[[quoteright:239:[[VideoGame/{{Raiden}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/raiden4-shmups.jpg]]]]
->''"Sometime in the future, Earth will be menaced by hordes of alien spacecraft that fly in [[ArtificialStupidity predictable patterns]] and can be killed in {{one hit|PointWonder}}. The logical course of action will be to dispatch [[ItsUpToYou one brave hero]] in an [[SuperPrototype untested plane/tank/spaceship]] to take them all on [[WithThisHerring without help]]."''
-->-- '''Games Radar''', "101 things we've learned from games"

A classic staple of TheGoldenAgeOfVideoGames that has fallen out of favor in recent years. [[EverythingTryingToKillYou Everything is trying to kill you]], and you have [[BottomlessMagazines unlimited ammunition]] and a license to shoot first and ask questions later. Frequently, you're flying a spaceship or some other small craft, but other examples of the genre involve abstract shapes, people walking around with guns or bows and arrows, and so forth.

So popular were shoot 'em ups (and their close-combat cousin the BeatEmUp) that many computer games magazines of the mid-late 80s took to jokingly appending "'em up" to whatever genre of game they were reviewing -- [[PuzzleGame puzzle 'em ups]], [[PlatformGame platform 'em ups]], quiz 'em ups and so on.

The term ''shmup'' is an abbreviation of "shoot 'em up", but is typically used by the fans who coined it to refer specifically to fixed-scrolling shooters that are not three-dimensional. For instance, ''[[NineteenFortyTwo 1943]]'' would fit this description, whereas ''VideoGame/GeometryWars'' would not (it is free-scrolling according to player movement), and neither would ''AfterBurner'' (it scrolls into/out of the screen in 3D). This kind of restrictive use is, however, debated among shoot 'em up fans.

{{Power Up}}s typically increase the power and spread pattern of the primary weapon, which is usually fired continuously from the start of play until the end. Usually, a limited number of screen-clearing {{Smart Bomb}}s are included to get the player out of a jam in a hurry. Many later games end their levels with a giant BossBattle.

The actual shooting part can vary in complexity. It can be as simple as holding down the fire button and never letting go or it can be more complex either due to ship's low firepower (e.g. ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders'') , scoring systems required to watch what and when to shoot (e.g. ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun'') or other reasons.

The UrExample is quite possibly ''[[VideoGame/{{Spacewar}} Spacewar!]]'' (although it's more of a one-on-one shooter rather than a shoot 'em up), the TropeMaker is ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders,'' and the TropeCodifier is ''VideoGame/{{Galaga}}''.

Like a platform game, shoot 'em ups have become popular with amateur game developers for their relative ease of development. While very few professional examples of the genre have been developed recently -- for example ''[[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} Gradius V]]'', [[Creator/{{Treasure}} which wasn't developed by series creator]] {{Konami}}[[note]](although the company that worked on ''Gradius V'' was founded by former Konami employees)[[/note]].

Today, shoot 'em ups in general suffer from terminal ItsShortSoItSucks-itis from many critics. Worsening the decline is the redefinition of the term "shooter" -- no longer used to refer to shoot-em-ups, they now refer to the distantly-related FirstPersonShooter genre, or (merely) closer-related ThirdPersonShooter.

LifeInAGame spoofs them, specifically ''VideoGame/StarFox'', in [[http://www.lifeinagame.com/pages/episode42.html Episode 4-2]].

A SuperTrope to:
* BulletHell, characterized by very large numbers of slow-moving enemy projectiles, or fast moving on the hardest parts.
* CuteEmUp cute and silly graphics and sound, although the action and difficulty are no less intense.

A SisterTrope to FirstPersonShooter, ThirdPersonShooter.

Not to be confused with the movie ''Film/ShootEmUp''.
----
!!Examples of this genre includes:
[[index]]
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Spacewar! derivatives: ]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Asteroids}}'' and sequel ''Asteroids Deluxe''
* ''VideoGame/BeatHazard'' (a twin-stick shooter that raves out to your music)
* ''BubbleTanks''
* ''Computer Space''
* ''Gravitar''
* ''Omega Race''
* ''VideoGame/SolarJetman''
* ''VideoGame/SpaceDuel''
* ''VideoGame/{{Spacewar}}'' (the Ur Example of this genre)
* ''VideoGame/SpheresOfChaos''
* ''Star Castle''
* ''VideoGame/StarControl''
** '' Star Control II'' (aka ''The Ur-Quan Masters'')
** ''VideoGame/SpacePiratesAndZombies''
* ''X Pilot''
* ''VideoGame/YarsRevenge''

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Defender derivatives: ]]

* ''Choplifter''
* ''Chopper Command''
* ''VideoGame/{{Defender}}'' and its sequel, ''Stargate'' (no, ''not'' the TV series)
* ''VideoGame/FantasyZone''
* ''Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' (Atari 2600)
* ''Uridium''

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Space Invaders derivatives: ]]

* ''A.E.''
* ''VideoGame/{{Centipede}}''
** ''VideoGame/{{Millipede}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Galaga}}'' (the Trope Codifier)
* ''VideoGame/{{Galaxian}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Gorf}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Gyruss}}'' (also an "into-the-screen" shooter)
* ''Juno First''
* ''King & Balloon''
* ''Megamania''
* ''Phoenix'' and sequel ''Pleiads''
* ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders'' (the Trope Maker)
* ''VideoGame/SuperCrossfire''
* ''Titanion''
* ''Wave 15'' (aka ''Astro'')

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Overhead run-and-gun shooters: ]]

* ''VideoGame/AlienSyndrome''
* ''VideoGame/{{Catacomb}}''
* ''Commando'' and its sequel, ''Mercs''
* ''Front Line''
* ''VideoGame/GatlingGears''
* ''VideoGame/GuerrillaWar''
* ''VideoGame/HeavyBarrel''
* ''VideoGame/IkariWarriors''
* ''VideoGame/{{Jackal}}''
* ''VideoGame/LastAlert''

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Other shooters with two degrees of freedom: ]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Air-Sea Battle}}'' (one of the Atari 2600 launch games)
* ''VideoGame/AlienBreed''
* ''VideoGame/AlienShooter''
* ''AquaNavalWarfare''
* ''VideoGame/ASPAirStrikePatrol'' (also known as ''DesertFighter'')
* ''VideoGame/{{Berzerk}}'' and its sequel, ''Frenzy''
* ''VideoGame/BigBangMini''
* ''VideoGame/{{Bosconian}}''
* ''VideoGame/CleanAsia''
* ''VideoGame/{{Cobra}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Cobra 2}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Combat}}''
* ''VideoGame/CrystalQuest'' and its sequel, ''Crystal Crazy''
* ''DeadNation''
* ''VideoGame/DesertStrike''
* ''VideoGame/ErstKerf'' (an over-head doujin shooter with RPG Elements)
* ''VideoGame/FireFight''
* ''VideoGame/FranticFrigates''
* ''Final Apocalypse'' (by the creators of ''The Tale of ALLTYNEX'' series)
* ''VideoGame/{{Fraxy}} (notable for its editor)''
* ''VideoGame/GeometryWars''
* ''Granada''
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Xevious}} Grobda]]''
* ''VideoGame/GunBros''
* ''Gunroar''
* ''IMadeAGameWithZombiesInIt'' (by the creators that later brought us ''The Dishwasher'' series of beat 'em ups)
* ''VideoGame/NanoAssault''
* ''NationRed''
* ''Project Starfighter''
* ''Raid on Bungeling Bay''
* ''RealSpace''
* ''VideoGame/RenegadeOps''
* ''VideoGame/{{Robotron 2084}}''
** ''Llamatron: 2112''
* ''VideoGame/{{Scoregasm}}''
* ''SeekAndDestroy''
* ''VideoGame/{{Shadowgrounds}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Sinistar}}''
* ''VideoGame/SmashTV''
* ''Franchise/StarTrek'' (the arcade game, not the computer strategy game)
* ''VideoGame/SuperStardustHD''
* ''Tank''
* ''VideoGame/{{Teleglitch}}''
* ''VideoGame/TimePilot'' and its sequel ''Time Pilot '84''
* ''Total Carnage'' (it uses auto-scrolling)
* ''VectorVendetta''
* ''Waves''
* ''Zone 66''

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Horizontal Scrolling Shooters: ]]

* ''VideoGame/AegisWing''
* ''VideoGame/AkaiKatana''
* ''VideoGame/AirZonk'' and it's sequel
* ''VideoGame/{{Apidya}}''
* ''VideoGame/AirFortress'' (half of it)
* ''{{Area 88}}'' (based on an anime/manga series; the game was renamed U.N. Squadron in the US.)
* ''VideoGame/{{Bio-Hazard Battle}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{BIOMETAL}}'' (notable for its US version's soundtrack being 2 Unlimited techno music)
* ''VideoGame/BioShipPaladin''
* ''Blast Works'' [=/=] ''TUMIKI Fighters''
* ''VideoGame/BlazingStar''
* ''BorderDown''
* ''[[VideoGame/ThreeWonders Chariot: Adventures Through the Sky]]''
* ''VideoGame/ChimeraBeast (unreleased)''
* ''VideoGame/ChoAniki''
* ''[[VideoGame/FantasticNightDreamsCotton Cotton]]'' and its sequels
* ''VideoGame/{{Darius}}''
* ''VideoGame/DeathSmiles'' and its sequel
* ''VideoGame/{{Einhander}}'' (an unexpected example from Square-Enix, formally Square-soft before the merger)
* ''VideoGame/EliminateDown''
* ''VideoGame/ForgottenWorlds''
* ''VideoGame/{{Gaiares}}''
* ''Gate of Thunder''
* ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}''
** VideoGame/{{Parodius}} (simply put: Parody-Gradius)
*** VideoGame/{{Otomedius}} (a fanservice-laden combination of ''Gradius'' and ''Parodius'')
* ''Gundemonium'', it's modernized remake ''Gundemonium Recollection'', and sequel ''Gundeadligne'' from the ''VideoGame/GundemoniumSeries''
* ''VideoGame/HeavyWeapon''
* ''Hellfire''
* ''VideoGame/{{Hydorah}}''
* ''VideoGame/InTheHunt''
* ''{{Iwanaga}}''
* ''[[JetsNGuns Jets'n'Guns]]''
* ''VideoGame/KeioFlyingSquadron'' (the first game; its sequel is mainly a platformer with a few shoot 'em up segments)
* ''Lords of Thunder''
* ''VideoGame/MagicalChase''
* ''VideoGame/MetalBlack''
* ''Parsec''
* ''VideoGame/{{Phalanx}}''
* ''PrehistoricIsle''
* ''VideoGame/{{Progear}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Pulstar}}''
* ''Revenge Of The Mutant Camels''
* ''Revolver360'' and its sequel ''Revolver360 RE:ACTOR''
* ''RobotDinosaursThatShootBeamsWhenTheyRoar''
* ''RPGShooterStarwish''
* ''VideoGame/{{R-Type}}''
* ''VideoGame/SamuraiZombieNation''
* ''VideoGame/{{SATAZIUS}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Scramble}}'' and ''Super Cobra''
* ''Silkworm''
* ''VideoGame/SkyGunner''
* ''Sol-Feace''
* ''SoldnerX''
* ''Space Manbow''
* ''VideoGame/{{Stargunner}}''
* ''VideoGame/SteelEmpire''
* ''SteelSaviour''
* ''SubmarineAttack''
* ''VideoGame/{{SUGURI}}''
** ''VideoGame/{{sora}}''
* ''VideoGame/SuperAmazingWagonAdventure'' (a parody of ''The Organ Trail'')
* ''VideoGame/ThunderCross'' and ''Thunder Cross II''
* ''VideoGame/ThunderForce'' (''I'' and ''II'' include top down multi-direction levels)
* ''VideoGame/TroubleWitches'' (more-or-less, the doujin successor of ''Magical Chase'')
* ''VacantArk''
* ''VideoGame/{{Vanguard}}'' (which also had some vertical and diagonal scrolling)
* ''VideoGame/{{Walker}}''
* ''VideoGame/WastelandAngel''
* ''VideoGame/ZeroWing''

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Vertical Scrolling Shooters: ]]

* ''VideoGame/NineteenFortyTwo'' series
* ''AeroFighters'' / ''SonicWings'' series
* ''Air Duel''
** ''[[VideoGame/FireBarrel Air Assault]]'' (a.k.a. ''Fire Barrel'')
* ''VideoGame/{{Aleste}}'' / ''Power Strike'' series
** [[VideoGame/{{MUSHA}} M.U.S.H.A.]]
** ''VideoGame/SuperAleste'' (a.k.a. ''Space Megaforce'')
* ''Area Flat'' series
* ''ArmedPoliceBatrider''
* ''Astro Assembler''
* ''Astro Blaster''
* ''BattleGaregga'' and its sequel ''Battle Bakraid''
* ''VideoGame/BattleSquadron''
* ''VideoGame/BlazingLazers''
* ''Blue Wish'' and [[BlueWishResurrection its remake]]
* ''VideoGame/BurnTheTrash''
* ''TheChasteFullmetalMaidenLeiria'' and its remake (both of which are freeware)
* ''Cho Ren Sha 68k''
* ''VideoGame/CrimzonClover''
* ''VideoGame/DangunFeveron''
* ''Demon Star''
* ''VideoGame/{{Dogyuun}}''
* ''VideoGame/DonPachi'' and ''[=DoDonPachi=]'' series
* ''Dragon Spirit''
* ''{{Enigmata}}'' and its sequel
* ''[[VideoGame/EspRaDe ESP Ra.De.]]''
** ''VideoGame/{{Espgaluda}}'' and its sequel
* ''[[VideoGame/{{EXceed}} eXceed]]'' series:
** ''[=eXceed=]-Gun Bullet Children-'' (a straight-forward shooter)
** ''[=eXceed2nd=]-VAMPIRE-'' and its remake by Tennan-Sozai (an ''Ikaruga''-styled shooter)
** ''[=eXceed3rd=]-JADE PENETRATE-'' and its remake by Tennan-Sozai
* ''Fighter & Attacker'' (''F/A'' in Japan; generic 1992 Namco shooter better known for its God Tier soundtrack)
* ''Flying Shark'' and its sequel ''VideoGame/FireShark''
* ''VideoGame/GigaWing''
* ''VideoGame/TheGuardianLegend''
* ''Hitogata Happa'' from the ''VideoGame/GundemoniumSeries''
* ''VideoGame/GunNac''
* ''Gun.Smoke''
* ''VideoGame/{{Guwange}}''
* ''Guxt''
* ''VideoGame/{{Hellsinker}}''
* ''VideoGame/HighwayHunter''
* ''HiNoTori'' (the MSX game)
* ''VideoGame/{{Ibara}}''
* [[VideoGame/{{Ikaruga}} Ika]][[DarthWiki/{{Ikaruga}} ruga]] (''Radiant Silvergun''[='=]s spiritual successor)
* ''Image Fight''
* ''VideoGame/JamestownLegendOfTheLostColony''
* ''VideoGame/JudgementSilversword''
** ''VideoGame/{{Eschatos}}'', the sequel to JSS
* ''VideoGame/{{Ketsui}}''
* ''VideoGame/KingsKnight''
* ''Kiloblaster''
* ''Knightmare''
* ''VideoGame/LegendaryWings''
* ''VideoGame/LethalThunder'' (also known as ''Thunder Blaster'')
* ''MahouDaisakusen'' series (''Sorcer Striker'', ''Kingdom Grandprix'', ''Dimahoo'')
* ''VideoGame/MarsMatrix''
* ''VideoGame/{{Minubeat}}''
* ''[[VideoGame/MuchiMuchiPork Muchi-Muchi Pork]]''
* ''VideoGame/{{Mushihimesama}}'' and its sequel
* ''Night Raid''
* ''Noiz2sa''
* ''Parsec47''
* ''Psyvariar''
* ''PrismaticSolid''
* ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun''
* ''VideoGame/{{Raiden}}''
** ''VideoGame/RaidenFighters''
* ''[[VideoGame/RaptorCallOfTheShadows Raptor: Call of the Shadows]]''
* VideoGame/RaySeries
** ''[=RayForce=]''
*** ''R-GEAR'' (an unreleased sequel to ''[=RayForce=]'')
** ''[=RayStorm=]''
** ''[=RayCrisis=]''
* ''VideoGame/{{Recca}}'' (Summer Carnival '92)
* ''VideoGame/RiverRaid''
* ''rRootage''
* ''VideoGame/{{Seihou}}''
* ''VideoGame/ShikigamiNoShiro'' (a.k.a. ''Castle of Shikigami'')
* ''Silpheed series''
* ''VideoGame/{{Soukyugurentai}}'' (a.k.a. ''Terradiver'')
* ''Spy Hunter''
* ''Star Force''
* ''VideoGame/StarSoldier series''
* ''StraniaTheStellaMachina''
* ''{{Strikers 1945}}''
* ''SWIV''
** ''Mega SWIV'' (a.k.a ''Firepower 2000'')
* ''VideoGame/TheTaleOfAlltynex'' series:
** ''VideoGame/{{Kamui}}'' (1999)
** ''VideoGame/RefleX'' (2008)
** ''VideoGame/AlltynexSecond'' (2010)
* ''VideoGame/TigerHeli''
* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' series
* ''VideoGame/TriggerheartExelica''
* ''TWAIN'' series
** ''[[TwilightInsanity TWilight INSanity]]''
** ''[[TwilightRefrain TWilight refrAIN]]''
** ''AlternateSphere''
* ''VideoGame/{{Twinbee}}'' series (''Moero!! Twinbee'' / ''Stinger'' has horizontal scrolling in alternate stages)
* ''VideoGame/TwinCobra'' and its sequel
* ''VideoGame/TwinkleStarSprites''
* ''VideoGame/{{Tyrian}}''
* ''Under Defeat''
* ''VideoGame/UpgradeComplete''
* ''VisualNovel/{{Valhellio}}'' (also a visual novel)
* ''VideoGame/{{Xevious}}''
* ''{{XOP}}'' and ''XOP Black''
* ''{{Zanac}}''

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Other scrolling shooters: ]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Abadox}}'' (scrolled horizontally and vertically on alternate stages)
* ''A-Jax'' (alternates vertical scrolling and 3d scrolling stages)
* ''VideoGame/{{Axelay}}'' (scrolled horizontally and vertically on alternate stages)
* ''Burai Fighter'' (scrolled both horizontally and vertically, with no fixed orientation)
* ''VideoGame/EtherVapor'' (scrolled horizontally and vertically on alternate stages)
** SpiritualSuccessor ''Astebreed'' (scrolling in many different directions and swithces often)
* ''Salamander'' / ''Life Force'' (spinoff of the ''Gradius'' series; scrolled horizontally and vertically on alternate stages)
* ''VideoGame/SilverSurfer'' (scrolled horizontally and vertically on alternate stages)
* ''Starship Hector'' (spinoff of the VideoGame/StarSoldier series; scrolled horizontally and vertically on alternate stages)
* ''Thunder Blade'' (scrolled vertically and into-the-screen on alternate stages)
* ''Viewpoint'' (scrolled diagonally and had isometric graphics)
* ''VideoGame/WarningForever'' (vertical boss-rush variant with ever evolving boss encounters)
* ''VideoGame/{{Zaxxon}}'' (scrolled diagonally in isometric projection)

[[/folder]]

[[folder: "Into-the-Screen" Shooters: ]]

* ''VideoGame/AfterBurner''
* ''VideoGame/BuckRogersPlanetOfZoom''
* ''Feedback''
* ''[[VideoGame/GIJoe G.I.Joe]]''
* ''VideoGame/{{Gyruss}}'' (also a Space Invaders derivative)
* ''Mission Starlight''
* ''VideoGame/NightStriker''
* ''Iridion/Nanostray series''
* ''VideoGame/LiberationMaiden''
* ''[[VideoGame/FantasticNightDreamsCotton Panorama Cotton]]''
* ''VideoGame/PanzerDragoon''
** ''VideoGame/CrimsonDragon''
* ''{{Polybius}}''
* ''VideoGame/{{Rez}}''
* ''VideoGame/SpaceHarrier'' and its sequels
* ''VideoGame/StarFox'' ([[GenreShift with the exception of]] ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'' and ''VideoGame/StarFox2''[[hottip:*:the first being a DolledUpInstallment and the latter instead relying on {{Old School Dogfight}}ing]])
** ''[[VideoGame/StarFox1 Star Fox]]''
** ''VideoGame/StarFox64''
** ''VideoGame/StarFoxAssault''
** ''VideoGame/StarFoxCommand''
* ''Franchise/StarWars''
* ''Tailgunner''
* ''VideoGame/{{Tempest}}'' (stylized craft at the top of a well)
** ''Tempest 2000''
* ''Torus Trooper''

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Miscellaneous shooters: ]]

* ''VideoGame/AquaRhapsody''
* ''VideoGame/BloonsSuperMonkey''
* ''Change Air Blade'' (cross between a fighting game and a shmup, but both players are on one screen)
* ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity'' series (wide-open sandbox RPG with ''Asteroids''-like combat)
** ''{{Colosseum}}''
** ''GameMod/{{Polycon}}''
** ''VideoGame/{{Naev}}'', a SpiritualSuccessor.
* ''VideoGame/ForbiddenForest''
* ''{{Gauntlet}}'' (a mix of shooter and adventure game)
* ''Liberator'' (''VideoGame/MissileCommand'' in reverse)
* ''VideoGame/MissileCommand'' (defending immobile targets with your immobile yourself)
* ''Red Baron'' (early attempt at 3D fighter combat)
* ''The Red Star'' (mix of shooter and beat 'em up)
* ''Philosoma'', an obscure [=PlayStation=] shooting game known for its shift in perspectives (top-down, side-scrolling, into-the-screen, ''bottom-up'', and diagonal).
* ''VideoGame/SenkoNoRonde'' (a mix of bullet hell shoot 'em up and a ''Virtual-ON''-esque fighting game)
* ''SpaceZap'' (defending a fixed fortification)
* ''VideoGame/SigmaStarSaga'' (an RPG with the battle system being ShootEmUp segments.)
* ''VideoGame/SinAndPunishment'' (ground-based rail shooter with some platforming elements)
** ''VideoGame/SinAndPunishmentStarSuccessor'' (removed the platforming elements and added flight, making it even more shmup-like)
* ''VideoGame/StarRaiders'' (early mix of shoot 'em up and a real-time strategy)
* ''VideoGame/{{Thexder}}'' and ''Fire Hawk: Thexder the Second Contact'' (cross between shooting and exploring)
* ''{{Film/Tron}}'' (four separate minigames, three of which involved shooting)
* ''Wizard of Wor'' (a maze shooter)
* ''Valkyrie Sky'' (an MMO shooter)
* ''{{Venture}}'' (maze shooter with an adventure game theme)
[[/index]]
-----