Thoroughly enjoyed this. Finding shmup players online is like finding a friendly NPC in Dark Souls. Few and far between and its instantly like, "I know EXACTLY what this dude has gone through." Congrats on the DOJ and Ketsui clears. I cleared DDP for the first time this year and it took me 112 hours.
I got into bullet hells a few years ago from the touhou side of things, but what you've said also applies to doujin shmups and fan games as well, not only to shmups from bigger companies. And let me say, I think you really hit the nail on the head with what makes shmups so rewarding to play - it's the knowledge that you, as a player, are the one that's improving to make the clears possible, as opposed to numbers getting bigger. Hell, even then, once simply clearing becomes something you can do in your sleep, you can pivot to scoring and unlock a whole new dimension to measure improvement in.
@@annasayshi596 Thank you so much for that dope comment. I appreciate it. I don’t know if I’ll start playing for score like for real for real but yep. It feels like the sky is the limit. These games are my happy place.
I had the same exact revelation about 3 years ago. The great thing is that you have so many amazing games left to discover now! Don't worry, you will clear Ketsui eventually. And on that day you will be sooo happy. It's my favourite shmup and I love the way you described it. If you haven't yet, look into Crimzon Clover at some point, it's basically a Cave game in all but name. Enjoy the journey, shmups never die!
Some nights Ketsui just bullies the shit out of me hah. I’ve been thinking about trying ESP Ra.De maybe. Maybe take a break from it and come back to Ketsui.
@@TheHiddenFortress81 Yeah that's the regular experience, learning routing is going to take a while. Esprade is a little easier but very back-loaded, the final boss is difficult. It's okay to switch games and come back to them once you feel refreshed again, your skills and knowledge will still be there when you go back.
Hell yeah brother. Modern games might be boring for us, but old games will always be there for us. Bullet hell shmups are a particular source of joy in retrogaming, and honestly there's several good or great modern ones too! You just have to look at the Indies. I recently picked up Blue Revolver and honestly I instantly loved it.
All my life I've been hoping for the arcade revival, and I think people are coming back to this... slowly... I like the video, keep it up, but don't worry about the grind at the same time.
this video should be shown to people who say "gaming is dead" to awaken them to the E L I T E tastes, On a serious note good job man, you really translate why this genre is so good to the newcomers who don't know what a shmup even is, i wished this existed last when year when i got hooked and addicted to the genre and now i find everything else to be boring.
Right? There’s something truly great about the struggle. And lately these have been really calling me in a way they didn’t before. I used to just play them, get my ass kicked and move on. But when I forced myself to keep playing DOJ I was like ohhhhh this is why the bullet hell stuff is so beloved. And now I’m hooked on more challenging games.
I’m going to make a video I think about how Ketsui has completely kicked my ass you may find it amusing. Subscribe im trying to get my friends to make videos too. :)
@@TheHiddenFortress81 already subbed since i made my 1st comment; i too got into them last year and really liked and understood the appeal i just wasn't motivated too choose one and pursue clearing it, now i came back and 1cc'd batsugun special, well the 1st loop anyway and i'm going back to Ketsui since it was the 1st i tried when i got into the genre lol, i can clear sections of stages on save state practice but so far that's all i can manage i play Panzer i find it more fun and easier tbh
i'm looking forward for future uploads, btw have u tried checking out Shmuparch?? since u mentioned shmupmame and it's a bit outdated, Shmuparch has lower input lag and is similiar to the Ps4 ports UI wise, it was made by MarkMSX of the electric underground, great channel to get into the genre and it was what introduced them to me
Excellent video. Took me back to a time when I got the itch some 8-9 years ago when I got fed up with "modern" gaming. Highly relatable stuff. Keep enjoying the grind and good luck!
Hey man, I found your channel because someone posted your Beaten by bullet hell video in the shmups reddit. I commented on it assuming you were the one who posted it loll. I really appreciate your content and I like how you make it very personal and authentic to you. Keep showing us who you are and I'll keep watching your shmup videos. Great to know someone else is on the journey!! I"ve got some of my 1CCs on my channel. I just got into cave this year as well. I'm currently going for the DDP 1-all. These videos inspire me to keep going!
I’ve been hyperfocused on shmups for a while now and a good practice mode can suck hours of my life away, i’ve spent probably days by now using the practice mode of my favourite Kusoge shmup Len’en 4 BPoHC. I got into shmups by the Touhou route but i’ve been wanting to try some more classical shmups like Cave’s games
@@COS34SHMUP I can not believe the positive comments I am getting for this. Thank you so much for watching dude. We’re gonna make more wacky fun stuff…well hopefully it’s fun :)
Not sure what the percentage of shmup play is a mind game but it's significant. Mushihimesama Futari is what opened my eyes to the genre, then DDP:Resurrection with its bajillion ways to play.
Great video sir! Really great break down of what you liked about the games and neat to get others perspectives on what sections of the game matter most to each that play! I'm a huge cave fan as well and it's always nice to hear others that enjoy the awesome library that company put out! later
I became a schmup addict just recently, problem with getting 1cc's is I'm playing like 10 games at once. Although I did manage to beat Devil Blade Reboot 1cc on normal I think it was, and pretty sure I can do the hardest difficulty excluding inferno mode as mainly the last boss is all I really need to practice against. Also nearly got top 100 in scoring for lowest difficulty. Overtime, I noticed that I am able to reach at least the 4th level of all the schmups games I am currently playing without losing a life. Guwange and Gunbird 2 are currently my two favorites, also the two beating me down the hardest.
@@odavidlara Okay so…taking a break from Ketsui myself for a bit…I almost started playing Esprade but the final boss seems crazy…but now I’ve been playing Espgaluda which has like 3 final bosses that are bat shit crazy What do you think of Esrade’s difficulty?
@@TheHiddenFortress81 Im still learning the subway stage… it gets pretty messy, the stage order is a very useful dynamic and the special shot is great for mass control, I’d say is overall easier than ketsui, I don’t really know about espgaluda tho so idk
Something about these games that refuse to let you win make them so fun to break down and learn, maybe it means I'm stubborn. Regardless, I fell in love with these games 3 months ago with mushihimesama and thunder force 4. So far I've only 1ccd mushihimesama maniac novice, still chasing the original 1cc, hopefully soon.
besides the arcade classics, i highly recommend checking out some of the newer indie shmups aswell. some absolute bangers there. my favs in no particular order: zeroranger, blue revolver, gunvein, eschatos
Honestly once I got Espgaluda cleared I started to monkey around with Mushi, and Crimson Clover, and it seems like Esprade is the one that’s sticking actually. Its nasty hard though idk if I can clear that one hah
@@TheHiddenFortress81 Just watched morsalty's clear of that and it looks vicious. Good luck! Deathsmiles is the only CAVE game I've 1cc'd so far but I think I'm finally gonna bite the bullet and tackle Dodonpachi next.
@ I decided to take a break from Ketsui. I did Espgaluda which was actually doable and just now I’ve been playing some Esprade which is kinda kicking my ass.
My first ever 1CC was M2's Ketsui Deathtiny mode a couple months ago. Didn't play much since but i think it's time to dive in again. Edit : M2 DOJ is GODLIKE !
So many good ones. Life Force (Salamander) Will always be on top for me. Question: What movieclip do you show in the beginning? I know it says hidden fortress but all i find is a movie from 1958
I still suck at these games but I love them. My current favorites are Flying Shark by TOAPLAN and RayForce by Taito. Got hooked by of all things Caladrius Blaze 2 years ago and haven't looked back since.
@@jw6588 I’m not very good either. dude Flying Shark is so brutal. I actually feel as though many of the arcade shooter pre bullet hell are way harder than a cave game. Like Truxton 2? That game is so cool but it is the devil. I’m not very good either.
@@TheHiddenFortress81 That's encouraging. I have fantasized about beating some of the games you mentioned in your video and seeing that you've done it with some time and grit shows me that maybe I have a chance too. I prefer the Genesis port included in M2's Flying Shark collection (or maybe it's Twin Shark or whatever, can't remember at the moment). It's easier than the Arcade version.
I love shmups but I don't play them much since I got into playing fighting games competively. You can get a similar challenge from competive fighting games that you get from shmups but fighting games are more social.
Years ago in LA I worked at an arcade called FFA where the competitive fighting game scene was very fierce. It attracted players like Justin Wong to the arcade for example. I worked so hard to help keep that place open but alas…FFA closed at around 2012.
@TheHiddenFortress81 That must have neen a cool job. There is this bar down in Glendale Ive been to a few times. Alex Valle bartends there and he will play you ST while he's working. Must be hard to leave a job like that.
Hah I didn’t leave it. People stopped spending money at arcades. Couldn’t keep FFA open. The best thing about it though was being a part of keeping it alive. Like actually doing the work.
People often see savestates in negative connotation becausse it didn't exist back in the day, and the only way to win these games is by doing full runs only as the developers "intended". I've seen some people in the community like this and going as far as invalidate/shit on your runs because you're using practice tools, meanwhile the same people have little to no 1CCs or any enough experience on these games. In the community there's also things like shmup tourist: those who play for 3 minutes or so and grab the screenshot with their console as a mean to post engagement or social credit for playing with real hardware, and close the game and grab more games for $100 or so and do the same thing again, rinse and repeat.
@@CPS42069 I was thinking about your comment actually and…I want to be positive like I’m trying. But I dig what you mean. In fact I know for a fact, there are a lot of larger TH-cam channels that comment and do reviews of shmup ports on say the Switch who will say this is a great buy! And then you play it and it feels like a muddy mess…and you know damn well these guys don’t have a clue what these games are supposed to feel like. Latency is still a thing. Ya know? They don’t actually play the games. Or the big channel that praises a new FPGA core that has obvious issues when you go to check it out? I feel ya. I think that’s in the same realm of what you’re talking about. I just know these games, and not just the shmups are my happy place. Please sub. I’m having fun making videos. :)
Right there with you! Shmups are the absolute best. I stop bringing up shmups to my friends too. You're not alone
Welcome aboard! Today the shmups made my life much easier. I can divide games between shmups / others.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Finding shmup players online is like finding a friendly NPC in Dark Souls. Few and far between and its instantly like, "I know EXACTLY what this dude has gone through." Congrats on the DOJ and Ketsui clears. I cleared DDP for the first time this year and it took me 112 hours.
I haven't gotten the Ketsui clear just yet. Some day. Oh yes. Some day. :)
Exactly! There were so many times where I was like, "Oh this person gets me."
I got into bullet hells a few years ago from the touhou side of things, but what you've said also applies to doujin shmups and fan games as well, not only to shmups from bigger companies. And let me say, I think you really hit the nail on the head with what makes shmups so rewarding to play - it's the knowledge that you, as a player, are the one that's improving to make the clears possible, as opposed to numbers getting bigger.
Hell, even then, once simply clearing becomes something you can do in your sleep, you can pivot to scoring and unlock a whole new dimension to measure improvement in.
@@annasayshi596 Thank you so much for that dope comment. I appreciate it. I don’t know if I’ll start playing for score like for real for real but yep. It feels like the sky is the limit. These games are my happy place.
Amen brotha. Dodonpachi emulated on my bros laptop in 2009 changed my life. It's a fun journey.
@@windlesSpice game is so cool dude
I had the same exact revelation about 3 years ago. The great thing is that you have so many amazing games left to discover now! Don't worry, you will clear Ketsui eventually. And on that day you will be sooo happy. It's my favourite shmup and I love the way you described it. If you haven't yet, look into Crimzon Clover at some point, it's basically a Cave game in all but name. Enjoy the journey, shmups never die!
@@letsblocking crimson clover is definitely on my list :) thanks!
Some nights Ketsui just bullies the shit out of me hah. I’ve been thinking about trying ESP Ra.De maybe. Maybe take a break from it and come back to Ketsui.
@@TheHiddenFortress81 Yeah that's the regular experience, learning routing is going to take a while. Esprade is a little easier but very back-loaded, the final boss is difficult. It's okay to switch games and come back to them once you feel refreshed again, your skills and knowledge will still be there when you go back.
@@letsblocking Word. Thanks for the pointers dude!
Hell yeah brother. Modern games might be boring for us, but old games will always be there for us.
Bullet hell shmups are a particular source of joy in retrogaming, and honestly there's several good or great modern ones too! You just have to look at the Indies. I recently picked up Blue Revolver and honestly I instantly loved it.
@@varyagace Damn straight man. Yeah Blue Revolver is amazing.
All my life I've been hoping for the arcade revival, and I think people are coming back to this... slowly...
I like the video, keep it up, but don't worry about the grind at the same time.
@@MotWhinnana It was sad to see arcades go away. I used to work at an arcade for years in the San Fernando Valley in LA called FFA. Amazing arcade.
this video should be shown to people who say "gaming is dead" to awaken them to the E L I T E tastes, On a serious note good job man, you really translate why this genre is so good to the newcomers who don't know what a shmup even is, i wished this existed last when year when i got hooked and addicted to the genre and now i find everything else to be boring.
@@belkaidbelkaid4263 agreed! By the far my favorite genre of game.
Right? There’s something truly great about the struggle. And lately these have been really calling me in a way they didn’t before. I used to just play them, get my ass kicked and move on. But when I forced myself to keep playing DOJ I was like ohhhhh this is why the bullet hell stuff is so beloved. And now I’m hooked on more challenging games.
I’m going to make a video I think about how Ketsui has completely kicked my ass you may find it amusing. Subscribe im trying to get my friends to make videos too. :)
@@TheHiddenFortress81 already subbed since i made my 1st comment; i too got into them last year and really liked and understood the appeal i just wasn't motivated too choose one and pursue clearing it, now i came back and 1cc'd batsugun special, well the 1st loop anyway and i'm going back to Ketsui since it was the 1st i tried when i got into the genre lol, i can clear sections of stages on save state practice but so far that's all i can manage i play Panzer i find it more fun and easier tbh
i'm looking forward for future uploads, btw have u tried checking out Shmuparch?? since u mentioned shmupmame and it's a bit outdated, Shmuparch has lower input lag and is similiar to the Ps4 ports UI wise, it was made by MarkMSX of the electric underground, great channel to get into the genre and it was what introduced them to me
Excellent video. Took me back to a time when I got the itch some 8-9 years ago when I got fed up with "modern" gaming. Highly relatable stuff. Keep enjoying the grind and good luck!
@@dent4f661 Wow thanks! :)
Welcome to our world my friend 🔥💪. Took me 50h to 1CC DOJ BL (I was very slow), DDP around 20h its indeed way easier !
Hell yeah! Similar story for me. I found the Shmup Junkies Discord to be quite welcoming with some killer players to boot.
@@sirgarrote Oh no shit? I didn’t actually know he had a Discord! I need to check that out.
Glad you having fun with this genre and thanks for sharing your experience.
@@kaishmuper thanks for watching! :) we’re making more stuff on the channel too!
Hey man, I found your channel because someone posted your Beaten by bullet hell video in the shmups reddit. I commented on it assuming you were the one who posted it loll. I really appreciate your content and I like how you make it very personal and authentic to you. Keep showing us who you are and I'll keep watching your shmup videos. Great to know someone else is on the journey!! I"ve got some of my 1CCs on my channel. I just got into cave this year as well. I'm currently going for the DDP 1-all. These videos inspire me to keep going!
@@bornagainstraightedge Hey thanks man! :)
Also yeah my friend posts my videos on shmup reddits sometimes cause she’s very sweet.
I’ve been hyperfocused on shmups for a while now and a good practice mode can suck hours of my life away, i’ve spent probably days by now using the practice mode of my favourite Kusoge shmup Len’en 4 BPoHC. I got into shmups by the Touhou route but i’ve been wanting to try some more classical shmups like Cave’s games
Let’s gooo happy you’re enjoying your time with these awesome games!!
Man i felt so identified with your video that i thought i made it. You just got a new sub, GREAT content.
@@COS34SHMUP I can not believe the positive comments I am getting for this. Thank you so much for watching dude. We’re gonna make more wacky fun stuff…well hopefully it’s fun :)
Not sure what the percentage of shmup play is a mind game but it's significant. Mushihimesama Futari is what opened my eyes to the genre, then DDP:Resurrection with its bajillion ways to play.
@@davy_K Futari is one I really wanna get into man. Somebody told me a good way to play it is on a Xbox 360 emulator on pc.
Quick load and save state are game changers.
@@Enthcreations It really is
Great video sir! Really great break down of what you liked about the games and neat to get others perspectives on what sections of the game matter most to each that play! I'm a huge cave fan as well and it's always nice to hear others that enjoy the awesome library that company put out! later
@@kumrogames Hey thanks! :)
I became a schmup addict just recently, problem with getting 1cc's is I'm playing like 10 games at once. Although I did manage to beat Devil Blade Reboot 1cc on normal I think it was, and pretty sure I can do the hardest difficulty excluding inferno mode as mainly the last boss is all I really need to practice against. Also nearly got top 100 in scoring for lowest difficulty.
Overtime, I noticed that I am able to reach at least the 4th level of all the schmups games I am currently playing without losing a life. Guwange and Gunbird 2 are currently my two favorites, also the two beating me down the hardest.
@@PistolPattt yeah there’s so many games to play. I’d like to get into Guwange at some point.
Nice video, well edited, keep it up! I’m still learning STGs , currently grinding towards 1cc of esprade
@@odavidlara Okay so…taking a break from Ketsui myself for a bit…I almost started playing Esprade but the final boss seems crazy…but now I’ve been playing Espgaluda which has like 3 final bosses that are bat shit crazy
What do you think of Esrade’s difficulty?
@@TheHiddenFortress81 Im still learning the subway stage… it gets pretty messy, the stage order is a very useful dynamic and the special shot is great for mass control, I’d say is overall easier than ketsui, I don’t really know about espgaluda tho so idk
@ I’m gonna try it sometime soon for sure. Good luck dude. Let me know if you get that clear.
Nice video, I definitely have to try Ketsui
@@rodolfaso6750 it’s insanely good
welcome to the club mah boi
awesome video that motivated me to check some of these titles out!
@@MadeOfPears Hell yeah dude! Thanks for watching sub and maybe we can keep you around on the channel. :)
Something about these games that refuse to let you win make them so fun to break down and learn, maybe it means I'm stubborn. Regardless, I fell in love with these games 3 months ago with mushihimesama and thunder force 4. So far I've only 1ccd mushihimesama maniac novice, still chasing the original 1cc, hopefully soon.
@@albertocamacho2261 where do you play Mushi?
besides the arcade classics, i highly recommend checking out some of the newer indie shmups aswell. some absolute bangers there. my favs in no particular order: zeroranger, blue revolver, gunvein, eschatos
@@ownageDan I played a little bit of Zero Ranger. That one is dope. There’s so many games I want to play it’s insane.
I see a fan of shmups, I hit subscribe. Great stuff! What game do you want to tackle next?
Honestly once I got Espgaluda cleared I started to monkey around with Mushi, and Crimson Clover, and it seems like Esprade is the one that’s sticking actually. Its nasty hard though idk if I can clear that one hah
@@TheHiddenFortress81 Just watched morsalty's clear of that and it looks vicious. Good luck! Deathsmiles is the only CAVE game I've 1cc'd so far but I think I'm finally gonna bite the bullet and tackle Dodonpachi next.
@ I decided to take a break from Ketsui. I did Espgaluda which was actually doable and just now I’ve been playing some Esprade which is kinda kicking my ass.
My first ever 1CC was M2's Ketsui Deathtiny mode a couple months ago. Didn't play much since but i think it's time to dive in again.
Edit : M2 DOJ is GODLIKE !
@@yagami999913 I hope they do more soon! :)
@@TheHiddenFortress81 I need M2 Mushihimesama in my life so bad
@ That’s one I haven’t played much of yet actually. Since there’s no M2 port yet, what is the best way to play that? RetroArch or Shmup MAME?
I've got into shmups recently too and I've become a complete addict, too
I've been getting into shmups as well lately. I love the cave games, but oh boy do I suck at them, lol.
@@costelinha1867 Try save states. Practice practice. Anyone can do it.
So many good ones. Life Force (Salamander) Will always be on top for me. Question: What movieclip do you show in the beginning? I know it says hidden fortress but all i find is a movie from 1958
@@Napalmburns it’s a scene from The Killer 1989.
I like to take moments from my favorite movies and images and put them in there I have no idea why. I’m a weirdo. :) just having fun
@@TheHiddenFortress81 I'm a big fan of Hardboiled but didn't know that scene. Thanks mate!
Love the video man ❤
Hey thanks dude!
I still suck at these games but I love them. My current favorites are Flying Shark by TOAPLAN and RayForce by Taito.
Got hooked by of all things Caladrius Blaze 2 years ago and haven't looked back since.
@@jw6588 I’m not very good either. dude Flying Shark is so brutal. I actually feel as though many of the arcade shooter pre bullet hell are way harder than a cave game. Like Truxton 2? That game is so cool but it is the devil. I’m not very good either.
@@TheHiddenFortress81 That's encouraging. I have fantasized about beating some of the games you mentioned in your video and seeing that you've done it with some time and grit shows me that maybe I have a chance too.
I prefer the Genesis port included in M2's Flying Shark collection (or maybe it's Twin Shark or whatever, can't remember at the moment). It's easier than the Arcade version.
@ anyone can do it. You just gotta sit there and practice it. You fully got it.
@@TheHiddenFortress81Well, I'll get on it then^^ Thanks.
It was the Same! Same! Same! (Fire Shark) Collection from M2 that I was talking about btw.
@ Yeah I got that one and those games shred my ass haha
I love shmups but I don't play them much since I got into playing fighting games competively. You can get a similar challenge from competive fighting games that you get from shmups but fighting games are more social.
Years ago in LA I worked at an arcade called FFA where the competitive fighting game scene was very fierce. It attracted players like Justin Wong to the arcade for example. I worked so hard to help keep that place open but alas…FFA closed at around 2012.
@TheHiddenFortress81 That must have neen a cool job. There is this bar down in Glendale Ive been to a few times. Alex Valle bartends there and he will play you ST while he's working. Must be hard to leave a job like that.
Hah I didn’t leave it. People stopped spending money at arcades. Couldn’t keep FFA open. The best thing about it though was being a part of keeping it alive. Like actually doing the work.
there is a console that plays arcade games? what is that thing at 3:09?
@@volfi123 That is the Polygame Master or PGM for short. It’s a JAMMA arcade board. Had some good games.
Fuck yeah brother
Song during 2:00?
That is Marine. From the Area 88 PCB OST.
People often see savestates in negative connotation becausse it didn't exist back in the day, and the only way to win these games is by doing full runs only as the developers "intended". I've seen some people in the community like this and going as far as invalidate/shit on your runs because you're using practice tools, meanwhile the same people have little to no 1CCs or any enough experience on these games.
In the community there's also things like shmup tourist: those who play for 3 minutes or so and grab the screenshot with their console as a mean to post engagement or social credit for playing with real hardware, and close the game and grab more games for $100 or so and do the same thing again, rinse and repeat.
@@CPS42069 I was thinking about your comment actually and…I want to be positive like I’m trying. But I dig what you mean. In fact I know for a fact, there are a lot of larger TH-cam channels that comment and do reviews of shmup ports on say the Switch who will say this is a great buy! And then you play it and it feels like a muddy mess…and you know damn well these guys don’t have a clue what these games are supposed to feel like. Latency is still a thing. Ya know? They don’t actually play the games. Or the big channel that praises a new FPGA core that has obvious issues when you go to check it out? I feel ya. I think that’s in the same realm of what you’re talking about. I just know these games, and not just the shmups are my happy place. Please sub. I’m having fun making videos. :)
Hello, I'm Marcus. I play Mushihimesama.
@@wendelsonnentau3487 What is the best platform to play Mushi on right now? Steam? Mame?
shmup
@@ASE-PRL please sub. Stick around. We’re making more silly ass stuff. :)