Its research time in lazygunn labs, and top downs arent all of what i'm looking into but I would like a thorough schooling by the more erm 'ardent'? among you. I naturally grew up on Smash TV and cannon fodder et al but having seen Hotline Miami and Binding of Isaac I realise the genre is a rather different fish. I've plumped to have a go at Enter The Gungeon which i'll probably get irritated with fast at my lack of skill, but any suggestions to look at in the genre, whatever the era, appreciated
I'd recommend Isaac before Gungeon. Its an easier game and will get you used to the mechanics quicker. But play on Hard mode, Normal mode is for sissies.
Geometry Wars 3 warps the levels into 3D and it's quite superb. It's the only game that made me feel like I did when I popped my cherry on Tempest in the arcades back in the early 80s.
Maybe you are looking for something more like the Gauntlet style of game then this won't suit. But this is a lovely thing nevertheless.
Half an hour of Gungeon reminded me its not the sort of game I find fun, it would surely get way harder but I just found myself a little bored and without the stamina to make it to where the guns get all epic. I'd like to just watch a video containing clips of the best guns in the game at work. Isaac is probably much the same - as in its probably a great game but i dont have the time to commit to get anywhere good and it's too far from where i'm aiming myself. GW3 is probably a bunch closer but the problem with that game is the lack of meaty anarchy thats prevelant in Binding and Gungeon, whereas those two in turn fail a bit because of a certain plod of that kind of system.
So. i guess im looking for something like geometry wars but erm, see above. 'meaty'. Oh and Gungeon has those amazing imaginative guns
Renegade Ops on PSN/XBLA is excellent. I'll post a vid shortly. It's got a mission structure, so it's not entirely twitch. It's feels a bit like a modern Amiga classic (aside from the controls).
Gungeon takes a few floors to get op or insane power, with Isaac it can happen in thefirst item room. If you're wanting to experience mentalness, start Isaac. Download a complete save and hold R til you get an item room and an OP item.
Pixeljunk Shooter is one of the best last gen PSN games. I think you can pick up the collection for around a fiver in the current sale. It's in the Thrust/Sub-Terrania mould.
Already have the ones mentioned covered cept for ultratron and voxatron, my bad re. Cannon fodder. Great suggestions though. Renegade Ops is reminiscent of Apocalypse on the Amiga as pointed out, cept with depth. Er.
There's a couple more, at least, on xbla 360 that fit the bill of twin stick. Trying to think of them. Some very early in the systems life. One with tanks and very steam punky.
Have you got a Vita, Gunn? Not the finest examples, but if it's just research, check out videos for Total Recoil and Tiny Troopers. The latter is a kind of a Cannon Fodder wannabe, but spoiled somewhat by modern portable game design.
Come to think of it, one or both are maybe available for Android devices. (Edit: indeed they are.)
Surprised to not see more love for the Super Stardust games. They're ace.
I've also played one solitary level of one on my 3DS. You're scooting around microbes blasting bacteria, or something. It came as part of the Nintendo Humble Bundle.