In this first episode of Bullet Heaven, we take a look at 1943 for the NES.
Episode 2 of Bullet Heaven brings the Voice-Over pain and eases it with decent gameplay in Castle Shikigami 2 for the PlayStation 2.
In this episode of Bullet Heaven, I take a look at Side Arms for the TurboGrafx 16. As the most prominent home release of the arcade classic, how does it hold up?
In this episode of Bullet Heaven, I take a look at the cult-acclaimed, tough-as-nails Battle Garegga for the Japanese Sega Saturn. Pricy? Very. Worth it? Watch to find out.
In this episode of Bullet Heaven, I take a look at what many believe to be the earliest example of a "Bullet Hell" shoot 'em up - Batsugun for the Japanese Sega Saturn.
You've probably never played a game this challenging! Still talked about with hushed tones the world over, this game is a relentless beast; In Episode 6 of Bullet Heaven, we take a look at the legendary DoDonPachi for the Japanese Sega Saturn.
This game has been one of the biggest surprises I've yet encountered for Bullet Heaven to date. How good is Iridion II? Watch to find out!
The Sega CD has always had a reputation for having a library mostly comprised of sub-par titles. Does Sol-Feace for the Sega CD break the mediocre mold?
The Center for Shmup-Related Injuries is here for YOU. Thunder Force comes to the SNES! Is it a welcome addition, or a culture clash too good to be true? Watch to find out.
In 1998, two shoot-em-ups representing the side-scrolling and top-down variety set an impossibly high bar and a shining gold standard that has been maintained for over a decade. Part 1 of Bullet Heaven, Episode 10 examines the PlayStation's Einhander, released in North America by Squaresoft.
In 1998, two shoot-em-ups representing the side-scrolling and top-down variety set an impossibly high bar and a shining gold standard that has been maintained for over a decade. Part 2 of Bullet Heaven, Episode 10 examines the Saturn's Radiant Silvergun, released in Japan by ESP and Treasure.
Viewer Request #1 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event. Requester redacted. In Bullet Heaven Episode 11, we take a look at Axelay, one of the early SNES shooters with a stunnng visual presentation. But is it all just smoke and mirrors? Watch to find out.
Viewer Request #2 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event comes from GeorgieBoysAXE, co-creator and co-host of the Press Pause Radio podcast on iTunes, Zune and http://PressPauseRadio.com! In Bullet Heaven Episode 12, we take a look at Gate of Thunder... But haven't I seen this game before? Watch to find out why!
Viewer Request #3 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event comes from PlayingWithPixelsNC, a denizen of 1up.com! In Bullet Heaven Episode 13, we take a look at Gaiares on the Sega Genesis! It talks the talk, but can it walk the walk? ...IN SPACE?!
Viewer Request #4 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event comes from Lakalt, a good friend of the show and fellow member of 1up.com! In Bullet Heaven Episode 14, we take a look at Konami's classic NES Gradius-style blaster, Life Force.
Viewer Request #5 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event comes from Naked BoB, a good friend of the show and fellow member of 1up.com! In Bullet Heaven Episode 15, we take a look at Konami's innuendo-charged Gradius parody Sexy Parodius! It this game's beauty only skin-deep? Watch to find out.
Viewer Request #6 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event comes from Dioxel-GunArson, a fellow denizen of 1up.com! In Bullet Heaven Episode 16, we take a look at Thunder Force V: Perfect System on the PlayStation. Thunder Force III and IV on Genesis are dandy... so how about 5?
Viewer Request #7 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event comes from DJSwank who, like me, is a member of 1up.com! In Bullet Heaven Episode 17, we take a look at Space Megaforce (a.k.a Super Aleste) on the Super NES. How does this rare SNES cart stack up? Watch to find out!
Viewer Request #8 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event comes from BigMex, the legendary maestro behind the 1up Homecoming of 2009! In Bullet Heaven Episode 18, we take a look at Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie on the Super Famicom. This game's reputation is as super-dimensional as Macross itself... but does it live up to the hype?
Viewer Request #9 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event comes from 8Bit_Mike, a very good friend of the show!! In Bullet Heaven Episode 19, we take a look at the somewhat obscure Vapor Trail for the Sega Genesis. Just how does this rather faithful Arcade-to-Home conversion hold up?
Viewer Request #10 of the Bullet Heaven Ten-For-Ten Event comes from Yen24, a very good friend of the show!! In Bullet Heaven Episode 20, we take a look at the XBLA's Triggerheart Exelica on the Xbox 360. Is it worth the 800 MS Spacebucks? Watch to find out.
Remember those old pirated NES Multicarts? Chances are, if you had a 51-in-1 or higher, you played the original Twinbee. On a nostagia trip, I recently picked up an original Famicom copy. How does it hold up? Watch to find out!
If it's good, why shouldn't an indie game get cred? In this episode of Bullet Heaven, I take a look at Shoot 1up from the Xbox 360's XNA catalog. Being made by just one man and with a price that's $1-affordable, just how does this independently-produced game stack up?
Bullet Heaven Series 12 is blasting off with what could be the heaviest hitting shmup on the Playstation 2! But how does it stack up? Get ready for our rare Review of Cave's Ibara!
You'd never know it, but we've wanted to play Ginga Force for a very long time. A lot of things got in the way, though. But now, Rising Star Games has made Qute's 2013 follow-up to Eschatos very widely - and affordably - available. So was it worth the wait? Let's see how it stacks up!
Episode 104 showed us that Crimzon Clover was a game worthy of its legendary status, a Doujin with as much clout as Cave. But it gets even better. Crimzon Clover World EXplosion has been unleashed on the Switch. With its amazing new modes in tow, how does it stack up?
Porting a game from mobile to console is always risky. Pacific Wings showed us how dicey it can get. Guns of Mercy Rangers Edition makes a solid attempt at making the "Pay-to-Win" freemium model workable on Nintendo Switch... but how does it stack up?
One game we've been meaning to review on Bullet Heaven is CAVE's Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi. This is evidenced from the three copies of the game we have somehow obtained. And yet, years later, nothing. Well, that's all changing, now that it's available in North America on the PSN store. So what do we think of this game? Is there a reason we have three different versions? Let's take a closer look.
Discover what it REALLY feels like to be a Cyber Penguin with Realistic Cyber Penguin simulation Technology... in our review of Super Psy Penguin from Shockizm Interactive.
In much the same way as Cuphead was an interactive Fleischer-style cartoon, Wide Right Interactive's Freedom Finger does the same for scrolling shmups, only this time with a distinct - and vulgar - Adult Swim-style flavour. Let's get cozy with that demonetization alert.
It's probably the rarest NES game we own, and we got it ten years ago to review on Bullet Heaven... but never got around to it. Gun-Nac is another compile shmup that has a decent amount of hype surrounding it... but how does it reall stack up?
We took a look at Darius Cozmic Collection in episode and while it was a great, mostly comprehensive collection, it was missing a few titles. Cozmic Revelation is exactly why, but we've already taken a look at most of what it offers. The Switch version, however, holds something rather interesting...
Part-time DJ and full-time invader/emperor Zangorax is coming for earth and it's time for Historical-Fictionally Heroic Nikola Tesla to repel this deadly (yet groovin') menace. The results? Watch to find out. Let's see how Teslapunk stacks up.
Caravan Shooters are pretty fun. Naturally, so is Raging Blasters. Our review.
Qute's newest STG, Natsuki Chronicles, is finally available for the PlayStation 4 and PC! This Ginga Force "B-Side" tells the story of Natsuki, in a parallel plotline to Alex and Margeret's story complete with a brand new literal perspective... but how does it stack up?
Combining twinstick bullet-hell shooting with an adventure-style exploration and light Metroidvania might seem like an unlikely combination, but Glass Revolver's Itta seems to do it rather well. We check out the physical Super Rare Games release of this indie hybrid. But how does it stack up?
It's time to dig into the first Dreamcast title of 2021, and the first shooter to employ a 3D graphics engine: Retrosumus' Xenocider gets its chance to shine! But how does it stack up?
New Game Boy shmups in 2019 are all well and good, but bullet hell ones that play buttery smooth at a very, very competitive price? Dangan GB might be the game for you. Our review.
It took a bit of effort on the shmup community's part, but Razion EX is finally being made available on the Nintendo eShop. It has a ton of mystique, thanks to its very limited and sought-after release, but now anyone at all can download and play it for themselves! Our review.
It has 7 modes, so you know it's gonna be a long-haul episode! It's also the second major CAVE release from Live Wire inc., but perhaps the most important of them: Espgaluda II is finally here for the Nintendo Switch! With 7 modes, there's aton fo game to play, but how does it stack up?
It's the biggest collection of Space Invaders games ever released, and we've got the 411 on its excellent collector's edition; Space Invaders Invincible Collection is here from Strictly Limited Games! This particular Collector's Edition will get you the best bang for your buck, but what about the game itself? Let's take a closerr look!
We've played a lot of Darius in the last couple of years but it's not over yet; Inin Games is back with yet another updated Darius release and this time, it's one of the series' best. G-Darius HD is up next on Bullet Heaven.
it has been almost 10 years since we last produced an Indie-3 episode, and with the sheer number of shooters coming out these days, it's time we brought it on back! Here are three new indies on Steam for your consideration. Welcome Back to Indie-3.
It's a legendary Mega Drive shooter with a very, VERY steep buy-in, if you're into legit carts. But now, thanks to Ratalaika Games, Advanced Busterhawk Gleylancer is now available for a very attractive $8. How does this classic blaster stack up?
Iconic for the time of its release, it's no surprise that Panzer Dragoon would receive a complete overhaul. But what is Panzer Dragoon all about? And how does its remake fare? Old meets new in this episode of Bullet Heaven.
Another Game Boy shooter draws near, released in October 2021. Dangan GB was great... so how does Genesis fare at over twice the physical price?
SCAT. The Special Cybernatic Attack Team. Also, an acronym that makes up a term synonymous with poop. Originally released as the much more appealing "Final Mission" in Japan, Limited Run's recent re-release had us really wanting to see what it was all about, and whether it was indeed not as poopy as its localized title vaguely suggested. 'Twasn't. But then...
Cotton 100%? Neat, we've wanted to cover that. Panorama Cotton though? Has someone been listening? Let's dive into this fine Cotton Blend to see what's up... and if things hold up.
It was a toy-pusher meant to succeed Transformers in Japan: The Yuusha - or Brave - Series would have all kinds of Video Game representation and wouldn't you know it, Irem would end up creating a shooting game for the Famicom and Game Boy based on Yuusha's second installment... but, how does it stack up?
All-new NES games make us feel all kinds of ways, and some truly great stuff is hitting the scene by way of 1st Press Games. So how about a great Retro Fixed-Screen Run-N-Gunner that adheres to all the same rules original Famicom games did? Our Blazing Rangers Review.
We took a look at Darius Cozmic Collection in episode and while it was a great, mostly comprehensive collection, it was missing a few titles. Cozmic Revelation is exactly why, but we've already taken a look at most of what it offers. The Switch version, however, holds something rather interesting...
Our picks for the top-10 shooting games of 2021, with a cavalcade of EX Awards. GET READY.
In a Bullet Heaven first, "Cresta: The Complete Series Review" dives into an entire game series in one monster episode. With the all-new Sol Cresta finally seeing release, we take a look at the games that led to its creation with the best, worst and everything in between before examining Sol Cresta in detail. We hope you enjoy this special production.
Sequels released 30 years down the line seem to be happening more often than not these days, with the unlikely Andro Dunos being the latest to see a series expansion from Developer Picorinne Soft and publisher Pixelheart. How does it stack up?
The somewhat underwhelming Space Moth DX preceded Star Hunter DX which ended up being the 2021 Shmup of the Year on Bullet Heaven. However, Space Moth Lunar Edition aims to improve DX in huge ways. How does it stack up to its original incarnation?
It's time to drop down the disco ball and boogie on into Cave's Dangun Feveron, part of the M2 Shot Triggers Line and released physically by Limited Run Games. How does this Saturday Night Fever Dream it stack up?
Surprise releases are always a neat thing, but surprise releases of stuff no one knew was coming? And it's a game that's pretty sweet on all fronts? Those are the best kinds, funny name or not. Get ready for our Drainus Review.
Another rather unexpected shooting game approaches, this time on Switch and PS5, and sporting a heavy game-boy inspired three little pigs theme. But does it stack up?
A Corgi flying a little biplane? Adorable. Packed with great AV talent, Horgihugh and Friends might be your next chill shmup. Our review.
13 years of reviews have come to a close. We hope you enjoy the mythic finale, featuring our most prized title: Choutetsu Brikinger for Neo-Geo CD.
I've wanted to make a video about this game for a while, so I figured it'd be the perfect place to pick things up again for the return of the world's longest running shooting game series of all time. Bullet Heaven returns with a look at Astro Ninja Man for the Famicom!
Every single week, Hamster's Arcade Archives drops a new release, and more likely than not, it's a shmup. On Sept. 7, 2023, Allumer and Tecmo's Zing Zing Zip got the ACA treatment, and a new ACA shooter always catches my attention... but does it hold up?
I almost didn't think this was one to cover, but when it became clear that Jail Break was a run-n-gunner, I knew we had to take a peek. I might have regretted it though.
It happens sometimes; some console conversions are a huge disappointment compared to their arcade counterparts. Raiden Trad on SNES is one. And Strike Gunner STG seems to be another... so how does its source material fare..?
Finest Hour talks a big game, so how does it really hold up? In this episode of Bullet Heaven, we're going to figure out if Namco's admittedly cool-looking Run-n-Gunner really fares!
Lightning Strikes Thrice, Thirce! I wasn't sure I needed another version of Raiden III, especially since the last Mikado release with Raiden IV felt a little underwhelming. Let's see what I think of the latest release in the Raiden pantheon!
Old Famicom games by Jaleco have a certain something that I'm sure hits different for different folks. Me? I dig them, despite thier rather... D-list status. Exerion is one such game, so to have a new Exrion game in 2023? Yeah buddy, I'm there!
October was a comparatively light month for ACA Shooting, but what we did end up getting was pretty neat. Let's see what the Arcade Archives had on tap for October, in this episode of Bullet Heaven. Jokes ahoy.
It's super weird that I never got into this game more earnestly when it was released on Xbox 360 as Trouble Witches Neo!, but that's OK, because Trouble Witches Final is the best version of this super approachable bullet hell shoot-em-up, and I've been dying to talk about it for a bit now. Let's get into it!
Yu Suzuki is back to form in the shooting space with an all new Space Harrier-alike that started as a phone game, but made its way to everything else. It's Air Twister, and it's like nothing you've ever heard before in a shooting game.
November's Arcade Archives Shooting games stretched over a period of 11 years when they were originally released, each with vastly different features and some with huge regional differences. Let's get into it in this episode of Bullet Heaven!
Having seen most of the DonPachi series on Bullet Heaven, DoDonPachi DaiOuJou was the clear missing missing link... but no more. The Java Port wasn't enough; now with the release of DoDonPachi DaiOuJou Re: Incarnation on Switch and PS4, we're looking at ALL of DaiOuJou, on this super special (and really expensive) episode of Bullet Heaven!
Tatsujin: the punishing Toaplan classic. Truxton: the Western incarnation made a modern legend. TRUXSUJIN: the ultimate feature for both, on everything!! Presented by Etrem on Bullet Heaven, only on Mudprints.