Glossary of core mechanics typically found in Bullet Hell / Danmaku shoot-em-ups. These are often used in conjunction and with various scoring effects. Note: these are core mechanics, not weapon types. If anyone wants to cover weapon or bullet types, I'll gladly include a link. Alternate Weapon Usually switching between a spread or focused attack. Occasionally to counter specific types of enemy bullets, or enemies on a different plane (Ex: tanks on the ground). Example: DoDonPachi, Espgaluda, Danmaku Unlimited, Fantasy Night Chain Maintaining a chain or hit counter that multiplies your score. Example: DoDonPachi Cancelling Removing enemy bullets, typically by cancelling them with your own. Usually to add to your score or chain. Sometimes used in a local effect, such as Pulse in Espgaluda II. Example: DoDonPachi, Espgaluda II Awakening Switching to an alternate mode which triggers an increase in bullet spawning. Often results in a focused view, or slow-motion. Example: Espgaluda II, some TouHou titles on PC. Proximity Score multiplier based on your proximity to the enemy destroyed. Example: ISUD, Espgaluda II, rRootage Grazing Being in close proximity to a bullet, often for multiplying your score or charging a powerup. Example: Danmaku Unlimited, DoDonPachi, rRootage Auto-Bombing The automatic release of a bomb upon hitting a bullet, usually in place of a life. Example: DoDonPachi, Espgaluda II, Fantasy Night, Lightning Fighter, Danmaku Unlimited Polarity Switching colors to be impervious to, or absorb, the selected color. Usually only 2. Example: rRootage, Ikaruga Reflection Reflecting enemy bullets back to attack the enemy. Usually used as a barrier or powerup. Example: rRootage Adpoption (better name?) Upon death of enemy, gathering it into your own unit to add it's firepower to your own. Example: Tumiki Fighters Photography Surviving as long as possible while a single boss fills the screen with an every-increasing number of bullets. When you choose, you take a "picture", and your score is the total number of bullets currently on the screen. Example: Shoot the Bullet (TouHou, PC) Physical Items Items which spawn from the destruction of enemies, which interact with solid landscape obstacles, causing them to bounce around and/or gather. Typically used for scoring, or as a scoring modifier. Could increase/decrease in power based on the number of bounces. Example: Deathsmiles Drawing Drawing lines, usually with a limited length, to destroy enemies and/or repel bullets. Example: Carrot War, Chalk (PC) Reloading/Reversal Your ammunition/attack is dependent on elements that spawn from an enemy. This could be in the forum of collecting debris from fallen enemies to shoot back, or a polarity/gravity reversal that converts and returns enemy fire. Example: Pollushot Suicide Bomber Charge up a meter, and then make direct contact with an enemy to detonate your character in a highly damaging bomb. Sometimes this is necessary for timed bosses with too much hitpoints. Example: Hitogata Happa (PC, PSN)
Very nice post! You might want to fix the bolding for "Reflection" though. Also want to point out that grazing is used in DoDonPachi's iPhone mode.
Good list and explanations! I see Dodonpachi & Espgaluda II having almost all the various techniques. That's probably why for bullet noobs like me to find the 2 Cave games confusing at the beginning... Lol.. Bullet hell games to me, like fighting games, reveals their depth the more you play them.
My examples are good starters, but definitely don't cover all of the games available on iOS, and especially not all on the PC. If people have other good suggestions, throw them out there.
