It's common knowledge at this point that Touhou started off, not as an on rails vertical shooter, but, a vertical shooter, that, is an unique take on "brick breaking" games like breakout, except, it's a card flippin' game, well, why is it like this? The creator simply wanted to have many things he liked at once, and tried to put it in a blender, and you get, one of the easier, but also toughest TH games, but also the most unique game in the series, but it's also an unique game in general!

I do not know what people think of this game, but i kinda love it, and i'd imagine a lot of people don't care about this one because it's not a flying and shooting game, and, besides, most TH fans came during the 2000s, but me? I have no idea, i just kinda heard of it by a buddy who used to like TH, emphasize, used to.

The thing is, there is so much more to consider in this game, besides dodging in auto-pilot and shooting, controlling space, time, is more critical, this game has normal card flipping stages, and boss stages, lets start with...

Chapter 2: Card Flipping

Despite not being an on rails space shooter type game, the first game, still really started much of what would continue.

Fairly straight forward, but in this game, you have a Yin Yang orb, you can not shoot to damage things, or in this case, flip cards, you also have a variety of moves besides having a bomb and a shoot, here, there is also a button to "swing", which if you do different directions and such, you can do a lot of different things that are quite suitable for certain occasions.

There are projectiles in most stages, and if you take long to finish stages, a rain of bullets will come at you! I also like that this game has alternative paths, something the rest of the games NEEDED!

This Touhou game feels like a journey, despite having little dialogue, strangely enough, it is hard to pin point what exactly makes this game feel like it...

The eastern influence in this game is even more apparent than in post-2 games, this and TH2 are the most, eastern traditional feeling games? Whereas TH3 and beyond started to feel more leaneant on magical girls, with a more mystical home world as well as the Youkai world being just as mystical.

There is a combo system in this game, and, here is something i gotta say, even tho most people nowadays don't care about high scores, the combo and scores is a key part to seek for, and have fun in this game, it is an incentive to get better too! It is self explanatory, your combo will reset if your orb touches the ground. It is super satisfying to get good in this game and get long combos! By a few stages later, you'll be packed in extra lives, which believe me, you will NEED for this one.

Chapter 3: Boss Stages

Ever since the first game, you had boss stages pretty similar to the rest of the games, here the boss stages comes after 4 card flipping stages, but, there is a big difference, as i said, your shots don't damage, only your Yin Yang orb can damage, so, this is where you get some of the hardest parts of TH games, you can not keep holding the fire button, and just dodge, here, you have to be careful with so much more, but i like that! They feel more involved, and like you are actually fighting. Yes, if you swing (if it's not a slide), you can reflect bullets, but, well, you have to still be careful, because that can't save you, and if you only focuse on that, your orb could hit you! Or, the boss will never be over. I also love that boss stages have unique intro effects or little cutscenes, whereas later games, are basicly just, dialogue boxes, and then you get to the boss.