If you love shoot-em-ups, Evercade has quietly built one of the best curated shmup libraries in the retro gaming space. From golden-age arcade blasters to obscure gems, there’s plenty to keep your trigger finger busy. Here’s where to start.
THE TOAPLAN COLLECTIONS — THE CROWN JEWELS
Toaplan is one of the most beloved names in shoot-em-up history, and Evercade has given the studio serious respect with four dedicated arcade cartridges.
Toaplan Arcade 1 is the essential starting point. It includes Tiger-Heli and Truxton (known as Tatsujin in Japan) — Tiger-Heli is deceptively simple, while Truxton is fast, punishing, and arguably Toaplan’s finest hour. If you only play one Toaplan game, make it this one.
Toaplan Arcade 2 brings Twin Cobra into the mix — a vertically scrolling helicopter blaster that cranks up the chaos considerably compared to Tiger-Heli. It’s paired with Demon’s World, Fireshark, Hellfire, and Rally Bike.
Toaplan Arcade 3 continues the run with more genuine shmups — Batsugun, Batsugun Special Version, Truxton II, Vimana, plus the run-and-gun Out Zone and FixEight, and the puzzle-shooter Ghox. Toaplan Arcade 4 is more of a mixed bag — Dogyuun and Grind Stormer are solid shmups, but the cart also includes the platformers Snow Bros. 2 and Pipi and Bibi’s, and the beat-’em-up Knuckle Bash, so it’s less essential if you’re after shooters specifically.
Browsing the full Evercade cartridge library is the easiest way to see exactly which games appear on each cart before you buy.
IREM ARCADE 1 — R-TYPE AND FRIENDS
Irem Arcade 1 is an absolute must-have for shmup fans. Irem’s arcade output was consistently excellent, and this collection delivers some of the studio’s finest work in one cartridge. The horizontal shooters here reward patience and pattern-learning in a way that few games manage.
If you’re a fan of precise, methodical shoot-em-ups rather than pure bullet-hell chaos, Irem’s style will suit you perfectly. This one sits comfortably alongside the Toaplan collections as essential Evercade shmup material.
VISCO ARCADE 1 — MORE SCROLLING SHOOTERS
Visco Arcade 1 is dominated by scrolling shooters, and it deserves a spot on this list. Andro Dunos is the standout — a horizontal shooter with four switchable, independently upgradable weapon types and two-player co-op. Ashura Blaster, Earth Joker: U.N. Defence Force, and Galmedes round out the shooter side of the cart.
RENOVATION COLLECTION 1 — HIDDEN MEGA DRIVE GEMS
Renovation Collection 1 packs two outstanding Mega Drive shmups: Gaiares, famous for its TAS Shot weapon-stealing mechanic, and Sol Deace. Both are genuinely hard to find outside of Evercade, and both hold up brilliantly today.
WHICH EVERCADE DEVICE IS BEST FOR SHMUPS?
This is worth thinking about, because the device really does affect the experience.
For vertical scrolling shooters like Tiger-Heli, Twin Cobra, and Truxton, playing on a big screen is ideal. The VS-R home console is the natural choice here — plug it into your TV, sit back, and enjoy the full arcade experience with a proper controller in hand. Up to four players are supported too, if you fancy some co-op chaos.
The Evercade Alpha bartop arcade cabinet takes things even further. There’s something genuinely special about playing Truxton or Twin Cobra on a proper arcade-style setup with a joystick. If you’re serious about the arcade experience, the Alpha delivers it.
The EXP-R handheld is also worth a mention — it features TATE mode, which rotates the screen to portrait orientation. That makes it arguably the best handheld option for vertical shooters, letting you hold the device sideways for a proper tate display just like the original arcade cabinets. Clever stuff.
Not sure which device is right for you overall? The hardware comparison page breaks it all down.
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
The Toaplan, Irem, Visco, and Renovation cartridges give shmup fans a genuinely strong foundation. Add in TATE mode on the EXP-R or a big-screen setup via the VS-R, and Evercade becomes a seriously compelling way to play classic shooters.
Browse the full Evercade cartridge library to dig into exactly what’s on each cart — and check out our Best Evercade Cartridges for Arcade Fans guide for even more recommendations.