Run and guns

[xS]

My current favorite is the Metal Slug series. It's an evolution over your typical contra/gunstar in the way that it favours reflexes over memorization. Basically, these games are to Contra as Cave's games are to R type. Also they have evolved scoring system, which makes these games a total bitch to master.
Plus they have some of the best art I've ever seen, everything from those zombies to those awesome slugs is so well animated it brings a tear to my eyes...
It's just too sad that MS4 blew large junks of ass.
[/drunkpost]

[Captain Vegetable]

I've been digging me some Cannon Spike recently. Not the best game in the world, but I like it lots.

[xS]

I meant side scrolling run n guns, like Contra and Gunstar.
Canon Spike still rules though.

[Frogacuda]

Alien Soldier's my favorite. There's just alot too it, and it's poetry in motion. Gunstar is likewise a blast, though it's not as much of a play-for-score kind of game.

Metal Slug is definately great, though I feel like the series peaked at 2/X. And I still have a soft spot for Contra as well.

[Mr_Furious]

This is probably my second favorite genre. Some faves off the top of my head:

Contra series
Metal Slug series
Gunstar Heroes
Sunset Riders
Alien vs Predator
Top Hunter

[Adrian]

Originally posted by Frogacuda
Alien Soldier's my favorite. There's just alot too it, and it's poetry in motion. Gunstar is likewise a blast, though it's not as much of a play-for-score kind of game.

Metal Slug is definately great, though I feel like the series peaked at 2/X. And I still have a soft spot for Contra as well.

This perfectly sums up my feelings on the genre.

[Captain Vegetable]

Oh! In that case I'd have to say Contra: SS. I haven't played it in a while, but I love it none the less.

[Josh]

Originally posted by Mr_Furious
Alien vs Predator

Thats more of a "Walk and Punch".

[skelly]

In this genre I only truly love the first two NES Contra games, Contra III, and Gunstar. Games like Hard Corps and SS are OK, but lack the magic of the above titles.

Oddly, those four games are more than enough for me -- I almost never get sick of them.

[Mr_Furious]

Originally posted by 88mph
Thats more of a "Walk and Punch".

In Capcom's AvP? There's plenty of guns in there.