r/shmups • u/Zirolux • Oct 20 '25
Game News 2025 shmup release mega thread?
We have been seeing so many upcoming releases on the sub, many from the devs themselves. I think it’s great. Can we use this thread or another to track everything that is scheduled to come out before end of year so we can easily track it.
I’m sure I speak for more than myself that there is a slice of the community that is very passionate about buying and supporting all (or as many as they can) new shmup releases and a mega thread would help bring more support into the fold.
| Game | Date | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Infinos | 10/16/25 | Switch |
| Infinos 2 | 10/16/25 | Switch |
| Repulse-X | 10/21/25 | Steam |
| Shockwave Triggers | 10/21/25 | Steam |
| Night Striker Gear | 10/22/25 | Steam |
| All Systems Operational | 10/24/25 | Steam |
| Arondight | 10/28/25 | Steam |
| Cosmic Destroyer (Early Access) | 10/30/25 | Steam |
| Scion | 10/30/26 | Multi |
| Final Formation (JP) | 10/30/25 | Switch (JP) |
| Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke | 11/6/25 | Steam |
| Astro Flame Starfighter | 11/7/2025 | Steam |
| Telenet Shooting Collection | 11/10/25 | Steam |
| Birdcage | 11/18/25 | Steam |
| Cho Aniki Collection | 11/18/25 | Steam |
| R-Type Delta HD Boosted | 11/20/25 | Steam |
| Emerald Blue | 11/25/25 | Steam |
| Resurrection Core | 11/27/25 | Steam |
| Trouble Witches Final! Episode 1 | 11/27/25 | Switch |
| NeverAwake Flashback | 12/10/25 | Steam |
| Bounty Sisters | 12/18/25 | Dev |
| Blaze of Storm | Q4 2025 | Steam |
| Black Paradox Reloaded | 2025 | Steam |
| Strike Zero | 2025 | Steam |
| Zaleste | 2026 | Dev |
| ZPF | 2025 | Steam |
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u/denisb Oct 20 '25
How about Shmups already released in 2025? I had missed out on Cotton: Reboot High Tension among others.
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u/Zirolux Oct 20 '25
I’ll make that a stretch goal. Right now I’m thinking of putting some effort into 2026 releases
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u/moo422 Oct 20 '25
Done.
I'll leave it up to you to update this post with a structured table of release schedules w links to info eg steam page or what not.
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u/dbluewillow Oct 20 '25
Zaleste, too! It's being made by Compile Hearts and M2
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u/Zirolux Oct 20 '25
Do you have a source on release date?
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u/dbluewillow Nov 06 '25
Delayed into 2026, unfortunately: https://www.compileheart.com/news/?num=20251106
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u/Zirolux Nov 06 '25
Doh! I am working on my own tracker to go beyond this year and go into the past. Thanks for the update. I was just playing Super Aleste last night.
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u/dbluewillow Oct 21 '25
Here’s their barebones but official website: https://www.compileheart.com/zaleste/
No specific date, but they’re targeting this year.
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u/Structor125 Oct 22 '25
Aleste Branch also has a 2025 release date, but it’s not looking like that will happen
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u/reflexson226 Oct 20 '25
This is a great idea. Here are a few on my wishlist that have a 2025 release not yet on your list
Interstellar Sentinel 2
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3486180/Interstellar_Sentinel_2/
Strike Zero
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1302910/Strike_Zero/
Astro Flame
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3990840/Astro_Flame_Starfighter/
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u/Zirolux Oct 20 '25
Awesome thanks! Paging u/drbosskey as I believe there may be a change for IS2's release date.
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u/VoltaicOwl Oct 21 '25
Was the Raiden Fighters Remix Collection supposed to come out this year?
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u/Structor125 Oct 22 '25
The Raiden wiki updated to 2026, but no clue where they found a source (or if they did). I can’t find anything
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u/moo422 Jan 12 '26
Let me know if you want to start a 2026 thread, happy to pin it
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u/Adventurous_Smile_95 Oct 21 '25
Earthion was released in 2025 too and is awesome if you like old school shmup’s. I just beat it on easy mode lol and now working through normal. It’s so good!
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u/Zirolux Oct 22 '25
Updated to show Night Striker Gear surprise release today!
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u/Zirolux Oct 22 '25
Ill use this thread as a changelog. Added Final Formation JP for 10/30/25
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u/Zirolux Oct 22 '25
Added trouble witches for switch
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u/ShinuRealArts Oct 21 '25
Thanks for mentioning Shockwave Triggers. I just pressed the release button right now :D
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u/flypot00 Oct 22 '25
I found a few more things that aren’t on the list yet, so I’ll share them here.
NeverAwake FLASHBACK
ARONDIGHT
Bounty Sisters (Switch Only?)
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u/Dapper-Classroom-114 Oct 21 '25
Cosmic Destroyer dev here, might I suggest to note that the Oct 30th date is the Early Access release? Full release will be Q1 2026.
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u/ProjectX-Light-Years Oct 27 '25
Project X Light Years released 15/08/2025 Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/3080530/Project_X_Light_Years/
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u/TyrianMollusk Nov 13 '25
Sektori comes to Steam Nov 18 and is a fantastic arcade twin-stick.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2105620/Sektori/
Used to have a demo (still works if you kept it installed, just need to run without Steam), but it's so intense and fun, with some cute play mechanics and Gradius-style upgrading (I'm not a fan of that, but cest la vie). I'm sure it needs any attention it can get, since intense twin-sticks rarely do well anymore (just look at Devader and Twin Ruin, great twin-sticks with practically no Steam reviews), even when they are this good.
Oh, and Evil Egg is another arcade twin-stick that already came out Oct 30. It's a visually noisy roguelite-ification of Robotron, and it's free (you pay in aspirin ;).
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u/falkentyne Dec 19 '25
Sektori is a wonderful game (i only heard about it after reading some post in the R-type delta steam thread), impressed me so much I bought it immediately. How are arcade twin stick shooters handled on this sub?
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u/TyrianMollusk Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25
How are arcade twin stick shooters handled on this sub?
Some take "shmup" to only include auto-scrolling shootemups, others include (or at least tolerate) screen and multi-directional shmups too. The list already had at least one twin-stick, so I figured these belong on there. Too bad OP didn't come back to update the list, though.
And yeah, Sektori is really great. I've even come around to accept the way the Gradius upgrade system connects into the play mechanics is a great marriage of ideas. Glad to see it's doing well in its first month (well for such a niche game).
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u/TheAspenDev Dec 29 '25
Is it ok to promote own game here? Since it was released on last November.
Enfora Star is a space defender shoot'em up inspired by old-school arcade games.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3552750/Enfora_Star/
I made it specifically for people like me - 30-something with a job, maybe kids, who want that arcade rush without the 60-hour commitment.
Key features:
- Fast-paced pixel art space shooter with power-ups
- High score IS your currency (spend it on upgrades and defenses between waves)
- Tower-defense elements - deploy turrets and allies
- Boss battles and special challenge levels
- Easy to learn, brutal to master
No grinding. No daily login rewards. No battle passes.
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Oct 21 '25
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u/Zirolux Oct 21 '25 edited Oct 22 '25
These are great. Ones I’m tracking as well but they don’t have any release date info I can see at least on their Steam pages.
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u/steelwound Jan 02 '26 edited Jan 03 '26
the creator of STG Builder released a commercial game on new years day, ryzy nyzl. based on the demo it seems pretty solid, with a rayforce-style lock on system.
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u/DiscombobulatedDig97 Aug 31 '26
So is steam the best place for shmps? New ones I guess. How do y'all play old shmps? Emulate them I assume? I'm new to all this so hopefully you'll see me around.
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u/Reset_STG Sep 02 '26
Yeah steam when possible and emulation/mister fpga, consoles also have some releases locked to them.
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u/kayroice Oct 20 '25
Thanks for throwing this up there, hadn't heard of Night Striker Gear which looks like pure mad cap fun.