Glossary Entry: Bullet Hell

Quick Definition

This is a subgenre of Shoot 'em Up games that isn't really suited for casual gamers. The main difference between a Bullet Hell game and a Shoot 'em Up is the number of enemy bullets on screen at any one time. As you can probably guess, there are a LOT more bullets coming at you in Bullet Hell games. Thankfully, to compensate for the increased difficulty, your hitbox is also much smaller than usual, allowing you to get closer to enemy fire without actually being hit.

In particular, Bullet Hell games often feature elaborate and colorful patterns, filling the screen with beautiful (and very deadly) "fireworks".

For a mild example of the difference between a normal Shoot 'em Up and a Bullet Hell game, see the following image.



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