[From now until early January, IndieGames.com: The Weblog will be counting down the best independent and freeware games of 2008, with descriptions, screenshots, and links of the best games in each major category.]

The seventh of the 2008 Best Of Features here on the IndieGames.com blog, we're proud to present twenty of the best freeware shoot 'em ups released in 2008.

Fans of Galaga, Space Invaders, Warning Forever, and Everyday Shooter, step right up. Only a courageous pilot would stand any chance of saving Earth from being enslaved by an invading alien race, once again. Leave your Zero Wing quotes behind, because you will need every ounce of your arcade skills to make it through our picks for the best twenty freeware shoot 'em ups of 2008 alive.

Here's the top freeware shoot 'em ups of the year:

Best Freeware Shoot 'em ups 2008

  1. Alien Assault
  2. Nobody Shooter
  3. Debrysis
  4. Harpooned
  5. Pasta Master
  6. Nanosmiles
  7. Armed Generator Doom Machine
  8. Hello Panda
  9. Ceramic Shooter
10. Made in Wired
11. The Hordes
12. G:plus
13. War Bus
14. Self Destruct
15. Artificial Nature
16. The Last Canopy
17. Attack of the Meeplings
18. 41st Reality
19. Areas
20. pararalyzer

[Got feedback? Reasons to disagree? Post a response and we'll do a special 'best of reader comments' round-up at the end of our chart countdowns.]