Cho Ren Sha 68k is a free doujin SHMUP originally developed for the Sharp X68000 by Famibe no Yosshin, later ported to Windows with music by Ruzarin Kashiwagi Koichi Yoshida.
Just wow. What a fantastic SHMUP. One of the best. Tight, energetic, and driving. Unlike modern bullet hells, Cho Ren Sha 68k starts deceptively simple as a fast-paced vertical shooter with manageable waves. But a little ways in, it evolves into a hybrid of danmaku-style bullet hell and classic Toaplan arcade shooting.
If those terms sound technical, here’s the confident breakdown: danmaku refers to dense, patterned bullets that fill the screen, bullet hell in other words. Toaplan-style shooters focus on simpler enemy fire and positional movement. Cho Ren Sha 68k blends these perfectly, creating waves that are both visually spectacular and strategically satisfying, all synced to a killer soundtrack that keeps your heart racing.
The power-up triangle system forces split-second decisions, and mastering it to collect all three items at once is incredibly rewarding. Many design choices reward skill: for example, the player’s shots have an on-screen limit, meaning firing faster requires staying close to enemies. High risk, high reward. It’s brilliant level and combat design.
The only real challenge is the sheer density of bullets in later stages, which can be overwhelming at first. There were moments where I lost track of the many magenta bullets, but it never felt unfair. There’s just a lot happening on screen, and with practice and pattern memorization, it becomes manageable. This is very much a memorizer.
The game has almost no story, though a simple ending was added in later updates. Its appeal is pure gameplay focus. Despite its minimalist presentation, Cho Ren Sha 68k delivers intense, precise, and deeply satisfying SHMUP action. It’s short, but highly replayable for scoring mastery and perfectionists. And honestly, you may replay it a lot just to beat it. It’s tough.
A standard run through Loop 1 consists of seven stages. Defeating the final boss immediately launches Loop 2, returning you to Stage 1 with increased difficulty and new mechanics.
The game’s ultimate challenge, the True Last Boss (TLB), only appears at the end of the second loop (Stage 14, or 2-7), serving as the definitive end of a standard full clear.
A perfect run takes about 60 minutes. Getting that good can take weeks.