The Best Shoot-em-up Games for Xbox Series X

Iron Meat is a run-and-gun arcade shooter that immerses players in an apocalyptic future overrun by "The Meat," an iron-ravenous mass mutating everything in its path. Blast your way through retro-inspired stages and bosses to uncover the shocking horrors behind secret experiments on the Moon.

Soar sky-high in Raiden III x MIKADO MANIAX, an electrifying entry in the classic arcade shoot-‘em-up series! Customize your music, wallpapers, game mode, and more before launching into high-octane aerial action!

A vertical arcade shoot'em up with an inventive teleport system, lots of fast-blazing action and explosions, tons of boss fights, a risk/reward based score sytem and a proper challenge for both veteran and new players of the genre.

42 of the weirdest, trippiest, sheepiest games ever created. Enter the mind of Jeff Minter, the legendary creator of Attack of the Mutant Camels, Gridrunner, and Tempest 2000, in this interactive documentary from Digital Eclipse.

A refreshing and highly re-playable bullet hell style shooter that WANTS you to play dangerously! Ride the razor's edge of life and death in this high-risk high-reward danger oriented arcade style shooting game.

Hyper-5 draws inspiration from shoot’em up genre classics of the ‘90s. Traditional side-scrolling action is presented in 3D with screen-filling visual effects and thrilling cutscenes. Complete in-game challenges to unlock over twenty weapon systems, ship upgrades and gallery extras.

Wreak havoc on countless foes with mighty weapons and deadly spells! Enhance your skills and face even greater dangers! Army of Ruin is an auto-shooter where you become the Bullet Hell.

Cotton, the legendary witch is back, and this time in 3D! Get ready for this formerly Japanese exclusive cute ‘em up gem to be “reconjured”. ININ and Success have teamed up once again to bring you a massively improved - and for the first time worldwide - re-release of Rainbow Cotton.

Cybertrash STATYX is a story-driven 2D action-platformer with tactical elements, set in a cyberpunk world.

How long can you survive the depths of space in this fresh revival of the classic arcade shooter, all while grooving to an original score by Megan McDuffee. Pilot solo or recruit a friend for local co-op across 30 unique challenges or the endless arcade mode.