Shütshimi is a randomized shoot'em up about a muscle-bound fish with memory problems defending the seven seas. Defeat or navigate through waves of enemies, collecting new upgrades every 10 seconds that change up the gameplay as you battle your way through each of the game's bosses.
You control a muscle-bound fish with a short attention span, tasked with rapidly shooting at waves of enemies for just 10 seconds at a time. After each combat round, you must quickly choose from a random selection of over 40 unique power-ups to equip for the next 10-second onslaught. This rapid cycle of combat and power-up selection keeps the gameplay frenetic and constantly evolving, challenging you to adapt your tactics on the fly.
The randomized nature of the power-ups and stage modifiers further enhances the replayability. One round might arm you with a bullet-morphing shotgun, while the next provides cannonballs or laser beams. Additionally, the levels themselves can randomly apply bizarre effects, such as an inverted screen or a pulsing "rave party" visual style, further shaking up the experience. Discovering and mastering synergistic power-up combinations becomes a key part of the challenge and satisfaction.
The game also offers local cooperative multiplayer, allowing you to team up with friends to defend the seven seas. This cooperative mode not only adds a social element, but also introduces an interesting competitive aspect, as you must balance working together to defeat enemies with vying for the top score.