Bullet Hell games

NoQuarter

Golden Member
Jan 1, 2001
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I'm looking for a newer bullet hell game preferably for PC but XBLA would be great too. The only one I've played was Ikaruga which seemed pretty cool but I think it's old now. I have no idea how to tell which ones are good or not but I'd like one with some sweet graphics too :) Hoping someone here is a fan of the genre and has some suggestions for me, thanks.
 

Jesusthewererabbit

Senior member
Mar 20, 2008
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Have you tried Geometry Wars? It isn't exactly the same kind of game, you just run around on a rectangular field killing circles and squares, but it is a nice time waster.

I would love a nice bullet hell shooter. It's great to turn off your brain and do some mindless blasting sometimes. Ikaruga is really the most recent one that I can think of. We need Treasure to make some PC games, no one makes mindless blasting as unbelievably awesome as they do.
 

NoQuarter

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Jan 1, 2001
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Yup played Geometry Wars, it was fun but not quite what I'm looking for. Touhou seems more like it but there's so many versions I dunno what the bestest is or if there is even a difference?
 

darkewaffle

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2005
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Since when is "But I think it's old now" a reason to not play a game :/

I can't get to the site from work, but "Warning Forever" is a great lightweight shooter, and there's some others from the same author on their homepage I think. Rots and rots of burrets.
 

NoQuarter

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Jan 1, 2001
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Since when is "But I think it's old now" a reason to not play a game :/

I can't get to the site from work, but "Warning Forever" is a great lightweight shooter, and there's some others from the same author on their homepage I think. Rots and rots of burrets.

I like old games too it just seems there's a ton of the same bullet hell game so I figured the newest would have the same gameplay but better graphics.
 

eLiu

Diamond Member
Jun 4, 2001
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Super R-Type, R-Type III, Gradius III, UN Squadron... all on the SNES (emulator).

They kept making Gradius games (went to playstation) and as far as I know, those have all been good too.

But if you haven't played them, there is tons of fun to be had emulating old console schmups.
 

Dankk

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2008
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You could get the PC version of Geometry Wars. I think I bought it from Steam a few months ago. It retails for 4$. It doesn't have much depth, but it is very enjoyable in short bursts, and an *excellent* time killer.

I like that term, "bullet hell". I've never heard it before, but I think it sums up Geometry Wars quite perfectly. :)

Edit: Oops, didn't realize you already tried it. My bad.
 
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MajorMullet

Senior member
Jul 29, 2004
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You can also try Beat Hazard. I picked it up cheap during a Steam sale and it's a lot of fun.
 

borisvodofsky

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2010
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OMFG.... RAPTOR??? omgg.. i remember playing the shit outta the demo as a kid, because my dad wanted me to start studying for the SAT at age 10..

HOLY FUCKING SHIT...

If I was a girl, I'd go over to your house, and do stuff to you... :eek:


OMFG OMFG... 2010 VERsion can be played in FULL SCREEEN,, HOLY BALLLLLS BALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLS
 

Pia

Golden Member
Feb 28, 2008
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I like old games too it just seems there's a ton of the same bullet hell game so I figured the newest would have the same gameplay but better graphics.
Shoot'em ups aren't interchangeable at all. Ikaruga is the only Ikaruga-type game, etc.

Bullet hells worth playing are nearly nonexistent on XBLA. Ikaruga is an exception. The PC is dry as well. I recommend Tumiki Fighters and Every Extend. Touhous are a possibility but I can't personally vouch for them because I haven't gotten around to playing them yet. They are cheap and have a good rep, though.

The good old stuff can be emulated via MAME, and is totally worth playing - Dodonpachi, Mars Matrix, Progear, etc. Some semi-old good stuff doesn't run in MAME but has Dreamcast or PS2 ports. In theory you can play those games with console emulators, but I tried and didn't really get the emus to work properly, at least not good enough to do justice to the games.

The newest good stuff is ported to the 360 as retail releases. The obvious first pick here is Mushihimesama Futari - it's one of the best shoot'em ups ever made, has a bunch of game modes which cover the whole gamut from low to astronomical skill, and is region free. Also has sweet graphics. :)