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Game
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Touhou Spell Carnival
Developer Idea Factory, Compile Heart, STING
Touhou Spell Carnival is a strategy role-playing video game developed by Sting and Compile Heart and published by Idea Factory International. It was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 in June 2024 in Japan and in November 2024 worldwide. The Windows version was released on 7 May 2025. The game is based on Gensokyo of the Touhou series. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
48 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Oct 16, 2026 · last updated Oct 18, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
80
LovedLoved
20 positive · 5 negative
95% range 61–91%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 20 | 5 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 3 | 0 | 16 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Positive
20 of 25 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
79% recommend · 19 yes, 5 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 24 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (77 of 89 positive).
Players praise the unique fusion of bullet-hell and tactical RPG gameplay. [1][2][3] Many reviewers note the game's high-quality presentation, including artwork and voice acting. [4][5][6] Several players criticize the clunky controls and poor keyboard support. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [8]
The game runs fine for me, unlike the other reviews. This is unfortunate, because a black screen isn't as bad as actually playing it. The game is a micro-focused Real-Time Tactical game that's all about positioning and dodging. I think this is a really cool idea for a Touhou fangame. However, the interface is so clunky that actually performing micro feels terrible. The game was made for controller. To select …
- [1]
[後半に日本語レビューあり] A “Carnival” Where Bullethell and Tactics Fuse in Real Time An officially licensed derivative title that fuses the tension of bullethell shooting with tactical RPG. Centered on the 30-day “Spell Carnival” in which Reimu and others participate, allies and story branches change depending on which opponents you challenge. Battles unfold on a grid, where AP accumulates for actions, bullets constantly fill …
- [5]
TL;DR: excellent presentation and interesting experimental gameplay, but controls become the real enemy all too often. Come in with the right expectations and you might have a good time - overall worth a try, but maybe not at full price. Presentation Easily where this game shines. Well drawn and animated Live2D art to go with both the main plot and additional small side stories featuring multiple Touhou characters …
- [2]
Touhou Spell Carnival Review – A Bold and Engaging Fusion of Genres Touhou Spell Carnival is a refreshing and ambitious take on the beloved Touhou universe, blending strategic RPG mechanics with the series’ signature bullet-hell chaos. Developed by Idea Factory, Compile Heart, and STING, this game offers a unique hybrid experience that rewards patience, quick thinking, and tactical mastery. While it has some rough …
- [3]
Touhou Spell Carnival is an ambitious genre crossover that attempts to fuse the precision-heavy chaos of bullet-hell shooting with the deliberate positioning and planning of a grid-based tactical RPG. Developed jointly by Idea Factory, Compile Heart, and STING, and published internationally by Idea Factory International, Inc., the game is both a celebration of the Touhou Project’s long-running identity and a bold …
Summarised from 31 of the 47 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 10, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Touhou Spell Carnival talk about unique blend of bullet-hell and strategy; those who didn't talk about controls are clunky and frustrating. Which matters more to you?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Anime News Network's Grant Jones gave the game a positive review, praising the combination of real-time tactics, action RPG framework, and bullet hell combat.
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
48 of 48 · most liked firstTouhou Spell Carnival brings the classic tried and true Idea Factory formula and applies it to the Touhou series, letting you see what it would look like if ZUN charged you full triple a price for a PC game that boots up into a black screen that prevents you from playing.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game runs fine for me, unlike the other reviews. This is unfortunate, because a black screen isn't as bad as actually playing it. The game is a micro-focused Real-Time Tactical game that's all about positioning and dodging. I think this is a really cool idea for a Touhou fangame. However, the interface is so clunky that actually performing micro feels terrible. The game was made for controller. To select characters you use the shoulder buttons, but cycling between characters is finicky,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Touhou Spell Carnival is coming to Steam this year!
neutral · AI labelView post →[Review] Touhou Spell Carnival is a unique blend of strategy and shmup gameplay with ample amounts of charm and depth.
neutral · AI labelView post →[後半に日本語レビューあり] A “Carnival” Where Bullethell and Tactics Fuse in Real Time An officially licensed derivative title that fuses the tension of bullethell shooting with tactical RPG. Centered on the 30-day “Spell Carnival” in which Reimu and others participate, allies and story branches change depending on which opponents you challenge. Battles unfold on a grid, where AP accumulates for actions, bullets constantly fill the screen, grazing earns gauge, and you unleash the decisive Ace Spell.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Touhou Spell Carnival? Bullet-Hell Brainpower in a Shrine Maiden Showdown! "Reimu’s grid-dance of danmaku turns every move into neon poetry." Intro : Gensokyo is under siege by towering pillars heralding the Spell Carnival—a sudden festival where combat decides everything. Shrine maiden Reimu Hakurei dives in to uncover mastermind Yukari Yakumo’s plan. Expect a mash-up of tactical RPG positioning and Touhou’s signature curtain of bullets. Game Experience : Battles unfold on a grid that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Touhou Spell Carnival gets a gameplay trailer ahead of the release of its PC version!
neutral · AI labelView post →The game itself isn't bad, but it has terrible desktop keyboard support. I can't tell which keys to press because it shows console buttons. I couldn't finish the tutorial even by mashing the entire keyboard.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game is not deserving of the touhou skin really gameplay is pretty terrible and it feels like the only thing knows about is making bunch of bullets fly around. if this was a mobile it probably be better
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So Compile Heart did Touhou Spell Carnival, which is cool, but it'd be sick if they did a Touhou game with their turn based combat system! tbh Touhou would fit the formula perfectly, you could have a massive roster of characters (CH loves those 🤣) spell cards for skills, it would be so awesome!
neutral · AI labelView post →Touhou Spell Carnival Review – A Bold and Engaging Fusion of Genres Touhou Spell Carnival is a refreshing and ambitious take on the beloved Touhou universe, blending strategic RPG mechanics with the series’ signature bullet-hell chaos. Developed by Idea Factory, Compile Heart, and STING, this game offers a unique hybrid experience that rewards patience, quick thinking, and tactical mastery. While it has some rough edges, its charm, depth, and vibrant presentation make it a standout entry for…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Unique, Fun, and Intense. I’ve never seen the Bullet-Hell genre done quite like this before. It feels a bit difficult to understand at first, but as time goes on, you naturally get the hang of it. Easy difficulty might be a bit too boring for me, so you might want to go ahead and choose Hard difficulty instead. That being said, I really love the artwork and soundtracks in this game. The character designs are really cute, the smooth Live2D animation along with the gorgeous voice acting truly…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One thing that's very funny about Touhou Spell Carnival is that they absolutely refuse to mention characters not in the game, which does lead to some very funny bits.
positive · AI labelView post →Gameplay is trash honestly, battle space needs to be larger to be able to control the characters properly. Too clunky, but otherwise the game is super cute and has some amazing voice acting!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Compile Heart Plat 123/201 (#962): Touhou Spell Carnival (NA PS5) Fun and unique game, probably one of the best CH games in a good while even if it's a bit jank. Also a short and breezy plat at ~14 hours even with reading everything. #TrophyHunting #CompileHeart #Touhou
positive · AI labelView post →Strategy RPG meets bullet hell in #Touhou Spell Carnival! The game will launch for PS5, PS4, and Switch digitally in North America and Europe on Nov. 19, with physical releases also on Nov. 19 in North America and Dec. 3 in Europe. Learn more below! News: www.rpgfan.com/2024/11/15/n...
neutral · AI labelView post →Touhou Spell Carnival is a strange mix of ideas, but that is exactly why it leaves an impression. At first glance it looks like a colorful anime strategy game, yet once the battles begin it becomes clear that it is trying to do something less conventional. It blends tactical movement with the visual chaos of bullet-heavy combat, creating a rhythm that feels more restless and immediate than a standard SRPG. The result is not always elegant, but it is rarely boring. What makes the game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TL;DR: excellent presentation and interesting experimental gameplay, but controls become the real enemy all too often. Come in with the right expectations and you might have a good time - overall worth a try, but maybe not at full price. Presentation Easily where this game shines. Well drawn and animated Live2D art to go with both the main plot and additional small side stories featuring multiple Touhou characters brings Fire Emblem's supports to mind - except shipping is left as an…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gorgeous artwork - the best I've seen from Touhou Project games. The Live2D engine and voice acting brought the characters to life. The gameplay is quite unique and it's the first time I've encountered such amalgamation of quirky mechanics. As a Touhou fan I immediately bought this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →LRT: God, I didn't mention Touhou Spell Carnival when talking about games from last year, but it's a really cool one that I recommend checking out if you like Touhou. Very fun translation of the shooting game mechanics into an RPG, including being quite hectic and difficult.
positive · AI labelView post →where is patchouli :(
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →When Idea Factory and Sting take Neptunia's formula and blend it with the Touhou Project, they come up with something intriguing. The developers clearly did their homework on Touhou, mixing action RPG elements with bullet hell mechanics, though it’s a bit rough around the edges, especially with the controls. It takes a little time to get the hang of them, but once you do, things kinda click. The gameplay is fast-paced, action-packed, and involves strategic movement on a grid system. However,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →ngl tho bouncing around has led to me discovering some amazing games that I might've never played! I'm kinda between a few games for my next game rn, Moon (cuz obscure RPG) Mado Monogatari (cuz Compile Heart) and Touhou Spell Carnival (cuz Touhou AND Compile Heart)
neutral · AI labelView post →shat myself, grid based strategy turned to colourful rainbows. i normally play turn based strategies, this is not strategy, equivalent to dodging taxes with the move set of a pawn. will recommend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Touhou Spell Carnival | Gameplay Overview Trailer | Nintendo Switch.
neutral · AI labelView post →[Touhou] [news] Touhou Spell Carnival launches November 19 in the west - Gematsu. Bullet hell x RPG is not a common combination (the only other non-Touhou one I can think of is Undertale). Looking forward to seeing some reviews.
neutral · AI labelView post →hybrid of strategy & danmaku action. at the beginning it seems absurd. but after learned how to play, even Hard difficulty is easy enough. the story is straight and linear because Reimu is always Reimu in whatever game she's in: Hit first, ask later. interaction among our beloved touhou characters is the one keeping me tied until the end of the game. score 7/10. -1 because they made Flandre a glass cannon instead of walking onslaught.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →An okay game held back by its system. Story: A Spell Carnival was held to get to the bottom of the Black Spell Cards, later known as ruin. That's the premise, and doesn't go deeper than this. System: For those who played the FF 12 DS version, the system is similar. Which is where the problem is at. This sort of system is designed for a stylus. There are just far too many occurrences. You cannot even effectively dodge, so the game can really only effectively be played on Easy. Normal is a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →absolutely banger game, though focused on controller, playing on keyboard is just as good. never once got bored while playing the game must buy if you're a touhou fan 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fast-paced real-time strategy RPG with very distinctive characters that you can pick up for 3-10 minute battles, it's pretty distinctive and enjoyable as a genre and comes with the high level of polish one can expect. The optional battles can be pretty challenging too.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →CH Plat 132/209 (#977): Touhou Spell Carnival (AS PS4) The Asian trophy lists for this and Game Maker R:Evolution weren't syncing for a while, but thankfully they went up two days ago, so I decided to rip through this. PS5 version should be up next just to get this done for good.
neutral · AI labelView post →CH Plat 128/201 (#967): Touhou Spell Carnival (PS4 EU) Last plat for the game and I got it in 2:59 this time, just barely hitting the sub-3 mark. #TrophyHunting #CompileHeart #Touhou
neutral · AI labelView post →Touhou Spell Carnival is a tactics spin-off game from the long-running bullet hell franchise. It's out now on the Switch, PS4, and PS5, and you can check out our thoughts on the game via the link below! Link: a-to-jconnections.com/gaming/what-... #TouhouSpellCarnival
neutral · AI labelView post →Notable releases this week. There's a new #touhou game?! It's called Touhou: Spell Carnival! That's pretty cool 😎
neutral · AI labelView post →Idea Factory Int'l revealed a new slate of game licenses on Saturday, including Touhou Spell Carnival, Neptunia Riders VS Dogoos, Death end re;Quest: Code Z, Temirana, and Battlefield Waltz!
neutral · AI labelView post →Compile Heart's Touhou Project game was revealed yesterday! Touhou Spell Carnival! Coming out in April!
neutral · AI labelView post →Compile Heart's Touhou Spell Carnival game will release for PS4, PS5, and Switch on April 18.
neutral · AI labelView post →Games fun but not 60 euro kind of fun recommend copping this game on sale :)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Odd game. The review is positive because I can unlock Tenshi. The art is nice, and the side-stories are more fun to read than the main story. I wish this game felt more polished and balanced. Despite what you might expect, dodging bullets barely matters in this game, and juggling both offense and avoiding bullets quickly becomes unreasonable once you reach the third stage. Once you claw your way through the first few stages, the game devolves into the strategy of huddling all your units…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has something I never seen before. It was hard playing this game at first, but after a few hours it became very fun. The game is a bit overpriced, but I recommend it for the experience, it's almost impossible to find anything with similar gameplay
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really, really want to like this game. The controls just don't make any sense. I've tried it for 2 hours across Steam Deck, Xbox Controller, Mouse, and the game feels bad to play no matter what I use!
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Touhou Spell Carnival is an ambitious genre crossover that attempts to fuse the precision-heavy chaos of bullet-hell shooting with the deliberate positioning and planning of a grid-based tactical RPG. Developed jointly by Idea Factory, Compile Heart, and STING, and published internationally by Idea Factory International, Inc., the game is both a celebration of the Touhou Project’s long-running identity and a bold experiment that reimagines how its core mechanics can function outside traditional…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love Idea Factory, Compile Heart and Sting !!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Touhou Spell Carnival Gameplay Overview Trailer, Game Launches May 7th #videogamenews #touhou www.nettosgameroom.com/2025/04/touh...
neutral · AI labelView post →The PC version of Touhou Spell Carnival will launch via Steam on May 7, publisher Idea Factory International and developers Compile Heart and Sting announced. #TouhouSpellCarnival https://gamesense.co/game/touhou-spell-carnival/news/discuss/touhou-spell-carnival-for-pc-launches-may/
neutral · AI labelView post →Touhou Spell Carnival to release on 7th May 2025 for Windows PC (Steam) animeblurayuk.wordpress.com/2025/04/16/t...
neutral · AI labelView post →Playing a New game, #TouhouSpellCarnival its a combo of RTS and Bullet Hell, i curious how this plays, come hang out! www.twitch.tv/vectorvibes_
neutral · AI labelView post →Touhou Spell Carnival, the latest game in the Touhou series, will blast onto Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4/5 in the west on November 19, 2024. #TouhouSpellCarnival https://gamesense.co/game/touhou-spell-carnival/news/discuss/touhou-spell-carnival-launches-in-the-west-this-november/
neutral · AI labelView post →
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