How to Get Good at Shoot Em Ups in 7 Days

[@ShmupJunkie]

Learn to Shmup in 7 Days? Is that even possible? Tips, tricks, strategy and more. For beginners and intermediate players alike, I hope everyone finds something useful in this video and enjoys. For those that voted in the community poll for the thumbnail, thank you. As you can see, Miko won the battle. ✅ Subscribe To My Channel ➡️ Support me on PATREON www.patreon.com/shmupjunkieslushfund

[@kevward2596]

Hey man boss tips right here thanks man ketsui can get kind o not fun when I lose my tiny pittance 3lives then back to main menu 😂😂so some great tips here for me to try even though I’m older now n my reflexes are done 🙄but hey I love my shmups anyways😎I know your busy junkie but if you can and get time could you name me some quality shmups to play and find on my name/arcade odroid console I heard you mention cyvern on another vid and I’m yet to check my list to see if it’s there but if you could list me a say top 5 or 10 mame/arcades shmups for me to look to see if I have them that would be super cool bro but if not then no probs I know your busy but well smoke em if you got em and of course ......”BATSUGAN”. 😂😂😂

[@OM19_MO79]

I played shooters back in the 90s and even mastered games like Gradius, R-Type, Parodius and others. I still like shooters and have bought games like Ikaruga and Chaos Field for the GC and many others but stayed away from them for the longest time; those bullets scared the hell out of me (no pun intended). Earlier this year I decided to finally get into these games again with the game "Meglilo". I did exactly the same steps as in this video! I was amazed by that, though I don't remember how long it took me. I still haven't beaten the game on the highest difficulty but got pretty close, I hope I get more time to do it soon as my current job doesn't allow me to play much.

[@kaiser8659]

Your advice got me to the final stage of Touhou 7 on my third run! Thanks so much! :D

[@ShmupJunkie]

@@kaiser8659 Awesome! Isn’t 7 such a relaxing and chill game to play? Who knew bullet hell could be chill.

[@kevward2596]

Oh well thanks anyways dude😎👍

[@a.rheser8181]

As a teacher myself, this is a very good, well made, well thought out video! As someone who loves Shmups, but not got good at any of them in 30+ years, I’m going to watch this video again and again.

[@D-A-K]

Can confirm.

[@ianswift3521]

step 1: watch superplays. step 2: always be patient step 3: try again over and over and over and over again. and again and again. and over and over again. step 4: goal achieved

[@JaimersSTG]

Great stuff! I guess I'll write down my general approach as well: I mostly follow these five steps: 1. Figure out what patterns every enemy does and what their AI is (are bullet patterns aimed, fixed, aimed away, random, combination of these etc.). 2. Make a route through the game that gives the most consistent and safe results. 3. Efficient practice: only practice parts that still give me trouble. 4. Reworking strategies if I find myself failing something often in a run. 5. Consistent practice: you don't have to play much to improve so long as you play regularly (like one run a day). In my experience this approach is very similar to how you approach a speedrun. I use savestates (or stage practice/practice tools) to figure out every single individual section of a game. This is with experimenting myself and by watching tons of replays to find the best route (usually the safest and most consistent). I then practice every single individual section until I get really consistent at it, then try to keep chaining more and more of these sections together until I can eventually do the entire stage very consistently. I repeat that for every stage until I can do the full game. After all that I start to actually do runs, it's basically at the very end of the process for me. At this point I focus practice on the sections that still give me trouble, or revise them if they don't work as well as I thought. Doing runs is the best way to find out what these trouble spots are. Consistent practice is also really important. You don't have to do constant daily 8 hour grinds or anything like that, all it takes is just one single run a day to keep improving at your game. Watching all sorts of different superplays/guides/videos is very useful to see what's possible in the game when making your route. Sometimes there is a very easy trick that you wouldn't have noticed before. You can incorporate strats from superplays in your route, but be aware that superplays often do very risky things for little score gain, so only implement those if you're comfortable with them. Consistency is BY FAR the most important part of a run, so don't incorporate strats that have like a 10% success rate in practice. Better to bomb or do a different, safer strat in that case.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Straight from the horses mouth! This is all gold. And thank you again for using some of your gameplay as examples. What I really liked in what you just wrote is the consistency angle. You don't have to put in 8 hours a day, but simply keep at it. Even if just one run a day... and you will see improvement as it becomes a routine. I will make sure to push that point in a future video as many think they have to endlessly practice a game for several hours a day and it's a chore. Maybe at some ultra high level you do. But to simply keep improving, just an efficient run or two a day can be fun and keep it from feeling like a chore. Very good message. 👍

[@salmonconnections]

The first step sounds obvious but reading it was actually a bit of a moment of clarity for me. Since my gaze is directed at bullet patterns around midscreen or below, it's easy to totally miss the details of how those patterns originate/which parts exactly are fixed and aimed, as well as how the movement of the enemy shifts those patterns around. Paying more attention to that early would save me a ton of time. Thanks.

[@Psych0boost]

I feel like Moses receiving the 10 commandments

[@ianswift3521]

savestates are antithetical and am dismayed to hear you use them to practice. the whole aspect of patience and willpower is lost when savestates are used to micromanage sections. i know that it's worked out for you but it's not something i could ever do with any remaining self respect.

[@ianswift3521]

because... to be able to beat something after playing through a good 30 minutes is the point, the stress test of it all, the willpower needed. when you're reloading savestates of a point in the late game, that removes all of the stress and mental power that got you to that point. all of the time preceding those late game bosses and sections is part of the game. and necessary to constantly persevere through.

[@Kira-ji2ft]

Great video. I feel like way too many communities are so afraid of the stigma of "those guys who tell you to git gud" that they fail to provide new players with the resources to actually get good.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks. I also tried to get the message across that getting gud or striving for a 1cc isn’t the only way to play them. Not everyone has the interest to play that way. Simply getting better for your own sake to get more enjoyment out of them and appreciate more of each game and it’s unique mechanics is rewarding as well. I hoped this video would appeal to that broader audience both looking for real tips to achieve goals or simply to play shmups more competently without any overarching achievement in mind.

[@morsalty]

You're doing such a service to the community with videos like these! Seriously, this was a fantastic easy to understand overview on learning how to play the genre more effectively.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks man I'm glad you enjoyed it. I couldn't possibly cover close to all I wanted and it wasn't easy keeping things brisk and moving. It was a real challenge, but I'm happy with how it came out overall.

[@maxpowered7144]

What community Morsalty? It's just a bunch of 1cc trolls from MarkMSX's circle taunting noobs and gatekeeping everyone else.

[@ShmupJunkie]

@@maxpowered7144 Definitely not on my discord where we have a ton of new players and those just enjoying the games. It’s a good mix along with more serious players earnestly helping them out. And I’ll do my best to keep it that way.

[@morsalty]

@@maxpowered7144 I never see anyone taunting new players or casuals, they are most of the people who actually play these games! I got nothing but encouragement and advice when i started out and thats what i see new players get when they put themselves out there as well. There is even a list going around for easy clears for new players that was shown briefly in this video. The gate is open, come on in!

[@MarcBarkyMarta]

Bullet dodging is like the intermediate hump that a lot of people get intimidated by and stuck at, it would seem.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Very much so, as it's often the most intimidating. It can seem impossible the denser the patterns get and unless you have some strategies to employ you are just flailing. So I am hoping new players may see some of the techniques here like bullet herding and eliminating threats quickly, and by trying them out, making it more manageable and fun than it initially seemed. You know very well that playing a shmup haphazardly, not even the best players could worm their way out of those mistakes. You're either in the flow of the game or you aren't, like swimming against the current.

[@willybadonkatonka8465]

This video (and you) are so awesome. This is like anti-"gatekeeping". Instead of whining that there isn't an easy mode, you tell potential players how to empower themselves instead of feeling validated by their non-accomplishments. It's fair and non-judgemental while also encouraging people to push and better themselves. Excellent content.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thank you. One of the primary goals of my channel became to get new people interested in the genre and excited to play the games. And since they can often appear so daunting many just never bother. Yet all of us old farts that grew up playing them when the genre was very popular often got our ass kicked by them too. But we simply played them for the fun of it knowing we wouldn’t always be able to beat them. Only over time did we become much better with lots of experience. It all started with a simple love of the games and playing them for fun, often without expectations. Really glad you enjoyed this.

[@ottodob]

This dude and bullet heaven turned me into a straight up addict. Always enjoyed a good shmup as a kid but now I've pretty much abandoned all other genres besides racers.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Lol, well for my part I still like to play all kinds of games even though I only mostly make vids on shmups. Can’t deny I play them more than other genres though. If you’re looking for other good shmup channels don’t miss Mark at Electric Underground either. He’s more hardcore than the likes of me or Ed but he’s a good dude and an incredibly talented player. I rarely miss his vids.

[@Chinopolis]

Fantastic video, I really wish I had something like this back when I started. I'm glad you mentioned a lot of the mental aspects of it too, like not comparing yourself to superplayers. From a young age we all were able to pick up master the classics and many of us have done so for most of our lives, so picking up the first shmup and getting a big fat GAME OVER in stage 1 or 2 is a big shock. Shmups are different though, they require their own "language" of skill that is different from every other game, but I also think they are so much more rewarding. Nothing is quite as satisfying than entering your initials at the end next to a big "0 continues." I hope this video can help many more players achieve that.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Well, you've sure as hell come a long way and 1CC games better and faster than I ever could, so you clearly got on the right path along the way. I did try to make this video something for everyone. Some approach and theory for beginners and some more intermediate tips for players that need actual technique to try and implement. There is so much more I would've loved to include but chose to keep this video moving fast and furious. If it's enough to show some new players the satisfaction you're referring to once they practice some of these methods, then I'll consider it a success.

[@gurizuri5116]

I just had a major knee surgery last week and I'm currently making my way through your entire catalogue front to back rewatching everything over again. Just want to thank you for the crazy high production value and the entertainment you've been providing me through this miserable process haha. I wish teenage me had a channel like this as a resource to assure myself that I'm not alone for loving this genre that is criminally underappreciated by gaming as a whole. Thank you junkie :)

[@ShmupJunkie]

You’re very welcome. Wish you a speedy recovery and am glad my content can help keep you entertained and pass the time as you heal. I had such a fun time making some of my early, old videos. I always hoped people would enjoy coming back to some of them over the years.

[@gurizuri5116]

@@ShmupJunkie the recovery is rough but I'm finally starting to move my leg a little (about 30°)! In the meantime I've replayed my fave shmup of all time, batrider, replayed garegga, finally beat all the parodius games, played Viewpoint for the first time (God this game is brutal but so awesome) and now time to finally beat gradius rebirth! These videos have definitely given me a reason to get shootin' again :)

[@ShmupsBR]

Awesome job, man! You managed to synthesize a lot of ideas that it took me years to learn. I hope your video helps demystify the idea that a shmup player needs to be born with more than two eyes, or a "spider sense" or Bruce Lee reflexes to learn to play well.

[@CharlieCon]

Worth the wait, what a great video. I’ve been stuck in a loop of having too high of standards for myself and resetting on the first death, as if I could 1CC a game on my first go. I need to start enjoying them first!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Yes please don't do that from the start. Nobody 1CCs a game from the start and if you make it a chore you'll just stop playing. Enjoy and finish it first, then slowly start working on it level by level if you want. Unless I am just completely screwing up I tend to not just reset, as sometimes what starts as a bad run turns into a good one or I learn something along the way. Long as I'm just playing it for fun.

[@AstralPhnx]

@@ShmupJunkie god geez yeah this. One of the things that really helped me break this loop of "Needing to be perfect" was playing ZeroRanger because the game doesn't punish you for continuing, you maintain your progress etc etc. It made me realise "Hey I'm here to have fun and make progress, not 1CC something from the beginning". God ZeroRanger is good

[@Hambs23]

Tried to follow your guide. Managed to get to beat the final boss for the first time in a shmup! Granted, with infinite continues, but I finished Gal Shell 2 in about 1 and a half afternoons. Then moved to a game that plagued me for months during my highschool years, Touhou 6. And in 2 days of practicing and memorizing stuff, I finally beat the Easy Mode with no continues and reached the last boss of Normal mode for the first time. It's genuinely bizarre how impossible these games seem at first, but when you get to recognize what you can and can't do everything starts to fall into place. For someone who basically gave up in ever trying again a shmup for about 12 years ago, I'm extremely impressed at how the hints you pointed out can completely change the feel of some of these games and make them more approachable. There's a few shmups I wanted to try out in the past but never had the confidence that I would be able to enjoy them, and I'm discovering more and more games that look really fun. So thank you. Really, thank you so much for giving a bit of your time to make this guide. I know this is more of a personal rant, but I want to at least show how happy I am to come across this video. You made my day.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

Awesome stuff!! Thanks for the shout out at the end ❤️ also shout out to touhou imperishable night as a starter shmup :-)

[@ShmupJunkie]

I enjoyed all your How to videos and a lot of what I've watched I've tried to incorporate and improve when playing bullet hell especially. I'm going to messing with those two Touhou games for a while until I can finish them on normal and hard. Hoping that'll help me keep improving in what's my weakest aspect, dense patterns.

[@TheElectricUnderground]

@@ShmupJunkie yeah imperishable night is a really fun hard mode clear!

[@cheetah672]

Excellent video! I haven't played a shmup seriously in years, but you've made me want to dust off some old games and chase 1CCs again! I also had no idea there was a bigger shmup community, so I'm absolutely going to follow these other shmup channels and see what I can glean from everybody

[@ShmupJunkie]

Awesome. Yeah if you haven't checked out Electric Underground, my discord or any others, you'll find a lot of people willing to help and share in the genre. I'm hoping to reach lots of players with this video and bring in some new blood.

[@cheetah672]

@@ShmupJunkie You got an invite to the Discord? 👀

[@ShmupJunkie]

@@cheetah672 Of course. Try this and let me know if it doesn’t work. discord.gg/mChnVYNz

[@cheetah672]

@@ShmupJunkie Thanks, it worked!

[@thebuckeyegamer7443]

Hey junkie! I’ve commented on a few of your videos. I’ve watched this one so many times and took all of your tips to heart. Thanks to your tips I’ve been able to beat quite a few shmups that I never thought I’d be able to. Absolutely love your content!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Dude, yes! That's awesome. I love hearing that. I know this video is pretty niche so it wasn't going to blow up, but I also knew it would be so useful to my core viewers and the right people. And think it ended up one of my best works overall. So I love hearing it's been helpful for you.

[@thebuckeyegamer7443]

@@ShmupJunkie absolutely!!! Keep the content coming, there’s definitely people like me who appreciate it. The only thing I haven’t been able to do yet is complete a game without using continues. I have gotten close, but not quite. I’ll get there!

[@ShmupJunkie]

@@thebuckeyegamer7443 You’re getting a lot more enjoyment out of them now and that’s what matters.

[@bigedwerd]

Solid advice for getting good at shmups and games in general. You can play a game your entire life and never get any better without stopping to think about what they're doing wrong. Sometimes I'll save state cheese a game and then go back through without cheesing it. I've done that with Castlevania and Batman on the NES. Just having the confidence of knowing patterns and what to expect was a huge advantage on the 2nd run.

[@ZX3000GT1]

My favorite shmup will always be Radiant Silvergun. That game gives so many tools for you in the form of 7 weapons that can be used at any time and learning when to use them is such a rewarding thing to do. No other shmup ever gave me that feeling of "it's not the game being too hard, it's me not using the correct tools to go forth" better than this game.

[@SlipgateToPhobos]

I really love your content. This was a fantastic intro to shmupping! One thing I discovered was that playing in slow motion on an emulator can help with practicing difficult sections.

[@singularbear8656]

Touhou 8 is my favorite shmup game. So glad to see it in this video

[@DorE3k]

Really well made video, i'm gonna link it whenever one of my friends asks me about shmups and how to play them.

[@BenSchmerler]

This is terrific. It does seem like the Shmup genre is sort of isolated to a very specific type of gamer. I went to a retro game store a few years ago when I started getting into it more, and the guy told me "shmups are games that people tend to graduate to...intimidating but rewarding".

[@ShmupJunkie]

An unfortunate stigma that's kept them niche for so long. When they were more prevalent they were just seen as something fun anyone can play despite being difficult. A staple of arcades now long gone.

[@BenSchmerler]

@@ShmupJunkie niche although it helps make niche KZbin channels :) I remember as someone who grew up in the 80s and 90s and going to video stores to rent games like Gyruss or Gradius they were just NES games, to your point. I didn't even really distinguish them from any other games I rented. It seems like maybe as the 90s went on and the tech got more powerful for whatever reason they started becoming more obscure.

[@NTSTS0]

This video is amazingly well made, presented, and edited. it is a complete 180 from the other schmup-related content I've seen on KZbin, and garnered a subscription from me.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks! And welcome. Yes I put a ton of time and effort into this one with the goal of it being the definitive beginner guide. Not just to be instructive but also entertaining and positive in the hopes of getting anyone with a casual interest to feel like it’s a genre they can enjoy. Really glad you liked it.

[@chivolebabas1787]

You make shmups sound like a sport and I love it

[@ShmupJunkie]

Very much like a sport where you can play casually for fun or continuously challenge yourself and grow as a player. Whether to be competitive or simply the thrill of seeing yourself improve. I just want people to see there’s a learning curve like with any sport and the process can be fun, not a chore.

[@anthonyiodice]

Man, I love your videos so much. You’re so fucking earnest, it’s super refreshing

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks. They used to tell me back in the day when I did little bits of public speaking that I should do infomercials. Wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not 😂

[@Ace-rg2ic]

Shmup Junkie, your smile and positive attitude make me feel like i can do anything. Thank you!

[@ShmupJunkie]

You’re very welcome. I love playing these games and have really enjoyed spreading some love for the genre.

[@99konondrums]

A couple years ago I picked a a MAME collection and started messing around with all the arcade games I'd loved as a kid, and discovered a whole world of shooters I didn't know existed. I started to get hooked on Toaplan and Cave shooters so I decided to buy an arcade stick. I spent a year chipping away at these games but felt that I'd never be good enough to 1cc a game, and I got no joy at all when I finally beat Batsugun by quarter feeding it. I found your KZbin channel looking for tips to get me over the hump. You introduced me to Hydorah and Super XYX. And with a little perseverance I finally got my first 1cc clear with Super XYX. Thanks for the great content and inspiration!

[@ianjacka469]

I'm 41yr old schump virgin and am struggling on level 4 of Sky Force Loaded. Watching the footage of those bullet hell games just blew me away, it made sense when he explained about being able to record segments and re-watch them, I just couldn't understand how gamers can lay at that level. This channel is great and I would've probably thrown in the towel when I started my 1st game as R-Type cos I could remember it from my youth, but it was so unforgiving.But luckily Schump Junkie introduced me to easier games like Harmful Park and Cotton Original (and I am a hardcore anime fan) and I loved them.

[@Nihiliste-]

Older people are generally much better teachers because they have the experience (of life, of anything basically) and this shows. Straight to the point, with compromises to suit every player's need, step by step. Just amazing vid thumb up.

[@asimian8500]

Absolutely awesome video on how to git gud. I have very fast reflexes in the 100+ millisecond range (tested by a doctor) and that's not even good enough to dodge the bullets of high level Cave shmup bosses. Strategy and experience is paramount. I've 1CCed a number of Cave shmups like Dodonpachi and Ketsui, but the guidance given in this video would have helped me do it much faster.

[@Nachy]

This is the kind of video I wish that existed 10 years ago. Not that I didn't enjoy playing shmups casually at the time, but as you mentioned in the video, diving into these games deeper really opens up a whole new world of enjoyment and the awesome experience of surprising one's self of their own potential abilities. Echoing a lot of the comments here, thank you for your work! The likes of you and Mark do an excellent job in making this genre approachable to everyone and showing how in-depth and fun these games are.

[@Lotus_God]

Your channel has got me back into loving shmups again, i just feel like they're underrated and need more appreciation, to me they're super fun despite dying a bunch of times, I'm seeing progress but memorization and experiments will take a long time, thanks for the tips.

[@ShmupJunkie]

You’re welcome. Getting people to remember why they loved playing these games in the first place is the primary driver of my channel and content. So I always love hearing when that’s the case. Thank you as well for the comment.

[@maxyliano]

I want to take a moment to share my happiness! I finally completed an arcade cabinet (reproduction with mame, of course) after many months of working hard on it and making little investments over time and learning the ropes. Sadly, I can't rotate my screen to have it in tate mode like your monitor, but still, there's plenty of great shmups to try in 4:3 landscape! I have been using the contents in this video with R-Type and Progear, and I am thrilled about being able to do that comfortably. Still, there's a long way to go and I don't think I can master them in 7 days (I can't really play everyday freely because of work). In any case, great video, I'm loving it, I've watched it a couple of times now and I'm sure I'll keep coming back in the future. Cheers!

[@radoksamoth3785]

Great video! You and Mark do so much for new people getting into the genre/community. Thank you so much.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Mark is awesome. I'm doing my best to get people hooked, and he gets into the really serious stuff. I watch his videos a lot too and really enjoy them. Just watched his latest How to this morning.

[@bluejokelpie1044]

@@ShmupJunkie who is Mark? :) Another channel to check out?

[@WahRizz]

I needed this! Im unskilled at these games. I will watch, thank you.

[@VillainViran]

Came for the thumbnail, and am super enthusiastic so far. Sweet video

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks! Hope some of the tips work out and end up helpful.

[@augustopaulo4872]

Thanks Junkie! This and the other 2 videos really got me to understand that i enjoy Shmups and how should i play them! I finally got my first 1cc with Touhou 7 on easy today because of your help! It was so fun!

[@kbxthegamemaster06]

I'll tell you this one time when I was trying to get good at DonPachi. I was using save states to clear it. But that turned into actual pain when I got the final boss. I was trying to get to the TLB by not dying once. Then I got to the point where I starting saving DURING the boss, Bob kept telling me to WATCH IT every time I loaded the state. And then I accidentally screwed myself over and save after a death. And then soon after that. I found out that I JUST NEEDED TO CLEAR THE GAME TWICE. I basically just wasted my time.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Man I've been there, saving by accident at a bad spot and making it unusable. I generally just do it at the start of a level and bosses, but once you get into specific patterns and practicing one at a time you're right. It gets tricky and you have to be careful and save when it's safe, and just keep starting from there. I used to not know the requirement for getting to the TLB in DDP either, so now I make it a point to try and look up the details before I actually go for it. Though it's pretty rare I'll ever see a TLB legit in a Cave game on the second loop haha. That's another level I don't have the time to grind. Normally if I can clear the first and have fun doing it I'm happy with the achievement.

[@tubbiele2]

@@ShmupJunkie from my experiences with save states is that in many cases you save the rank and it ends up being impossible for me. I recall the fight with a Grind Stormer boss. It brought me to my knees.

[@kamadoma715]

Thank you for this video. I have played a few shmups in my life but never really got into the genre. Now I feel like properly taking on it!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks! If it gets any new people to at least give some a try then it served it's purpose. Just make sure to find one that looks appealing and you enjoy... don't turn it into work. Just enjoy it like any other game and go from there.

[@kamadoma715]

@@ShmupJunkie I used to play a bit of Strikers 1945 II, so I bought the Strikers 1945 bundle on Steam. But instead of playing Strikers 1945 II, I find myself being more comfortable with the first one so that's what I'm playing right now.

[@julien2983]

I really appreciate your efforts to make this genre more accessible! A big learning curve for me was to actually use bombs, don't lose a life to save a bomb, use them!

[@robertlawrence9000]

I can't believe youtube didn't notify me of this video drop. I was expecting one but at least I found it now. Great tips!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Damn that algorithm! Not sending out notifications. I think if you have the bell selected and set to ALL it's supposed to tell you every time a video drops. Otherwise it picks and chooses. But I'm never sure of how it works exactly. Glad you found it now though!

[@robertlawrence9000]

@@ShmupJunkie I made sure to select all notifications 👍🏻

[@hotdoggington6962]

This is an EXCELLENT video!!! Wish I had more than one like to give it. You really break everything down like I haven't heard before, and I've been playing these games for over 30 years.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks I'm really glad to hear that. The best like you can give is having watched it through, that's worth more than anything else. Coming back to it again for reference is worth extra lol. But seriously thanks. It wasn't easy trying to break things down in a way I thought would be helpful to many and not overly technical.

[@attemptstudiosgames4906]

Thank you. As one shmup fan/player to another, your channel is brilliant. - Mo

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks! I’m always hesitant to make the instructional videos as while I’m experienced from playing them since childhood, I don’t consider myself anywhere near the upper echelon of shmup players. And only took clearing them seriously over a few years ago. But I get a ton of requests from new players and many have been finding them really helpful. So my go strategy has been using a lot of community feedback from top players and incorporating what makes sense into my videos while trying to simplify it all for beginners. I feel better knowing the tips aren’t just coming from me but a community effort.

[@attemptstudiosgames4906]

@@ShmupJunkie I was never great at shmups myself, I just enjoyed playing them a lot and seeing how far I could get on one life. Yours sounds like a great approach and it's clear that a lot of consideration, knowledge and passion goes into the videos. Electric underground too. Great channels.

[@user-pb8tx8jl7t]

A lot of things said in this video helped me a lot, especially the tip about "move with the pattern" at 15:33 It makes it easier for me to dodge some of the patterns that used to give me trouble.

[@brichan1851]

This is a fantastic video. I love how passionate you are about helping people to become better shooters? shmupers? shoot ‘em uppers? Whatever we are, it’s awesome! Thanks. ❤❤❤❤

[@HexElf]

Man, this is super motivational. Didn't expect to come by something like this when looking up shooters I played in the arcade as a kid,

[@ShmupJunkie]

Glad you found it when looking around! I've got a lot of cool shooter content on this channel. If you're looking for some nostalgia along with the tips, there's plenty to enjoy!

[@HexElf]

@@ShmupJunkie Thanks. I am just a noob. I was looking for G-Darius, Gunbird and Tengai. They were part of an STG tournaent for beginners I was in when I was younger. This video inspired me to try to actually get better at them :3

[@DodonEnthusiasticArt]

Great and needed video my Junkie. Not only useful for beginners or players, but critical to understand better the awesome genre of shooting games! Hope this going to bring new gamers into the genre

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks my friend. And I hope so too. I made it to try and bring a better understanding of the games to a new audience and I hope it reaches a bigger one.

[@unlimitedretrogaming]

Another great video my friend, this time with some valuable lessons for everyone to enjoy this fantastic genre. Many people get overwhelmed by the difficulty of some titles, special retrogames and nowadays bullet hells are also intimidating. I noticed the amazing resolution or filter you are using, congrats!! Also, that 8 bit Vic Viper is so cool!!

[@jszekerj]

Awwyeaa bro! Shmup Jesus peaches!

[@alexevaldez]

Shmup junkie is always so awesome!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks! Hope you enjoyed this one.

[@ShamanNoodles]

I'm so thankful you make videos like this for beginners like me. Very challenging genre to jump into as an adult, and this makes the whole experience more enjoyable!

[@OhCrapI_He]

Fun fact: I'm working on a Bullet Hell shooter where you play as Sonic characters. Like any Sonic game, this game would be designed to be accessible for new players (I'm pretty sure you can beat the game first try, possibly even without continues), but there are also a bunch of optional challenges (Special Stages are basically Bonus Rounds where you face faster, more bullet-dense patterns, and if you'd normally lose a life, you instead fail the Special Stage. There's also a ranking system based on how many points you score, and if you're good enough at the game, you can go for S-ranks. Scoring high is the real challenge of this game.)

[@907toni]

I second playing Touhou, that series taught me so much in such a short time. Don't let the cutesy girls fool you, you're missing out if you don't try a Touhou game

[@ShmupJunkie]

I was missing out for a long time until I finally tried it. Really just feels good to play and I don’t think I’d played a shmup before let alone bullet hell that felt so chill and low stress. Seven was my first.

[@brys.3131]

Just getting into this for the first time, so thank you for the informative video!

[@robeastv]

Happy to see Bullet Hell Monday in here…

[@GameplayandTalk]

Great tips! I especially appreciated the one about save state practicing. I myself have gotten around the stigma of it and utilize it as a tool when I'm struggling with a specific part. Life is short, and in something like a difficult platformer or shooter, I don't want to have to spend an hour to get back to the point I am struggling with just to have another try (and ultimately fail, as it usually takes many attempts to figure out difficult patterns). It really makes the whole learning process go by so much faster and fast tracks me to a 1CC.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Glad to hear it. You'll always get the occasional old school die hard that refuses to learn with any assists or won't even play with auto fire on a cabinet, but for the most part, the top players in the world use their time efficiently to get good. I'm certainly nowhere near any of those players but I'll use it just the same when needed.

[@drewhalcro6082]

I thought this was how to build a game. However, knowing what techniques are utilised is also good information to bring into the game dev process. Thanks

[@josevillouta4588]

This is just brilliant! So well thought and made. Thanks for making this genre accessible to newer audiences and gamers

[@brunoaloprando]

Hi, for some reason, after 35 years of playing, I became a shmup addict. I've finished a few (1cc is my rule) and I'm mad at most. I loved the tips, especially the one to lure the bullets to the corner and slowly move to the safe zone. I had put together this strategy a few days ago on my own and when I saw your video I felt like the Asian. Another faux pas that I make and I'm changing as I become aware is that of changing directions, for a beginner like me sometimes I want to go from point A to point B but when I realize that it's a collision course with a bullet I find it incredibly difficult to react and change the direction... everything is training. Sorry for the giant comment, I identified a lot with your style and that's why I end up going on. Love from Brazil! (hittin my head on a wall because of R-type 2 right now)

[@PsycheTrance65]

Definitely need this. I've been stuck at Stage 3 in most Cave Shmups and Stage 4 in Touhou games for so long without an idea what else i should get better on to finally 1cc a danmaku

[@GizmoMaltese]

I have a MAME cabinet but I've never been good a shmups. You're videos are really encouraging.

[@js200gb]

Great tips! I found the “Crossing the Streams” part the most helpful for me. I find another helpful tip I have discovered when watching people new to shmups is: Avoid dodging at angles. I try to stick to movements using just up, down, left, and right unless I’m macro-dodging. I find it far less accurate squeezing at a gap at an angle. Letting bullets pass you and using left and right primarily works for me. I think that knowing the enemies’ HP is key in a lot of games because you need to know when you can shift to take out the next wave as efficiently as possible.

[@kimarykorlumiose7728]

8:03 found that out myself lol I thought Snake in Thunder Force IV was bad, until I realized it made Stage 7 so much easier

[@Neobelmont1]

While I have been using this as a method to getting better I may need to write down to really use it as a reference. Material is very good.

[@ExploradorTenaz]

Thanks a lot for making this video. It's very informative and funny (got a good laugh when I saw that based image). I decided to start playing shmups again and all these tips are going to be very useful (can't wait to try bullet herding). P.S. Nice detail with the dancing figures in the background changing poses throughout the video.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks! I know these more niche videos aren’t as popular but I loved making this and put a ton of effort into keeping it entertaining and not bogged down with minutia while also providing enough tips and variety. I do hope it helps. Please just enjoy the process and playing as that’s what matters most.

[@headman82]

I hope more people see this video and get a better understanding of Shmups. Many people get intimidated by the games and the pro’s that show off. As you said ‘don’t compare the best’ is a great message

[@revvvedrez546]

I love when Sundays solely cuz you release new vids. I've bren addicted to watching ur content...keep up the fantastic work!!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks! And I hope you enjoy this one a lot. I worked super hard on it.

[@retrocalypse]

This might be your best video yet!

[@robertjohansson9853]

Thanks to this channel and a friends Cave collection on 360 ive learned to love bullethell games. This after over 30 years of gaming and just liking old school shooters like gradius and the soldier series. Still watching lider videos and trying to figure out the best way to play all the classics Cave games

[@ShmupJunkie]

I was very much like you and didn't get into bullet hell until much later. It's also why they are my weakest aspect vs older shooters. I've also learned to really enjoy them and am moreso as I improved. They all have something to offer and I'm happy to be able to enjoy both as well.

[@archu-kun9542]

Thanks you for inspiring me im reading comments as i see other people's journey to go beyond a wall like you couldnt do it. Im trying to clear Darius Burst Ex+ CGL route with no damage so im trying to get an inspiration here and i learned a lot within a few days of staying here my game has improve and thank you because i always compare my skills to a super player i guess it takes time and practice but i want all my games to be shmups from this day forward

[@onegunninja]

Shmup "Junkie" Sperling: "I'm not only the Shmup Club president, but I'm also a client." 😁 Another great video Junkie! You've condensed years worth of shmup strategies into a concise, well made, and entertaining video!

[@nickelshark8163]

Hey I just got my first 1cc on Crimson Clover WE on novice! You and electric undergrounds guide videos have helped a lot. thank you!!!!!

[@nicolasadjignon1336]

I usually do a play or two on hard or lunatic of Touhou 8 before playing the game or the difficulty I actually want to play as a warmup. It really improves the quality of my runs.

[@krumpkrumpkrumpkrump]

Hey I just want to say thanks. I am a returning Shmup player after realizing how many games I could never play in the past ended up on steam. I usually focus on horizontal like r-type, but going into vertical games and realizing the U pattern for recovery made my vertical experience a LOT better. Thanks!

[@ShmupJunkie]

You're welcome and love to hear it. I hoped that some of the strategies would come in useful to new players. It was a lot of work putting this together.

[@krumpkrumpkrumpkrump]

@@ShmupJunkie yeah I even challenged someone out of my league to a non blind kumite with 7 days to prepare to encourage myself to get better. I think the competitive aspect with respect can breed excellence and comradary

[@HeadmasterAutobot]

I've lately been wanting to learn Bio-Hazard Battle, but was dragging my feet due to my inexperience. This video was eerily well-timed!

[@ShmupJunkie]

That's a really cool MD game, I haven't fired that up in a long time.

[@kaiser8659]

Woah talk about timing! I was looking through a lot of shmup lessons as I wanted to get deeper into the genre starting with Touhou. Thanks for this!

[@wizdude]

I’m sold and I’m signing up for the Shmup 7 step program :-) See me again in 7 days with ripped abs and super shmup powers!!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Next video... 7 minute shmup abs!

[@Techn0magier]

I was looking for a distraction from my usual games and thought, why not try a totally different genre for a change. So I looked around and found this little video here. I've never played shmups in earnest and 7 days to check out a new genre didn't sound bad to me. So I followed your day one advice and goofed around with different games till I found one that clicked, Caladrius Blaze. Now I'm on day two, I try to restrain myself and stick to one ship and learn its ins and outs. Seriously, the hardest part is, to not jump between all the different ships after I got a taste of all different weapons yesterday. xD If I can stick to your 7-day plan I will report next week if I could make it to the end of the Layis story without a continue. ;)

[@ShmupJunkie]

That’s awesome to hear! Whether you make it all the way or not, long as you saw a big improvement and played more efficiently while enjoying yourself it was worth the time. I’d love to hear how it turns out. Feel free to use different ships at least until you find one you prefer using. Some shmups are very hard and just take a long time to master, while others not. But the more you play them the easier each successive one becomes. I just really enjoy that short, arcade style experience where I can pick up and play something for 30-40min that’s intense, whenever I get the itch.

[@francescosmith7859]

Excellent video! Really good advice for people who are frustrated and don't think shooters are their type of game. As a kid, I didn't care too much for shooters. I played a little Gradius and Captain Skyhawk but nothing too crazy and considered myself bad at them but as an adult I'm a massive fan and at least a competent player and I owe it to the Turbo16 Mini. I bought it mainly for Rondo of Blood and Neutopia hoping I'd at least be a little entertained by the variety of shooters but Blazing Lasers, Lords of Thunder, Soldier Blade, Spriggan, Saphire (and many more) are all outstanding games and every time I turn it on I feel like I try a new shooter and add a new favorite to my list. It took practice, save states and a lot of dying and I wish I had a better strategy when I started but I finally learned the U and keep improving my knowledge and getting better at each shooter I try and I now actively look for shooters on any console I play.

[@ShmupJunkie]

That's awesome to hear about the mini and I'm so glad it's been a gateway for you back into the genre. Turbo/PCE shooters have always been some of my favorite. I started this whole channel because of the PCE Mini and wanting to do some good reviews on it, as I also thought it's a great gateway into the library and the great collection of shooters on it. If they were still making more of them, I'd still be shilling for anyone remotely interested to pick one up.

[@DyeusPaterPlanitiae]

There's a lot of care in this video. Many thanks!

[@williaml9445]

Great video. I'm a boxing fan and when you said dominate the screen it reminds me of boxing when you control the ring and not give your opponent a chance to set up🤔

[@ShmupJunkie]

Pretty much a very similar concept for sure. Basically not giving your opponent the opportunity to even attack or respond. I'm sure it applies to fighting games as well.

[@ElLoGGe]

I think the last day is the most important because once you find a game you manage to destroy even if only on novice you keep improving even more with every game. At least that’s what I learned after 5 years of having fun with shmups 😍❤️

[@ShmupJunkie]

Absolutely. Remember to take all of these ideas and tips and practice them, but not dwell on them. Enjoy the game and continue to improve while you do it. Doing what you always did but with more tools at your disposal to play better. I've only truly mastered a handful of games I've played over the years and they are the ones I enjoy and play the most.

[@d.r.k565]

Thank you for creating this video- long time casual player ready to take it to the next level and also share this with others curious about shmups- great ice breaker!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks! I hope some of the segments are helpful in simply getting more satisfaction out of the games. And I always love hearing others report back if any part in particular was the most useful.

[@soratheorangejuicemascot5809]

24:10 I can't wait to get a new game just to see how much I've learned from this video and the shmups I've bought earlier. Ofcourse I need learn my arsenal properly.

[@ShmupJunkie]

And lots of great free games you can try this with any time as well. But yes, most people forget to learn their character properly. Cotton 2 is a really good example where people just play and try to force their way through the game because they didn't know the game has so many unique controls and magic.

[@soratheorangejuicemascot5809]

@@ShmupJunkie I discovered Jigoku Kisetsukan(its free) on steam and I am on the process of learning the game. Sadly, I still find easy mode abit harder than most games I own.

[@ottodob]

Thanks for bringing the genre down to earth. Games are to be enjoyed and some of these shmups seem really daunting at first.

[@Blueflag04]

What a great video to educate us beginner fans. Hopefully one day i can be as good as you

[@ShmupJunkie]

I'm honestly just good enough to play competently and occasionally 1CC games, nothing like other amazing players out there. I am good at enjoying the games though, so I hope the video also imparts that and some of these tips help with that. Getting just good enough to enjoy them to the fullest.

[@LZRCuteR]

Noice, people like you rock. I'm glad your channel is off to the races. I want to be Great! That means work, hard amazing work for my own channel one day soon, for me (and to do it), but also for my kids, who deserve all the hero in me

[@chriscalvert4609]

This guys videos keep getting better and better. The camera and lighting look better than ever.

[@ShmupJunkie]

I'm trying! I just hope it translates to better reach and more people finding and getting into the genre. I really tried with this one.

[@ChaossX77]

This was super helpful as I've always liked shmups but never been really good at them. Thanks for this!

[@bl85gamer]

Finally sat down with a piece of birthday cake and inhaled all this shmup goodness 🥰🥰 I still remember our first chats were you said the same thing you say at the end of this video. I was one of those who said I suck at the genre and thanks to you nowadays I enjoy the crap out of them while still sucking 😆 The genre demands hours of playing and mastering unlike the games I was used to playing like platformers where you might just do one run and beat them...in my few years of playing shmups I can say 1 run usually does not grant you a victory 😅 Thank you for all the coaching master 🙏🏼 I'll be sure to wax on and wax off whenever we finally meet 😆😆

[@shafeq786786]

Perfect evening viewing👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾 thank you

[@ShmupJunkie]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@cr33py51]

Thanks for this video, it's become one of my favorites! Greetings from Colombia

[@ShmupJunkie]

You’re welcome! I’m really happy with how this video came out and why I still have it highlighted on the channel. I hope it helps new players get into the games when they find it. Greetings from SoCal 🤟

[@danmakuman]

Awesome video bro, you are getting better and better with each new one. Loved the production here and also the script is super easy to follow.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thanks dude, I am hoping it does well. It was a ton of work and I'd like to bring more players into the genre with it. Or hoping to.

[@gott2641]

I have numerous iterations of the Dodonpachi franchise, as well as the Deathsmiles games for the Xbox 360. I even bought a Japanese console for some of the games that weren't region free! Anyway, this is pretty good advise in this video. However, it wasn't this alone that got my attention~ ANY video that makes a reference to Vic Tayback (Mel Sharples) is a plus in my book~ you've earned a subscriber solely based on that!!!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Hahaha not only a reference to him on the show, but from Doctor Demento and their karate studio “boot to the head” skit. I used to listen to that stuff as a kid and still have recordings on an old cassette. It was one of my favorite lines and what made me wonder back then who is this Mel and look up reruns for Alice. Interesting chain of events.

[@bluejokelpie1044]

I just used some of the things you talked about in this video to finally beat Hacha Mecha Fighter! I really, really like Shoot'em'ups but am not very good in them (rail shooters work better for me)! I am really looking forward to give this approach a really thorough run-down with either Gradius V or Ikaruga! I always wanted to make a video-essay about learning one certain shoot'em'up and see how far I can come in a week or so. I am certainly gonna merge it with your approach here! :D I have a tiny viewership but if it's done, I will send them all over to your video for sure!

[@ShmupJunkie]

Congratulations man! And I hope some of the tips serve you well. Gradius V and Ikaruga are a tall order, especially Ikaruga which can take even the best players a huge amount of time to master. GV is no joke either. Save states will absolutely be your friend in breaking down the hardest sections of either of those games if you can manage it. They are some of the hardest shmups out there even when you do have the right approach and skills. But please do feel free to keep me posted on how it goes with whichever one you choose. Ikaruga is a game I still have never put in the time to wrap my head around, but I did a really good segment on it in my Top 5 hardest Dreamcast shmups video not long ago.

[@bluejokelpie1044]

@@ShmupJunkie The only shoot em up I managed to complete without any save states but traditional learning by replays is Parodius. In Gradius V I managed to get to the Boss of the third stage and Ikaruga usually stops at level 3 for me. And I can't use save states because for both of them because the console versions don't support it.... Ironically the other two shmups I am really curious to dive into is Darius G and R-type Delta...I don't know why I only pick the ones with hellish difficulties? XD Anyway, thank you for the great content!

[@CPS2]

Excellent excellent informative video! I'm in my mid 40's and have played shooters casually (among all other genres) my whole life, but never gone hardcore with them. I actively avoided bullet hell type shooters because I thought my old reflexes would just not cut it, but I've recently been dabbling and rather enjoying them despite my sucking. This video is very valuable and provides some great insight and I fully intend to make use of it. I've chosen Dodonpachi on PS2. I'm a stickler for real hardware so no save states for me, but I'm already making progress. I have my CRT tate'd and have found a pad I love (ASCII FT2) 😊 Thanks for making this guide! I've watched it like 4 times already 👍

[@ShmupJunkie]

Really awesome to hear this has been helpful. And if you’re truly grinding DDP I couldn’t recommend enough Marks How to Shmup series on the Electric Undergroumd channel. It’s bullet hell specific and has valuable instruction there. It’s nearly impossible to learn and practice something like DDP without saves BUT the nice thing is these ports have good practice modes usually. So you can at least stage select and sometimes even boss select. And focus on them. The top players like Jaimers all use them. I’ve never tried the DDP port on PS2 vs the Xbox360 1.5 release by m2 which has some killer training options. But either way I wish you the best luck as DDP is no joke especially the second loop. And am glad this video has helped. But it’s also very entry level and if you’re truly grinding DDP both Mark’s videos and a classic primer by Prometheus called Full Extent of the Jam will be super helpful for you 👍🏻

[@CPS2]

@@ShmupJunkie Thanks again for the additional pointers. 😊 More info and perspective can never be a bad thing! Yeah I got pretty early on that DDP was no joke. Lol I'm still getting my behind served to me but am loving it so far. Apparently the 360 port is actually a port of the PS2 version, with a vaseline smear filter added. So the excellent "simulation" mode will be the same, where you can choose stages, bosses, power ups, hyper, all sorts of things. Very useful. Thank you again and keep up the great work! 👍

[@Ammothief41]

It took me ~300 hrs for 1 clear of Raiden IV Mikado. The one lesson I learned was I better learn to enjoy the suck. Not sure if I should be happy or embarrassed but damn can you imagine doing that in an arcade? No way for me.

[@morsalty]

You should be happy! That is the best feeling ever when you finally overcome a game that you put a ton of time into.

[@syzlak9011]

Really well made video. Very helpful. Thank you!

[@NCC-0000]

I cannot express how thankful I am with this video, Shmup Junkie. Incoming a bit of wall text or just jump to summary.... So when I was a 5-year old kid and enjoyed playing in my NES everyday with random games until *that* special one appeared to me: Gradius. The game which ignited my love for shmups. I replayed it everyday, day after day struggling with the Moai stage, sure, after some months of struggle I managed to 1CC it (Even with a failed attempt of 0 Lives in the closing doors section) and I thought: "Ok, what is next?". As a teen during many years I downloaded MAME games and cleared them but all of them were different difficulty compared to Gradius, so I just went full cheat mode and used wrongly save states to "Fake 1CC them" and see the ending. It was worth it?? I believed so, but after the 3rd or 4th it wasn't anymore. "What was the point of it?". Plus without a proper way of learning shmups other than just reset, die, reset, die, return to Stage 1 I ended up frustrated and forgot most of them for years. Seeing some of the hardcore ones like Dodonpachi or Batsugun looked even worse than impossible for me. But I liked shmup musics because they are a different thing from this planet, their artworks, their bullet pattern designs..... But sadly I feared I was so awful at them, even more when I fell into the comparasion trap of see these impressive 1CC runs in channels like Replay Burners, or tutorials in some formus which said: "Ikaruga or Radiant Silvergun are good to start". I still loved shmups, but I just felt useless and never wanted to try them again if I couldn't clear them. Now with 25, rl things to do but in my free time...... Randomly your video popped up, I got intrigued, I watched it lots of times, until your wise words entered into me, it's not about inhuman reflexes or perfect clears: It was about the fun, fun which I forgot I used to have just like when I played Gradius as a kid, and enjoy everything that the game had to offer (OSTs, World Design, Storytelling like DDP are good, etc). So after 2 weeks of practicing (Because 1 Day of your video = 2 days for me due to responsabilities) another of my favorite shmups: Kuhga (Vapor Trail) of Data East (Arcade version), while following all the tips from your video, I finally managed to 1CC it. Was it frustrating? Not anymore. Was it hard? Since I'm returning to shmups, a bit, but not so impossible as I used to think. Was it fun? After clear all the stages and kick some mechanical airplane butts?? Of course!! Nothing more fun than register your name in High Score table with the "No Continues/1 Coin" clear, and that feeling of self improvement. (But in scale of difficulty, I think I should have tried some easy shmup first......) Finishing with this, thank you for helping me to recover my hope with shmups, for your nice words explaining how-to learn more efficently the pacing of these games, and to remember me how to have fun again with them. Have a nice day!! Summary: Don't fall into the comparision/frustration/hopelessness trap, like Shmup Junkie said in the video, everyone can learn how to shmup, but with the correct strategy and mindset.

[@ShmupJunkie]

Thank you for this wonderful comment. I don't make videos like this too often, but it's a lot of feedback like yours that reminds me to keep doing it from time to time. Anything that helps someone rediscover their enjoyment of these games and also find new ways to play and enjoy them makes it worth the effort for me. Congratulations on your 1CC for Vapor Trail, a very cool game btw. I hope you can keep doing that as you desire for future games too. We all have very little free time and these kinds of games are great for the free 20-30 minutes we may have here and there to play.

[@NCC-0000]

@@ShmupJunkie Thank you for the good wishes, I took a bit in reply sorry for that. Well now I’m playing shmups 100% for fun and less seriously, but now I’m repeating this video to keep the strategies fresh now that I could do it, move into the next one. Currently working in Thunder Cross II. Have a nice day 😃

[@Psych0boost]

You look like a motivational speaker lol Jokes aside excellent video, I’ll definitely be coming back to this a few times

[@ShmupJunkie]

You wouldn’t be the first to say that haha. I used to do some speaking when I was young and I’d get some comments that I should do infomercials 🤣

[@gabrielesquaratti5709]

this is by far your best video imo.