Highlights
- The best Touhou game overall is Touhou 15: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom, which offers accommodating and challenging gameplay with advanced mechanics and customizable options.
- Touhou 6: Embodiment of Scarlet Devil is the most popular game in the series, with iconic characters and a nostalgic appeal that keeps players coming back.
- Perfect Cherry Blossom is a forgiving Touhou game for beginners, offering a relatively easy gameplay experience with rewards and unlockable levels featuring former foes as playable characters.
In 1995, when Jun’ya Ota, famously known as Zun, set out to create the first game in the Touhou Project, he probably wasn’t aware of the gaming cult he was about to amass. Aside from acquiring new players outside Japan, there have been many derivatives of the Touhou project, thanks to Zun’s minimal usage restrictions on his work.
The best part about Touhou games is there’s something for everyone. Whether it is a new gamer starting or having been at it for a while, players can be certain there’s something to suit every taste. This also presents a minor problem. With so much to choose from, which is the best Touhou game?
7 Touhou 15: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom
Few games in the Touhou series are as accommodative and challenging in equal measure as Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom. This makes it perfect for beginner, intermediate, and advanced players alike. But, it’s not just that. Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom has advanced mechanics and options that allow for customizable play. In terms of gameplay, players can choose difficulty levels that are appropriate for them.
However, more challenge in the game unlocks better rewards, so there’s an incentive to master the game despite challenges. Also, like other Touhou games, Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom has detailed visuals and memorable soundtracks that keep gamers engaged in the game. The title is about a heroine going to the moon to try and halt the purification and invasion of the world by Lunarians. All things considered, this title is the best Touhou game overall. Nevertheless, everyone has their own experience and may regard another Touhou game as the best.
Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom is available on Microsoft Windows and Steam.
6 Touhou 6: Embodiment of Scarlet Devil
Out of all the games in the Touhou series, Embodiment of Scarlet Devil is the most popular among players and fans. There are many reasons behind this, but chief among them is the fact that Embodiment of Scarlet Devil was the first game in the series that was released for Windows OS.
Similarly, for many players, the Embodiment of Scarlet Devil was the first game they played in the Touhou project. If rosy retrospection is anything to go by, it’s easy to see why many players keep coming back to play it, even with the availability of other more exciting Touhou releases. The game also introduced new iconic characters to the series, like Sakuya Izayoi, who is still playable in subsequent games in the project. As if the nostalgia wasn’t enough, the game brought back select features from the PC-98 and improved it for Windows. The shoot 'em up video game is a complete package in the world of Touhou. There’s a relatively less steep learning curve, which makes it suitable for new players, and an additional six increasingly difficult levels for gamers up to the challenge.
The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil is available for Microsoft Windows.
5 Touhou 7: Perfect Cherry Blossom
Most people have been there. They’re hyped over a game but still afraid to try it out for fear of difficulty. Well, worry no more. Perfect Cherry Blossom is arguably the most forgiving Touhou game for beginners. New players don’t have to grapple with complex mechanics or gameplay, and frankly, just about anyone should sail through easily in this game. For starters, the game has a “Cherry Gauge,” a nifty tool that awards players each time they shoot, graze, or complete spell card tasks.
Once the gauge fills up, players get a temporary shield that effectively blocks any enemy attack for a short while. Despite being relatively “easy,” Perfect Cherry Blossom is far from boring. Don’t expect to zoom past the levels quickly. At some point, the game will push the player's wits, but the rewards make it all worth it. As a plus, players can unlock levels where former foes/ bosses appear as playable characters. Nothing is better than thrashing enemies using characters that give players a run for their money.
Perfect Cherry Blossom is available on Microsoft Windows.
4 Touhou 14: Double Dealing Character
Depending on a player’s abilities or how long they have been playing Touhou games, most of them may feel like zooming past all levels is a walk in the park. If this is the case, try Double Dealing Character, which has by far the most complex gameplay. Early on in the game, the playable characters’ guns begin to malfunction. As a result, players have to select an appropriate shot type for each interaction with enemies since each is suitable for different entities.
Players also have to contend with what would seem like an unfair fighting stage, thanks to narrow pathways and seemingly endless obstacles. All this while gamers have to dodge enemy attacks constantly. For gamers up to the challenge, Double Dealing Character will push you to your limits. Still, for those keen enough to learn the new rules and tricks, it should be worthwhile.
Double Dealing Character is available for Microsoft Windows.
3 Touhou 16: Hidden Star in Four Seasons
In true Touhou fashion, each game is a bit different from the rest. However, with Hidden Star in Four Seasons, the novelty went further. The gameplay revolves around the seasons in Gensokyo (the fantasy land in which Touhou games are based), which are out of control. Fronting four playable characters in this game, Hidden Star in Four Seasons introduced the sub-season system where players have to collect items in each season, which can later be deployed as weapons against enemies.
This shift in gameplay also brought something else. In addition to a more complex story, Hidden Star in Four Seasons has relatively more detailed visuals, and everything about the characters and scenery stands out. If players looking for some respite from the “yokai” and “bishojo” or just a deeper, better-defined story, consider playing this game.
Hidden Star in Four Seasons is available for Windows 7/8/10, Steam
2 Touhou 11: Subterranean Animism
The best way to describe what to expect in Subterranean Animism is total carnage. This goes both ways; if a player is not fast or crafty enough, the game will be over before they know it. Subterranean Animism takes intensity to a whole new level. Gamers encounter hordes upon hordes of Yokai enemies, and if they're hardcore players, this is next-level fun. However, the game’s intensity should scare off beginner or intermediate players.
Most of the bullet patterns are fairly simple to master, and despite the challenging fights, players get rewarding tokens as a result, which they can use to advance themselves in the game. The game is mostly fast-paced, but there are slow runs, but this doesn’t mean letting up on guard.
Subterranean Animism is available for Microsoft Windows.
1 Touhou 12: Undefined Fantastic Object
When Undefined Fantastic Object was released in 2009, critics praised the game’s well-structured gameplay, detailed graphics, and memorable tracks. In addition to more iconic characters, the game allowed players to switch between various characters.
Some critics even claim it’s the most visually appealing Touhou game. For others, the added layers to the game’s story and gameplay were a plus. The game is fairly simple to play, but gamers can expect increasing difficulty as they progress through the levels.
Undefined Fantastic Object is available on Microsoft Windows.