Much of my formative video game years were spent playing two genres: the side-scrolling beat’em up and the shooter. Both were popular in the 16-bit days, but have since largely vanished from the gaming consciousness, save for cameo appearances on PSN or XBLA or the DS.
I played many shooters on my Genesis, and forged my love through repeated run-throughs of the magnificent Thunder Force III. But my addiction took root with M.U.S.H.A., a quirky vertical-scrolling effort that featured all the characteristics of the genre: huge enemies, upgradeable weapons, and thousands of glowy balls of death on the screen. It was formula, but it was formula perfected.