#smhup
Today is #PitchYaGame day in #indiegame world.
Check out my smhup PolyGunR.

PolyGunR is a top-down / isometric / phsyics-based shooter, from the co-designer of The Strike Series.
June 6, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Folks, I'm telling you Space Shooters & Brutal Death Metal pair together like beer & cheese. #MetalSky #DeathMetal #SMHUP #Crypticus #ThunderforceIII
February 20, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Smhup
May 5, 2025 at 8:09 PM
I think you meant Darius, the smhup where the arcade machine screens were really wide.
September 3, 2025 at 7:27 PM
I love seeing smhup screens because why the fuck is there some hype ass battle going on in the middle but just a random girl with a hair tie in her mouth on the left side
yeaaaah boooooy first 1-ALL clear on DFK 1.5 Novice. Managed to get to stage 4 on the second loop on the same credit but ended up taking 4 credits overall to clear it cause stage 5 and Golden Disaster kicked my ass lol
April 12, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Okay gameplay wise, several things. One of the bigger ones is pacing and stage design.

Touhou's stages tend to have far less physical hazards or big enemies. While big faries exist. More traditional smhup have bulky tanks or stationary enemies tied the background.
January 19, 2026 at 11:02 PM
#22

Thunder Blade (1988) sur Master System.

Premier smhup sur SMS. Malgré les éléments retirés (pour la bonne cause) lors de l'adaptation, un chouette titre que j'ai terminé à l'époque. J'adorais le stage 3 (au-dessus de l'eau) et 5 (Usine). www.youtube.com/watch?v=za4O...
Master System Longplay [112] Thunder Blade (a) (FM)
YouTube video by World of Longplays
www.youtube.com
February 22, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Not quite DR but bizzarely smhup youtuber electric underground skip all the dialogue in Undertale on his first playthrough just to get to the gameplay. And still praised the story solely based on "vibes".
July 3, 2026 at 5:52 AM
So a fighting game controller, a smhup controller and the everything controller?
November 21, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Look for all it's quirks that movie ended being foundational for inspiring hundreds of smhup games to have "enter into the space station/ship in tight corridors and shoot the core " level.
December 15, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Honestly I sorta annoyed when a modern smhup has lacking practice modes. Like why isn't there a more convenient way to practice bosses in zero ranger. How does zun have a better practice mode from 2004?
January 10, 2026 at 6:58 AM
Touhou stages tend to be less detailed and more abstract.

In terms of pacing, you generally a touhou boss fight is longer than say a normal stage CAVE boss fight. This is a common critique of the TH games from smhup heads bc they believe the spellcard presentation slows the game too much.
January 19, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Based on other interviews, zun seems aware that smhups aren't big anymore and is self conscious that majority do not play/care for his games.

In one he states he believes the "CAVE" smhup genre is practically dead.

Which is why multiple times he goes : "I'm making these games for myself".
May 30, 2025 at 10:08 PM
From what I heard the touhou mobile game has been doing alright in China and Japan. Even doing some self crossover with their Deathsmiles smhup mobile game recently.
April 13, 2026 at 5:09 AM
If you’re a bullet-hell or SMHUP roguelike enjoyer this absolutely should be in your library it is SO GOOD.
This is my game about fighting boss monsters with love! It's still in early access, but I make updates all the time. There are over 100 bosses now!

store.steampowered.com/app/790060/T...
October 23, 2024 at 9:26 PM
Like I know it's a rpg maker game. But it's bullet smhup, having a fps below 60 is criminal . For petes sakes zun, in his frankenstein engine has atleast his games run 60 fps.
June 2, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Credits in smhup/arcade games are an interesting topic, bc credit feeding is a byproduct of arcade game design allowing the player to keep "feeding quarters/credits".

Some games in that genres have limited credits.
December 10, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Same I've never heard this game(s) before. Not on any smhup lists or youtube channels.
January 22, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Finally, here's my review of Psyvariar 3, for The Wand Report.

I've adored the Psyvariar series since 2003. I'd have been happy with it's return being decent. Thanks to @bananabytes.bsky.social clear love for the game, we get much more than 'decent'!

report.wand.com/reviews/psyv...

#shmups #smhup
Psyvariar 3 Review: A brush with brilliance - The Wand Report
Charge bullets, avoid shooting, and chain invincibility? An arcade great that does things differently is back.
report.wand.com
June 9, 2026 at 10:30 AM
One thing we always guarantee with our releases is that every physical game is the definitive edition. No downloads nor an internet connection is needed! Stellar Interface has all previously released DLC right on the disc or cartridge.

preorder today: vgnysoft.com/lp-stellarinterface

#Smhup
October 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
What's funny about the "five more stages" comment is that it was so common it led to the development of Gradius V making the game fairly long for a smhup. A full run is about 1 hour + long.

Which is probaly the most lingering negative aspect of Gradius V tbh.
November 26, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Is there an article or news report about it? I'm surprised to not hear anyone from the smhup community talk about it.
October 30, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Finished scramble spirits on the Sega Master System. A decent but pretty short smhup game. Has some good music, but thats really about it.
May 7, 2025 at 5:45 AM
like is it no morality? is he just petty? or is it just what he thinks would be the best for the ship... sumika and kyoko is probably the closest answer we could try to see a more human side of him other than an evil smhup boss (maybe hime but theyre not fond of each other, lol)
March 19, 2025 at 3:42 AM
Creating a UI (on paper and in Photoshop) for a Univeristy Team Module where we are making a single screen 2D SMHUP. #LSBUGames
February 9, 2026 at 3:32 PM