What are the easiest 360 Cave games?

[jepjepjep]

I also don't know that it's really beneficial to look at which game's easiest, but rather which one I enjoy the most. I imagine that if I played some of these games as much as I play Futari I could get the 1CC in them. But my favorite after Futari is probably Ketsui, which is pretty brutal.

Dude, you should just play Ketsui. Sure, it's not an easy 1cc, but if you enjoy it the most why not go for it.

[EmperorIng]

If you guys have any tips for general survival, that'd help.

Play more and keep your mind on it. When you screw something up, think why it happened and how to avoid it next time. Watch replays fom players better than you and think why they do what they do. Never blame the game for your own mistakes.

I believe that's all there is, all finer techniques eventually follow from that.

It's a question of time. 1CCing anything is going to take hours on hours of practice.

It took me a week of solid practice to get a good 1CC of Darius, a fairly simple game as far as shmups go.

[hermit crab]

Espgaluda II is out of the question, the game is too badass.

The Novice mode in Espgaluda II is really easy though, I was able to 1LC it on my first try. In fact I'm not sure if you even can die in it.

Dodonpachi Resurrection in Novice mode is more difficult but still good for someone looking for an easy game.

[gs68]

Mushi Futari BL Original. Cancel all the bullets.

[Special World]

For Mushihimesama the Matsuri 1.5 Original Mode is one of the easiest clears. I think I cleared it my first try, but I had played other modes a lot prior to it. Deathsmiles Megablack going the easiest route and skipping the extra 2 stages is the easiest Cave clear I've ever done. I was just screwing around testing levels and shots and accidentally 1CC'd it. I've heard lots of people saying they cleared Deathsmiles II their first try, or they at least got to the final boss.

You know, I actually don't find Mushi Matsuri that easy. But I guess I typically play it on Max, so there's that. But that third level is really brutal. The stage itself really gets me, and those cockroaches are utter bastards. I'll probably give that and Mushi original a fair shake, though.

I also don't know that it's really beneficial to look at which game's easiest, but rather which one I enjoy the most. I imagine that if I played some of these games as much as I play Futari I could get the 1CC in them. But my favorite after Futari is probably Ketsui, which is pretty brutal.

Dude, you should just play Ketsui. Sure, it's not an easy 1cc, but if you enjoy it the most why not go for it.

Well, I just thought I might work my way up. It's a long process, but it might be more satisfying to 1CC easier games along the way, rather than diving into Ketsui and then having other games feel super easy. I dunno. Ketsui's patterns really send my brain into a loop, though.

Espgaluda II is out of the question, the game is too badass.

The Novice mode in Espgaluda II is really easy though, I was able to 1LC it on my first try. In fact I'm not sure if you even can die in it.

Dodonpachi Resurrection in Novice mode is more difficult but still good for someone looking for an easy game.

Those are a little too easy for where I'm at, and not wholly satisfying since they aren't the "actual" game. Mushi Futari Novice Ultra is pretty cool, though.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

The Max modes are a completely different beast. Matsuri 1.5 Maniac is a fairly easy clear while its Maniac Max is one of the toughest I've ever done. The original Mushi's modes are a step higher in difficulty than the Matsuri non-Max modes and then the Max modes are a huge step up in difficulty. Between all the modes you can go from too easy to too hard. Matsuri 1.5 Original (non-Max) is easier than Futari BL Original.

[Special World]

I gave Mushi 1.5 Original a shot, and it is really easy. I made it to the stage 4 boss on my first try, and I'm sure I could get farther pretty easily since I didn't really bomb at all. Might try to 1CC it sometime this week in between games of Xcom and training runs in DOJ.

[Bananamatic]

galuda II isn't that hard to clear guys

[DrTrouserPlank]

Easiest Cave games....

Cave.... Easy..... Pfffff!!!

[AntiFritz]

Easiest Cave games....

Cave.... Easy..... Pfffff!!!

Still haven't cleared Futari Black Label Original I see?

[lemonhead]

Easiest Cave games....

Cave.... Easy..... Pfffff!!!

Still haven't cleared Futari Black Label Original I see?

You think "Mushihimesama-hutari-Black-Lavel"?

[cools]

Ketsui's patterns really send my brain into a loop, though.

Piece of advice someone once gave me when I was banging my head against a wall playing Ibara.

"Learn to dodge."

[Acid_Rain]

Easiest Cave games....

Cave.... Easy..... Pfffff!!!

Still haven't cleared Futari Black Label Original I see?

You think "Mushihimesama-hutari-Black-Lavel"?

dat name

[Deca]

The easiest 360 clears, in order, are probably Dai Fukkatsu 1.5 Strong, Death Smiles, Akai Katana Origin, and then Futari Black Label Original. Of those, the ones that will actually improve your general skills are Death Smiles and Futari.

But yeah, honestly just play whatever you like the most. The biggest skill jumps I've experienced were from clearing DoDonPachi and playing a lot of DOJBL. These games made hitbox awareness sort of click and taught me how to approach more aggressive patterns.

Touhou works wonders for micrododging confidence.

[Special World]

Got within an inch of 1CCing Mushi 1.5 Original, but died toward the end of the last boss. I've made that 1CC my goal for the week.

Shouldn't be hard, as during that game I died trying to get the Stage 3 1up and then managed to kill the bug head before destroying the final armor segment. Gonna practice on some DOJ now, though.

[Anesthetize]

Been a while since I posted, just starting to get back into shmups again.

I've cleared several of the easier Cave games (deathsmiles 1 and 2, futari BL original, DFK strong) and am trying to decide what to go for next. I think I've narrowed it down to Espgaluda or Futari BL Maniac. How would you guys say these compare in difficulty?

I've come close to MMP 1.01, and can regularly get to the final stage in DDP, so those should happen sometime in the foreseeable future as well.

[man9child]

I vote for the easiest clear being whatever game you take to the most. Aside from Deathsmiles (which is actually on the easy side), my only other Cave clear is Ketsui. But it took over a year of solid playing. For my skill level, most things would probably take that long, but Ketsui was the one I liked enough to stick with it. That's the key.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

Been a while since I posted, just starting to get back into shmups again.

I've cleared several of the easier Cave games (deathsmiles 1 and 2, futari BL original, DFK strong) and am trying to decide what to go for next. I think I've narrowed it down to Espgaluda or Futari BL Maniac. How would you guys say these compare in difficulty?

I've come close to MMP 1.01, and can regularly get to the final stage in DDP, so those should happen sometime in the foreseeable future as well.

Espgaluda is much easier but you have to understand the key to making it easier which is knowing how to handle the final boss' last pattern. If you fire your protection beam into it you replenish its energy. The key is right before you get hit you tap block and then head to the side and discharge it off where it doesn't hit him. Mix that with dodging the easier bits of the pattern and it makes the game a relatively easy clear. If you don't understand how to do it then it can seem impossible. You can see here:
http://youtu.be/9piiajpGJEo?t=9m

[Deca]

Galuda final attack is definitely intimidating, but I was able to NMNB it (the final attack, not the whole game) in the span of a week during STGT. Practice it a lot, getting used to looking at it helps quite a bit and it provides very focused training of hitbox awareness.

Futari BL Maniac isn't too mean but I'm not sure I'd call it easy. I'm having a hard time judging difficulty on things that aren't really obviously easy...I feel like anything I've cleared must be easy since I was able to clear it RF2 might be an exception to that, I think that was my most meaningful clear to date, personally.

[Special World]

I vote for the easiest clear being whatever game you take to the most. Aside from Deathsmiles (which is actually on the easy side), my only other Cave clear is Ketsui. But it took over a year of solid playing. For my skill level, most things would probably take that long, but Ketsui was the one I liked enough to stick with it. That's the key.

Well, I think I enjoy Ketsui most after Futari Black Label, but I wouldn't say I take to it. It's probably the hardest game for me, given that the boss patterns work my brain into knots.

Should have Mushi 1.5 beaten this weekend, if I have the time. I'll keep practicing on DOJ, since it's doing a really good job getting me hyped for SDOJ.

[Special World]

Cool. Just managed to beat Mushi 1.5 Original. Arrange is supposed to be easier than 360 mode, right? I might tackle that next, or maybe a different game, since I'm not really that huge on the original Mushi. Somebody said that DFK Arrange A was an easy clear; maybe I'll try that since I like it a good deal. I'll probably ruin myself by trying to score well, though. Maybe I'll boot it up tonight and see how it goes.

[Special World]

It sucks that there's no boss training in any of the games I'd like to get better at.

DOJ? Nope. Ketsui? Nope. Muchi Pork? Nope.

Of all the games, you'd think they'd at leat have boss training in Muchi Pork and Pink Sweets, since bosses are kind of a big deal in Yagawa games...

[AntiFritz]

It sucks that there's no boss training in any of the games I'd like to get better at.

DOJ? Nope. Ketsui? Nope. Muchi Pork? Nope.

Of all the games, you'd think they'd at leat have boss training in Muchi Pork and Pink Sweets, since bosses are kind of a big deal in Yagawa games...

Yeah, I can't stand that with deathsmiles. Makes practising against the last bosses such a chore.

[To Far Away Times]

From what I've been able to do:

Easy
Deathsmiles (Especially if you get the 2-up cake for not bombing on Jitterbug. I've had friends who don't play shmups 1cc Deathsmiles [all level 1's, but still...])
Mushi Futari Black Label Original (Requires some basic bullet herding skills but not much memorization. Moving in a "U" shape is your friend in this game)
Akai Katana Slash (Once you figure out how to abuse the katana system you won't have to dodge most of the difficult stuff)
DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu 1.5 (Hard patterns, but autobomb allows you to take more chances and waste less resources)
Mushihimesama Original (Basic, easy to remember memorizer. Looks much harder than it is)
DonPachi (A kinder, gentler version of DDP)

Moderately Easy
Espgaluda (Practice the final boss with a save state for an hour or two and you should have no problems. Plan on bringing lots of resources to the last fight, which isn't as hard as it sounds, since stages are pretty easy in this game)

Moderate
DoDonPachi (A big "accomplishment" game. It'll take some effort but it's doable. C-Scrub all day, er day)

Moderately Hard
Mushi Futari 1.5 Original (I struggled on this one for a long time.)

Hard
DoDonPachi Dai-ou-jou Black Label (Dammit this game is so hard, lol. Required the best run I could possibly do with optimal resource management.)

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

I don't think the first loop of DOJ Black Label is too bad if you are just going for a clear with Shotia and her massive bomb stock to help you through the later trappings.

http://youtu.be/tUiN3zFJBr4?t=14m37s

Takes a lot of practice but let's face it, those bullets are slow.

[KAI]

Easy
Deathsmiles, Mushi Futari Black Label Original, Akai Katana Slash, DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu 1.5, Mushihimesama Original, DonPachi

Moderately Easy
Espgaluda, Muchimuchi Pork

Moderate
DoDonPachi, DoDonPachi Dai-ou-jou Black Label, Mushi Futari 1.5 Original, Guwange/Blue, Ibara Kuro, Progear

Moderately Hard
Ibara, Ketsui, DOJ, Espgaluda 2

Hard
Pinksweets

Like this.

[To Far Away Times]

Easy
Deathsmiles, Mushi Futari Black Label Original, Akai Katana Slash, DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu 1.5, Mushihimesama Original, DonPachi

Moderately Easy
Espgaluda, Muchimuchi Pork

Moderate
DoDonPachi, DoDonPachi Dai-ou-jou Black Label, Mushi Futari 1.5 Original, Guwange/Blue, Ibara Kuro, Progear

Moderately Hard
Ibara, Ketsui, DOJ, Espgaluda 2

Hard
Pinksweets

Like this.

Interesting how the easy tier is exactly the same.

I'm certainly not the best at these games, and lots of the ones you listed as the hardest ones I haven't played much, if at all. Did you figure there was that big of a jump from DOJ BL to vanilla DOJ? They seem almost exactly the same to me. I think I remember a few altered patterns (some easier, some harder?) and of course the faster hyper recharge on DOJ BL.

[Muchi Muchi Spork]

It doesn't seem much harder to me. If you clear BL you should clear WL very soon after. Or at least, I did. I wouldn't put it in a different tier.

[KAI]

Bigger hitbox and less forgiving chain system, that makes it harder.

[NTSC-J]

I'lll take a crack at this:

Easy
Deathsmiles, Mushi Futari BL Original, Mushi Futari BL Maniac, DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu 1.5, Mushihimesama Original, Akai Katana

Moderately Easy
Espgaluda, Muchi Muchi Pork, Donpachi, Mushihimesama Maniac, Deathsmiles II, Dodonpachi, DOJ BL, Mushi Futari 1.5 Original

Moderate
ESPrade, Guwange, Progear, DOJ

Moderately Hard
Ibara, Ketsui, SDOJ, Espgaluda 2, Mushi Futari BL God, Dangun Feveron

Hard
Pink Sweets, Mushi Futari Ultra, Mushi Ultra

That's just in terms of a basic, 1-loop clear.

If you mean in terms of getting top scores:

Easy

Moderately Easy

Moderate

Moderately Hard

Hard
Deathsmiles, Mushi Futari BL Original, Mushi Futari BL Maniac, DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu 1.5, Mushihimesama Original, Akai Katana, Espgaluda, Muchi Muchi Pork, Donpachi, Mushihimesama Maniac, Deathsmiles II, Dodonpachi, DOJ BL, Mushi Futari 1.5 Original, Pink Sweets, Mushi Futari Ultra, Mushi Ultra, ESPrade, Guwange, Progear, DOJ, Ibara, Ketsui, SDOJ, Espgaluda 2, Mushi Futari BL God, Dangun Feveron