Back in 2003, Espgaluda was released to arcades and it quickly gained a fan following. This vertical scroller was considered one of the best shoot ‘em ups and was ported to the PlayStation 2 in the same year. Even tougher levels were introduced in the console versions.
This game even saw a port to iOS, which received mixed reviews. Key to these games success is to have real buttons to push than a touch screen. Coming soon is a version to the Nintendo Switch!
Anyone new to this game may think of it as angels versus demi-gods; with boss levels taking its influence from Greco-Roman lore like the Moirai, Siren, Heracles and the brothers who founded Rome (Romulus and Remus). They’re the names of spaceships, and just why they’re battling the world of Shinra is explained as players delve into those tougher levels where the narrative unfolds. From the Shmups Wiki: