Freeware games?

[TrevHead]

freeware shmups

Blue Wish Resurrection
Blue Wish Resurrection Plus (most shmuppers prefer the original)
Edens Aegis
Nomltest
Demolition Gunner: In Search and Destroy
Ether Vapor
ChoRenSha
Torus Trooper (and other Kenta Cho games)
Warning Forever
Hydorah (horizontal)
Genetos
Hero Core
G-Type (horizontal

this is a good list although all arnt freeware http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJEr4d7BsdQ&feature=channel_video_title

2D platformers (for the japanese doujin games you may need to use an english patch, easily found)

Gun Girl 2
Noitu Love and other Konjack games
Cave story
IJI
Any game by PepoSoft
Any game by Buster eg akuji the demon
Megaman 7 NES
IWBTG
Mighty Jill Off
Splunkey

Fighters
Vanguard Princess
Mugen
Beats of Rage (and the lavalit openBOR mod scene, can be put on other consoles inc PSPs)

Watch ByteJacker and goto Caiman games. If you are into tradition 2D game genres then make the time to get into the Japanese doujin scene as it generally shits all over western indie efforts. EG Crimson Clover, Touhouvania 2, Melty Blood, RosenkreuzStilette. Visit Doujinstyle

Or even better take the time to get into emulation especially MAME
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1itQgK6bFY&feature=related

Tip: Play with a Dpad (or arcade stick) dont play with the analog stick it isnt designed for 2D games, plus youll suck

 

[onewheeled]

If I remember correctly, Tribes and Tribes 2 have been made free by their developer. Although I haven't played the games, they are apparently very, very good multiplayer shooters.

 

[Phlakes]

5 Days a Stranger- It's a basic Point and Click Adventure, nothing too special. It's fun if you enjoy pixel hunting.
7 Days a Skeptic- Another Point and Click, but in spaaaaaaace (Huh, apparently this was made by Yahtzee, and I got this was when I thought of Yahtzee was only a game; 5days was probably made by Yahtzee as well, they are very similar).

They're the first two games in a quadrilogy, all by Yahtzee.

And he's made a helluva lot more. [http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/games.htm]

 

[Stako]

I've played I Wanna Be The Guy and it's really fun. Cave Story is good but it has a lot of 'what the hell do I do now' moments and I've played the Spirit Engine 2 - it's a great game, you just have to give it time.

 

[s0m3th1ng]

Ascendancy, a 4x turn-based game. requires Dosbox but it will give you hours of planet colonizing goodness.