Deathsmiles similar games & best alternatives

Deathsmiles - Trailer
Deathsmiles - deathsmiles_1.avif
Deathsmiles - deathsmiles_2.avif
Deathsmiles - deathsmiles_3.avif
Deathsmiles - deathsmiles_4.avif
Deathsmiles - deathsmiles_5.avif
Deathsmiles - deathsmiles_6.avif

Deathsmiles

Arcade, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Xbox 360 • 2016

Should you play it?

Deathsmiles is CAVE's bullet-hell shoot-'em-up where you take the role of one of five Angels to defend the magical land of Gilverado from an invasion by Hell itself! Eradicate this devilish assault!

What works

  • Accessible difficulty customization per stage
  • Multiple characters and endings for replayability
  • Strong gothic fantasy aesthetic and soundtrack
  • Smooth and responsive controls
  • Includes multiple game versions and modes

Things to keep in mind

  • No online co-op, only local multiplayer
  • Some minor port issues and missing slowdown in modes
  • Limited story depth
  • Minimal character customization
  • Sedentary gameplay requiring focused attention

What to play next

Top picks

Games that feels the closest overall

  • GRADIUS ORIGINS

  • DoDonPachi Resurrection

  • Sine Mora

  • Touhou Kikeijuu ~ Wily Beast and Weakest Creature.

  • Freedom Planet 2

  • Bullet Heaven 2

Less competitive

Games that feels like Deathsmiles but with less competition against others

  • Forgive Me Father

  • Touhou Shinreibyou ~ Ten Desires.

  • TouHou Makuka Sai ~ Fantastic Danmaku Festival Part III

  • MindSeize

  • Super Hydorah

  • Touhou Kinjoukyou ～ Fossilized Wonders.

Less status-driven

Games that feels like Deathsmiles but with less focus on status and recognition

  • Valfaris

  • Weapon of Choice DX

  • Gryphon Knight Epic

  • GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon

  • The Knight Witch

  • Nightmare: The Lunatic

Choose your own criteria ->

Similarity map

How to compare these games

Compare nearby games

Each card is a nearby game on the similarity map, compared with Deathsmiles. Swipe sideways to move between games. Titles already listed in What to play next are left out.

  • Cover and title: open that game’s page.
  • What works / keep in mind: the same highlights as the desktop comparison panel.
  • Bars: the main motivational differences versus this game.
How to use the graph

Similarity map

Each dot is a game placed from its motivation profile relative to this page’s game. Direction shows which motivation differs most; distance along that axis shows how large the gap is.

  • Purple star: this page’s game at the centre — everything is relative to it.
  • Direction: each axis is a main motivational difference vs this game (e.g. more / less competitive).
  • Distance on an axis: how large that difference is (ring scales show +/− points).
  • Coloured chips: click to highlight games that mainly differ on that motivation; click again to reset.
  • Dotted line: link between this page’s game and the one selected for comparison.
  • Hover a dot to preview that game in the panel on the right; click to keep that comparison.
  • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom.

How to read the map This is a polar difference map: direction = which motivation differs, and distance = how much (same units as the sidebar deltas).

Swipe to compare nearby games with Deathsmiles. These titles are not in What to play next.

Deathsmiles: Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Violence, Survival, Fellowship, Intimacy. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Competition, Status. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Relaxation.

Last update: 21/08/2026