fantastic, colorful, expressive art style and some absolutely superb co-op play. There are a few frustrating flaws that may result in you taking a few unearned hits on occasion, but otherwise this game is a joy to play, especially if you have a friend to play it with.
Squad 51 Vs. The Flying Saucers	Shmup	B+
tl;dr Squad 51 Vs. The Flying Saucers is a Shmup inspired by classic 1950s Sci-Fi B-Movies, and the way this game recreates the presentation of those old films is nothing short of jaw-dropping. The gameplay here is quite good too, though it does have a few small issues, and the Nintendo Switch version’s loading screens are annoying. Still, overall this is a must for Shmup fans and well worth checking out anyone with a fondness for classic cinema.
Super Hydorah	Bullet Hell Shmup	B+
tl;dr Super Hydorah is a Bullet Hell Shmup that is very clearly imitating the classic Gradius games, and for the most part, it succeeds at this brilliantly. The music is forgettable, and the power-up system is a bit more limited than the Gradius games, but the gameplay here is still superb, and the game does some really inventive stuff with Co-Op, especially with the surprisingly good Robot Chase minigame. Definitely worth a look for fans of the genre.
Vasara Collection	Compilation / Bullet Hell Shmup	B+
tl;dr Vasara Collection is a Compilation of three Bullet Hell Shmups – the two Vasara Arcade games, and Vasara Timeless, a new game introduced in this collection. These are three solid Shmups with some interesting and fairly unique mechanics, and while the high challenge level may make this less appealing to more casual players, the great value this package presents makes it a must-have for Shmup fans.
Abyss Seeker–What Do You See Deep in The Abyss	Top-Down 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	B
tl;dr Abyss Seeker is a 2-Stick Shooter Roguelike that has players altering their magical attacks with upgrades they collect in each run. While this game has some gameplay mechanics in common with its predecessor Heaven Seeker, the more simplified gameplay actually works in its favor, and the rock-bottom $2 price makes this an easy game to recommend. If you’re looking for something cheap with some fun action, this is worth a look.
Angel at Dusk	Shmup	B
tl;dr Angel at Dusk is a Shmup with an “angels meets bloody body parts” theme, and that has some really well-crafted game mechanics that make for a truly unique experience within the genre. Some visual issues undermine that experience somewhat, but this is still a delightfully original entry in the genre that Shmup fans will absolutely want to check out.
Aqua Kitty UDX	Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Aqua Kitty UDX is a Shmup with three game modes – two being similar to the classic game Defender, and one like the classic game Uridium. The presentation here is very good, and the core gameplay is solid, with good co-op, but a number of frustrating design choices cause the game to be overly difficult and frustrating. It’s still worth a look for genre fans and those looking for a more challenging experience, though.
Arcade Archives Dragon Spirit	Shmup	B
tl;dr Dragon Spirit is a Shmup where players control a dragon attacking targets in the air and on the ground. For this game to be playable, you really need to go into the settings and enable “rapid fire ability”, but once you do, you’ll find that this is a creative and enjoyable Shmup that still holds up today (though even with rapid fire, it’s still very tough).
Bit.Trip Fate	2-Stick Shooter / Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Bit.Trip Fate is a 2-Stick Shooter / Bullet Hell Shmup that makes an interesting twist on the formula by forcing players to stick to a single line when moving. It’s a solid entry in the genre that fans of 2-Stick Shooters should definitely consider, but Bit.Trip fans may be a bit let down by the lack of originality and the downplayed importance of Music-Rhythm elements compared to other games in the series.
Caladrius Blaze	Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Caladrius Blaze is a Bullet Hell Shmup with an incomprehensible anime-style story, a (mostly) solid presentation, and an absolute wealth of options to tackle the enemy forces. However, you will need to make good use of those options, as the difficulty level here is particularly high. Some players might also find the game’s highly-touted “shame break” system to be distasteful and unnecessary (or alternately, disappointingly reserved). However, despite these flaws, this is a solid Shmup and fans of the genre would do well to add it to their collection.
Grand Brix Shooter	Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Grand Brix Shooter is a Bullet Hell Shmup where players fight with spaceships designed to look like they’re built out of Lego bricks. This is a solid entry in the genre, albeit a deceptively tough one. And while it doesn’t do anything super-inventive or revolutionary, fans of the genre should find it to be well worth a look.
Gunlord X	Action-Platformer / Shmup	B
tl;dr Gunlord X is an Action-Platformer originally intended for the Neo Geo, and because of this it feels like a blast from the past, with tons of great Turrican-style action interspersed with some Shmup-style stages. The gameplay suffers a bit due to a limited point of view and boss battles that result in difficulty spikes, but this is still overall a superb Action game well worth playing, especially for fans of the genre.
Mushihimesama	Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Mushihimesama is a Bullet Hell Shmup with a bug theme. As of this writing, the Nintendo Switch release is only available in physical format, and the reduced size of the screen area the gameplay takes place on is frustrating, but beyond these issues this is a very good Shmup that’s well worth playing for genre fans.
Pawarumi	Shmup	B
tl;dr Pawarumi is a Shmup that has you swapping between three color-coded weapons to take on color-coded enemies, with each color combination having a different effect. This mechanic is a bit too much to keep track of in the heat of battle, but the core gameplay here is good and the game doesn’t punish you for just shooting enemies with whatever weapon you prefer in a given moment. Overall, this is a solid Shmup that fans of the genre should enjoy.
ProtoCorgi	Shmup	B
tl;dr ProtoCorgi is a Shmup where players take the role of a robotic dog on a quest to rescue his creator. This game’s pixel art presentation is absolutely adorable, and the gameplay is solid, albeit nothing truly exceptional. If you’re looking to expand your collection of Shmups with added cuteness, this is a good choice.
Psyvariar Delta	Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Psyvariar Delta is a Bullet Hell Shmup containing three versions of the classic game Psyvariar, including a new version made specifically for this release. This is a solid entry in the genre making good use of a graze mechanic called “buzz”, and although I wouldn’t call it exceptional, it’s still worth a look for fans of the genre.
Q-YO Blaster	Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Q-YO Blaster is a Bullet Hell Shmup. It’s a decent game that plays well, but the most memorable thing about it are its absurd heroes and oddball bug-themed enemies. Definitely a solid pick for fans of the genre.
Satazius Next	Compilation / Shmup	B
tl;dr Satazius Next is a Compilation of Shmups that includes Satazius and its remake, the titular Satazius Next. Both games are equally solid Shmups with a retro feel to them much like Gradius, and if you enjoy this genre you’ll do well to pick this game up.
Sega Ages Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar	Shmup	B
tl;dr Lightening Force, also known as Thunder Force IV, is a Shmup originally released on the Sega Genesis in 1992, and this version marks its only other US release since then. This is a game that has aged noticeably, with issues both in its graphics and gameplay. However, despite this, the gameplay is on the whole pretty good, and this is a solid port with a good amount of extra features. Fans of Shmups should definitely give this a look.
Sol Cresta	Shmup	B
tl;dr Sol Cresta is a Shmup and fifth game in the Cresta series, modernizing the presentation and gameplay while still remaining faithful to the earlier games’ aesthetic and core mechanic of its multi-part ship, which is used here to enable different ship configurations and… a whole lot more. Honestly, this game goes kinda’ overboard with its many game mechanics, but players don’t need to make use of all of them to enjoy what is still a solid entry in the genre.
Startide	2-Stick Shooter / Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Startide combines 2-Stick shooter and Shmup genre conventions and adds in some novel ideas of its own, with some excellent, fast-paced, quality gameplay… that’s unfortunately marred by a slew of design flaws and annoyances. It’s still very good, but it could have been so much better.
Stellar Interface	Shmup / Roguelike	B
tl;dr Stellar Interface is a Shmup with Roguelike elements, and while the Shmup side of things can get a bit samey and the random elements hinder the level design, the Roguelike elements really help to keep things interesting and make for a lot of potential fun. As a result, this is far from a perfect entry in the Shmup genre, but it’s fun and unique enough to be worth a look.
Steredenn: Binary Stars	Bullet Hell Shmup / Roguelike	B
tl;dr Steredenn is a Bullet Hell Shmup that incorporates elements of Roguelikes into its game progression. The presentation here is phenomenal, with fantastic pixel art graphics and a great soundtrack, however, the randomized elements and some questionable design choices make for a game that’s even more difficult than the usual Shmup, making this a game mostly only the biggest fans of the genre will have the patience for.
Arcade Archives Armed F	Shmup	B-
tl;dr Armed F is a Shmup built around the mechanic of changing the formation of your “Option” helper ships to take on threats from above and below. As older Shmups go, this one is actually pretty good, and while it does have a few issues, fans of the genre may want to give this a look.
Arcade Archives Gaplus	Shmup	B-
tl;dr This sequel to Galaga initially feels like more of the same, but differences gradually reveal themselves as you play – you can move freely now, there’s a new “Queen Capture” power-up mechanic that’s truly delightful, and greater variety in stage types. It all adds up to a refreshing take on a classic that’s rarely released on modern platforms. The price is a tad high given the game’s age, but if you’re a fan of Shmups, this may be worth checking out.
Arcade Archives Koutetsu Yousai Strahl	Shmup	B-
tl;dr Koutetsu Yousai Strahl is a Shmup that doesn’t do anything truly original, but what it does works pretty well and makes for a fun, if a tad easy, entry in the genre. Shmup fans will definitely want to give this one a try.
Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection	Compilation / Shmup	B-
tl;dr Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection is a collection of mostly Shmups that includes eight games that are mostly pretty good (and also mostly punishingly difficult). This collection gives players a wealth of options and bonus content, and on the whole this is a solid collection of games for Shmup fans
Arcade Space Shooter 2 in 1	Compilation / Arcade / 2-Stick Shooter / Shmup	B-
tl;dr Arcade Space Shooter 2 in 1 is a Compilation of the Arcade-style 2-Stick Shooter, Space Smash, and the Shmup, Space War Infinity. Space Smash is a solid low-budget alternative to games like Geometry Wars, and Space War Infinity is a decent but uninspired entry in its genre. However, while neither game on its own is likely to turn heads, the combination of the two in a $4 package is very enticing, and this Compilation is well worth that price.
Astro Aqua Kitty: Pawsome Collection	Compilation / Shmup	B-
tl;dr Astro Aqua Kitty: Pawsome Collection is a physical-only Compilation of two Shmups – Aqua Kitty UDX and Astro Aqua Kitty. These games are both quite good, and offer different kinds of experiences, but the price of this bundle is significantly more than the cost of the individual games. Unless you require a physical copy of these games, you’ll save money just getting the digital versions of the games separately.
Batsugun Saturn Tribute Boosted	Bullet Hell Shmup	B-
tl;dr Batsugun is arguably the first Bullet Hell Shmup, and it is one that has aged remarkably well. This is a pretty good port of the game too, including its “Special” remixed version. Unfortunately, the $30 price is absurdly high for a game that is over 30 years old, and while I do recommend picking up this game when it goes on sale at a better price, at its standard price it just isn’t worth it.
Bit.Trip Void	Bullet Hell Shmup / Music-Rhythm	B-
tl;dr Bit.Trip Void is a game that combines elements of Bullet Hell Shmups, Music-Rhythm games, and even a little Katamari Damacy to make for simple gameplay that’s compelling and works well with the game’s hypnotic presentation. There are definitely areas where this game could be improved, but it is overall an excellent title well worth checking out.
Defenders of Ekron: Definitive Edition	Compilation / 2-Stick Shooter / Shmup	B-
tl;dr Defenders of Ekron is a 2-Stick Shooter with Shmup elements that has multiple different gameplay types that makes for some great variety, even if some of the elements don’t quite work as well as you’d want. This Definitive Edition also comes with a “demake” of the game, Invaders of Ekron, that offers a more traditional Shmup experience that makes use of some of the same gameplay elements. It too is a decent if a bit flawed. Overall, this is, well, a decent but flawed pairing of games that is worth a look for fans of these two genres.
Inversus Deluxe	Arcade / Shmup	B-
tl;dr Inversus Deluxe is an Arcade-style game with Shmup elements where the shots you and opponents fire also limit the area you can move freely in. It’s an interesting concept, but a limited number of shots players can fire before reload really mucks with the otherwise fast-paced battles.
Raiden V: Director’s Cut	Shmup	B-
tl;dr Raiden V is a Shmup that offers a good amount of variety in its weapons and settings, and while it makes some odd choices and has a few flaws, it’s still a decent entry in the genre worth trying out.
Shmup Collection	Compilation / Shmup	B-
tl;dr Shmup Collection is a solid, well-rounded collection of old-school-style Shmups. While Satazius Next is clearly the best of the lot here, all of the games here are at least decent. Fans of the genre should definitely give this collection a look.
Velocity 2X	Action-Platformer / Shmup	B-
tl;dr Velocity 2X is a game that jumps back and forth between Action-Platformer and Shmup gameplay styles, with a focus on speed and being able to teleport around the levels as you zip through them. It’s fun gameplay, but it’s somewhat marred by a frustrating control scheme that you can’t change.
ACA NEOGEO Last Resort	Shmup	C+
tl;dr Last Resort is a Shmup focused on a game mechanic where players have an invincible drone rotating around the ship firing and protecting you. The core gameplay here is great, but it’s tarnished by horrible slowdown and flickering, an overly-tough difficulty, and a short game length. This one is still worth getting, but I wouldn’t put it near the top of your “must-have Shmups” list.
ACA NEOGEO Prehistoric Isle 2	Shmup	C+
tl;dr Prehistoric Isle 2 is a Shmup where players pilot helicopters fighting off dinosaurs and rescuing bystanders. The presentation here is great, but this also makes it hard to tell what’s safe and what’s not. Overall, this is a decent but flawed game that fans of the genre may want to check out.
Armed 7 DX	Compilation / Bullet Hell Shmup	C+
tl;dr Armed 7 DX is a Compilation of Shmups that includes Armed Seven and its remake, the titular Armed 7 DX. Between the two, I actually prefer the original, but both are good Shmups, if a bit flawed due to some awkward control issues.
Black Bird	Shmup	C+
tl;dr Black Bird is a Shmup that doesn’t do anything truly unique in terms of gameplay, but its presentation is so bizarre that it compels you to see more. Not a game for everyone, but worth a look if you want to see something really different.
Black Paradox	Bullet Hell Shmup / Roguelike	C+
tl;dr Black Paradox is a Bullet Hell Shmup that has you flying a ship designed to look like a Delorean. The game has good gameplay, but the high difficulty and slow upgrade progression makes this a game only fans of the genre are likely to thoroughly enjoy.
Couch Co-Op Bundle Vol. 2	Compilation / Shmup / Roguelike / Action-Platformer	C+
tl;dr The Couch Co-Op Bundle Vol. 2 is a Compilation of Black Paradox, Bleed, Shikhondo – Soul Eater, and Vertical Drop Heroes HD. This is a decent selection of games with a modest discount, but there’s nothing to get super-excited about here. If you’re looking to fill out the co-op action games in your Nintendo Switch library you may want to give this bundle a shot, but don’t set your expectations too high.
Crystal Breaker	Shmup	C+
tl;dr Crystal Breaker is a Shmup where your attacks have limited range and your ship doesn’t suffer collision damage when contacting enemies. Apart from that, there’s not much to say here. This is a decent Shmup, but it’s not a great one, and it’s definitely not a very memorable one.
Double Shot Gals	Puzzle / Shmup	C+
tl;dr Double Shot Gals is a blend of Puzzle game and Shmup where players shoot red and blue shots at a lowering wall of blocks, being careful not to hit blocks with the wrong color. It is also an ‘ecchi game” with pandering female nudity. These “ecchi” elements aren’t very good and do little to benefit the game, but the gameplay itself is surprisingly good, albeit sorely lacking in gameplay modes and options. It definitely feels like less time here should have been spent on the lackluster porn-y elements and more spent on shoring up the good core gameplay, but this is nevertheless a fun and unique blending of the Puzzle and Shmup genres that may be worth a look for those who don’t mind the objectifying and nudity.
Heaven Seeker – The Savior of This Cruel World	Top-Down 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C+
tl;dr Heaven Seeker is a 2-Stick Shooter Roguelike that has players altering their magical attacks with upgrades they collect in each run. While it has its flaws, this isn’t a bad entry in the genre. unfortunately, being merely “not bad” hardly seems like enough when there are tons of better alternatives on the Nintendo Switch. I suggest playing one of those better games instead.
Sega Ages Fantasy Zone	Shmup	C+
tl;dr Fantasy Zone is a Shmup originally released to arcades in 1986, and some parts of it have aged pretty well, like its presentation. Other parts of the game, like its promising but frustrating upgrade system… not so much. While this is a solid port with a good amount of bonus features, it’s ultimately still a game most will want to pass on.
Alien Cruise	Shmup	C
tl;dr Alien Cruise is a Shmup with a cartoony art style that looks like it’s been drawn by a child. This is a decent but unspectacular and forgettable Shmup that doesn’t really stand out.
Arcade Archives Terra Force	Shmup	C
tl;dr Terra Force is a Shmup that has players swapping between overworld top-down gameplay and underground side-scrolling stages, but otherwise this is a fairly by-the-books entry in the genre, and a particularly tough one at that. Unless you’re a collector or a Shmup fanatic I don’t see this game being of much interest to you.
Assault Suits Valken Declassified	Action-Platformer / Shmup	C
tl;dr Assault Suits Valken, elsewhere known as Cybernator, is an Action-Platformer with Shmup sections that has been given a wonderful port here with tons of extra content and options. Unfortunately, the game being ported is still a clunky, frustrating mess that doesn’t really deserve all this care and attention it’s received.
B.ARK	Shmup	C
tl;dr B.ARK is a Shmup that has you playing as one of a group of spaceship-flying animals fighting to save humanity. The presentation is cute, but that cuteness runs counter to a punishing difficulty level. This combined with a lack of anything truly innovative make this a game that, while not bad, doesn’t seem like it’ll hold any strong appeal for anyone.
Cybxus Hearts	Bullet Hell Shmup	C
tl;dr Cybxus Hearts is a Bullet Hell Shmup where you swap between 3 characters. There’s not really much else to say about it. It’s fine, but nothing special. For $5, you can do worse, but you could do better, too.
Cycle Chaser H-5	Shmup	C
tl;dr Cycle Chaser H-5 is a Shmup that has a shield/special attack mechanic that has potential to add a good risk/reward element to the game, but it’s not well-utilized here, and nothing else about this game stands out as particularly great or unique. As a result, this is a bland entry into the genre that, while not bad, just doesn’t do anything to recommend it over numerous outstanding Shmups on the Nintendo Switch.
Freedom Finger	Shmup	C
tl;dr Freedom Finger is a Shmup that has players fighting enemies in a cartoony ship that looks like a hand with a middle finger extended. The game has some interesting mechanics, but none of them work very well, leaving the gameplay largely bland and uninteresting. At the very least, this game has an excellent soundtrack, but overall you’re probably better off going with another Shmup on the Nintendo Switch.
G-Mode Archives29 Zanac	Shmup	C
tl;dr Zanac is a Shmup that’s a classic of the 8-bit era, but this version of the game is based on the 2005 cell phone port of the game, which squeezes the game into a screen too small for the game, resulting in absurd difficulty spikes.
Hyperlight Ultimate	Bullet Hell Shmup / Arcade	C
tl;dr Hyperlight Ultimate is an Arcade-style Shmup where players bash into enemies with a charge attack instead of shooting them. It’s a good take on the formula, but unfortunately some design issues makes this more tedious and frustrating than it needs to be.
Lazy Galaxy Rebel Story	Shmup	C
tl;dr Lazy Galaxy Rebel Story is a Shmup that has you playing as a robot rescuing allies in a war with octopus aliens. This is a decent Shmup, but none of its ideas really amounts to much, and as a result it’s fairly forgettable.
Pacific Wings	Shmup	C
tl;dr Pacific Wings is a Shmup that imitates classic games in the genre like 1942. This game does a great job capturing that nostalgia, but the lack of auto-fire makes this game tedious to play, and the underwhelming sound and lack of multiplayer limit how long you’ll bother to stick with the game.
Project Starship X	Bullet Hell Shmup / Roguelike	C
tl;dr Project Starship X is a Bullet Hell Shmup with Roguelike elements, but this game’s focus on fast-paced random zany antics often means players will be left scratching their heads how various elements interact with their ship and the all-important dodge function. This game can be amusing, but it’s too volatile to provide the long-lasting experience that some of the better Shmups on the Nintendo Switch can provide.
R-Type Dimensions EX	Compilation / Shmup	C
tl;dr R-Type Dimensions EX is a Compilation and remake of two classic Shmups, and while this version improves the graphics and adds plenty of features, including some meant to help with the game’s incredibly high difficulty, those features can only help so much when the original games were seemingly designed to be nearly impossible. This is a game only genre fans can appreciate.
Shootvaders: The Beginning	Shmup	C
tl;dr Shootvaders is a Shmup that has some good core gameplay, but those positive elements are let down by repetitive levels and enemies, slow progression, and a seemingly-broken power-up system. This isn’t a terrible game, but there are far too many better ones to waste your time with this one.
Sky Mercenaries Redux	Shmup	C
tl;dr Sky Mercenaries is a Shmup what seems to try to throw a lot of stuff at the wall to see what sticks, and the result is a jumbled mess of a Shmup that isn’t outright bad, but lacks a coherent vision as well as a firm grasp of some of the genre’s fundamentals. It’s not without its fun moments, but there are far too many great Shmups on Nintendo Switch to waste time and money on this mediocre one.
Space Warrior	Shmup	C
tl;dr Space Warrior is a Shmup with a unique progression system that ties stage unlocks to levels gained by completing goals, a system that’s ultimately more trouble than it’s worth, and while the visuals here are surprisingly good given the low $3 price tag, everything else about the game is pretty mediocre. If you’re looking for a cheap Shmup to get as a time-waster, this isn’t a bad choice, but don’t expect this to be a particularly great or memorable Shmup.
Takotan	Shmup	C
tl;dr Takotan is a family-friendly Shmup where Earth is being invaded by aliens, and the only hope to fight them off is a flying octopus. This game has a lovely retro 2D pixel art presentation, but unfortunately all of the game’s weapons feel weak and ineffective, and this game does a poor job indicating things like when your dodge button cooldown is over. The result makes this a game with flaws that I feel outweigh its strengths.
Wolflame	Shmup	C
tl;dr Wolflame is a retro-style Shmup in the same vein as games like the Raiden series. It’s decent, but does little to distinguish itself within the genre, and has a few flaws of its own. It’s not bad, but nothing special either.
ACA NEOGEO Ghost Pilots	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Ghost Pilots is a Shmup set during a version of World War II, and while it has appealing visuals, your slow movement speed and overly-large plane mean you’ll be crashing into enemies and their attacks far too often. You have far too many better options to waste money on this.
Aces of the Luftwaffe – Squadron	Bullet Hell Shmup	C-
tl;dr Aces of the Luftwaffe is a bullet hell shmup that has you controlling a squadron of four wingmen with unique abilities and personalities. This game has some really great and unique ideas, but it’s also plagued with design issues and control issues that keep it from delivering on the game’s potential.
Arcade Archives Galaga	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Galaga is a classic shmup, although by today’s standards it is frustratingly slow and limited. What’s worse, this release charging $8 for this game is a rip-off when you get this game and 11 others in Namco Museum Arcade Pac. If you want this game, just get that bundle instead.
Arcade Archives Terra Cresta	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Terra Cresta is a Shmup that re-imagines Moon Cresta’s multi-part ship mechanic in a way that’s really wonderful, but this game is sadly undermined by its nasty unforgiving difficulty. Unless you’re a fan of the genre who likes games painfully difficult, this is one to skip.
Demon Throttle	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Demon Throttle is a Shmup where players blast away enemies and scenery as a cowboy or a vampiress. The presentation and story here are great, and this game has some fun mechanics and good boss design that could have made it a great entry in the genre. The problem is that the game is punishingly difficult, and the refusal to release this game in digital format is similarly inexplicable and limiting. As a result, only the most die-hard fans of the genre will likely want to get this game.
Dininho Space Adventure	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Dininho Space Adventure is a cartoony, family-friendly Shmup. This is a fairly simple entry in the genre, and to make things worse your ship is slow as molasses and the game pushes players to do a lot of grinding to progress. Don’t buy this game when there are so many better choices on the Nintendo Switch.
Escape From the Universe	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Escape From the Universe is a Shmup with a simple look and gameplay that makes the screen scroll more quickly depending on where you move onscreen. Unfortunately, both the visuals and gameplay get repetitive and boring pretty quickly, making for a dull experience.
Galaxy Warfighter	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Galaxy Warfighter is a Shmup where players can upgrade their ship between runs, and there’s not much else to say about it. The game is dull, repetitive, unimaginative, and doesn’t even provide enough upgrade options for that part of the game to be engaging. It’s not without its laid-back charm, but you have far better options on the Nintendo Switch.
Hyper Sentinel	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Hyper Sentinel is a Shmup that aims to be the spiritual sequel to the classic game Uridium, and while fans of that original title may enjoy it, I honestly found it to be a bit of a confusing mess, and there are plenty of other games in this genre on the Switch I’d rather be playing.
Overdriven Reloaded: Special Edition	Bullet Hell Shmup	C-
tl;dr Overdriven Reloaded is a Bullet Hell Shmup that uses a color-switching mechanic like Ikaruga. However, unlike Ikaruga, this game doesn’t seem to know how to use it, and otherwise the game is just a crowded mess – and not in a good way.
Rainbows, Toilets and Unicorns	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Rainbows, Toilets and Unicorns is a Shmup that has players flying around a guy sitting on a toilet propelled by a spray of rainbow… stuff. This game’s garishly colorful presentation and irreverent meme-filled theme help to set this game apart within the genre, but unfortunately its uninspired enemy design and artificially-challenging one-life mechanic make for gameplay that doesn’t even come close to the fun of the presentation.
Shikhondo – Soul Eater	Bullet Hell Shmup	C-
tl;dr Shikhondo is a Shmup with a “heroic women vs. demons” aesthetic. The artwork here is nice, but it also makes it harder to see the gameplay, and that gameplay doesn’t do anything particularly extraordinary. Unless you’re a genre die-hard, skip this one.
Switch ‘N’ Shoot	Shmup / Arcade	C-
tl;dr Switch ‘N’ Shoot is a Shmup built on the simple mechanic of forcing your ship to change directions when you shoot, with this being the only way to control your movement. It’s a potentially interesting gimmick, but this gimmick is all this game has to offer, with uninventive monotonous gameplay and a challenge level that is absolutely depending on the odd controls to provide the majority of the difficulty. This just is not a very fun game, and I don’t recommend it.
Terra Bomber	Shmup	C-
tl;dr Terra Bomber is a Shmup that’s clearly inspired by the 1981 arcade classic Scramble. And while this is mostly a solid game in that same vein, the long levels and lack of checkpoints make this far too tedious to recommend.
Arcade Archives Fighting Hawk	Shmup	D+
tl;dr Fighting Hawk is a mediocre Shmup with a good presentation but frustrating, overly-difficult gameplay that’s a slog to play and just not very fun. You have too many better options for Shmups on Nintendo Switch to waste any of it on this game.
Arcade Archives Moon Cresta	Shmup	D+
tl;dr Moon Cresta is a Shmup with a multi-part ship mechanic that’s really creative, especially for the time this game was originally released. Unfortunately, poor hit detection and frustratingly limited shot speed make this one difficult to recommend to anyone but the most diehard Shmup fans.
Arcade Archives Omega Fighter	Shmup	D
tl;dr Omega Fighter is a mediocre Shmup whose only unique feature is that its levels comprise different parts of a large enemy spacecraft, but otherwise is dull, uninteresting, and suffers from some poor design choices. You have too many better options for Shmups on Nintendo Switch to waste any of it on this game.
Grood	Shmup	D
tl;dr Grood is a Shmup that prides itself on being “hard”, but only does so by making enemies bullet sponges, making your shots not fire straight, and by hiding enemies off-screen. This isn’t a “hard” Shmup, it’s just a bad one.
QUByte Classics: Thunderbolt Collection by PIKO	Compilation / Shmup	D
tl;dr QUByte Classics: Thunderbolt Collection by PIKO is a Compilation of two unlicensed Shmups never previously released in the US, Thunderbolt Fighting Plane and Thunderbolt II. Unfortunately, apart from the novelty of actually owning these games, there’s little value here – both games are terribly broken and poorly-designed Shmups, and there are far too many good games in this genre on Nintendo Switch to waste your money on this pair.
Retro Arcade Shooter – Attack From Pluto	Bullet Hell Shmup	D
tl;dr Attack From Pluto is nominally three Bullet Hell Shmups in one, but all of them are poorly-designed and generic-looking. Don’t waste your time and money on this.
Arcade Archives Xevious	Shmup	D-
tl;dr Xevious is an incredibly influential game in the Shmup genre, with a creative air-to-air and air-to-surface combat system. It is also extremely archaic, with slow movement, a terrible lack of power-ups, and gameplay that has overall been far outpaced by countless other entries in the genre. If you want to see a piece of history, and demand an Arcade-accurate version, this game may be worth checking out. Otherwise, it’s not worth your time, especially at this price.
Bridge Strike	Shmup	D-
tl;dr Bridge Strike is a Shmup where enemies rarely attack you, and the only challenges you’ll face are from the game failing to visually convey information to the player. This is a miserably dull game, and I cannot recommend it.
Shmup Mania	Shmup	D-
tl;dr Shmup Mania is a Shmup (naturally), but it’s a pretty mediocre and forgettable one, and when it’s not mediocre it’s just plain bad. Unimaginative gameplay, poor enemy design, terrible controls… this game is just not worth the $10 price tag. It’s not even worth the $2 sale price. Skip this one.
Preventive Strike	Shmup	F
tl;dr Preventive Strike is a Shmup where players pilot an attack helicopter that moves super-slow, is massive, and is targeted by numerous bullet sponge enemies with good aim. You will die over and over again in this game without any sense of what you could have done better, and in fact feeling like there’s nothing you could have done better. This game feels like an exercise in frustration and futility. Do not buy it.

.

2-Stick Shooter

Game	Genre	Grade
X-Morph Defense	Tower Defense / 2-Stick Shooter	A
tl;dr X-Morph: Defense mixes the Tower Defense genre with the Two-Stick Shooter to create something even better, with impressively detailed environments and some really inventive gameplay. This game is a blast to play, and while the Switch version is sadly missing some features, it’s still an absolutely wonderful game.
Assault Android Cactus+	2-Stick Shooter	A-
tl;dr Assault Android Cactus is a 2-Stick Shooter that has some fun, unique mechanics and a lot of great, intense action. It’s a blast to play in co-op, and the Switch version is the definitive version of the game. I only wish the sub-weapon dodge-swapping mechanic was better-utilized, and the levels looked more distinct. But those are minor complaints about what is a fantastic game on the Switch.
Ball x Pit	Arcade / 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike / Simulation	A-
tl;dr Ball x Pit is a game that blends a wide variety of disparate genres, such as 2-Stick Shooter, Arcade, Roguelike, and Management Simulation, resulting in something that is wildly unique, offering a lot of depth, yet still highly-accessible and easy to pick up. Consider this a must-have if you’re craving originality, and something still worth checking out even if you just like some of the genres I named.
CrossCode	Top-Down Action-RPG / 2-Stick Shooter	A-
tl;dr CrossCode is an Action-RPG that combines the melee combat and RPG elements of classics of the genre with fast-paced 2-Stick Shooter action, and pairs it with a wonderful world to explore. There are places where this game could be improved, but overall this is a phenomenal entry in the genre, and Action-RPG fans should definitely take notice.
Explosionade DX	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	A-
tl;dr Explosionade is an Action-Platformer with 2-Stick Shooter mechanics and some really delightful game mechanics like its shield/anti-gravity mechanic and adaptable grenades. It’s a bit short and lacking in content, but it’s more than worth its small $6 price tag, and fans of the genre should absolutely give this game a try.
Hotline Miami Collection	Compilation / Top-Down Action / 2-Stick Shooter	A-
tl;dr Hotline Miami Collection is a pair of solid Top-Down Action games with a colorful 80s-inspired presentation and intense action that makes players consider their plan of attack. It’s a solid experience, although the first Hotline Miami game is clearly the better of the two, thanks to the more cohesive story and better level design.
My Friend Pedro	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	A-
tl;dr My Friend Pedro is an Action-Platformer with Two-Stick Shooter controls that has players involved in acrobatic gunfights at the command of a talking banana. This game’s intense, ridiculous action is a blast to play, and while there’s a bit of repetition here and there, for the most part this game does an amazing job keeping things fresh and entertaining. A must-have for action game fans.
Neon Abyss	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	A-
tl;dr Neon Abyss is an Action-Platformer with Roguelike elements that feels a lot like the designers were going for a side-scrolling neon-lit Binding of Isaac, and they largely hit their mark spot-on. Only a few technical flaws keep this game from reaching the same height as that classic Roguelike, but it’s still a phenomenal Action game.
NeuroVoider	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	A-
tl;dr NeuroVoider is a combination of Two-Stick Shooter and Roguelike that has you fighting an army of robots, stealing their parts, and then using them to upgrade your own capabilities. It’s an incredibly fun game with great co-op, a fantastic presentation, and tons of variety and customization. The randomized level design and enemy AI could have used a bit of work, but on the whole this is an absolutely fantastic game that should be owned by anyone who enjoys a good Action game.
Shotgun Cop Man	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	A-
tl;dr Shotgun Cop Man is an Action-Platformer and 2-Stick Shooter about the titular Shotgun Cop Man who has been sent on a mission to hell to arrest Satan, with this silly story joined by gameplay that has players using their firearms to propel themselves around the air as they fight demons. Movement and combat in this game is an absolute delight, and the absurdity of the story only adds to the joy of this game. The only thing lacking is the PC version’s level creator, but otherwise this is a must-have Action-Platformer on Nintendo Switch.
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	A-
tl;dr The Binding of Isaac is a Two-Stick Shooter Roguelike that places you in the role of a young child fighting grotesque monsters with his tears. It’s a lot of fun, but the roguelike elements can make any given playthrough very hit-and-miss, which can be frustrating. It’s still well worth playing, though.
Vitamin Connection	2-Stick Shooter / Arcade	A-
tl;dr Vitamin Connection is a Two-Stick Shooter that splits up the ship’s functions between two Joy-Cons in a way that makes this game ideal for two-player co-op. It’s got an appealing presentation, a great soundtrack, and makes some really clever use of the Joy-Cons’ functionality, and really the only negative things I can say about it are that it’s not a game you can play in portable mode, and it’s not a game you’ll really want to play solo. But if you have a friend to join you, this game is a must-have.
Yars: Recharged	2-Stick Shooter	A-
tl;dr Yars: Recharged is a 2-Stick Shooter inspired by the Atari classic Yars’ Revenge, but this game far surpasses its inspiration, using elements from that game to craft an excellent boss rush-style 2-stick shooter where players must whittle down enemies’ defenses. Regardless of whether or not you’ve played the original, this is an outstanding Action game, and at only $10 it’s an easy game to recommend.
Akane	Top-Down Action/2-Stick Shooter / Arcade	B+
tl;dr Akane is an Arcade-y top-down Action game that has players as a lone woman fighting off the entire Yakuza using only a gun and a sword. It’s a game that channels Kill Bill and John Wick extremely well, with some really fun action. Unfortunately, the game is lacking in variety and progression, but the core gameplay here is phenomenal and well worth playing for fans of Action games.
Bleed 2	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr Bleed 2 is an Action-Platformer and 2-Stick Shooter with a simple, cartoony presentation and a silly story about a girl fending off an invasion. This game improves on the first one in almost every way, with even better action, better visuals, a great soundtrack, and the same wonderful variety, great level design, and excellent co-op. However, where it doesn’t improve on the first game is value – the main campaign can still be finished in an hour or so, and the extra game modes don’t stretch things out much more than that. For $20, I simply cannot recommend this game, but definitely get it if you see it on sale.
Bleed Complete Bundle	Compilation / Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr Bleed Complete Bundle includes Bleed and Bleed 2, both excellent Action-Platformers with 2-Stick Shooter gunplay, and both also extremely short and extremely overpriced games. Much as with the individual games, if you can get this collection at a discount, absolutely do so because the games are immensely fun. However, even with the savings this bundle provides, it’s still horribly overpriced at its normal price.
Butcher	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr Butcher is an Action-Platformer with 2-Stick Shooter elements that plays a lot like the answer to the question “what if Doom was a 2D Platformer?”. The answer to that question is apparently, “It would be awesome fun”. The game is short and there are plenty of areas where it could do with being expanded on, but even within its own limitations, it’s a thrilling ride that fans of the genre and especially Doom franchise fans should definitely give a try.
Debris Infinity	2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr Debris Infinity is a Two-Stick Shooter that’s like a mash-up of Geometry Wars and Asteroids. It looks good, plays well, and the Slow-Mo feature actually brings something interesting to the table. The game is a bit short on features, but what’s here is top-notch.
Destropolis	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	B+
tl;dr Destropolis is a Two-Stick Shooter with Roguelike elements where players try to survive for as long as they can while blasting away red geometric shapes. The game is simple and a tad repetitive, and the weapon overheating can be frustrating, but this is still a lot of fun packed into a small package, and players looking for an inexpensive, compelling 2-Stick Shooter with good co-op should find this to be a delightful distraction that keeps pulling them back for just one more run.
Enter the Gungeon	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	B+
tl;dr Enter the Gungeon is a two-stick shooter with roguelike elements that packs a lot of fun gameplay and a high difficulty level. An excellent game for fans of the genre looking for a challenge.
Fury Unleashed	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	B+
tl;dr Fury Unleashed combines Action-Platformer, 2-Stick Shooter and Roguelike elements into one great co-op package, with an added fourth-wall breaking “comic book” presentation. If a joyfully action-packed blend of testosterone and Roguelike sounds good to you, this game will not disappoint.
Gleylancer	Bullet Hell Shmup / 2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr Gleylancer is a Shmup originally released on the Sega Mega Drive in Japan in 1992, and this release updates the game in numerous ways, including new control options that bring it closer to a 2-Stick Shooter. The original game is a solid entry in the genre, and the port is fantastic. If you enjoy this style of game, you should absolutely grab Gleylancer.
Gunborg: Dark Matters	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr Gunborg is an Action-Platformer with 2-Stick Shooter elements that has players fighting through hordes of enemies and avoiding dangerous traps in a hostile spaceship. While this game doesn’t break any new ground for the genre, it is a very good entry in the genre, and one that fans of Action-Platformers should strongly consider getting.
Guns, Gore, and Cannoli 2	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr Guns, Gore, and Cannoli 2 is an Action-Platformer that takes the basic idea of the first game and greatly improves on it, adding in 2-stick aiming, fixing the controls, and making the gameplay much more fast-paced. It’s still repetitive at times, but overall this is a pretty good game.
Indie Gems Bundle – Explosions Edition	Compilation / Bullet Hell Shmup / Roguelike / 2-Stick Shooter / Match-3 Puzzle	B+
tl;dr Indie Gems Bundle: – Explosions Edition is a Compilation of three Action-packed games, each of them ranging from good to great. If you’re a fan of Shmups and 2-Stick shooters, you’re bound to find something to love in this package, even if the savings over purchasing these games individually is minimal.
Inferno 2	2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr Inferno 2 is a straightforward 2-Stick Shooter that has solid gameplay, a slick presentation, and good Co-Op. It’s a bit on the easy side, but fans of the genre will find it to be an excellent choice, especially for its low price tag.
My Friend Pedro x Shotgun Cop Man Bundle	Compilation / Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	B+
tl;dr My Friend Pedro x Shotgun Cop Man Bundle is a Compilation containing the two named games, both phenomenal Action-Platformer and 2-Stick Shooter titles with ridiculous, joyously fun gameplay. Unfortunately, the price of this bundle just isn’t as good as getting the games individually when they’re on sale, so I suggest you do that instead.
Rive: Ultimate Edition	2-Stick Shooter / Action-Platformer	B+
tl;dr Rive is a combination of 2-Stick Shooter and Action-Platformer that does a great job pushing intense action and a good amount of variety of enemies and combat situations. I wish the game’s upgrade system was more fleshed-out, but what’s here is solid.
Transcripted	2-Stick Shooter / Match-3 Puzzle	B+
tl;dr Transcripted is a game that combines Two-Stick Shooter gameplay with match-3 Puzzle gameplay similar to Zuma. While the two gameplay styles don’t always get along well with each other, for the most part this is a pretty cohesive gameplay experience that’s satisfying, unique, and features a superb presentation.
Bezier: Second Edition	2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr Bezier is a Two-Stick Shooter that plays a bit like Geometry Wars combined with the ship upgrade system from Gradius. This game isn’t without its flaws, but overall it’s a solid 2-Stick Shooter with fun gameplay and a great soundtrack.
Bit.Trip Fate	2-Stick Shooter / Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Bit.Trip Fate is a 2-Stick Shooter / Bullet Hell Shmup that makes an interesting twist on the formula by forcing players to stick to a single line when moving. It’s a solid entry in the genre that fans of 2-Stick Shooters should definitely consider, but Bit.Trip fans may be a bit let down by the lack of originality and the downplayed importance of Music-Rhythm elements compared to other games in the series.
Black Future ’88	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	B
tl;dr Black Future ‘88 is an Action-Platformer with 2-Stick Shooter and Roguelike elements that has a fantastic presentation, a killer soundtrack, and some slick, fast-paced action. However, some players may feel frustrated by how the game is constantly rushing you, and the tiny, hard-to-read text will almost certainly frustrate you. Still, if you’re looking for a challenging Action game, Black Future ‘88 is well worth a try.
Bleed	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr Bleed is an Action-Platformer and 2-Stick Shooter with a simple, cartoony presentation and a silly story about a young woman hunting down heroes to prove she’s a better hero. The gameplay here is absolutely fantastic, with some really inventive level design, great controls, a lot of variety, and excellent co-op. Unfortunately, this game is painfully short and insultingly overpriced, and as good as it is, I cannot recommend spending $15 for what amounts to about an hour of gameplay. If you can get it on sale at a good price, definitely do, but otherwise it isn’t worth the cost.
Darksiders Genesis	Top-Down Action-RPG / 2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr Darksiders Genesis is a Diablo-Style Top-Down Action-RPG that’s a prequel and spinoff of the main Darksiders game that focuses on the first game’s protagonist, War, along with new protagonist, Strife (the latter who plays like a Two-Stick Shooter). While it’s a decent game that brings a fair few original ideas to the genre, the lack of loot makes the whole thing feel a lot more repetitive and as a result it’s not quite as engaging as multiple other games in the genre on the Nintendo Switch.
Iron Crypticle	2-Stick Shooter / Arcade	B
tl;dr Iron Crypticle is an Arcade-style 2-Stick Shooter that plays like Smash TV with a Ghosts ‘N Goblins aesthetic. It’s a game with good, arcadey action that works well in co-op, though it’s not without its issues here and there.
Rock Boshers DX: Director’s Cut	2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr Rock Boshers is a 2-Stick Shooter styled to look like old ZX Spectrum games. Beyond its aesthetic, it doesn’t do anything especially noteworthy, but it’s still pretty fun. Worth a look.
Startide	2-Stick Shooter / Bullet Hell Shmup	B
tl;dr Startide combines 2-Stick shooter and Shmup genre conventions and adds in some novel ideas of its own, with some excellent, fast-paced, quality gameplay… that’s unfortunately marred by a slew of design flaws and annoyances. It’s still very good, but it could have been so much better.
Hammerwatch	Top-Down Arcade / Action-RPG / 2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr Hammerwatch is a co-op Top-Down Arcade-style Action-RPG with Two-Stick Shooter mechanics that’s reminiscent of the classic game Gauntlet. It’s simple and can be a bit repetitive, but if you’re looking for something straightforward to play with friends, this is a pretty solid entry in its genre.
Heroes of Hammerwatch – Ultimate Edition	Top-Down Action-RPG / Roguelike / 2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr Heroes of Hammerwatch is a Top-Down Action-RPG with Two-Stick Shooter mechanics that ditches the lighter Arcadey feel of the first game in favor of a Roguelike, and the change adds some welcome depth. It’s a shame that this game dropped the local co-op, and the changes to the gameplay put this game in direct competition with other games that I’d argue are superior. However, if you’re looking for a solid Roguelike Action-RPG, this one is still well worth your time.
NeverAwake	2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr NeverAwake is a 2-Stick Shooter where players fight the imagined enemies within a girl’s subconscious. The theming here is really inspired, as is the game’s goal structures that sees levels repeat until you can collect enough “souls”. However, beyond these creative elements, NeverAwake is just a solid 2-Stick Shooter, and not a must-play one. If you enjoy this genre, this is one to get.
Retrograde Arena	2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr Retrograde Arena is a free-to-play multiplayer arena-based Two-Stick Shooter where players must push enemies into red walls with gunfire rather than damaging them directly. The game’s unique physics take some getting used to, but once you do you’ll find some surprising depth, and the free price tag makes this a game you should absolutely try.
Space Marshals 2	2-Stick Shooter / Stealth	B
tl;dr Space Marshals 2, like the first game, is a 2-Stick Shooter with heavy Stealth elements that has you hunting down escaped criminals as a spacefaring Western-style marshal. This game has the same good and bad qualities as its predecessor, but the addition of a new stealth kill mechanic, the one major change in this installment, adds an excellent new element to the game that makes it significantly better than its predecessor. If you like Stealth games or 2-Stick Shooters, Space Marshals 2 is well worth a look.
Super Animal Royale	2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr Super Animal Royale is a free-to-play game that combines the Two-Stick Shooter with battle royale-style online multiplayer play, and it does a pretty good job balancing those two elements. There’s definitely room for improvement in numerous areas, and it feels like the game could use more content, but this is overall a solid entry in the genre worth giving a try.
Turnip Boy Robs a Bank	Top-Down Action-RPG / 2-Stick Shooter	B
tl;dr Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is an Action-RPG and 2-Stick Shooter and sequel to Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion that features some very different gameplay compared to the original game, but it’s still overall a fun, enjoyable, and unique experience with a great sense of humor. A few gameplay elements don’t work here and can sometimes lead to frustration, but overall this is a delightfully wacky game well worth playing.
Alien Death Mob	2-Stick Shooter	B-
tl;dr Alien Death Mob is a 2-Stick Shooter that has players fending off massive hordes of enemies in gameplay that is fast, frenetic, and challenging, while still giving players every opportunity to overcome this massive challenge. This is not going to be a game for everyone, but players looking to take on tons of enemies with a spray of gunfire should give this game a try.
Arcade Space Shooter 2 in 1	Compilation / Arcade / 2-Stick Shooter / Shmup	B-
tl;dr Arcade Space Shooter 2 in 1 is a Compilation of the Arcade-style 2-Stick Shooter, Space Smash, and the Shmup, Space War Infinity. Space Smash is a solid low-budget alternative to games like Geometry Wars, and Space War Infinity is a decent but uninspired entry in its genre. However, while neither game on its own is likely to turn heads, the combination of the two in a $4 package is very enticing, and this Compilation is well worth that price.
Black Widow: Recharged	2-Stick Shooter	B-
tl;dr Black Widow: Recharged is a 2-Stick Shooter inspired by the Atari classic. This version improves the presentation, makes progression more fluid, and adds temporary power-ups, but otherwise leaves the original formula largely intact. The result is a game that’s a tad too repetitive to call for long play sessions, but that makes for a fun time-waster.
Defenders of Ekron: Definitive Edition	Compilation / 2-Stick Shooter / Shmup	B-
tl;dr Defenders of Ekron is a 2-Stick Shooter with Shmup elements that has multiple different gameplay types that makes for some great variety, even if some of the elements don’t quite work as well as you’d want. This Definitive Edition also comes with a “demake” of the game, Invaders of Ekron, that offers a more traditional Shmup experience that makes use of some of the same gameplay elements. It too is a decent if a bit flawed. Overall, this is, well, a decent but flawed pairing of games that is worth a look for fans of these two genres.
Devastator	2-Stick Shooter	B-
tl;dr Devastator is a 2-Stick Shooter with neon-style visuals and gameplay reminiscent of the Geometry Wars games. It’s a bit overly-hard and not all of the features work as well as one would hope, but this is still a good entry in the genre.
Dust & Neon	2-Stick Shooter	B-
tl;dr Dust & Neon is a 2-Stick Shooter set in a post-apocalyptic Western setting that puts you in the role of a cyborg fighting through enemy robots. In many ways, this game plays a bit like “Borderlands as a 2-Stick Shooter”, but it doesn’t quite measure up to that comparison, lacking the style and variety of those games. However, the core gameplay here is good, and the soundtrack is superb. This ends up being a decent 2-Stick Shooter, it’s just one that falls well short of its potential.
Go Mecha Ball	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	B-
tl;dr Go Mecha Ball is a 2-Stick Shooter and Roguelike with some 3D Platformer elements that has players taking on enemies using a mech suit that can transform into a ball. The action here is excellent, combining the genre with gameplay elements from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Unfortunately, some pretty nasty framerate issues on Nintendo Switch make this the worst version of the game. If at all possible, play this somewhere else.
Gunkid 99	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	B-
tl;dr Gunkid 99 is an Action-Platformer with 2-Stick Shooter elements where players fight enemies within an enclosed arena, but their primary goal is to just keep grabbing up weapons as they appear. This is a great concept with a lot of potential, but this game doesn’t do quite enough to make good use of it, with one of the bigger omissions here being a lack of a multiplayer mode. As a result, this is still a good game, but it feels like it missed an opportunity to be a much better one.
Ocean Keeper: Dome Survival Roguelike	Top-Down 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	B-
tl;dr Ocean Keeper offers a unique blend of Top-Down 2-Stick Shooter gameplay, side-scrolling mining sequences, and Roguelike structure, and while each of these elements is flawed in some way, they come together to form something that’s fairly original and oddly compelling. There’s a lot of room for improvement here, but overall this is still well worth playing.
Space Marshals	2-Stick Shooter / Stealth	B-
tl;dr Space Marshals is a 2-Stick Shooter with heavy Stealth elements that has you hunting down escaped criminals as a spacefaring Western-style marshal. Both the shooting and stealth are fun here, and while the game gets a bit repetitive and has a few minor gameplay issues, overall this is an enjoyable game that’s worth playing for fans of both genres.
Splatter – Zombiecalypse Now	2-Stick Shooter	B-
tl;dr Splatter -Zombieocalypse Now is a Top-Down 2-Stick Shooter where players blast away hordes of zombies. There are numerous small issues with this game’s tone, its gameplay, and its multiplayer, but overall this is a pretty enjoyable entry in the genre, and its better qualities far outweigh the bad. Definitely worth a look if you’re down for some zombie-killin’ action.
Turbo Shot	2-Stick Shooter	B-
tl;dr Turbo Shot is a free-to-play 2-Stick Shooter with a semi-randomized upgrade system and a bright, cartoony presentation. The core gameplay here is pretty fun, especially the enjoyable online deathmatch mode. But this game is severely lacking in options, and has some absolutely nasty monetization, including pay-to-win mechanics. There’s still a lot to like about this game, but it definitely feels like the gameplay was compromised severely for the sake of the microtransactions.
Zombiewood: Survival Shooter	2-Stick Shooter	B-
tl;dr Zombiewood is a 2-Stick Shooter where players take the role of a stuntman blasting away zombies. It’s a bit shallow and repetitive, but it’s enjoyable enough to be a decent time-waster, with a distinct style.
12 is Better Than 6	Top-Down Action / 2-Stick Shooter	C+
tl;dr 12 is Better Than 6 is a Top-Down Action/2-Stich Shooter game where one shot kills, much like the Hotline Miami games. Unfortunately, graphical choices result in a game that’s filled with a lot of frustration that makes this far less fun than the Hotline Miami games.
Ampersat	Top-Down Action-RPG / 2-Stick Shooter	C+
tl;dr Ampersat is a Top-Down Action-RPG with 2-Stick Shooter elements set in a world populated by ASCII characters, with players controlling an @ character wielding a magic wand and a sword. There are some clever ideas here, but overall this game is brought down by the poor quality of the individual components – both the 2-Stick Shooter and melee combat elements aren’t fun, and the RPG mechanics progress too slowly. There’s still some fun to be had here, but it definitely feels like this game had more potential than this.
Battlesloths	2-Stick Shooter / Party Game	C+
tl;dr Battlesloths is a multiplayer-focused 2-Stick Shooter with a Party Game atmosphere where players take the role of pizza-loving sloths fighting in various arenas with an assortment of weaponry. The core gameplay here is good, but the constant stop-go pattern of action and waiting is frustrating and makes it hard to enjoy that fun gameplay.
Berzerk: Recharged	2-Stick Shooter	C+
tl;dr Berzerk: Recharged is a 2-Stick Shooter that re-imagines an arcade classic, but what it reimagines it to is repetitive and dull. You have much better options than this game.
Blazing Beaks	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C+
tl;dr Blazing Beaks is a 2-Stick Shooter with Roguelike elements with a cartoony pixel art presentation featuring anthropomorphic birds with guns. Unfortunately, the game’s high difficulty doesn’t really fall in line with the cartoony presentation, and the nice unique features the game has only add to that difficulty. Action fans looking for a challenge might enjoy this, but I did not.
Gonner2	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C+
tl;dr GoNNER2 is an Action-Platformer with 2-Stick Shooter and Roguelike elements that, like the first game, is very odd, and has no intention of explaining any of what the heck is going on. This is certainly an improvement, with both the 2-Stick Shooter mechanics and multiplayer being significant additions. But in the end, this game still suffers from the same issues as its predecessor – this is a very niche game that’s just not welcoming to new players.
Maze Blaze	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C+
tl;dr Maze Blaze is a 2-Stick Shooter with Roguelike elements where players move through a neon-soaked maze with corridors that raise into view as they approach, giving the game a very distinctive visual look. Unfortunately, the slow walking speed, inability to change button assignments, and the way the maze-based level design conflicts with the 2-Stick Shooter gameplay all hold this game back, though it still has some positive qualities that may make some players want to give it a look despite these flaws.
Police Stories	Top-Down 2-Stick Shooter	C+
tl;dr Police Stories is a 2-Stick Shooter where players must follow procedure as they take on criminals and rescue hostages in raids. It’s a unique concept, but it means adding frustration and tedium to the genre, as well as a pretty high difficulty level. This may be worth a look for some players, but I suspect that this won’t be a game that most players will enjoy.
Raspberry Mash	Roguelike Top-Down Action / 2-Stick Shooter	C+
tl;dr Raspberry Mash is a Top-Down Action game with Roguelike and 2-Stick Shooter elements. Unfortunately, while the melee in this game is really fun and visceral, the ranged weaponry is pretty terrible, and the way the game forces you to slow down to contend with ranged threats wrecks the game’s pacing. This is definitely not a bad entry in this genre, but there are just far too many other better games in this genre to waste your time with this one.
Riddled Corpses EX	2-Stick Shooter	C+
tl;dr Riddled Corpses is a fairly simple Two-Stick shooter about blasting away massive hordes of zombies. It’s not original or impressive in any way, and the gameplay can be repetitive, but despite its flaws and lack of ambition, it still manages to be almost relaxing to play. Those looking for a simple, arcadey 2-Stick Shooter where they don’t need to think very hard may enjoy this game, at least if they can get it on sale.
The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human	Metroidvania / 2-Stick Shooter	C+
tl;dr The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human is a Metroidvania with 2-Stick Shooter gameplay where players command a submarine searching the ruins of humanity to see what went wrong. This game absolutely nails the atmosphere, but the challenge level on the bosses is so steep that most players will probably lost interest after dying a dozen times or so.
The Walking Vegetables: Radical Edition	2-Stick Shooter	C+
tl;dr The Walking Vegetables is a 2-Stick shooter that has you fighting hordes of aliens that look like fruits and vegetables. The game’s open-ended design isn’t doing it any favors, and the game can get repetitive at points, but the core gameplay is fun and the presentation is so loaded with charm and personality that it still holds some appeal, even if it can’t compete with the best games in the genre.
Void Prison	2-Stick Shooter / Arcade	C+
tl;dr Void Prison is an Arcade-style 2-Stick Shooter where enemies can’t kill the player directly, but instead try to push the player to the edge of the circular arena. The unique gameplay mechanics make this game fairly unique among 2-Stick Shooters, but the lack of depth and poor controls mean that even though you may find this a fun little $3 distraction, it’s not a game you’re likely to play for very long.
Crashnauts	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter / Party Game	C
tl;dr Crashnauts is an arena-based Action-Platformer Party Game. While it works and there’s nothing especially wrong with it, it’s pretty forgettable and what few unique elements it has just serve to make it chaotic and lacking any real depth.
Gravity Oddity	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C
tl;dr Gravity Oddity is a game that combines Action-Platformer, 2-Stick Shooter, and Roguelike elements with a gameplay mechanic that lets players walk on any surface and use a teleport gun to zap between surfaces. Unfortunately, poor level design, poor boss design, and an underwhelming presentation all prevent this game from fully reaching the potential of its premise.
HyperParasite	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C
tl;dr HyperParasite is a 2-Stick Shooter with Roguelike elements that has you playing as an alien parasite taking over its human enemies to fight. It’s a great premise, but the game never really lives up to that premise, thanks to limits on who you can possess, and their limited capabilities.
Implosion	Action-RPG / 2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Implosion is an Action-RPG with some 2-Stick Shooter mechanics that has players fighting mutants using a human-size mech. The game has some enjoyable combat and a promising loot system, but the combat gets repetitive quickly and the loot system isn’t varied or deep enough to be engaging. Oh, and the 2-Stick Shooter elements are poorly-implemented. This isn’t a terrible game, but players interested in this sort of thing have multiple better options on the Switch.
Kitten Squad	2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Kitten Squad is a free-to-play 2-Stick Shooter that doesn’t have any monetization, instead being a way to deliver PETA-approved propaganda to players. If that doesn’t bother you, the game itself is a decent but unspectacular 2-Stick Shooter, and for the price of $0 it’s at least worth a look, even if there are plenty of better games in the genre on the Nintendo Switch.
Lovecraft’s Untold Stories	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C
tl;dr Lovecraft’s Untold Stories is a Roguelike and 2-Stick Shooter based on Lovecraft’s horrific insanity-inducing creations. The presentation and Roguelike elements here are fantastic, but the 2-Stick Shooter gameplay and menu navigation are so bad that they drag down the rest of the game. The result is something only the biggest Cthulhu fans will love.
Pew Paw	2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Pew Paw is a Two-Stick Shooter with Roguelike elements that has you shooting at gun-toting zombies while your dog points you to pickups. The core gameplay here has a lot of potential, but that potential is squandered by slow-as-molasses game progression and a lack of interesting variety.
Red Siren: Space Defense	2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Red Siren is a 2-Stick Shooter where players fly a helicopter in side-scrolling stages fighting off tanks, aircraft, and mechs. There’s some potential for good action and a nice upgrade system here, but the action is far too monotonous, the upgrades take forever to earn, and the presentation is ruined by terrible performance issues. This game still has good qualities, but I can’t recommend it.
Ruiner	Top-Down Action / 2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Ruiner is a Top-Down Action game in the vein of Hotline Miami where players take the role of a masked man in a cyberpunk setting. There are some interesting gameplay systems here, such as a time-manipulating multi-dash move, but these gameplay systems aren’t utilized well, and the basic flaws in the game’s combat lead the action to all too often be unsatisfying. This isn’t a bad game, but it’s nowhere near as good as it had the potential to be.
Satryn DX	2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Satryn DX is a 2-Stick Shooter that hearkens back to arcade classics of a half a century ago, and that’s both a good thing and a bad thing. It’s good because this game’s nostalgic presentation is wonderful, and the core gameplay is solid. But it’s bad because the simplicity of this game feels like it lacks depth. As a result, it’s hard to recommend this over countless other entries in the genre.
Space Cows	2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Space Cows is a 2-Stick Shooter about a farmer propelling himself around a space station with farts so he can rescue cows from mutant creatures. As silly as that may sound, the game’s humor gets old quickly, and what you’re left with is a 2-Stick Shooter with a central mechanic that you can only fire one shot at a time, which seems like a way for the game to artificially inflate the challenge, but not the fun. This isn’t a terrible game, but you have countless better options on Nintendo Switch.
Trash Punk	2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Trash Punk is a 2-Stick Shooter where players take the role of an armed anthropomorphic opossum, and while the core gameplay here is good, this game does nothing of note to build on that, making for a tedious, repetitive gameplay experience that can’t compete with the wealth of other great games in the genre on Nintendo Switch.
Utopia 9 – A Volatile Vacation	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C
tl;dr Utopia 9 – A Volatile Vacation is a 2-Stick Shooter/Roguelike that has a lot of inventive ideas for a different spin on the genre, but its dreadfully slow pacing saps much of the fun out of the experience.
Virus Rush	Action / 2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Virus Rush is an Action game with 2-Stick Shooter elements that has players taking the role of a sentient virus fighting microscopic enemies in a boss rush-style gauntlet. The presentation is distinct, but this game tosses numerous frustrations at the player and then ramps up the difficulty to absurd levels right from the start, making for an experience that all but the most challenge-addicted players will find extremely unsatisfying.
Warshmallows	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr Warshmallows is an arena-based multiplayer-focused Action-Platformer with 2-Stick Shooter elements where players try to blast each other away as anthropomorphic marshmallows. There’s some decent gameplay at the core of this game, and the title theme is wonderful, but there’s numerous issues including a disappointing lack of content that are keeping this game from being as good as it could be. Action fans may enjoy this, but there are far better options on the Nintendo Switch.
XenoRaptor	2-Stick Shooter	C
tl;dr XenoRaptor is a 2-Stick Shooter that has you fighting buzzsaw flying saucers in space as an alien dragon. It’s a cool concept, and it even has some fun physics that have the potential to make for a unique spin on the genre. Unfortunately, this game is absolutely loaded with problems that make it hard to appreciate what it does right, such as bad framerates, terrible AI, and a visual presentation that’s not very conducive to the gameplay.
Arcade Archives The Tin Star	2-Stick Shooter	C-
tl;dr The Tin Star is an Action game reworked here with much-improved 2-Stick Shooter controls, where players take the role of a sheriff in a shootout with outlaws. For its time, there was some inspired gameplay here, but it is all undone by numerous choices that make this game punishingly difficult. Unless that’s your thing, I suggest you mosey on to some other game.
Blacksea Odyssey	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C-
tl;dr Blacksea Odyssey is a Two-Stick Shooter with Roguelike elements that is basically Captain Ahab In Space. That sounds really cool, but the terribly slow combat and sluggish movement make it hard to get into, and players will likely find the game too tedious to want to play for very long.
Dead Ground	tl;dr Tower Defense / 2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	C-
tl;dr Dead Ground is a game that combines Tower Defense, Two-Stick Shooter, and Roguelike elements, a pairing that works well in theory, but in practice simply can’t get past the fact that this game fails in the execution of every single element of the game. I commend the game for having some great ideas, but unfortunately those are ideas it just doesn’t get to work properly.
Deathrun TV	tl;dr 2-Stick Shooter	C-
tl;dr Deathrun TV is a 2-Stick Shooter with light Roguelike elements inspired by the classic Arcade game Smash TV, that has players competing in a TV Show going from room to room fighting numerous enemies in a bloody deathmatch. Unfortunately, this game’s simple visuals make it hard to parse enemies from noncombatants, and the combat is unsatisfying due to numerous issues. With so many better options in the genre, I can’t recommend this game.
Destrobots	2-Stick Shooter	C-
tl;dr Destrobots is a 2-Stick Shooter that has you playing as robots fighting other robots. The presentation here is good and the core gameplay is mostly solid, but the controls are intentionally stiff, and the game is sorely lacking options. It’s not a terrible game, but there are far too many great 2-Stick Shooters on Nintendo Switch to waste time with this one.
Energy Invasion	Arcade Brick Breaker / 2-Stick Shooter	C-
tl;dr Energy Invasion is a cross between a 2-Stick Shooter and an Arcade-style brick breaker game like Arkanoid. Unfortunately, the game feels unpolished and not especially welcoming to players getting used to its odd concept.
Tanks Meet Zombies	2-Stick Shooter	C-
tl;dr Tanks Meet Zombies is a 2-Stick Shooter whose core gameplay is decent, but its potential is ruined by boring repetitive combat, power-ups that are best avoided, flawed multiplayer, and frustrations caused by the game pushing you to use different kinds of attacks and then often punishing you for doing so. You have numerous better options in this genre on the Nintendo Switch.
Terra Lander	2-Stick Shooter	C-
tl;dr Terra Lander combines the physics-focused gameplay of the classic game Lunar Lander with 2-Stick Shooter elements. Unfortunately, these two gameplay elements don’t mix very well here, and even beyond that, this game has serious problems with difficulty spikes. Unless something about this game’s concept really appeals to you, you’re better off letting it drift off into space.
Terra Lander II – Rockslide Rescue	2-Stick Shooter	C-
tl;dr Terra Lander II combines the physics-focused gameplay of the classic game Lunar Lander with 2-Stick Shooter elements, with this sequel also adding humans to rescue and rocks to use a tractor beam on. While these new elements provided great opportunities to address the issues with the first game, this game doesn’t have any interest in fixing those problems, and as a result this is once again an overly-difficult game whose gameplay elements clash with one another. Only the most hardcore fans of 2-Stick Shooters will find something to enjoy here.
Terra Trilogy	Compilation / 2-Stick Shooter / Shmup	C-
tl;dr Terra Trilogy is a Compilation of Terra Lander, Terra Lander II – Rockslide Rescue, and Terra Bomber, all inspired by early Arcade Space Shooters from the late 1970s-early 1980s, and also all similarly flawed, with overly difficult gameplay due in part to the lack of proper checkpoints. This Compilation doesn’t add much value, either. Skip this one.
The Pew Pew Bundle Vol. 1	Compilation / 2-Stick Shooter / Platformer / Shmup / Roguelike	C-
tl;dr The Pew Pew Bundle Vol. 1 is a compilation of Black Paradox, Bleed 2, and XenoRaptor, three 2D shooty games of various quality. Unfortunately, the price of this bundle offers no benefit over buying the games separately or in other better bundles. Don’t buy this bundle.
Zombie Blast Crew	2-Stick Shooter	C-
tl;dr Zombie Blast Crew is a 2-Stick Shooter where you shoot zombies, and not much else. It’s every bit as mediocre and forgettable as it sounds, and with so many other great 2-Stick Shooters on the Nintendo Switch, there’s no reason to play this one.
Death Ray Manta SE	2-Stick Shooter	D+
tl;dr Death Ray Manta is a Two-Stick Shooter that is extremely fast-paced to the point of being disorienting and confusing, something made worse by the game constantly flashing bright colors at you. There may be some out there that this game appeals to, but most will find it a chaotic mess.
Planetary Defense Force	Tower Defense / 2-Stick Shooter	D+
tl;dr Planetary Defense Force mixes the Tower Defense genre with the 2-Stick Shooter, having players defend a spherical planet from an alien invasion. Unfortunately, the spherical map makes it difficult to keep track of what’s going on, the game doesn’t do a good job of indicating important information the player needs, and the individual elements themselves are not very satisfying. The result is a frustrating game that’s not worth playing.
Sentry	2-Stick Shooter	D+
tl;dr Sentry is a 2-Stick Shooter that combines bland and uninventive game design with stingy hit detection and overheating mechanics, making for a really joyless entry in the genre. You have plenty of better options than this on the Nintendo Switch.
Sweet Witches	2-Stick Shooter	D+
tl;dr Swarmriders is a Two-Stick Shooter where you’re fending off a horde of enemies and trying to survive as long as possible. This game is simple, repetitive, and boring, and the only positive note I have on it is that the music backing the action is damn good. However, that’s not enough to justify buying this game.
Atomic Heist	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	D
tl;dr Atomic Heist is a 2-Stick Shooter with unimpressive visuals and punishing gameplay that requires players to conserve their ammo but also not take too long in the game’s levels. The result is a distinct lack of fun in a genre the Nintendo Switch has in ready supply – get another better game instead.
Contra: Rogue Corps	2-Stick Shooter	D
tl;dr Contra: Rogue Corps is a 3D Action game with 2-Stick Shooter mechanics that doesn’t really play much like the other games in the Contra series, and has some severe, glaring flaws. That said, it’s not completely unenjoyable, and it doesn’t really earn its reputation as one of the worst games of 2019… but it’s not a good game, by any stretch.
Gravity Light	Action-Platformer / 2-Stick Shooter	D
tl;dr Gravity Light is an Action-Platformer and 2-Stick Shooter that has players getting through levels as a square with a gun. This game doesn’t do anything interesting enough to warrant a purchase, and what it does do is poorly-made and not worth your time.
Mech Rage	2-Stick Shooter	D
tl;dr Mech Rage is a game that starts out as a mediocre 2-Stick Shooter and just gets worse from there, with a constant barrage of cringe-inducing text dialogue, constant nasty load times, and absurdly tedious bullet sponge enemies. There is absolutely nothing here worth putting up with all that garbage, do not buy this.
No More Snow	2-Stick Shooter	D
tl;dr No More Snow is a 2-Stick Shooter where players take the role of Santa Claus blasting away evil snowmen with various guns. Even if you’re amused at that concept, you won’t want to play this terrible mess of a game with boring gameplay, broken controls, and shoddy hit detection.
Tank Battle Heroes	2-Stick Shooter	D
tl;dr Tank Battle Heroes is a bad port of a mediocre 2-Stick Shooter. It’s buggy, with frustrating navigation issues in game menus, balancing issues in online multiplayer, and the core gameplay just isn’t very compelling. You have countless better options for 2-Stick Shooters on Nintendo Switch, get one of those instead.
Thoth	2-Stick Shooter	D
tl;dr Thoth is a 2-Stick Shooter with a minimalist look and minimalist gameplay, and unfortunately here that “minimalism” translates into “boring”, with “tedious” and “frustrating” thrown in as well. Don’t bother.
Unalive 010	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	D
tl;dr Unalive 010 is a 2-Stick Shooter and Roguelike where players take the role of a survivor of a research laboratory accident who must shoot your way out through randomly-generated rooms filled with monsters. This game is dreadfully ugly, monotonous, has bad hit detection, issues with its non-tutorial tutorial, and it is simply not fun to fire your slow, boring gun in this game. You have countless better options for this sort of game on Nintendo Switch, play one of those games instead.
Zombie Scrapper	2-Stick Shooter	D
tl;dr Zombie Scrapper is a 2-Stick Shooter where players fight zombies. The gameplay here is slow, dull, and monotonous, the presentation is ugly, and the progression moves at a glacial pace. Don’t bother with this game.
Blastful	2-Stick Shooter	D-
tl;dr Blastful is a 2-Stick Shooter with some Shmup mechanics, but it’s a completely uninspired entry in the genre that does nothing noteworthy and quite a few things to make playing it a tedious, frustrating slog. This game is not worth your time or money.
Survive Undead Rush	Arcade / 2-Stick Shooter	D-
tl;dr Survive Undead Rush is an Arcade-style game with 2-Stick Shooter elements where you fight off hordes of zombies. It’s boring, dull, and repetitive, with pretty much nothing interesting going on here. Skip it.
OS Omega	2-Stick Shooter / Roguelike	F
tl;dr OS Omega is a 2-Stick Shooter with Roguelike elements that has you playing an anthropomorphized computer program fighting other programs and microchips… or something. This game looks terrible, sounds terrible, controls terrible, and in so many ways just feels like a broken and incomplete experience. Do not buy it.
Ubermosh:Omega	2-Stick Shooter	F
tl;dr Ubermosh:Omega is a 2-Stick Shooter that has so much junk going on on-screen that it becomes nearly impossible to parse, and attacks seem to cover such a wide area that things like “aiming” seem largely pointless. There are so many good games in this genre on the Nintendo Switch, please don’t buy this one.

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Space Shooter (Other)

Game	Genre	Grade
Galak-Z: The Void: Deluxe Edition	2D Space Shooter / Roguelike	B+
tl;dr Galak-Z is a 2D Space Shooter with Roguelike elements. The game’s protagonist is a twerp, and the difficult controls may not appeal to everyone, but those who work to learn those controls will find this is a deep and rewarding game with excellent gameplay.
Asteroids: Recharged	Arcade / 2D Space Shooter	B-
tl;dr Asteroids: Recharged is an Arcade-style 2D Space Shooter inspired by the Atari classic. This version improves the presentation, makes progression more fluid, and adds temporary power-ups, but otherwise leaves the original formula largely intact. The result is a game that’s a tad too repetitive for long play sessions, but that makes for a fun time-waster.
Blue Rider	Top-Down 2D Shooter	B-
tl;dr Blue Rider is something between a 2-Stick Shooter and a Top-Down 2D Space Shooter, and the unique controls make for some pretty fun gameplay, despite some frustrating physics and dumb enemy AI. Overall, I think the positives outweigh the negatives here, and if you’re looking for a somewhat original Action game, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in this one.
Don’t Die, Mr Robot! DX	Bullet Hell Shmup / Arcade	B-
tl;dr Don’t Die, Mr Robot! DX is an Arcade-Style Shmup where you’re dodging enemies and collecting pickups to set off explosions in your wake. Think Geometry Wars’ Pacifism mode. The presentation is horrendous, but the gameplay is strangely compelling and there are enough features here to keep fans of Shmups coming back.
Gravitar: Recharged	2D Space Shooter	C+
tl;dr Gravitar: Recharged is a 2D Space Shooter inspired by the classic Atari arcade game, and while it does update the gameplay a bit to be a bit more reasonable in its challenge, it’s still difficult enough that not everyone will enjoy it. However, for those who crave a challenge within this genre, this may be worth trying out.
Jet Lancer	2D Flight Combat Game	C+
tl;dr Jet Lancer is a 2D Flight Combat game that has you performing aerial maneuvers in a jet fighter in battles with enemy jets, as well as various other enemies. Flying around your jet in this game feels fantastic, but the limited size of the screen relative to how fast these aircraft fly gives players far too little time to react to what’s going on, making for an experience that alternates between joy and frustration.
Rogue Aces	2D Flight Combat Game	C+
tl;dr Rogue Aces is a 2D Flight Combat game with Roguelike elements that has players fighting off enemies and capturing bases using their plane. The game has some inventive mechanics and potentially fun physics, but it seems designed to frustrate players by making them die repeatedly not to enemies, but to the landscape. The result is a game that will only be enjoyed by those willing to really get used to this game’s physics… and even then, they’re still likely die a lot.
Cycle 28	2D Space Shooter / Roguelike	C
tl;dr Cycle 28 is a 2D Space Shooter that controls like Asteroids, but with a Roguelike game structure. There are some good ideas here and some classic arcade-style gameplay, but those good ideas aren’t well-utilized, and overall the game is too repetitive.
I.F.O	Arcade / 2D Space Shooter	C-
tl;dr I.F.O is an Arcade-style 2D Space Shooter designed to resemble a classic LCD-style game, and while the presentation here is adorable and the gameplay had potential to deliver a classic Arcadey style of action, this simple gameplay is burdened with frustrations that keep it from meeting that potential.
New Terra	2D Flight Simulator	D+
tl;dr New Terra is a 2D Flight Simulator game that’s somewhat similar to Lunar Lander, but it suffers from multiple issues, namely in its overly-difficult game design and overall unpolished state. This game has some elements like its visuals that are better than one would anticipate for a game of this scope, but this is ultimately just not a very fun game to play.
Zero Strain	2D Space Shooter	D+
tl;dr Zero Strain is a 2D Space Shooter that feels like it should’ve been a 2-stick shooter, but it isn’t one. Even beyond that frustration, the controls are terrible, the visuals make it hard to see the action, and the game actually punishes players for shooting too much. There are far too many other better games on the Nintendo Switch to bother with this one.

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