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Index › 1990s › Shock Troopers
Shock Troopers cover art

Shock Troopers

ショックトルーパーズ
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Shock Troopers

Steam $7.99 GOG $5.99 Fanatical $6.75 -16% Nintendo eShop $7.99

Shock Troopers is a 1-2 player game where players select one of eight characters to play as. Each character has their own attack. Players also have to choose one of three routes to take. The object of the game is to go toward the end of the level and defeat the end-of-level boss, which is usually a huge vehicle. Crates that are scattered throughout the levels can be broken into to reveal new weapons and power-ups. There is a team mode where players have to select three characters. The characters can be switched on-the-fly during gameplay, which is useful if one of them is badly injured. Players can use the other teammates until life-ups can be found.

Year
1997
Developer
Saurus
Publisher
SNK of America

SCREENSHOTS

PHYSICAL

HISTORY

Shock Troopers is a run and gun arcade game developed by Saurus and published by SNK in 1997 for the Neo-Geo arcade MVS platform. Gameplay involves taking command of one or three soldiers in an eight-way shooter. A second game in the series, Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad, followed up in 1998.

Gameplay

At the beginning of each session, players choose whether to go through the game in one of two modes, "Lonely Wolf" or "Team Battle". In "Lonely Wolf", one character is controlled throughout the game, while "Team Battle" allows selecting a band of three soldiers through their missions, switching between them on-the-fly. Choosing to go it alone gives a higher starting life total, while proceeding as a team will give a wider variety of special weapons as well as a higher starting total (ten for each of the three characters instead of twenty for one).

At the beginning of the game, there is also a choice to travel through the Mountain, Jungle, or Valley route. Halfway through the game, a different route can optionally be chosen otherwise stay on the current path. Characters and paths chosen determine how much life bonus is received at the beginning of each level. Each stage is interspersed with boss battles (both in the middle and at the end of each stage). Until the very end, battling the enemy commander atop an aircraft.

Each character has their own virtues over other selections. Some might start with higher life totals, while others could move faster. Regardless of choice, the soldiers each possess a unique special weapon or "bomb", which varies in distance and range. Controls consist of an eight-way joystick and four buttons. Players move in eight directions with the joystick and fire, do evasive maneuvers, use their special weapon, and switch characters with the A, B, C, and D buttons, respectively.

Players must progress through seven levels, each ending in a boss fight. The weapons can be fired in all eight directions, but holding down the fire button allows strafing. Attacking within close range of an enemy will yield items, including point bonuses, weapon power-ups, and life. Enemy fire can be avoided with the dodge button. In "Team Battle" mode, the three selected soldiers can be cycled to utilize the traits and special weapons of each.

Plot

The Bloody Scorpions terrorist group have kidnapped scientist George Diamond and his granddaughter Cecilia Diamond in order to gain the powerful drug, Alpha-301, which converts normal people into superhuman soldiers. A special team composed of eight soldiers from different countries must fight through their ranks in order to get to their leader and save the scientist's granddaughter and the world. (The sequel, Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad, has a completely unrelated story and different characters.)

Ports and re-releases

Shock Troopers was included in SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1, a video game compilation for PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Wii.

SNK Playmore released ports for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable developed by M2 on August 25, 2011, on PlayStation Network via NEOGEO Station.

D4 Enterprise developed and published a port for the Virtual Console for Wii, which was released in Japan on May 22, 2012; in North America on October 25, 2012; and in Europe on November 8, 2012.

A port developed by DotEmu for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux and asm.js was released by SNK Playmore as part of the Humble NEOGEO 25th Anniversary Bundle on December 8, 2015. It was released on Steam on May 18, 2016, and on GOG.com on May 30, 2017.

Reception

In Japan, Game Machine listed Shock Troopers as the thirteenth most successful arcade game of December 1998.

The game was very well received. Classic Game Room described Shock Troopers for the PlayStation 3 as an "amazing" shooter with "fantastic" gameplay, controls, and the best game of 2011, despite being just a re-release. Nintendo Life's Corbie Dillard scored the Virtual Console release a 7/10 and opined it "succeeds in offering up an intense and explosive run-and-gun experience." Digitally Downloaded reviewer awarded it four-and-half stars out of five, stating: "If you’ve never played a run-n’-gun shooter before, Shock Troopers should be one of your top contenders, regardless of your skill level." According to Hardcore Gaming 101, unlike the version included in SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1, the VC version "runs almost perfectly." The website especially hailed the game's "fantastic presentation that ranks among the best in the genre."

STORY

The Bloody Scorpions terrorist group have kidnapped scientist George Diamond and his granddaughter Cecilia Diamond in order to gain the powerful drug, Alpha-301, which converts normal people into superhuman soldiers. A special team composed of eight soldiers from different countries must fight through their ranks in order to get to their leader and save the scientist's granddaughter and the world.

1CC RUNS

One-credit clears we point to as the benchmark for this game.

GAMEPLAY VIDEO

STORES best right now: Fanatical −16%

Store
Price
Discount
Lowest ever
$7.99
Lowest: $1.19
$5.99
Lowest: $0.89
$7.99$6.75
-16% ends in 2 days
Lowest: $1.03

Prices are cached from each storefront and may be out of date. Last checked 24 Sept 2026.

PRICE HISTORY

Every price change we know of, per shop. Flat means the price held; PC shops reach back through IsThereAnyDeal's archive, console shops start when this site started watching.

$0$520172019202120232025Nintendo eShop $7.99Fanatical $6.75GOG $5.99Humble Store $7.99Steam $7.99Xbox $7.99

Nintendo eShop low: $7.99 (29 Aug 2026) , Fanatical low: $1.03 (25 Jun 2026) , GOG low: $0.89 (27 Mar 2026) , Humble Store low: $2.39 (30 Jun 2023) , Steam low: $1.19 (30 Jul 2026) , Xbox low: $7.99 (29 Oct 2018)

REVIEWS

Published elsewhere, collected here. Every score is the outlet's own, on the outlet's own scale. Follow the link for the full review.

Cubed3
8 / 10
ACA NeoGeo: Shock Troopers (Nintendo Switch) Review

“ACA NeoGeo: Shock Troopers is an ideal game to add to anyone's Nintendo Switch library for playing while commuting, dropping into tabletop mode for some local co-operative action at a friend's house, or even diving into at home on the big screen to try and top the online leaderboards for that strong feeling of satisfaction. It may have a short playtime, but it is extremely enjoyable to go back to it again and again - a truly excellent dose of arcade fun.”

Drew Hurley , 25 Mar 2017
NintendoWorldReport
8 / 10
Shock Troopers (Switch) Review

“As a co-op game with single Joy-Con support, Shock Troopers is a winner. It may be simple and silly, but I’ll probably find myself breaking this game out on plane rides for years to come. Shock Troopers was totally worth creating a European Nintendo Account for.”

Adam Abou-Nasr , 13 Mar 2017
PCMag
4 / 5
Shock Troopers (for PC) Review & Rating

“Boasting tons of fun weapons, eight unique playable characters, and a novel team-based combat option, Shock Troopers is one of the best run-and-gun shooters for the PC.”

Jeffrey L. Wilson , 23 Jan 2017
Hobby Consolas
73 / 100
Análisis de ACA Neo Geo Shock Troopers para Nintendo Switch - HobbyConsolas

“Shock Troopers is a fast and fun, yet simple, action game that brings back the feelings of the old arcade games. Switch version adds nothing new, except for its different modes: portable, tabletop and home console, but it is still enjoyable.”

David Martinez , 13 Mar 2017
Nintendo Life
7 / 10
Review: Shock Troopers (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)

“Shock Troopers may not add much to the top-down run-and-gun genre but it's enjoyable while it lasts. The visuals weren't particularly awe-inspiring back in 1997, but everything moves at a slick pace and neat elements of humour prevent things from becoming too serious. In single player you might get a week or so of play out of this, but with two people involved it becomes a lot more appealing - and thanks to those detachable Joy-Cons, co-op sessions are easy to arrange. Shock Troopers 2nd Squad may be considered the superior release, but the original is still worth checking out if you like your”

Damien McFerran , 17 Mar 2017
FNintendo
6 / 10
ACA NEOGEO SHOCK TROOPERS

“Shock Troopers brings the players back to a time of simpler gameplay mechanics and it certainly has a commendable nostalgia value for those who know it and who treasure it. Some of its features feel outdated by today's standards, however, which means that more recent players will question some of the game's aspects and its gameplay will feel like it truly belongs to Shock Troopers' original time.”

António Branquinho , 10 Apr 2017

Reviews are the work of the outlets named. Titles, scores and quoted excerpts are reproduced for identification and criticism; each links to the original.

SCORES

Source
Audience
Score
Reviews
Users
86 / 100
195
Users
73 / 100
23
Users
74 / 100
16
Users
8 / 10
13

ACHIEVEMENTS 1 set

Tracked by RetroAchievements and earned in an emulator that reports to it. A game tracked on more than one machine gets a set for each, because they are different lists earned on different hardware.

Arcade 55 achievements, 425 pts
  1. Hellish Mountains 5
    Finish Mountain Stage 1 | Route Mountain [Default difficulty or above]
  2. Passage and Ascent Before Demolition 5
    Finish Mountain Stage 2 | Route Mountain [Default difficulty or above]
  3. Ground Burning in Flames 5
    Finish Mountain Stage 3 | Route Mountain [Default difficulty or above]
  4. A Cold That Covers Blood 5
    Finish Mountain Stage 4 | Route Mountain [Default difficulty or above]
  5. Railways Protected by Troops 5
    Finish Mountain Stage 5 | Route Mountain [Default difficulty or above]
  6. The Mantle in Favor of the Motherland 5
    Finish Jungle Stage 1 | Route Jungle [Default difficulty or above]
  7. Fuel Out of Reach 5
    Finish Jungle Stage 2 | Route Jungle [Default difficulty or above]
  8. Fair for Traffic Purchases 5
    Finish Jungle Stage 3 | Route Jungle [Default difficulty or above]
  9. Enemies Behind Explosives 5
    Finish Jungle Stage 4 | Route Jungle [Default difficulty or above]
  10. Core Matrix Brands 5
    Finish Jungle Stage 5 | Route Jungle [Default difficulty or above]
  11. Attacked by Paratroopers 5
    Finish Valley Stage 1 | Route Valley [Default difficulty or above]
  12. BSG Battle Tank 5
    Finish Valley Stage 2 | Route Valley [Default difficulty or above]
  13. Once All the Machines and Gunners 5
    Finish Valley Stage 3 | Route Valley [Default difficulty or above]
  14. The Purple Lieutenant Lobs His Own Grenades 5
    Finish Valley Stage 4 | Route Valley [Default difficulty or above]
  15. Red Claw Focuses in Street 5
    Finish Valley Stage 5 | Route Valley [Default difficulty or above]
  16. Total Route I - Abyss Mountains 10
    Complete the game by playing only on the mountain route [Default difficulty or above]
  17. Total Route II - The Warm Green 10
    Complete the game by playing only on the jungle route [Default difficulty or above]
  18. Total Route III - Hake Shots 10
    Complete the game by playing only on the valley route [Default difficulty or above]
  19. Extra: High-Speed War 5
    Finish Extra Stage 4 | Change Route [Default difficulty or above]
  20. The Lone American 10
    Finish the game with Jackal | (Lonly-Wolf) [Hero 3 - Default difficulty or above]
  21. The Group's Token Eye-Candy 10
    Finish the game with Milky | (Lonly-Wolf) [Hero 3 - Default difficulty or above]
  22. The Scandinavian Soldier 10
    Finish the game with Loki | (Lonly-Wolf) [Hero 3 - Default difficulty or above]
  23. Hailing From the Land Down Under 10
    Finish the game with Southern Cross | (Lonly-Wolf) [Hero 3 - Default difficulty or above]
  24. The Russian Wench Speed-Type 10
    Finish the game with Marie Bee | (Lonly-Wolf) [Hero 3 - Default difficulty or above]
  25. A Native From Brazil's Amazon Jungles 10
    Finish the game with Rio | (Lonly-Wolf) [Hero 3 - Default difficulty or above]
  26. This Lighthearted Japanese 10
    Finish the game with Maru | (Lonly-Wolf) [Hero 3 - Default difficulty or above]
  27. The Canadian Female Hunk of Muscle 10
    Finish the game with Big Mama | (Lonly-Wolf) [Hero 3 - Default difficulty or above]
  28. The Demolisher 1 - Jackal 10
    Destroy everything without dying with Jackal | (Lonly-Wolf - Hero 3) [Track a progress bar in the description]
  29. The Demolisher 2 - Milky 10
    Destroy everything without dying with Milky | (Lonly-Wolf - Hero 3) [Track a progress bar in the description]
  30. The Demolisher 3 - Loki 10
    Destroy everything without dying with Loki | (Lonly-Wolf - Hero 3) [Track a progress bar in the description]
  31. The Demolisher 4 - Southern Cross 10
    Destroy everything without dying with Southern Cross | (Lonly-Wolf - Hero 3) [Track a progress bar in the description]
  32. The Demolisher 5 - Marie Bee 10
    Destroy everything without dying with Marie Bee | (Lonly-Wolf - Hero 3) [Track a progress bar in the description]
  33. The Demolisher 6 - Rio 10
    Destroy everything without dying with Rio | (Lonly-Wolf - Hero 3) [Track a progress bar in the description]
  34. The Demolisher 7 - Maru 10
    Destroy everything without dying with Maru | (Lonly-Wolf - Hero 3) [Track a progress bar in the description]
  35. The Demolisher 8 - Big Mama 10
    Destroy everything without dying with Big Mama | (Lonly-Wolf - Hero 3) [Track a progress bar in the description]
  36. Weapon Master 1 - M-60 Heavy 5
    Shoot 1.000 times with the weapon: M-60 Heavy in one session
  37. Weapon Master 2 - M-61 Vulcan 5
    Shoot 900 times with the weapon: M-61 Vulcan in one session
  38. Weapon Master 3 - 3-Way Shot 5
    Shoot 300 times with the weapon: 3-Way Shot Heavy in one session
  39. Weapon Master 4 - F. Thrower 5
    Shoot 500 times with the weapon: F. Thrower in one session
  40. Weapon Master 5 - Tank Buster 5
    Shoot 30 times with the weapon: Tank Buster in one session
  41. Weapon Master 6 - R. Launcher 5
    Shoot 20 times with the weapon: R. Launcher in one session
  42. Weapon Master 7 - M. Launcher 5
    Shoot 20 times with the weapon: M. Launcher in one session
  43. Weapon Master 8 - Hyper Cannon 5
    Shoot 20 times with the weapon: Hyper Cannon in one session
  44. Putting It to Run 1
    Get a Speed Up [Hero 3]
  45. Burn It All, Bastards !! 1
    Get a Red Diamond [Hero 3]
  46. Temporary Invincibility, but Be Careful... 1
    Get a Yellow Diamond [Hero 3]
  47. Don't Stop to Think, Just Run! 5
    Finish Stage 1 with 69 seconds or more left | Route Mountain [Default difficulty or above]
  48. Dodge and Ignore Almost Everything 5
    Finish Stage 1 with 61 seconds or more left | Route Jungle [Default difficulty or above]
  49. No Time for a Bath 5
    Finish Stage 1 with 63 seconds or more left | Route Valley [Default difficulty or above]
  50. P. Loot 1 - Novice 3
    Get a Score: 5.000.000 [1-P]
  51. P. Loot 2 - Intermediate 4
    Get a Score: 7.500.000 [1-P]
  52. P. Loot 3 - Advanced 5
    Get a Score: 10.000.000 [1-P]
  53. The Elite Squad 10
    End the game by playing with Team Battle | (Hero 3) [Default difficulty or above]
  54. Blood War and Tension 25
    Finish the game on maximum difficulty [AES - Diff: mvs ] or [MVS - Diff: Lv8] (Hero 3)
  55. The Devastating in a Wire Situation 50
    Finish the game using only one credit [Hero 3 - Default difficulty or above]

Achievement names, descriptions and badges are the work of the RetroAchievements community. View this set on RetroAchievements

RELEASES 12 systems

System
Platform
Year
Notes
ARC
Arcade
1997
PS3
PlayStation 3
2011
PSP
PlayStation Portable
2011
WII
Wii
2012
PC
Windows
2016
MAC
macOS
2016
LIN
Linux
2016
NSW
Nintendo Switch
2017
PS4
PlayStation 4
2018
XONE
Xbox One
2018
IOS
iOS
2021
AND
Android
2021

GAME DATA

Series
Shock Troopers
Wanted by
687 on ITAD waitlists
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