Back in 1990, Rainbow Arts released a well-liked shoot 'em up for Commodore 64, Amiga, and other computers called X-Out (pronounced "Crossout"). The game had an underwater theme, an R-Type-like visual style, and a robust in-game shop - but no co-op. That omission will finally be fixed in the upcoming remake, X-Out Resurfaced, from ININ Games, Ziggurat Interactive (which bought Rainbow Arts), and Kritzelkratz 3000. The new game will have 2-player local co-op, and it's coming to all platforms this winter.

Shoot 'em ups come in many shapes and sizes. One of those is Crystal Comet, an upcoming Steam-exclusive shooter from a new developer called Rewdan Sprites. This one will feature 4-player local co-op, AI teammates, a story mode with full voice acting, and a very indie art style. The freshly released demo shows off all these features and more.

In the early 1980s, it was not uncommon to find console games that were heavily inspired by arcade games of the time. One such game was Astrosmash for the Intellivision console. It combined gameplay elements from Space Invaders and Asteroids, and was apparently well-liked by Intellivision players. This year, BBG Entertainment, makers of Dynablaster...

The first Taito Milestones collection bundled 10 classic Taito arcade games in a low-frills package. One year later, Taito and ININ Games have returned with Taito Milestones 2. This installment once again bundles 10 Taito classics into one compilation, but the games lineup is slightly more modern and exciting this time around. We’re talking a...

Taito’s “Ray” series of vertically-scrolling shoot ‘em ups hasn’t seen nearly as many entries as their Darius series, but it retains a devoted following among fans of the genre. Comprised of RayForce, RayStorm, and RayCrisis, the Ray games are known for their lock-on mechanics that allow players to fire upon enemies in...

While Darius is Taito's number one shoot 'em up series, the "Ray'z" series is a close second. Made up of three vertically-scrolling arcade shmups released from 1994-1998, the Ray'z games still command a loyal following. Now PlayStation and Switch gamers can own the entire series (or just the two newest games) via two freshly-released collections: RayStorm X RayCrisis HD Collection and Ray'z Arcade Chronology. Both collections are similar, so we'll outline what each one contains.

Darius might be Taito's best-known series of shoot 'em ups, but the "Ray'z" series is popular too. Beginning with 1994's 2D RayForce (also known as Layer Section and Galactic Attack), the series went on to spawn two polygonal entries: RayStorm in 1996 and RayCrisis in 1998. Various iterations of these games will be included in a pair of upcoming collections for PlayStation and Switch from ININ Games: RayStorm X RayCrisis HD Collection and Ray'z Arcade Chronology. Both titles are due out on June 30.

Modern shoot 'em ups can often be dark and imposing, but not so for Dogfight: A Sausage Bomber Story from Katsu Entertainment and Hound Picked Games. Dogfight is colorful, a little bit silly, and more approachable than many shmups. Most impressively, it supports 4-player local co-op. We interviewed Anthony Marinello, Director of developmen...

Shoot 'em ups are always better in co-op, but most games in the genre only support 2-player local co-op. Not so for HEXAPODA, an upcoming shmup from TOMAGameStudio. This game, in which players pilot ships against an army of evil insects, supports 4-player local co-op. It's coming soon to consoles and PC, so get ready to blast some bugs!

The Cotton series of cute ‘em ups has always largely consisted of single-player games, starting with the 1991 arcade original and including the latest entry, Cotton Fantasy (AKA Cotton Rock/n/Roll). However, during a brief, shining period in the 1990s, two co-op entries came along. The first such game, Cotton 2: Magical Night Dreams was ...

A few months ago, Sega launched the Astro City Mini V in Japan. The Astro City Mini V is a miniature arcade cabinet with a vertical screen, so it excels at playing vertically-scrolling shoot 'em ups. 23 games are included on the unit, including several co-op shmups like Raiden, Out Zone, Gunbird, and more. Classic gaming fans no longer have to import the Astro City Mini V from Japan, as Limited Run is now offering the unit and accessories for preorder!

Alien invaders called the Deathrix attack Earth and cause a huge flood. The only way to fight back is to hop into battleships and hit the sea in Afterwave: Downfall, the upcoming post-apocalyptic shoot 'em up from 7 Raven Studios. The game features a unique angled viewpoint and playable ships moving across the swollen ocean, not to mention 2-pl...