Touhou Project Games in Order: Complete Play-Order Guide

Overview

The Touhou Project series consists of 20 mainline bullet-hell shoot 'em up games released chronologically from 1997 to 2025. The franchise is divided into two distinct development periods: the PC-98 era (games 1–5) and the Windows era (games 6–20). For players searching for the best Touhou Project games in order to play, starting with the Windows era is the standard recommendation. The later entries feature refined mechanics, modern platform availability, and the polished bullet patterns that define the series today.

The Two Development Eras

The series spans 20 mainline games across two technical eras. The PC-98 era covers Touhou 1 through 5, developed for an outdated Japanese computer architecture. The first game, *Highly Responsive to Prayers*, launched in August 1997. The signature *danmaku* (bullet curtain) mechanics the franchise is known for did not appear until the second entry, *Story of Eastern Wonderland*, also released in 1997.

The Windows era began with *Embodiment of Scarlet Devil* in August 2002. This shift to Microsoft Windows established the visual style, control schemes, and difficulty structures that the modern games continue to use. Recent mainline entries (Touhou 17 through Touhou 20) were released between 2019 and 2025 and are distributed digitally on Steam. The most recent mainline release is Touhou 20, and the series continues to receive new numbered entries.

Complete Mainline Games in Chronological Order

The following list covers the official mainline shoot 'em up titles in release order. Half-numbered entries and spin-offs are excluded to maintain a clear play order.

**PC-98 Era** 1. TH01: Highly Responsive to Prayers 2. TH02: Story of Eastern Wonderland 3. TH03: Phantasmagoria of Dim. Dream 4. TH04: Lotus Land Story 5. TH05: Mystic Square

**Windows Era** 6. TH06: Embodiment of Scarlet Devil 7. TH07: Perfect Cherry Blossom 8. TH08: Imperishable Night 9. TH09: Phantasmagoria of Flower View 10. TH10: Mountain of Faith 11. TH11: Subterranean Animism 12. TH12: Undefined Fantastic Object 13. TH13: Ten Desires 14. TH14: Double Dealing Character 15. TH15: Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom 16. TH16: Hidden Star in Four Seasons 17. TH17: Wily Beast and Weakest Creature 18. TH18: Unconnected Marketeers 19. TH19: Unfinished Dream of All Living Ghost 20. TH20: Fossilized Wonders

Recommended Starting Point

New players are generally advised to start in the Windows era. The PC-98 games function as retro curiosities for players interested in the franchise's technical origins, but they rely on outdated hardware emulation and lack the refined bullet patterns of later titles.

Starting with *Embodiment of Scarlet Devil* (TH06) or any Windows-era entry provides immediate access to the core gameplay loop. Players can also begin with Touhou 17–20, which are readily available on Steam and represent the current state of the series. Each main game operates as a standalone incident in Gensokyo, so chronological play is not strictly required for comprehension, though it does track the evolution of mechanics and character introductions.

Core Gameplay and Controls

Touhou games are vertically-scrolling shooters built around precise movement and pattern recognition. The official control scheme and structure remain consistent across the Windows era:

Here is the short version:

The games are developed in Japanese and do not include official English translations. Fan communities provide gameplay guides and control references for English-speaking players. Because shmups carry a reputation for high difficulty, first-time players typically cannot clear a route on their initial attempt. Improvement relies on memorizing boss patterns, practicing slow movement, and managing spell card usage. Trial versions for several modern titles are available on Steam and the official Team Shanghai Alice website to test compatibility and difficulty before purchasing.

• **Objective:** Navigate through six stages per game, defeating enemies and surviving a boss encounter at the end of each stage. Clear all stages without losing all lives to complete the game.
• **Movement:** Directional keys or a controller d-pad/joystick move your character. Holding the shift key enables slow movement for precise bullet dodging.
• **Shooting:** The Z key fires your primary weapon. Consistent firing is required to defeat bosses.
• **Spell Cards (Bombs):** The X key activates one of your limited stock of spell cards. This mechanic clears enemy bullets from the screen and serves as a last-resort survival tool.
• **Resources:** Defeating enemies or increasing your score yields power items (increase damage output), point items (increase score multiplier), extra lives, and additional spell cards.

Official Spin-Offs

Beyond the 20 mainline shooters, the franchise includes official spin-offs that depart from the traditional bullet-hell format. These titles feature similar aesthetic and character designs but utilize different gameplay structures. Official spin-offs include fighting games co-developed with Twilight Frontier, as well as other genre departures. These titles are not part of the mainline play order and are generally recommended only after players have experienced the core shoot 'em up mechanics.