Radiant Silvergun (Treasure - 1998)
While we wait with bated breath for an announcement of a Virtual Console release for Radiant Silvergun (which would be awesome - but would annoy everyone who paid over $100 for a copy on eBay), we continue to chase high scores in the Saturn version.
Almost all shooters have high score tables - it's what they do, after all. But Radiant Silvergun goes one step further than the usual "kill lots of things without dying" formula. Enemies in the game are either blue, red, or yellow. Want to get a high score? Try shooting just one color all the way through the game. In an already hard-as-nails game, this is the ultimate hardcore challenge for any shooting game fan.
The bosses deserve special mention too, as does the weapons system. Each end-of-level baddie has several sections. You can go for the jugular and kill it quickly, but most of the score is to be found by picking it apart, one piece at a time. Of course, you have to do this within the time limit too, so you'll need to have your weapons powered up. This is another aspect in which Radiant Silvergun outdoes its peers.
Weapons are upgraded through use, so the more you use each of the attacks on offer, the more powerful they become. Their level can be saved when you die, allowing you to start the game again with the power you had when you died (or finished it). Amazingly, this doesn't break the game - it's assured enough to let you keep your big toys without becoming unbalanced.
Knowing when and how to use each of the seven weapons (that you always have) is key. Add forgiving collision detection for your craft as it jinks between Catherine-wheel fire patterns and you've got a game that plays beautifully, while always keeping its hardcore edge.
