A complete re-release of the bullet hell game "DoDonPachi DaiOuJou" (Blissful Death), originally released at arcades in 2002! Besides being an authentic port to the original experience, it also includes new visuals and sounds, and the late arcade version "Black Label". Various functions that are common in the M2-Shot Triggers series are also installed in this work! "Super Easy Mode", so you can enjoy the game with casual difficulty; "Arcade Challenge Mode", that allows you to practice any stage repeatedly; "M2 gadget", that displays various useful information on the borders of the screen; And more! In addition, it supports online ranking & replay downloads; Quick save and quick load; Vertical screen monitor display (TATE mode); Settings that allow you to finely customize the game content, etc.
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1cc super easy mode.
I love these games but I suck at them, it is part of the fun I guess. As of now this is my favorite DDP.
I love these games but I suck at them, it is part of the fun I guess. As of now this is my favorite DDP.
Incredible port of one of CAVE's best arcade shmups - take my review of the original DOJ and paste it here. What's new is a maybe-too-easy Super Easy mode, some varied, tricky alternative arranges, and an array of quality of life features like M2's signature info gadgets, hitbox indicator toggles, and in-depth practice options for individual areas.
Lately I've been using shmups as games I only play while exercising on my spin bike - the focused required for these games keeps me in the zone and prevents me from getting bored and quitting my ride early. Some of the trickier bullet patterns become way more challenging this way, however the approach is quickly making me a better player overall and opening up the fun of the genre through repeated play. For now this one goes back on the shelf as I explore more shmups but there's definitely plenty more here for when I eventually circle back.
Lately I've been using shmups as games I only play while exercising on my spin bike - the focused required for these games keeps me in the zone and prevents me from getting bored and quitting my ride early. Some of the trickier bullet patterns become way more challenging this way, however the approach is quickly making me a better player overall and opening up the fun of the genre through repeated play. For now this one goes back on the shelf as I explore more shmups but there's definitely plenty more here for when I eventually circle back.
Another banger M2 Shottriggers release. Love the addition of all the arrangements and the arcade challenges, plus the super easy mode is awesome for introducing your friends to stgs. Music goes crazy too. Daioujou is super difficult but so satisfying to play.
i only like this dodonpachi dai-ou-jou re:incarnation for the music
If you know the original game, or if you know M2, you don't really need to ask "is the game good" or "is the port good" - you know the game's good, and you know the port will be great.
Dai-Ou-Jou is one of those games shmup people talk about a lot, but for good reason - it's a genuine classic, and it's still just as good today. The core, elemental mechanics - a laser that slices through enemies and slows you down for precision dodging, a shot that lets you move fast while taking out small enemies - are common to a lot of shmups, but they're executed flawlessly here. Its signature mechanic, the hyper attack, is still just as satisfying. Playing well enough to earn the hyper lets you turn the tables to do incredible damage to enemies, taking out waves or bosses that feel impossible otherwise; the feeling of power after being under pressure feels great.
The new arrange pilots are great, and a lot of fun. I wasn't sure what to expect, but they change up the core gameplay in very interesting ways. They're also all easier than the core game, but they use the original game's enemy placement and bullet patterns; learning the arrange pilots is still learning the "real" arcade game. It's a fantastic bridge for intermediate players who want something more substantial than super easy mode, not to mention something I enjoy playing when I want to actually see more than 1-2 levels in a run. I'm not good enough to master the original arcade game yet, much as I'm working on it!
All three of the arrange pilots play with the original game's push and pull of safety in new ways. Arrange-L and Arrange-EX let you erase bullets from heavy enemies by training your laser on them long enough - build up a focus meter by keeping your laser on them, and every bullet of theirs that's still onscreen turns into point pickups. Not only does it make the game easier, it opens up some interesting new strategies. It starts to get tempting to let heavy enemies live a bit longer so they leave more bullets onscreen, giving you more points when you take them out. The brief moment of safety when those bullets turn into harmless score pickups is a breath of relief that this game doesn't offer much of, but it's the kind of push and pull of "accept risk to get a little extra reward" that I appreciate about my favourite Cave games, just like SDOJ Exa Label and Akai Katana Shin. Arrange-L and EX also have auto-bomb/hyper on by default, saving the skin of players who missed bombing at the right time to avoid death, which also helps extend runs a bit longer, and players are given extra lives for beating bosses so runs go longer.
If I have a single complaint, it's that most of the content is focused on the original "white label" arcade release. I do think the balance in Black Label is better, so I'm surprised it's treated like a bonus feature. That side, Black Label and the English Dodonpachi III have all the same extra features and presentation as white label, so it's not a huge deal, just an oddity.
One of these days, I'll finally manage a 1CC of the main game, and I'll treasure every blissful death on the way. But in the meantime, I'm also working towards 1CCs of Arrange-L and Arrange-EX and loving every minute of it.
Dai-Ou-Jou is one of those games shmup people talk about a lot, but for good reason - it's a genuine classic, and it's still just as good today. The core, elemental mechanics - a laser that slices through enemies and slows you down for precision dodging, a shot that lets you move fast while taking out small enemies - are common to a lot of shmups, but they're executed flawlessly here. Its signature mechanic, the hyper attack, is still just as satisfying. Playing well enough to earn the hyper lets you turn the tables to do incredible damage to enemies, taking out waves or bosses that feel impossible otherwise; the feeling of power after being under pressure feels great.
The new arrange pilots are great, and a lot of fun. I wasn't sure what to expect, but they change up the core gameplay in very interesting ways. They're also all easier than the core game, but they use the original game's enemy placement and bullet patterns; learning the arrange pilots is still learning the "real" arcade game. It's a fantastic bridge for intermediate players who want something more substantial than super easy mode, not to mention something I enjoy playing when I want to actually see more than 1-2 levels in a run. I'm not good enough to master the original arcade game yet, much as I'm working on it!
All three of the arrange pilots play with the original game's push and pull of safety in new ways. Arrange-L and Arrange-EX let you erase bullets from heavy enemies by training your laser on them long enough - build up a focus meter by keeping your laser on them, and every bullet of theirs that's still onscreen turns into point pickups. Not only does it make the game easier, it opens up some interesting new strategies. It starts to get tempting to let heavy enemies live a bit longer so they leave more bullets onscreen, giving you more points when you take them out. The brief moment of safety when those bullets turn into harmless score pickups is a breath of relief that this game doesn't offer much of, but it's the kind of push and pull of "accept risk to get a little extra reward" that I appreciate about my favourite Cave games, just like SDOJ Exa Label and Akai Katana Shin. Arrange-L and EX also have auto-bomb/hyper on by default, saving the skin of players who missed bombing at the right time to avoid death, which also helps extend runs a bit longer, and players are given extra lives for beating bosses so runs go longer.
If I have a single complaint, it's that most of the content is focused on the original "white label" arcade release. I do think the balance in Black Label is better, so I'm surprised it's treated like a bonus feature. That side, Black Label and the English Dodonpachi III have all the same extra features and presentation as white label, so it's not a huge deal, just an oddity.
One of these days, I'll finally manage a 1CC of the main game, and I'll treasure every blissful death on the way. But in the meantime, I'm also working towards 1CCs of Arrange-L and Arrange-EX and loving every minute of it.
The finish date is just for the sake of the record. This game is an infinite work of art. Arguably, one of the best M2 ShotTriggers release (with ESP Ra.De. , in my opinion). There was a time where Cave were gods. Now they mostly live of licensing stuff (unfortunately, some of them only in Japan, like every M2 gourmet port), but their legacy is immortal.