What shmup are you playing now?

[mjmjr25]

^No, I know. But those are going to be pricier again, aren't they? I really don't know much about Doujin - it's essentially well-made homebrews for PC, correct? Honestly, I don't know...

[ZenErik]

Indie developers. rancor sells doujin shmups for $25 - 30 plus shipping. Brand new. Cheaper than a lot of used console shmups.

[dunpeal2064]

I'm more of a console gamer too. There are some nice doujins though (although I don't like touhou)

For me, the hardest shmup would be DFK Black Label, as Strong. For score or 1cc, the game is freakin nuts!

[wip3outguy7]

Cannon Spike

Damn Evil Cammy is awesome in this game.

[EllertMichael]

Espgaluda II Black Label

I can't believe it's taken me this long to learn the mechanics of BL. it's so fun! milking suicide bullets inducing screen clearing game stopping slowdown
ching-ching-ching! Awesome.

[baphomet_irl]

Zero Gunner 2

Ikaruga

Under Defeat

Under Defeat looks beautiful in NullDC now - forcing 16xCSAA on it fullscreen and not even a stutter - only problems are some alpha transparency messups on some explosion textures - but apart from that perfect

[elmagicochrisg]

Cannon Spike

Damn Evil Cammy is awesome in this game.

Very good game. But to call it a shmup?... Not so sure...

[mjmjr25]

Cannon Spike

Damn Evil Cammy is awesome in this game.

Very good game. But to call it a shmup?... Not so sure...

We can let it slide, I don't think we have a dedicated shooter thread. And yes, it is a superb game, superb.

[Hobie-wan]

Well, it is a multi-direction arena shooter.

FWIW shmups.com counts the following arena games in its reviews even if they are kinda borderline.

Smash TV
Operation Logic Bomb
Robotron N64
Gain Ground
Granada
etc.

[alienjesus]

For what it's worth, I've always considered that kind of top down arena shooter or whatever a shmup, or at least a subgenre of shmup. For me, a run and gun is generally side on with some kind of platforming too, aka contra.