SHMUP Creator

About

"SHMUP Creator is a user-friendly game development tool for creating your own shoot 'em ups, with 2D and 3D options, optimized bullet engine, and various editors for customization. It includes free assets and allows importing your own, with no coding or scripts required. Export your game as a stand-alone executable on Windows for free, with no royalties."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 91 reviews

stability4 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Extremely easy to use, allowing users to create shmup games right out of the box without coding knowledge.
Offers a variety of features for creating dynamic levels, including intuitive controls, customizable graphics, and built-in bullet pattern engines.
The developer is responsive to community feedback and regularly updates the software, enhancing its capabilities over time.

Limited to creating shmups similar to 16-bit or 32-bit titles, lacking the flexibility for more complex game mechanics or customization options.
Absence of essential features like collision detection and AI for enemies, which restricts the types of games that can be created.
No option for scripting or advanced customization, making it difficult for users to implement unique gameplay elements.

music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
57%
21%
The music aspect of the game is highly praised for its flexibility, allowing players to import their own tracks and sound effects, while also providing a robust selection of stock sounds for those less experienced. Users appreciate the built-in tools for customizing soundtracks and creating unique experiences, including the ability to design levels that serve as music players. Overall, the music features enhance creativity and engagement, making it easier for users to craft their ideal gaming experience.
- “Being a musician, I love being able to import my own music and sound effects into the game. If you don't have the time or expertise, the editor has lots of really good stock sounds that you can tweak.”
- “With the built-in tools, you can add your own models, particles, parallax scrolling, sound effects, and soundtracks, adjusting pretty much anything until you've made the dream shmup you've always wanted.”
- “Level linking has been added, so you can link levels in any order and create stories. I have even created a music player level, so you can listen to all the music in the game. I now have four levels of my project complete, all this in a few weeks; it would have been impossible to achieve that in anything else.”
- “Being a musician, I love being able to import my own music and sound effects into the game. However, if you don't have the time or expertise, the editor has lots of really good stock sounds that you can tweak.”
- “Hide HUDs for storyboard levels, and even create a music player screen so players can listen to the game music without playing the game. This is all doable with a great set of triggers and events that can be queued up.”
- “Level linking has been added, allowing you to link levels in any order and create stories. I have even created a music player level, so you can listen to all the music in the game. I now have four levels of my project complete, all this in a few weeks; it would have been impossible to achieve that in anything else.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The graphics in the game allow for customization through importing and resizing assets, enabling players to create unique visuals if they invest time and effort. However, those who opt for a quick, template-based approach may end up with generic graphics that result in a similar game feel to many others, diminishing the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics can be functional, the quality and uniqueness largely depend on the player's commitment to design.
- “You can import your graphics, resize them, and snap them to the grid for easy alignment.”
- “If you go with the cookie-cutter approach and make a game in half an hour, it will work, but then it will play pretty much like the dozen other shmup creator games that were made in a half hour; the game-feel will be the same and people playing the games will notice that there is no difference, other than maybe the graphics.”
- “If you go with the cookie-cutter approach and make a game in half an hour, it will work, but then it will play pretty much like the dozen other shmup creator games that were made in a half hour. The game feel will be the same, and people playing the games will notice that there is no difference, other than maybe the graphics, something you might have already experienced when playing amateur RPG Maker games.”
- “Yes, if you spend the time to make your own graphics, and you tweak a lot of parameters, you can have a game that looks uniquely yours.”
- “Io or any other site, and you have decent graphics (or use some of the provided assets, which do the job)... the game will be considered functional.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
30%
40%
The gameplay experience offered by this app is a mixed bag; while it allows for the creation of visually appealing and detailed shmups that can rival classic titles, it lacks essential mechanics and features, leaving users feeling limited. The reliance on simple checkboxes for gameplay elements can result in a lack of depth, making it disappointing for those seeking more engaging gameplay options. However, it does provide valuable insights into rapid iteration for refining gameplay, making it a useful tool for developers.
- “The visual quality of the games you can build with this and the level of gameplay detail can equal or surpass classic shmups made decades ago.”
- “This software can't help you with the marketing aspect, but it can help you create a nice visual, audio, gameplay experience that fits your personality.”
- “Even if you want to use another engine for your shmup, this is worth checking out just to understand how fast you should be able to iterate to refine the gameplay.”
- “For the price of this app, it is truly disappointing that these simple mechanics are not included.”
- “There are basically only checkboxes for some features, and if these features are not something you'd like, you're stuck with having no interesting gameplay.”
- “The gameplay lacks depth and variety, making it feel repetitive and uninspired.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that the software is highly stable and nearly free of bugs, with infrequent issues arising. The developers are responsive and provide effective support, contributing to a positive experience regarding stability.
- “The software has been very stable and bug-free in my experience.”
- “The developers are always on hand to offer advice, and bug fixes are becoming much more rare now as the software is stable and almost bug-free.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the storytelling capabilities of the game, highlighting its potential for learning game design and narrative development through tools like RPG Maker. The ability to create engaging storyboard levels and music player screens enhances the overall experience, allowing for creative expression and iteration in gameplay and storytelling.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users consistently report that the games are well-optimized and perform smoothly, indicating a positive reception regarding their overall optimization.
- “The actual created games are optimized and run well.”