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Nuclear Throne
Though it’s pretty clear in places that Nuclear Throne has aged a bit since its original release, its unapologetic degre...
Assault Android Cactus+ Banner
Assault Android Cactus+
Starting with the basics the game gives you a starting roster of 4 androids to choose from, with another 5 that you’ll u...
DUSK Banner
DUSK
When I played just a demo of this well over a year ago at PAX East on the Switch hardware I knew it had massive potentia...
Strange Brigade Banner
Strange Brigade
Having played through the full campaign of Strange Brigade with my daughter on PC, and having a terrific time with it, I...
Sniper Elite 4 Banner
Sniper Elite 4
The Sniper Elite series has always been an interesting red-headed step-child off to the side of the FPS genre. There’s n...
Atomicrops Banner
Atomicrops
For me, Atomicrops is a story of early frustration, followed by a slow warming up, which eventually became a pretty deep...
Metro 2033 Redux Banner
Metro 2033 Redux
Set in a post-Apocalyptic Russia, primarily taking place in the labyrinth of subway tunnels and other areas below the su...
Tesla vs Lovecraft Banner
Tesla vs Lovecraft
As a massive fan of shooters you knew there would have to be some love thrown in that direction. While there were many o...
Steredenn: Binary Stars Banner
Steredenn: Binary Stars
Moving in a very different direction Steredenn is a bullet hell roguelike space shooter that has some truly bonkers weap...
Enter the Gungeon Banner
Enter the Gungeon
At the time of its announcement as one of the most anticipated roguelike shooters for the Switch among the people "in th...
Aces of the Luftwaffe - Squadron Banner
Aces of the Luftwaffe - Squadron

The classic arcade shooter 1943 and its many variants are among my favorites of all time and Aces does an incredible ...

Jamestown+ Banner
Jamestown+

The Switch has most certainly been blessed with a wide variety of excellent shmups since its release and with the rel...

Neon Chrome Banner
Neon Chrome

I'd originally fallen in love with Neon Chrome on PC where I beat the game 4 times and it kept getting more inten...

Graceful Explosion Machine Banner
Graceful Explosion Machine

What fascinates and has surprised me about GEM, it that it somehow has created a serene experience for more casu...

Zombie Army 4: Dead War Banner
Zombie Army 4: Dead War
The Sniper Elite series has been a pretty consistent source of stealthy Nazi body count accumulation on the Switch, and ...
THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake Banner
THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD: Remake
Ah, the classic arcade light gun genre, remembered fondly for how bonkers it could be and a bit less positively for how ...
SOL CRESTA Banner
SOL CRESTA
If you’re an old-school arcade shooter fan the Nintendo Switch was already bordering on a dream console. Now, with the a...
Boomerang X Banner
Boomerang X
With indie titles I’m always tickled when I encounter something just a bit different that feels fresh and challenging, a...
Mushihimesama Banner
Mushihimesama
While there are certainly more modern takes on bullet hell shmups from the past it’s always interesting to see an OG cla...
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: WORLD BROTHERS Banner
EARTH DEFENSE FORCE: WORLD BROTHERS
While I’ve generally heard good things about the Earth Defense Force series, to date it’s one that I’ve never had the pl...
RUINER Banner
RUINER
With its visual flair, dystopian world, and what appeared to be a penchant for tense and violent action, Ruiner has been...
Rigid Force Redux Banner
Rigid Force Redux
When it comes to shmups on Switch the tendency is to see either games that tap firmly into nostalgia, adopting classic l...
Jet Lancer Banner
Jet Lancer
With so many high-quality shooters of all types and styles it takes some effort to put something new on the table, parti...
Void Bastards Banner
Void Bastards
While I’ve seen a few titles try to step up to the plate to establish a solid roguelike FPS to date nobody has really na...
Metro: Last Light Redux Banner
Metro: Last Light Redux
Released at the same time as Metro 2033 Redux, the original chapter of the series (you can get them together on the Metr...
Juicy Realm Banner
Juicy Realm
When it comes to roguelike shooters I’m both a tremendous fan and often a picky critic. We’ve been absolutely spoiled on...
Freedom Finger Banner
Freedom Finger
When I originally caught this title at PAX I was drawn in by its sheer attitude, blending together some great voice acti...
Hotline Miami Collection Banner
Hotline Miami Collection
Shadow dropped as a surprise this year, Hotline Miami was one of those indie darling titles that had shocked me continui...
My Friend Pedro Banner
My Friend Pedro
All in all My Friend Pedro handily delivers what it promises, bonkers gunplay, challenging scenarios, and when you’re on...
Hell is Other Demons Banner
Hell is Other Demons
All things considered, Hell is Other Demons is a very good platforming shooter that plays smart, is challenging, and ult...
Airheart - Tales of broken Wings Banner
Airheart - Tales of broken Wings
This is a game that splices together twin-stick shooting, careful exploration, and crafting, but then throwing in roguel...
Stardust Galaxy Warriors: Stellar Climax Banner
Stardust Galaxy Warriors: Stellar Climax
To think that when this title snuck onto the eShop I almost missed it. Since I'd not heard of it in advance of its relea...
Super Hydorah Banner
Super Hydorah
While inspired by the classics like R-Type and Gradius, Super Hydorah has a great feel and style all its own. You're abl...
The Bug Butcher Banner
The Bug Butcher
This is another title I hadn't heard too much about and almost missed that I'm very glad I go to check out this year. Es...
Velocity2X Banner
Velocity2X
Working with a quick-warping mechanic, some tricky stage designs, and an ever-growing arsenal of abilities that you’ll n...
Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 Banner
Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2
Another sequel that took what worked in the original and then made it better on all levels, this side-scrolling zombie-b...
Ikaruga Banner
Ikaruga
Though it's a carry-over from the previous generation there's still no other space shooter quite like Ikaruga. Not only ...
Bleed 2 Banner
Bleed 2
While sharing a lot in common with the original title Bleed 2 made critical refinements to make this run and gun shootin...
NeverAwake Banner
NeverAwake
An unusual mix of classic side-scrolling shooter mechanics and twin-stick aiming makes for a thoroughly different experience
GoNNER Banner
GoNNER

I'm not gonna lie, GoNNER gets off to a very rough start and it a true roguelike in that it is frustrating and ha...

Aliens: Fireteam Elite Banner
Aliens: Fireteam Elite
If you have the connection to support this “cloud play” game, it offers intense and compelling squad-based shooting
Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers Banner
Squad 51 vs. the Flying Saucers
Undeniably novel and entertaining with its decision to run with the vintage 50s black and white sci-fi look, but just a decent arcade shooter overall
Dust & Neon Banner
Dust & Neon
Featuring a consistent challenge and tense encounters, this roguelike shooter distinguishes itself in a crowded field
Dezatopia Banner
Dezatopia
Feeling like you’ve seen every sort of retro side-scrolling shooter possible? Then get a load of this!
Sine Mora EX Banner
Sine Mora EX

As a full package Sine Mora EX fills in a gap in the Switch line-up unless you’ve been indulging in the NeoGeo ...

Grand Brix Shooter Banner
Grand Brix Shooter

While I’m a big fan of arcade-style shooters of all types I’ll admit that generating excitement for them ...

Andro Dunos 2 Banner
Andro Dunos 2
The Switch has undoubtedly been blessed with a wide variety of retro shooters since release, pretty well representing al...
Tempest 4000 Banner
Tempest 4000
Though I wouldn’t say that it was among my favorite arcade games back in the day, there’s no question that the original ...
Space Scavenger Banner
Space Scavenger
There’s absolutely no denying that fans of twin-stick roguelike shooters, like myself, have an embarrassment of riches o...
QUAKE Banner
QUAKE
OK, so I don’t think anyone needs to tell you that Quake is one of the most influential first-person shooters of all-tim...
B.ARK Banner
B.ARK
What can I say, when you throw some cute pups into a game you’ve got my attention. B.ARK, as pained as that acronym seem...
Trigger Witch Banner
Trigger Witch
OK, so I’ll admit it, games that do something weird to combine elements I know and love tend to catch me by surprise and...
Mighty Goose Banner
Mighty Goose
As a classic arcade shooting fan the Metal Slug series has always had a place in my heart for its intensity, variety, an...
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix Banner
Raiden IV x MIKADO remix
With an abundance of retro shooters on the Switch it can be a challenge to differentiate them, but for old school arcade...
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ASTRO AQUA KITTY
I like it when games manage to surprise me a little bit, especially when they’re in genres where I feel like I’ve seen j...
Tesla Force Banner
Tesla Force
My feelings on this title swung around a bit since, at first blush, Tesla Force has a ton in common with 10Tons previous...
Space Invaders Forever Banner
Space Invaders Forever
Retro remix collections tend to be a mixed bag, but for fans of arcade classics even though not every title in Forever i...
Serious Sam Collection Banner
Serious Sam Collection
As time has gone on the first-person shooter genre has gone through quite a lot of changes and evolution, generally movi...
Colt Canyon Banner
Colt Canyon
Whenever a new roguelike shooter arrives on the scene you know I’m there with a degree of eagerness to see how it has tu...
Fury Unleashed Banner
Fury Unleashed
With a comic book-inspired look, a pretty wide array of over-the-top weapons, and challenges aplenty Fury Unleashed is a...
Dead End Job Banner
Dead End Job
As a huge fan of twin-stick roguelike shooters, and with plenty of excellent ones already on the Switch, my interest is ...
GALAK-Z: The Void: Deluxe Edition Banner
GALAK-Z: The Void: Deluxe Edition
You’ll play the game as A-Tak, a daring and somewhat brash fighter pilot with plenty in common with Robotech’s Rick Hunt...
R-Type Dimensions EX Banner
R-Type Dimensions EX
I really appreciate the love and effort into bringing the R-Type experience to the Switch. While playing it old school h...
I Hate Running Backwards Banner
I Hate Running Backwards
Though I initially struggled with it, wanting it to be a twin-stick shooter, once I got into the unique rhythm of I Hate...
Debris Infinity Banner
Debris Infinity
I absolutely love me some classic arcade shooting action and Debris Infinity was one of my go-to titles for providing th...
Broforce Banner
Broforce
While playing with friends adds a layer of frustration, and potential for brutal trolling, to the mix, Broforce gets abs...
Hyper Sentinel Banner
Hyper Sentinel
Where things get complicated, and nuanced, is in everything layered on top of that. You’ll have to constantly keep an ey...
Immortal Redneck Banner
Immortal Redneck
As a whole package Immortal Redneck is a bold first step and demonstrates that the FPS genre, too, can definitely benefi...
AQUA KITTY UDX Banner
AQUA KITTY UDX
Overall, I only have positive things to say about Aqua Kitty UDX. It has a focus on a specific experience, delivers it e...
Sky Force Reloaded Banner
Sky Force Reloaded
While I can appreciate the volume of what can be unlocked a criticism would be that I think the rate you unlock it at is...
Crimsonland Banner
Crimsonland
I'm not positive there would be a wide critical consensus on something as old school and generally as basic as Crimsonla...
Guns N' Runs Banner
Guns N' Runs
Delivers some classic and challenging platform shooter action with bits of modern flair and variety
Doomed to Hell Banner
Doomed to Hell
While it’s not terribly ambitious or tough, there’s some solid twin-stick arcade shooting here on a budget
NeuroVoider Banner
NeuroVoider

While the lack of a clear audio or visual cue for this both forces you to try to keep an eye on your health gauge con...

G-DARIUS HD Banner
G-DARIUS HD
It’s always a bit tough to evaluate re-releases of classic arcade-style shooters coming to the system. Even being remast...
Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche Banner
Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche

When it comes to weird games I’m a bit of a connoisseur on the Switch, I’ve even set aside an entire cate...

The Knight Witch Banner
The Knight Witch
Combining Metroidvania concepts with some twin-stick shooting, The Knight Witch swings big… and gets on base
Splatter - Zombiecalypse Now Banner
Splatter - Zombiecalypse Now
Top-down zombie shooting that’s satisfying only to a point, but it offers a decent few hours
Knights & Guns Banner
Knights & Guns

Back in the arcades, Pang (or Buster Bros) was one of the more interesting shooters out there that did things its own...

Cotton Reboot! Banner
Cotton Reboot!

If you like your older-school arcade shooting challenging, a bit on the cute side, and with an undeniable weird strea...

Blazing Chrome Banner
Blazing Chrome

As a huge fan of the classic arcade run n’ gun shooters I hold Contra in very high regard, so it’s always...

Time Recoil Banner
Time Recoil

The folks at 10 Tons have really done a phenomenal job with releasing 3 games that would, at a high level, be conside...

Lone Ruin Banner
Lone Ruin
This roguelike twin-stick shooter has its own sense of style, but its somewhat vanilla arcade-like grind detracts from its long-term viability
Bones of Halloween Banner
Bones of Halloween
This budget seasonal shooter may be lack depth, but it valiantly tries to compensate with breadth of modes
Cotton Fantasy Banner
Cotton Fantasy
There’s no doubt that the Switch has been a system blessed with some very strong retro representation, and a specific ge...
Z-Warp Banner
Z-Warp
Z-Warp is a decidedly old-school looking vertical shooter that packs a challenge and some real fun, but if you’re like m...
Thunder Kid: Hunt for the Robot Emperor Banner
Thunder Kid: Hunt for the Robot Emperor
When you’re dealing with budget games it can be difficult to set a fair bar for what to expect when you put them up agai...
Time Blazer Banner
Time Blazer
Among classic arcade titles that have seen many variations on their general style pop up over the years Asteroids has se...
Curved Space Banner
Curved Space
Taking familiar gameplay and changing things up to take some risks has always been a core component of my love for indie...
Crimzon Clover - World EXplosion Banner
Crimzon Clover - World EXplosion
If you’re a fan of arcade-style shmups you’ve been pretty well served on the Switch as the library of classic and new ti...
Cecconoid Banner
Cecconoid
Hey hey, I know there’s nothing quite as exciting as a great deal of a budget game so if that’s your bag you’ll want to ...
Ion Fury Banner
Ion Fury
Titles that don’t just tap heavily into nostalgia but fully embrace it are always a risky proposition. There’s something...
Relic Hunters Zero: Remix Banner
Relic Hunters Zero: Remix
With the abundance of twin-stick roguelike shooters on the Switch it makes for tough competition if you want to make a b...
DOOM 64 Banner
DOOM 64
While I’ve played many iterations of DOOM over the years going back to the original shareware the N64 incarnation of it ...
THOTH Banner
THOTH
When it comes to shooters minimalist looks can work nicely, but with quite a number of budget shooters already in that v...
Black Future '88 Banner
Black Future '88
Roguelike shooters have been a staple for me on the Switch, generally providing a great outlet for intense play for some...
MONKEY BARRELS Banner
MONKEY BARRELS
While run and gun shooters tend to be a side-scrolling affair Monkey Barrels proves it’s a formula that works well from ...
Battle Planet - Judgement Day Banner
Battle Planet - Judgement Day
As a huge arcade-style twin-stick roguelike shooter fan this is a title planted firmly in my wheelhouse. Feeling a bit l...
Blazing Beaks Banner
Blazing Beaks
To the game’s credit, the monsters tend to be quite unique and it can be tricky. There’s much more of a learning curve t...
SAINTS ROW: THE THIRD - THE FULL PACKAGE Banner
SAINTS ROW: THE THIRD - THE FULL PACKAGE
If there was one major series that would seem to be a great fit for play on the go and the Switch it would be Grand Thef...
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