Game of the Day - Dimahoo

I should just put every game by 8ing/Raizing in as a GOTD now.  They are mostly spectacular.  Dimahoo is a crazy-good vertical shooter that has lots of cool detail that makes the game more complex.

First, the normal stuff.  Dimahoo (released in 2000) has the great graphics, sound and gameplay you should be able to expect by such a late generation shooter.  The graphics are mech/D&D/cartoony and done with fine detail and beautiful color.  Some of my favorite graphics in any game.  The gameplay is equally impressive as you are immersed in the battle from moment one with great controls and constant (but not absurd) action.

The controls are somewhat straight-forward with an additional (color-based) twist.  You choose from 4 ship/characters (actually 8 if you know the easter eggs).  Each has a gun you shoot with the first button and bombs you launch with the second button.  The shot button also has a charge shot if you hold it down that is customized for each character.  Here's where the twist comes in...  When you charge your shot, the color will be red or blue (and then begin changing) - if you release the shot when red - then the damage to blue enemies is magnified, and the converse - your blue charged shot will cause more harm to red enemies.  So, make sure to release your shot relative to who is on the screen.

The next cool thing (of many) is that enemies killed with charged shots will drop prizes of ALL different kinds.  I'm talking treasures, bread, curry, jewelry, etc.  You grab the stuff and start a collection.  Not only do you get a bonus, but the game shows you what you collected in each round and at the end of the game displays your entire collection to show everyting you snared and empty slots to show all the stuff you did not.  This "inventory" is a cool little feature and another way to try to get achievements in the game.

Gold diamonds abound and you collect them to build up the bomb gauge.  Every time a gauge is filled, you are awarded another bomb.  Bombs are shown trailing your ship, so it's easy to always know how many you have.

Dimahoo also has a good "Goldilocks" factor.  Meaning it's not too easy and it's not too hard - it feels "just right" and very playable.  You are constantly challenged yet it's not so overly done that you can't tell your ass from a Cinnabon.  Until about the 4th level, that is, when the difficulty factor starts to increase.

If you like very shooters at all, it's impossible not to like Dimahoo.  Go ahead, try not to like it.

By the way, another Japanese video game with a name that I have no idea what it means... Wish I could use video game titles in Scrabble, then I could make all kinds of words.