Shoot 'em UP (English, literal "shoot up it") designates a video game category. In the broader sense Shoot 'em UP designates each play, in which the figure steered by the player is to destroy a large number of opposing units with a virtual firearm (colloquially also Ballerspiel called). Strictly speaking Shoot 'em UP a Ballerspiel with reduced freedom of movement designates.

Characteristics of typical Shoot 'em ups

With a typical Shoot 'em UP the player steers an armed spaceship or airplane and must by different levels fight itself, by destroying attacking spaceships and similar opponents in clear majority. In addition a mounted gun with unlimited ammunition is available in almost all category representatives. Beyond that frequently additional weapons can be in-collected, sometimes also bombs, which destroy all opponents on the screen with an impact.

Likewise commonly it is to be able to register itself to most plays that it concerns opponents not only mastering as much as possible to levels, but also around it to obtain by shooting as much as possible a high score in order for reward into a Highscore list.

Demarcation between Shoot 'em UP and roofridge person Shooter

In the computer game he jargon of the 1990er and 2000er years designates Shoot 'em UP strictly speaking one of the Ego Shooter (English roofridge person Shooter) deviating play category, with which the player does not possess total freedom of movement, and which is limited to a large extent play mechanics to shooting with unlimited ammunition. The player moves usually in a certain direction forward and can itself only in limited measure to the side, sometimes also forward or in the back, moves, in order to evade to opposing bombardment or avoid collisions. Shoot 'em ups permit thus usually only one movement in two dimensions and show the happening usually in side view or plan view. A roofridge person Shooter however is played always from the Egoperspektive (first person, English "roofridge person") and offers a three-dimensional play world, which is freely accessible. The play mechanics resulting in from it are more varied complex and than UP em with a Shoot '. Therefore also plays are ranked such as House OF the DEAD rather among the category Shoot 'em UP: although they are represented in Egoperspektive, the element of the free spatial interaction substantial for Egoshooter is missing to them.

Since with scrollenden Shoot 'em ups the direction of the movement is given usually, one speaks also of horizontal or Vertikalscrollern, and/or horizontal or vertical Shoot 'em ups. Some representatives of the category make an organization however not easy, since they can even in the middle change their Scrollrichtung during the play or in the level.

Shoot 'em ups in the change of history

Goods Ballerspiele at first only moderately fastidiously, are modern examples often nerve-grinding constructions from opposing Schuss-Mustern it to analyze apply and waves from opponents, who want to be shot. At first shooting in foremost place stood. In the all first category representatives such as Galaga and space Invaders did not give it a scrolling, or if it became only by by-pulling star fields simulated. That was also understandable, because the hardware was not able it to move particularly many Sprites at the same time. One concentrated thus to place to the player wave around wave of new opponents into the way whose position and appearance should note these by heart, in order to meet at the conclusion about the final opponent.

Final opponents of a level are armed often heavy and move after a completely determined sample over the screen. Also here must be by heart learned, so that the player can always hide its own ship in the secure-possible zone of the screen and hold nevertheless the opponent under bombardment. In the Neunzigern then first titles arose, with which also the final opponents separate no longer only in pre-programmed courses nozzles where e.g. the left and right cannon tower to position and behavior of the player react independently. Usually one can move back and forth by well getimetes the player Sprites from damage to save -- sometimes this almost looks like Walzer to dance. Here then also the way to the today's Ballerspielen, sometimes also Manic Shooters unfolds mentioned.

In examples such as ESP Ra'De or DoDonPachi of CAVE, or Dragon Blaze of Psykio the opponent shooting became (those which can be very prettily regarded) the secondary matter. One equips its ship or its riding animal still with ever better weapons and thicker laser beams, the most important is however avoiding. Pretty often one finds several hundred opposing projectiles at the same time in so a play on a screen, but all fly her to a mathematical sample. This very fast to recognize and its ship in security bring is the actual attraction of the play. The further one penetrates into those increasingly more with difficulty becoming levels, the more concentration one requires. A true dance develops between opponents and players. The player can purge here even to a kind Trance, while more sensitive nature at longer sight of the Schussmuster becomes also times bad.

To everything lastly newer Games lures also with innovations in the play mechanics. Thus tumbes does not bring drauflosballern large scores. With DonPachi as much as possible opponents must be shot noly-break one behind the other, in ESP Ra'De dominate a complicated Combo system, which operates with the interaction of the two different arming of the player. With Ikaruga again there are both white as well as black projectiles -- the own ship can change its color at any time between black and white and becomes immune thereby to projectiles of the respective color. Also the color of the own balls and white opponents change are more sensitively to black shots, black opponents allergisch on white. That does not sound complicated only but is real it, and demands from the player also still the last fate and concentration.

1987 gave it a Arcade play to Empire town center: 1931, with which the player steers a hair cross and a window front absucht after gangsters. Often woman cries are to be heard. Em end of each level must shoot the player a Mafia Boss.

2005 became extinct Ballerspiele in Europe almost completely, which stands naturally also in connection with the substantial decrease at play halls and since 1995 ever the more strongly becoming home console hardware. In Japan the category enjoys of however still large popularity, and manufacturers such as Psykio, CAVE and Treasure find ways around innovations to bring in again and again. Thus e.g. Guwange shines by an extraordinarily styleful opening during in other plays new Combo systems to the employment comes.

See also: Category: Shoot 'em UP

Related links

• Classic Gaming - Shoot 'em UP data base for most systems
• Article over the history of the Shoot 'em ups

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