Overhead action shooters

[JM]

What's wrong with Gunsmoke?

It and all the other games I jokingly mentioned are forced scrollers, thus making them more like shmups than action shooters.

JM

[Johnny Undaunted]

My two cents: Guerilla Wars > Ikari Warriors

[gameoverDude]

Jyuudanarashi Gundhara, meaning "Bullet Storm Gundhara".

This is somewhat the like the "Dodonpachi" of this genre, unleashing a moment or two of bullet hell- not as extreme as DDP, but there's still plenty. Stage 2 is shmup action on the back of a motorcycle, where you're blowing away shotgun toting thugs who also are zipping along on bikes of their own.

[NeoZeedeater]

I love this genre, especially Pocky and Rocky, MERCS, and Twinkle Tale.

SNK's SAR - Search and Rescue and Data East's Heavy Barrel are also worth mentioning.

[Cheebs]

Ah, the overhead run 'n gun. Ikari Warriors was always my favorite.

....unless Smash TV is part of the genre.

[Recap]

Neo-Geo has some great examples: Shock Troopers, ST 2nd Squad and Ninja Commando (you're forced to shoot upwards here, but the scroll doesn't move if you don't want to).

[Eight One]

TNK-III!!!

There was a little-seen Sega run-n-gun called Desert Breaker back in 1992 (I think).

Speaking of Sega, how could you forget Alien Syndrome?

[negitoro]

No overhead game is as good as Gauntlet.

[Gutsman]

Dang, I can't believe no one mentioned Heavy Barrel until the 14th post.

[FirstBlood]

Heavy Barrell and Mercs are where it's at...