Whats the first shmup you EVER played

[Arkhan]

My lil' brother picked that one when our parents let us each choose a game....u couldn't blame him, the box was hella cool...the game not so much 

the game is as sweet as the cover.  youre crazy

[Tatsujin]

I think it was phoenix on a VC-20 or so at my godfathers friends home (was kinda computer crack) . Remember very vague. Next I remember was teh XEVIOUS arcade

[Tablet]

Mine will have to be Transbot on SMS, I love the music on that game along with Alex Kidd in a Miracle World will forever be burned into my memory.

[Opethian]

Arcade: Phoenix
Tandy: Don Pan
DOS: Zaxxon
Famicom: Hector '87

[Necromancer]

I'm not sure which was first, but something on the 2600.  River Raid, Chopper Command, or Defender, I suppose.

[Vecanti]

For me the first shooter I remember would have to be Zaxxon for the C64.  I remember that game being really hard.  But I haven't played it in 20+ years. I guess I need to go find a copy.

This is really the only 3/4 view shooter I remember. Kind of cool, does anyone know of any others?

[_joshuaTurbo]

I'm pretty sure it was playing Zaxxon as well in a Radio Shack on a Tandy CoCo 2! 

[geise]

It was so long ago so it might not be my first virgin shooter experience, but I remember playing Bosconian by Namco. 

[sunteam_paul]

It was doubtless some obscure shoot 'em up on the ZX Spectrum that I wouldn't even remember. The first 'typical' shoot 'em up that I actually REALLY enjoyed (after years of disinterest in the genre) was Super Star Soldier.

[rag-time4]

My first shooter ever was Sidearms in the arcade. My local Straw Hat pizza had it way back when. In fact, I still have in my possession a little story I wrote about sidearms as an elementary school student. The story book we wrote in was a cut-out of an astronaut that totally reminded me of the spaceman in the upper left of the arcade marquee!!

Sidearms was one of the main reasons I wanted a Duo and one of the first games I got.

[Necromancer]

In fact, I still have in my possession a little story I wrote about sidearms as an elementary school student. The story book we wrote in was a cut-out of an astronaut that totally reminded me of the spaceman in the upper left of the arcade marquee!!

Sounds cute.  Scan and share? 

[rag-time4]

For me the first shooter I remember would have to be Zaxxon for the C64.  I remember that game being really hard.  But I haven't played it in 20+ years. I guess I need to go find a copy.

This is really the only 3/4 view shooter I remember. Kind of cool, does anyone know of any others?

Viewpoint for the Neo Geo is another.

In fact, I still have in my possession a little story I wrote about sidearms as an elementary school student. The story book we wrote in was a cut-out of an astronaut that totally reminded me of the spaceman in the upper left of the arcade marquee!!

Sounds cute.  Scan and share? 

HAHA If I can clear it I'll post scans of the Sidearms storybook! Sidearms is definitely one of my first true loves in terms of video games. I could barely reach the buttons back then.

[Tatsujin]

My first shooter ever was Sidearms in the arcade.

Sure? may I ask for your age, rag?

[nat]

My first shooter was Space Invaders (known as "Aliens" to prevent copyright infringement) on the Kaypro 4.

[Colossus1574]

Sounds cute.  Scan and share? 

I second that emotion!!!
SideArms was/still is WICKED, i remember it was the closest thing to Robotech in the arcade, and being 2 players was even more kickass!
It's so awesome that it goes from horizontal to a vertical scroller, music on the CD version was incredible too.