Aleste / Daisenpuu

When you say top-tier shmup on the MSX, sooner or later the name Aleste comes up. This series from the Compile studio is among the best that the vertical-shooter genre offered on the eight-bit and sixteen-bit scenes, and to this day it is a benchmark of quality.

Aleste (known in some markets also under the name Daisenpuu within the broader family of Compile shooters) is built on brisk action, an elaborate weapon-upgrade system, and level design that pushes the player forward without overwhelming them. Compile had an extraordinary feel for shooters — their games flowed smoothly, rewarded mastery of the mechanics, and had just the right difficulty curve that made you try again and again.

On the MSX2 the series managed to take advantage of the platform's better graphical capabilities and offer visuals and a pace that had nothing to be ashamed of next to console competition. The work with colors, scrolling, and music was top-tier and made Aleste one of the titles for which fans remember the platform with love.

Compile became so famous for its shmups that its legacy lives on — over the years the Aleste series received a number of sequels and modern compilations that bring it back to new generations. This is testament to how strong a mark the studio left on the genre.

If you want to understand why shooter fans have such a bond with the Compile brand and are looking for fast, polished action on the MSX, Aleste is the best possible choice.

Why play: For a polished vertical shooter from the masters at Compile that ranks among the absolute best shmups on the MSX.