I intend for this thread to be a place where we can introduce each other to doujin games.
Over the last few months, I've become increasingly interested in finding strange and unusual games from Japan. Doujin, for those that don't know, translates literally into "same person" and it is generally used to describe a group of people or friends that share a common interest. This can be any sort of interest such as anime, manga, or music, but this thread will just be doujin video games.
Doujin games in Japan share a similar place in the gaming world as indie games do in the West. They are largely self-published works created by small groups of people that just really love games and operate on a shoestring budget . Generally speaking, however, as you might guess from the difference in the words, doujin games are often trying to emulate and improve upon something, whether they are fan-made games about a popular anime series or an elaboration on an old school gaming genre. Though they can be quite innovative, my general impression is that as a whole doujin games aren't quite as focused on unique gameplay innovations as western indie games are. Instead they work harder to emulate, expand on, and perfect already existing genres. The majority of doujin games I have come across are usually shmups (aka STGs), fighting games, or visual novels. These are just global observations, so there will of course be exceptions to the rule.
I don't speak any Japanese beyond "Domo Arigato (Mr. Roboto)", so if you're afraid you won't be able to understand these games, fear not. I am always on the hunt for games that either have been translated to English by fans or that are so focused on gameplay that you can get by without understanding the language.
This thread will run like some of my other ongoing threads. I'll generally post one game at a time with the title of a game, pictures, a brief description, and some links to where you can download, buy, or learn more about the game. It would be appreciated if you provide similar details when introducing a new game.