How to Play Shoot 'em Ups

So, you are thinking of playing a Shoot 'em up-style game, and don't know of a good strategy? If so, then you're probably here after having been blown up. As such, we'll be giving you several strategies / techniques for playing this style of game.






Steps

1. 1
   
   Observe videos of people who have played the game already. Watching other players play through a stage may help you understand how it is possible, and it could help you pass the stage. Additionally, knowing that the stage is possible if you improve could serve for some motivation to continue playing the game.
   
   
2. 2
   Memorize the levels. Although this is a more serious method, it is very possible in the majority of shoot 'em ups to memorize the level and where the bullets will go. This method, of course, relies on your ability to remember possibly highly complex designs.
3. 3
   Weave. "Curtain fire" shoot 'em ups have swarms and swarms of bullets on them, which can be made into intricate patterns by the game developers. Sometimes, living is as simple as weaving between the bullets in a consistent and repetitive manner.
4. 4
   Take it easy. If you get too frustrated with a game, you're more likely to make errors. This will undeniably lead to deaths in-game, which will ultimately result in an earlier game over. Taking breaks when you get annoyed is definitely a must if you plan on playing this style of game.
5. 5
   Change your controls, if necessary. Sometimes, game developers assign the world's most annoying controls to their games. In some games, it is possible for you to adjust it to more fit your style of playing. Don't let this addition go to waste, utilize it.
6. 6
   Use bombs wisely. In most shoot 'em ups, you are granted a certain amount of "bombs", which generally do a huge amount of damage to all enemies on screen, or even eliminate all the bullets currently on the screen. Don't use them when there aren't many enemies, that's a waste and you'll regret it when you're in a pinch.
7. 7
   Stay away from corners. Due to your positioning when in a corner, you're more likely to get trapped. After all, it only allows you to have 50% of the directional movement you would normally have.
8. 8
   Practice. Like most games, you must always practice if you hope to truly become better. Without sharpening, any tool would grow dull. In this case, your fingers are the tools. Don't let them grow slower in the time it takes them to react and dodge bullets. Even if it appears as if your practice is in vane, you're slowly developing muscle memory, which will make you perform better.
9. 9
   Talk to other players who have the game in question and discuss strategies with them. If they have a strategy for a level you can't beat, utilize it.
10. 10
    Don't cheat. Although this may seem tempting, cheating will make you seem like less of a gamer to other players, and you'll never get any better if you are playing with cheats.
11. 11
    Go down to a lower difficulty. Sometimes, it is too hard for you to beat a level on the difficulty you're on. No problem, just go down in difficulty for now. You can come back and beat it later, when you are better at the game.
12. 12
    Go to higher difficulties. Eventually, you'll be good enough to clear the entire game on an easier difficulty. That's great! Now, move onto something harder. Raise the difficulty to the equivalent to "hard" if you're on what this game calls "normal", and to the equivalent of "normal" if you're playing on what would be called "easy" on another game.
13. 13
    Win. Winning the game is what you've worked for. If you quit before you've beaten it on the hardest difficulty, you've not truly beaten the game.
    
    

    
    

    source by wikihow