March 12, 2009 -Combining three classic vertically scrolling shooters in a single package, Ultimate Shooting Collection from UFO Games on the Wii offers gamers a solid dose of high-intensity bullet shredding action. Each title delivers a unique spin on the genre, with elaborate power-ups, multiple shooting planes and excellent play mechanics that are challenging and highly entertaining. Visually, the games run the gamut from high-tech sophistication to light-hearted humor. The games share certain play mechanics and styles, making for a cohesive collection that brings solidly entertaining arcade shooting to the Wii in a diverse and affordable package.

Ultimate Shooting Collection offers three distinct and challenging shooters from developers Milestone in a single convenient package. All three games originally appeared late in the Dreamcast's development cycle as boutique titles that received limited distribution in Japan and almost none in the US, making the original versions highly sought after collectibles. Fortunately, for players on a budget, these cult-favorite shmups are now available in a simple and accessible form of a Wii compilation. Each of these titles shares the post-Radiant Silvergun philospophy of throwing dozens of enemies and hundreds of bullets at the player simultaneously, while providing over the top shields and power-ups to aid them in battle. For the Wii edition, the games have largely stayed true to their original form, though there are some minor changes. The biggest comes with the sword technique, which is now implemented by waving the wiimote around, and steering with the nunchuck. This approach is pretty cool, though it doesn't really add much to the proceedings. For players who want a more standard experience, the game offers support for the classic controller as well, which doesn't require any waving. For players looking for an authentic arcade experience, TATE modes are included if you have special monitors or want to turn your monitor sideways. This is all fairly standard as far as features go, but the games themselves stand out in terms of their design and approach, which proves that the somewhat neglected shooter genre still has plenty of life and innovation left in it.

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Despite their Dreamcast-era roots, most of the games have stood up well and most Wii players who are unfamiliar with these games will probably find much to like and enjoy in Ultimate Shooting Collection. It's a solid, value-priced package that offers three excellent, unique shooters that most players will probably spend a lot of time learning and mastering. All three games share excellent play mechanics and unique power-up systems, making this collection a solid choice for any shooter fan.

Grade: B+