If you’ve been looking to get to grips with Alfa System’s bullet hell series Castle of Shikigami, then today’s your lucky day, as Cosmo Machia has just released a PC port of the third and final entry Castle of Shikigami III over on Steam.
This means it’s now possible to find all three games on the digital platform, with Cosmo Machia selling the titles both as standalone releases and altogether in a bundle that is currently priced at £44.30.
The first Castle of Shikigami game debuted in the arcades back in 2001 and was a vertical-scrolling shooter, featuring multiple playable characters all with their own unique attacks and abilities.
It was later ported to Xbox, PS2, and Windows computers, with the PS2 version being the only one to make it out of Japan (under the title Mobile Light Force 2). A sequel Castle Shikigami 2 came out two years later, in 2003, adding more characters. However, again, the PS2 port would be the only version to officially make it overseas (this time under the title Castle Shikigami 2 and Castle Shikigami 2: War of the Worlds).
The third and final game in the series, meanwhile, Castle of Shikigami III came out in 2006 and would arrive in North America in 2008 via a port for the Nintendo Wii, published outside of Japan by Aksys Games.
Cosmo Machia first announced plans to crowdfund a PC version back in August of last year on the Japanese website Camp-fire.jp, having already ported the first two games in the series in 2017 and 2021 respectively. This campaign offered backers special rewards like the game’s official soundtrack on CD, a fan book, a rubber desktop mat, and a drinks tumbler, and was ultimately successful, raising ¥4,484,100 against an initial target of ¥3,000,000.
Here are some details about the new release, taken from the game’s Steam page:
“Castle of Shikigami III” is a PC port of the third game in the Shikigami Castle series, which first hit arcades in 2006.
Game Overview
A culmination of character shooting games set in a unique worldview!
A wide variety of newly added playable characters!
Supports online rankings and various achievements!
Controls
Control the character with an 8-way lever and 2 buttons (shot, bomb).
Character Selection
Players select one of several characters with different normal attacks, shikigami attacks, special attacks, and movement speeds.
You can also choose between the first and second types of attack, which have different performance for each character, allowing for a variety of attack methods.
You can also play with two players. (Supports remote play together! Challenge with shikigami users from around the world!)
Each character has their own backstory, and a story demo is inserted immediately after starting play and before and after the start of the stage.
In addition, when playing with two players, the story and scenario change depending on the combination of characters selected.
Various Attacks
There are three types of attacks: normal attacks, shikigami attacks, and special attacks.
Normal Attacks (Shots)
A rapid-firing attack. Since it can attack a relatively wide area, you can ensure your own safety by focusing on this in battle.
Also, when the Tension Bonus System is at its maximum, it becomes a high tension attack, and the firing speed and power increase.
Shikigami Attack
In exchange for a slower movement speed during the attack, this attack automatically collects the coins that appear.
Special Attack
A so-called bomb. You can use as many bullets as you have, and your ship becomes invincible while using it.
If you’re interested in picking it up, the game currently costs £22.49 on Steam as part of an introductory offer.
Go on.... treat yourself to a new game.
1 Comment
Finally! I’ve been waiting for Castle of Shikigami III to drop on Steam! The bullet hell genre has always had a special place in my heart, and this series is a classic. It’s awesome to see all three games available now, especially since I missed out on the earlier versions.
The character variety sounds dope, too. I love that each character has unique attacks and backstories—adds a nice layer to the gameplay. And the fact that you can team up with a buddy for some co-op chaos is just the cherry on top.
Honestly, the introductory price seems pretty reasonable for a game with this much history and charm. Can’t wait to dive in and see how it holds up! Who’s ready to dodge some bullets and unleash some epic attacks?