I decided to, well, start up a thread showcasing a few doujin games. Doujin soft games are most closely considered to be the japanese equivalent to homebrew or fangames. The biggest difference is in the level of complexity and attention to detail these developers have with their games. With that in mind, it is very unsurprising to see many doujin games surpass retail games in quality and entertainment. This is because the people behind them do it for the sake of building a good game, not for a fatty paycheck. Without further ado, I shall divert your attention to three doujin games which I have found to meet the standards of how these games are made.
click here for gameplay videoAn impressive Megaman clone, you are shooting your way through 8 initial levels, defeating the master of each, complete with an arsenal of weaponry you have acquired from each level. A rather challenging, but impressive and beautiful-looking experience, Rosenkreuz Stilette is well worth any Megaman fan's attention.
click here for gameplay videoOne of the most polished-looking STGs(shooting games) to have ever come out of the doujin community, Ether Vapor makes use of a ship that includes three different and distinctive weapon types and utilizes both top-down and sidescrolling perspectives. It also features a unique "interception" mode in which you use your missiles to lock on and shoot down specific targets. You also unlock more lives and continues as you keep playing, so you'll always make more progress each time you play.
click here for gameplay videoProbably the best stand-alone danmaku(curtain fire/bullet hell) STG to have never been retailed on a major scale, Hellsinker is by far the most complex shooter in the world of doujin soft. However, the gameplay is fully reminiscent of any arcade STG you would find in Japan, except you don't have to scour the world looking for a cabinet, you can just download the game! This is my personal favorite doujin game that is not touhou-related.
Credit to Holy of doujinstyle for the banners.
