Gradius V (Konami the Best)

Great shooter. Very challenging and fun.

Gradius V manages to relive the feeling of the nes shooting classics, adding great graphics and an even more refined gameplay.

This thing looks amazing, and though it's all in 3D, it controls every bit as sharply and precisely as a 2D game, something I could not say e.g. of R-Type Delta.

The game kicks my ass over and over again, but when I die, it's my own fault. There's never a time when I think "unfair, that shot should not have hit." The difficulty is such that after a few hours of play I can barely get through second level on Normal.

One thing you might fail to notice at first is that you can re-collect some of your options (the yellow glowy balls) after a death. They float around for a little while. This is a huge deal because without the firepower you'd be screwed after first death.

Amazing visuals, sound, and gameplay! The best!

Among the avalanche of Cave games (which i learn to like ;) and vertical shmups (my favourite game of all Raiden Fighters Jet), there is a nostalgia while playing Gradius V.
I recollect ThunderCrossII and other horizontal titles, which have totally different and unique gameplay and way of exerting pressure on a player than vertical games. On top of it, GradiusV while still being Gradius has the best graphics i ever saw in shmup. Looks better than Dodonpachi3 , Raiden 3 and propably any title you gonna think about. For that price its absolutely a no brainer.