8. It's the best darn shooter on the Saturn. Perhaps, for any system.

Spot-on control and gameplay. Impressive graphics and sound. Massive bullet hell. Radiant Silvergun is the gold standard by which all other schmups are measured.

You've heard this before; you pilot an small, but powerful, experimental craft against hordes of unknown enemies threatening your planet. What separates Radiant Silvergun's gameplay from other schmups is the unique weapon and chaining systems. You start off with all available weapons; Vulcan, Homing and Spread, which can be combined to get a Homing Plasma, Back Wide shot, and Lock On Spread. You also have a close range weapon called a Radiant Sword which is used to power up your super attack.

Your standard weapons are powered up through continual use, but you can accelerate powering up through chaining. All opponents are either red, blue or yellow and shooting only enemies of one color will start a chain. Keep the chain going for point bonuses and amplified weapon powerup. Levels are cleverly designed with the chaining system in mind and expert players will find the best order and method to clear the level and receive the maximum powerup.

7. It's made by Treasure.
One of the most legendary and fan-centric developers on the planet, Treasure went all the way in developing this game. Refining the already tight gameplay from the arcade release, the Saturn Mode has a slightly different progression through the levels as well as an FMV story and CD soundtrack. Saturn Mode also gives you the ability to save the weapon powerup state of your ship from your last play to use in your next. The original arcade version is also available on the disc.

6. It's got massive Boss Battles
Another Treasure trademark. Each boss is intricate and awe inspiring. You must figure out the best weapons and, at times, use of the environment with which to dispatch of them. But do it quickly, because most bosses will self-destruct if you take too long, robbing you of the satisfaction as well as the Boss bonus.

Oh wait. It looks like this. The Radiant Sword can be used as a close range weapon, as well as for deflecting pink bullets, which will build up your Hyper Sword attack. Once fully powered, you can swing 2 massive swords forward, causing great damage to anything in your path, while making your ship invincible.

4. It has a bunch of wacky characters.
The aforementioned FMV was animated by one of Japan's premier animation houses, Gonzo. In the anime, you meet the crew of the Tetra ship; the robot Creator and Captain Tengai, as well as Silvergun pilots Baster, Reana and Guy.

3. It's full of hidden items and omake.
Secret chain bonuses and Dogs (hidden bonuses only found in some levels by using your Lock On Spread) will challenge the hardcore for the highest rankings. Go for the Dogmaster! WOOF!

Inserting the Radiant Silvergun disc into your computer will also net you some Desktop wallpapers, character sheets and the entire script for the game's cut scenes. You can also listen to the voiceovers used in the game via your computer or cd player.

2. It's one of the most collectable titles for any system.
While not quite as rare as Panzer Dragoon Saga or Taromaru Psychic Assassin, Radiant Silvergun was made near the end of the Saturn's life when visions of 128 bit were dancing in people's heads. This made for a limited print of the title and combined with the outright awesomeness of the game, makes it highly desired among shooter and Treasure fans alike.

1. You power up with Pink bullets
`Nuff said.