Weve said it from the start, and were thrilled to say it againSnow Bros. Wonderland is an absolutely excellent co-op game! Partly because it strikes the perfect balance between serious gameplay and lighthearted fun. Partly because its so easy and accessible to jump in and out of whenever you like. And also because its so fitting for the season. After all, who wouldnt want to spend time with loved ones during these magical holiday times? Now, it seems the wonderful folks at Video Chums agree with us. In their Indie Game of the Year Awards 2024, theyve named Snow Bros. Wonderland the Co-op Game of the Year! Were honored! https://videochums.com/article/indie-game-of-the-year-awards-2024#snow-bros-wonderland So, are you looking for a snowy arcade adventure to share with up to three friends? Give Snow Bros. Wonderland a chanceits sure to brighten up the winter darkness! https://store.steampowered.com/app/3214870/Snow_Bros_Wonderland/

[ 2024-12-13 13:24:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

Omega 6 is the latest game from the legendary Takaya Imamura. Imamura, who previously designed characters for F-Zero and Star Fox among many other projects, now invites us into a brand-new universe where humanity is searching for a new planet. Joining you on this journey are two androids, Thunder and Kyra, along with over 100 other colorful characters. It promises to be a 16-bit-style adventure unlike anything you've seen before! The Steam version of Omega 6 is set for release in 2025, and the game will also be coming to the Switchboth digitally and physically. While the extra content hasnt been fully decided, something special is definitely being prepared. By the way, did you know Omega 6 actually began as one, before the game was created? That's rightthis new universe was first crafted by Imamura-san in manga form. And now the story has come full circle, as a series from Dark Horse is in the works (its already out in France). Welcome aboard the Omega 6 spaceship, friends. Are you ready for an epic adventure among the stars? Wishlist Omega 6 The Triangle Stars today https://store.steampowered.com/app/3128580/OMEGA_6_The_Triangle_Stars/

[ 2024-11-11 07:27:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

Introducing the Toaplan & Psikyo Classic Arcade Shoot em up Collection The Japanese studios Toaplan and Psikyo created some of the most groundbreaking and greatest shoot em up games from the early 80s and up until the start of the 2000s including beloved series such as Truxton and Strikers 1945. Were now teaming up with City Connection to bring you the Toaplan & Psikyo Classic Arcade Shoot em up Collection! This bundle includes 16 games from Toaplan and 9 games from Psikyo filled with fast-flying bullets and bombastic bombing action. If you already own some of these games, then you will just pay and receive the games in the bundle that you dont already have in your Steam library. Take the chance to enjoy some of the finest arcade experiences from the golden era updated with modern features. Toaplan & Psikyo Classic Arcade Shoot 'em up Collection GAMES INCLUDED Toaplan games:

• Batsugun
• Truxton
• Truxton II
• Zero Wing
• Out Zone
• FixEight
• Dogyuun
• Grind Stormer
• Vimana
• Slap Fight
• Tiger Heli
• Twin Cobra
• Flying Shark
• Fire Shark
• Hellfire
• Twin Hawk

Psikyo games:

• Strikers 1945
• Strikers 1945 II
• Strikers 1945 III
• Gunbird
• Gunbird 2
• Gunbarich
• Samurai Aces
• Tengai
• Samurai Aces III: Sengoku Cannon

Psikyo was a Japanese developer and publisher founded in 1992. Specializing in vertically scrolling shoot em up that are known for fast-flying enemy bullets, challenging second loops, and enigmatic characters. Development studio Zerodiv, part of City Connection, have carefully ported Psikyos classic arcade games to PC.
Toaplan was a Japanese developer that operated between 1984 and 1994. Famous for popularizing the bomb-based gameplay system that became a staple in shoot em ups, and perfectly balanced enemy placement and attack patterns that required a strategic approach. Today Toaplan is curated by Tatsujin with many of the former key Toaplan staff employed at Tatsujin. Bitwave have ported Toaplans slate of immortal shoot em ups to PC.

[ 2024-09-16 07:42:21 CET ] [ Original post ]

• Practice Mode: after hit return direct to Practice Menu
• Don't show double menu after saving a game in Practice Mode and getting hit
• Mac Steam Input: Fixed the input mapping files

[ 2024-04-17 12:20:56 CET ] [ Original post ]

They're here and we couldn't be more delighted! Toaplan Arcade Shoot 'Em Up Collection Vol.4 has landed on Steam and GOG, featuring heavy hitters such as Truxton II, Grind Stormer, Dogyuun, and Twin Hawk. Were also launching an Ultimate Collection with all 16 games for the unrivaled Toaplan experience. The Toaplan PC project was announced back in August 2022, and the circle is now complete. At Bitwave, we take great pride in our collaboration with Tatsujin, aiding them in continuing the Toaplan legacy making games like Dogyuun available in home versions for the first time.

SHMUPS INCLUDED IN VOL.4

Truxton II: Enjoy the visually stunning pixel graphics in one of the hardest and most unforgiving Toaplan games! Grind Stormer: Experience a vertically scrolling manic shooter featuring impressive pixel art graphics and an upbeat FM soundtrack! Dogyuun: Known for its detailed pixel art, colossal bosses, and menacing difficulty. Take on the challenge with a friend and combine your ships into a space-wrecking vehicle! Twin Hawk: Call in a formation of six friendly fighter planes and take down powerful enemies in this classic military-themed shoot 'em up!

COMPLETE YOUR COLLECTION

You can purchase all four games together for 19.99$/ or separately for 7.79$/. Complete your collection by diving into our Ultimate Collection or buy them all for 69.99$/.

LIST OF UPDATES:

• Minimal Input Lag: Emulation, input processing, and rendering all complete on the same frame.
• Quick Save using F1-F10, Reload with Shift+ F1-F10.
• Online leaderboards for Single Credit, No Assist, and Assisted plays.
• Rewind the game between 10-18 minutes, depending on the action.
• Capture sharable replays to immortalize your interstellar victories (or funny moments).
• Assist Features such as auto-fire at multiple rates.
• Very Easy Mode: Lower the difficulty to breeze through the adventure.
• Pixel perfect or full-screen scaling in windowed or full-screen mode.
• Rotate the gameplay in 90-degree increments.
• Steam Achievements.
• Choose between Raw Input on Windows or Steam Input.
• Hone your skills in the ultra customizable practice mode!

Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) (@bitwavegames) to stay updated on future projects!

[ 2024-04-08 11:30:17 CET ] [ Original post ]

• Fixes and Memory Optimizations coinciding with the release of Volume 4

[ 2024-04-08 08:55:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

Happy Friday, shmupers! Were glad to tell you that Toaplan Arcade Shoot Em Up Collection Vol.4 is coming soon! Vol.4 includes Truxton II, Grind Stormer, Dogyuun, and Twin Hawk, and you can wishlist them all today: Truxton II: Enjoy the visually stunning pixel graphics in one of the hardest and most unforgiving Toaplan games! Grind Stormer: Experience a vertically scrolling manic shooter featuring impressive pixel art graphics and an upbeat FM soundtrack! Dogyuun: Known for its detailed pixel art, colossal bosses, and menacing difficulty. Take on the challenge with a friend and combine your ships into a space-wrecking vehicle! Twin Hawk: Call in a formation of six friendly fighter planes and take down powerful enemies in this classic military-themed shoot 'em up! Weve got more news to share shortly. Please tune in ShooterFes on April 6th, 8am ET / 2pm CEST / 9pm JST, to learn more. See you there!

[ 2024-03-22 12:46:58 CET ] [ Original post ]

Today marks an exciting milestone! The Toaplan Arcade Shoot Em Up Collection Vol. 4 is officially released on both Steam and GOG. This volume holds special significance as it includes two games that have never seen an official release outside the arcade until now: Vimana and FixEight. Additionally, experience the classic chopper shooter Tiger-Heli and the fan-favorite Batsugun. The Games In Detail Tiger-Heli: This is where it all started. Tiger-Heli, Toaplan's pioneering bomb-based vertical shooter set the stage for an entire genre back in 1985! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG9XHhx19-k Vimana: Uncover the magic of Indian mythology, unique power-ups, and an enchanting soundtrack in this electrifying space showdown! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXcYaaL2oFI FixEight: Toaplan's thrilling vertical run-and-gun game features eight peerless warriors with cutting-edge weapons! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcSceYUoEJM Batsugun: The epic conclusion of Toaplan's legendary shooter series. Play the original or Batsugun Special. Choose your favorite character and spaceship in this thrilling sci-fi adventure! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjVc76ROHxI You can purchase all four games together for 19.99$/ or separately for 7.79$/! Each game features quick save/resume, online leaderboards for single credit players, no assist and assisted modes, and Achievements (for bragging rights)! You can also showcase your skills online using the built-in video capture! List of updates:

• Minimal Input Lag: Emulation, input processing, and rendering all complete on the same frame.
• Quick Save using F1-F10, Reload with Shift+ F1-F10
• Online leaderboards for Single Credit, No Assist, and Assisted plays.
• Instrument panels with extra gameplay information and artwork.
• Rewind the game between 10-18 minutes, depending on the action.
• Capture sharable replays to immortalize your interstellar victories (or funny moments).
• Assist Features such as auto-fire at multiple rates.
• Very Easy Mode: Lower the difficulty to breeze through the adventure.
• Pixel perfect or full-screen scaling in windowed or full-screen mode.
• Rotate the gameplay in 90-degree increments.
• Steam Achievements
• Choose between Raw Input on Windows or Steam Input.
• Hone your skills in the ultra-customizable practice mode!

With Vol.3 out, theres just one more to go! Look forward to Truxton II, Dogyuun, Grind Stormer, and Twin Hawk. But more on that later. Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) to stay updated!

[ 2024-02-01 12:31:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

BATSUGUN COMPETITION Were teaming up with Japanese clothing company KumaGumi to celebrate the upcoming release of Batsugun on PC! The aim of KumaGumi is to do quality retro gaming apparel. Kuma( / Bear) Gumi( Group) reflects the days, evenings, years (oh wtf?!) spent hibernating and playing videogames with friends. A time of innocence, simplicity with no Internet. One of the many amazing collections from KumaGumiis a line of Batsugun clothes and now you have the chance to win a Skull Hornet coach jacket, Warning Kuma hoodie, or a Skull Hornets t-shirt from that very collection! Participate in the competition on X/Twitter. Enter before 23:59 CET on January 31st 2023. Three winners will be selected and announced on February 1st.

[ 2024-01-25 13:52:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

Greetings shmupers! Today were bursting with excitement to reveal the next installment of our Toaplan releases on PC, Toaplan Arcade Shoot Em Up Collection Vol.3! Vol. 3 is a mix of firsts and lasts and good ol' classics in between. Were also bringing the enhancements from our two first volumes to Vol.3 for both veterans and newcomers alike to enjoy. You can purchase all four games together for 19.99$/ or separately for 7.79$/. Be sure to wishlist all four titles to prepare for launch day! SHMUPS INCLUDED IN VOL.3 Tiger-Heli: This is where it all started. Tiger-Heli, Toaplan's pioneering bomb-based vertical shooter set the stage for an entire genre back in 1985! Vimana: Uncover the magic of Indian mythology, unique power-ups, and an enchanting soundtrack in this electrifying space showdown! FixEight: Toaplan's thrilling vertical run-and-gun game features eight peerless warriors with cutting-edge weapons! Batsugun: The epic conclusion of Toaplan's legendary shooter series. Play the original or Batsugun Special. Choose your favorite character and spaceship in this thrilling sci-fi adventure! LIST OF UPDATES: Minimal Input Lag: Emulation, input processing, and rendering all complete on the same frame. Quick Save using F1-F10, Reload with Shift+ F1-F10 Online leaderboards for Single Credit, No Assist, and Assisted plays. Instrument panels with extra gameplay information and artwork. Rewind the game between 10-18 minutes, depending on the action. Capture sharable replays to immortalize your interstellar victories (or funny moments). Assist Features such as auto-fire at multiple rates. Very Easy Mode: Lower the difficulty to breeze through the adventure. Pixel perfect or full-screen scaling in windowed or full-screen mode. Rotate the gameplay in 90-degree increments. Steam Achievements Choose between Raw Input on Windows or Steam Input. Hone your skills in the ultra customizable practice mode! We had a blast putting together this collection of classic shooters, and we hope you enjoy it. The team is now focusing on Vol.4 which will be the final collection, and we'll let you know when it's ready for launch. February 1, 2024 is just around the corner. Get ready by adding all four games to your Wishlist and follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, to stay updated!

[ 2024-01-10 14:02:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

The Toaplan games are known for their thrilling music that matches the intense shoot em up gameplay. Taking off in Truxton and you immediately feel a level excitement as the music starts to play, its the start of an action-packed journey to furthest reaches of space. Or the dramatic straight into action upbeat tune of Hellfire. Add the sound effects of blazing shots and exploding bombs. Its a soundscape that represents the best of the golden arcade era of pixelated shoot em up games. At Bitwave we have worked to constantly improving the audio representation. Coder Carl Henrik Skrstedt has listened (no pun intended) to feedback and received input from Tatsujin, the owner of the Toaplan games and run by original Toaplan staff including Masahiro Yuge and Tatsuya Uemura that composed several of the songs in the game. To ensure proper emulation we listened to recorded arcade music and sound effects. Its a challenge as the audio experience with an arcade cabinet can vary between cabinets with different speakers and resonance. The sound from earlier sound chips such as the PSG depends on the circuitry connecting it to the sound output signal making each game a little bit more unique and more challenging to get just right. Throughout several different patches we have worked on the audio: - Improved the sound to play at a consistent tempo. - Included support for a wider range of audio drivers. - Added audio filter: optional echo, reverb, low-pass and high-pass filters to allow players to customize to their best experience in emulating an arcade like sound. - Fixed technical bugs that meant minor improvements in the generated audio. In the latest update weve further adjusted the frequency based on feedback of the sound effects and the high pitch in games such as Slap Fight based on feedback. This is something thatll also benefit future releases such as Tiger Heli, the first game created by Toaplan. We hope that this is satisfaction to your ears in the goal to deliver the arcade feeling home on your PC. Were humble as its not an easy task to emulate and faithfully recreate the amazing Toaplan audio with the weight of heritage it carries. We appreciate specific feedback on how and where we can improve. Our goal remains to deliver an arcade experience with minimal input lag for the controller to get that split-second action decisions as you dodge bullets, while you enjoy the beautiful pixel art with or without a CRT filter and feel the beat of the stunning digitized music. We want to finish off by letting you know that the latest update also includes a fix for the capture video function. Previously we fixed the desync and in the new version we have turned off rewind when recording and replaying. At first the fix will be applied to Twin Cobra, Flying Shark, and Slap Fight. The fix will be rolled out to the other games in the future. Other fixes in addition to the already mentioned: Music tempo correction (Twin Cobra, and Flying Shark) Wide screen mode: Pick-ups centered instead of to the left side (Twin Cobra) Centered the cursor in the high score entry (Slap Fight)

[ 2023-12-13 12:21:34 CET ] [ Original post ]

Full patch notes:

• Changed tempo in music to align with the original version
• Disabled rewind function when recording for stability

[ 2023-12-13 12:20:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey shmupers! We've just released a new patch for Flying Shark. Details below: * Hishou Zame Rankings fixed * Keyboard layout saves and loads properly again * Keyboard icons displayed when using keyboard and in keyboard setup * Record and replay reworked, replays from previous versions still works and should be better * Stairstep screen mode bleeding in from right edge fixed

[ 2023-09-15 13:03:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

Theyre here! Toaplan Arcade Shoot 'Em Up Collection Vol.2 is out now on Steam! We at Bitwave are proud to have worked on this project with our Japanese friends at Tatsujin, and the second volume includes four Toaplan classics with high-quality emulation and tons of quality-of-life extras! Games included in Vol. 2:

• Hellfire: Toaplan's first side-scrolling shooter, known for its blazing graphics and strategic gameplay. Save the galaxy by burning aliens to ashes with the ultimate firepower!
• Slap Fight (AKA Alcon): A brain-melting vertical shooter with gauge-based power-ups that'll get your blood pumping!
• Fire Shark: Set the skies ablaze and endure white-knuckle shmup action in this no-nonsense aerial trial! Fly solo or play in co-op.
• Flying Shark (AKA Sky Shark): A military shmup adventure with destructive power-ups, stunning graphics, and evil enemy forces to destroy!

You can purchase all four games together for 19.99$/ or separately for 7.79$/! Each game features quick save/resume, online leaderboards for single credit players, no assist and assisted modes, and Achievements (for bragging rights)! You can also showcase your skills online using the built-in video capture! List of updates:

• Authentic emulation with minimal input lag (input processing and rendering are all done on the same frame).
• Instrument panels with additional gameplay information and artwork in vertical titles.
• Gameplay can be rewinded between 10 and 18 minutes.
• Assist features, such as auto-fire.
• Very Easy Mode, allowing beginners to master each game at their own pace.
• Pixel-perfect display or full-screen scaling in both windowed and full-screen modes.
• Rotate the game in 90-degree increments.
• Choose between Raw Windows Input or Steam Input.
• You can practice your skills using the practice mode.
• A brand new Mirror Mode (in select titles).

... and more! This collection of beloved shooters was so much fun to put together, and we hope you enjoy it. Our team is working hard on Vol. 3 right now, and we'll let you know when it's ready. Follow us on social media (@bitwavegames) to stay updated!

[ 2023-08-24 12:37:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

We're releasing our second wave of Toaplan Arcade Shoot 'Em Ups on Steam and GOG on August 24! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wR5tEUTFDA Vol. 2 features four highly anticipated Toaplan classics emulated in high quality and enhanced with tons of quality-of-life features. You can purchase all four games together for 19.99$/ or separately for 7.79$/. Be sure to wishlist all four titles to prepare for launch day! SHMUPS INCLUDED IN VOL. 2

• Hellfire: Toaplan's first side-scrolling shooter, known for its blazing graphics and strategic gameplay. Save the galaxy by burning aliens to ashes with the ultimate firepower!
• Slap Fight (AKA Alcon): A brain-melting vertical shooter with gauge-based power-ups that'll get your blood pumping!
• Fire Shark: Set the skies ablaze and endure white-knuckle shmup action in this no-nonsense aerial trial! Fly solo or play in co-op.
• Flying Shark (AKA Sky Shark): A military shmup adventure with destructive power-ups, stunning graphics, and evil enemy forces to destroy!

Each game features quick save/resume, online leaderboards for single credit players, no assist and assisted modes, and Achievements (for bragging rights)! You can also showcase your skills online using the built-in video capture! List of updates:

• Authentic emulation with minimal input lag (input processing and rendering are all done on the same frame).
• Instrument panels with additional gameplay information and artwork in vertical titles.
• Gameplay can be rewinded between 10 and 18 minutes.
• Assist features, such as auto-fire.
• Very Easy Mode, allowing beginners to master each game at their own pace.
• Pixel-perfect display or full-screen scaling in both windowed and full-screen modes.
• Rotate the game in 90-degree increments.
• Choose between Raw Windows Input or Steam Input.
• You can practice your skills using the practice mode.
• A brand new Mirror Mode (in select titles).

... and more! This collection of beloved shooters was so much fun to put together, and we hope you enjoy it. Our team is working hard on Vol. 3 right now, and we'll let you know when it's ready. Get ready for August 24 by adding all four games to your Wishlist! Follow us on Twitter (@bitwavegames) to stay updated!

[ 2023-08-03 13:00:21 CET ] [ Original post ]