Danmaku Unlimited 3

 Switch
Danmaku Unlimited 3 Image
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84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 27 Ratings

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  • Summary: Inspired by classic Japanese shooting games, Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a lovingly crafted medley of the best aspects of Japanese bullet hell games, all in a polished, accessible package.

    An old school shoot'em up? Why is it worth my time? Bullet hell style mechanics is having a kind of    Inspired by classic Japanese shooting games, Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a lovingly crafted medley of the best aspects of Japanese bullet hell games, all in a polished, accessible package.

    An old school shoot'em up? Why is it worth my time?
    Bullet hell style mechanics is having a kind of renaissance with its inclusion in many hit indie games. However if players want to explore more into the world of Bullet Hell a lot of traditional titles can be hard to understand in its mechanics or just plain too difficult to get into as a newcomer.

    Danmaku Unlimited 3 is designed to be intuitive and accessible to players unfamiliar with the genre, all the while without losing any of the intensity and flashiness that makes the genre so exciting to play.

    Okay, so how does the game do that?
    CORE A staple feature in Bullet Hells, only the very center of the player's craft, the core, is vulnerable to enemy fire.

    GRAZING Get the core close to bullets to just barely "graze" it will power up the player's craft. Once fully charged it can unleash a powerful rampage that makes you feel like a total boss.

    SPIRIT/GRAZE SYSTEM Shooting down enemies turns their shots into harmless ghost bullets that the player can safely touch while also powering up the plane.

    All of this allows the game to be at a level of challenge that is manageable for a wide range of players without reducing the game into a bullet free turkey shoot.
    I'm good at bullet hell shooters, won't I just breeze though the game then?
    The game has two unique modes, GRAZE MODE features a differently tuned system (with conditions to trigger the ghost bullets) that offers a higher level of challenge comparable to the toughest traditional bullet hell titles.
    Is there a story?
    It is about a guardian, entrusted with Earth, rebelling against her overseers. Shakespeare it isn't, but you are here for the bullets and explosions right?
    How is the music? A Shmup is nothing without good music!
    Music is by BLANKFIELD from Japan, who does awesome remixes of Touhou and many other anime/game musics!
    Anything else?

    - The campaign features 5 stages each ending with an epic multi-stage boss fight.
    - Up to 25 weapon combinations for players to unlock and experiment to find what works best for them.
    - Unique rendering technique that procedurally animate sprites on the fly.
    - TATE support for players that use vertical screens. Or if you like to play lying down on your sides, I'm not going to tell you how to live your life.

    Okay I'm sold! (Or not, if so then thanks for making it down to here!)

    TLDR List

    - Authentically crafted Japanese style shoot'em up in High Definition
    - Intuitively designed to be an accessible gateway to the world of Bullet Hell
    - 5 handcrafted stages packed with dynamically rendered sprites
    - Epic multi-phase boss battles with spellbinding bullet patterns
    - Up to 25 unique weapon combinations
    - Turn enemy attacks into your advantage with the SPIRIT/GRAZE system
    - Music by the talented Japanese indie circle BLANKFIELD
    Multiple modes of difficulty that caters to players of all skill ranges    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. God is a Geek
    Mar 15, 2018
    95
    Overall it looks and runs great. This is the definitive version for me and if you’ve ever wanted to feel like an arcade badass, this is the game to get. As a shmup, I’d say this is also a great entry point into the franchise and it is finally available on Switch after being announced a while ago.
  2. Nintendo Life
    Mar 12, 2018
    90
    Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a brilliantly executed best of bullet hell shmup ideas wrapped up into a phenomenal package. It is the very best shmup money can buy in the whole Switch game library (plus it will cost you about half what it should!). Even if you don’t particularity like shmups - or if Japanese bullet hells are not your particular favourite flavour within the genre - exposure to the insane lightshows provided by this game might just turn you into a die-hard fan.
  3. Worth Playing
    Nov 8, 2018
    90
    Danmaku Unlimited 3 is another excellent shooter on a system that's quickly becoming an appropriate home for them. The frantic action you'd expect from a bullet hell shooter is improved with interesting attack patterns and a set of mechanics that rewards both quick kills and exhibits some flair during gameplay. There's a nice balance for both veterans and genre newcomers, with the latter being served especially well since the game's difficulty and lack of continues foster a need to improve while ensuring that death isn't immediate. Topped off with a great presentation, DU3 is a high point for the genre, and despite the deluge of shooters on the Switch, it's a title that fans shouldn't miss.
  4. Nintenderos
    Aug 13, 2018
    85
    Despite its lacking innovation, it's a great video game that fans of the bullet hell genre will enjoy to the fullest. The handling of the ship is excellent and the movements are very fluid, and it also has a soundtrack that is very much in line with this type of title. All this added to the great variety of difficulty modes it offers, will give us hours and hours of fun and freneticism in equal parts.
  5. Switch Player
    Mar 27, 2018
    80
    Danmaku Unlimited 3 is a very strong entry into the ever-growing shmup genre on Nintendo Switch. It takes nerves to conquer the endless bullets on display, but casual gamers are also well catered for with a generous selection of difficulty options.
  6. NintendoWorldReport
    Mar 14, 2018
    80
    While Danmaku Unlimited 3 is not the most polished game of its kind, it is a very satisfying experience. The unique mechanics and multiple difficulty options combined with compelling reasons to keep playing and improving make for a game with a wider appeal than most other titles in the bullet hell genre. Danmaku Unlimited 3 successfully creates the tense feeling of a screen filled with bullets, without excessively punishing failure.
  7. Video Chums
    Mar 19, 2018
    70
    With tight gameplay and flashy visuals, Danmaku Unlimited 3 is certainly a capable shmup. That being said, fans of the genre will desire a lot more variety, especially considering the fact that it doesn't bring anything new to the table.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. jens76
    Oct 13, 2021
    10
    By far the best Danmaku on the switch, sound and colors keep you locked, an unique experience.
  2. riccyjay
    Mar 15, 2018
    10
    Beautiful visuals and the presentation is top-notch - all the way down to the text introducing new levels. Original music is rocking and fitsBeautiful visuals and the presentation is top-notch - all the way down to the text introducing new levels. Original music is rocking and fits the game perfectly. Features a 'graze' mechanic, which encourages players to skirt as close to bullets as possible to charge their power bar.

    Accessible for beginners, but with insane screen filling moments of true bullet hell for more experienced players this game gets almost everything right and features enough options to keep you practicing and coming back for more. Use a stand to play in TATE mode for a more arcadey feel. Runs smoothly despite the amount going on. An excellent port of an excellent game.    … Expand
  4. SnappyGR
    Sep 5, 2019
    9
    Snappy Game Reviews - Unlimited bullets

    Everyone knows that I love a good space shooter, be it a classic like Gradius and R-Type or more    Snappy Game Reviews - Unlimited bullets

    Everyone knows that I love a good space shooter, be it a classic like Gradius and R-Type or more modern ones like Astebreed or Ghost Blade HD. Each of these games manages to take me into this strange zone where time stops and all that registers in my brain are flickers of light coming from the barrage of enemy bullets. My blatant love for this genre only made me more surprised to learn that there’s an indie ‘shmup’ series on mobile developed by a Canadian studio, Doragon Entertainment, that was making its first appearance on consoles, namely on the Nintendo Switch. I’m happy to report that Danmaku Unlimited 3, the latest title in the Danmaku series, is currently the best bullet-hell space shooter that you can buy on the Nintendo Switch.

    You get to pick between two different game modes right off the bat, those being the beginner-friendly Spirit Mode and the more advanced Graze Mode. While these two share the same stages and enemy layout if you choose the same difficulty level they provide somewhat different gameplay experiences. In Spirit Mode, enemy fire turns blue after the firing ship gets destroyed, by colliding with these blue projectiles you’ll increase your trance gauge which, in turn, will help you enter the awesome trance mode much faster. When activated, your firepower gets an incredible boost and enemy fire turns into gems, collecting these will add to your Graze counter which makes an enormous difference if you’re aiming for a good high-score.

    As for Graze Mode, you’ll have to become familiar with enemy and bullet patterns as in this mode enemy fire won’t become harmless and you have to rely on the Graze mechanic. Basically, in this risk/reward system, you’ll earn Graze points by flying your ship ever so close to enemy fire, on top of helping you gain more points it’s the only way to build your trance gauge, unlike Spirit Mode.

    The game feel and controls are spot on, you’ll be blasting enemies and steering away from danger with ease even if you’re using the Joy-Con analogue stick which honestly surprised me. Even though the game adopted a weapon system similar to the one in the Dodonpachi series, one weak fire mode with added mobility and another stronger but slower one, I didn’t think that I would be able to control the ship with this level of precision.

    On the presentation side of things, we have a very competent game, both visually and also in the sound department. The smart use of colours for the ships and oncoming fire means that there was never one instance where I lost track of my ship nor got hit due to a bullet blending with the background. Everything looks beautifully crisp whether you plan to play it on your TV or on the go. Still, on that note, arcade lovers will really appreciate the included option to play the game in TATE mode. Danmaku Unlimited 3 stages are accompanied by guitar-heavy tracks crafted by BLANKFIELD, these do a fantastic job of getting you pumped to take down massive fleets of enemy ships.

    Even if you’re well versed in the genre you might have a tough time beating Danmaku Unlimited 3 on your first go even playing on the more lenient Spirit Mode. This high difficulty, as well as the fact that there are only five stages in total that can be beaten in roughly 30-45 minutes, might be a deal-breaker for some but fans of the genre know that unexplainable feeling of beating a ‘shmup’ in 1CC, which stands for one-credit clear. Besides mastering the main game modes and aiming for those sweet high scores there are also a couple of unlockable weapon types for meeting certain criteria, such as grazing a given number of shots in a single combo.

    Danmaku Unlimited 3 ended up being a fantastic surprise that manages to tick pretty much every box on how to make a fun space shooter. While I think that there could’ve been a little more work put into each of the stages backgrounds as they’re little more than eye candy this ultimately feels like a small nitpick when you have a bullet hell of such a high pedigree. A must-have for ‘shmup’ fans and a decent introductory game for newbie’s looking to get more familiar with this sort of gaming genre.    … Expand
  5. vicferd
    Jan 30, 2022
    9
    Con muy poco para reprochar Danmaku Unlimited 3 representa el mejor trabajo hasta la fecha de su desarrollador. Con jugabilidad variada yCon muy poco para reprochar Danmaku Unlimited 3 representa el mejor trabajo hasta la fecha de su desarrollador. Con jugabilidad variada y ajustada, gráficos adecuados, muy buena banda sonora y un diseño del reto muy bien medido y escalado, este puede ser uno de los mejores exponentes del género en el ámbito independiente.

    Los diferentes modos de juego y recompensas pueden alargar por más de 20 horas la duración del juego, con unas 5 horas de requisito mínimo para pasar en nuestra dificultad preferida. Puede acusarse algo de repetición en los jefes o en las naves, pero por su muy bajo precio es más que aceptable.    … Expand
  6. BDTeacher
    Mar 13, 2018
    8
    Fantastic port of the Steam bullet-hell shooter. The game runs smooth, looks great, plays better and the music is perfect for this type ofFantastic port of the Steam bullet-hell shooter. The game runs smooth, looks great, plays better and the music is perfect for this type of game. For $10 this game is a steal and possibly the best shmup on the Switch.… Expand
  7. chromoman
    Mar 16, 2018
    8
    My first impressions are good. Exciting game. However, I am disappointed that even in TATE view, I still have gaps at the top and bottom ofMy first impressions are good. Exciting game. However, I am disappointed that even in TATE view, I still have gaps at the top and bottom of the screen. I suppose this is echo old-school aspect ratios, but why can we not have it being full height? That would be incredible. Then this would be a 10. :)… Expand

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Best Switch Game of 2018

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