A video game genre in which the objective is to shoot a large number of enemies while maneuvering to avoid their attacks, especially by controlling a single spacecraft or aircraft. I used to love playing shoot 'em ups at our local arcade growing up. It required such quick reactions and skill that you really felt accomplished when you made it all the way through!
shoot ’em up
1. n. a Western action movie. Most films are more sophisticated nowadays than the old shoot ’em ups.
2. mod. having to do with a Western action film. He was a shoot ’em up star in the thirties.