Ikaruga

[Kaz]

If there was ever hope for people who don't like shmups to see how much fun the genre can be, it was probably Ikaruga.



This amazing spectacle of 2D shmup action was created by a team of only 4 people at Treasure, a company that has long been recognized for creating quality shmups, including the now-legendary (and horrendously overpriced) Radiant Silvergun.

The gameplay is typical of a bullet-hell shooter, for the most part. Blast your way through enemies and avoid pooploads of bullets. However, the thing that makes this bullet-hell less god darn impossible than other ones is the polarity system. You simply press A to switch between dark (red/black) to light (white). When your ship, the "Sword of Acala," makes contact with a bullet of the same polarity, you will simply absorb it and gain a bit of power for your amazingly valuable secondary weapons, homing missiles. Also, your ship's bullets will change from dark to light as your ship does. While both bullets can kill any enemy, white kills dark much faster, and the same goes for dark on light. There's a lot of tight spaces and strategy involved in this system.

Difficulty? It's hard. Yeah, really hard actually. Even the Easy mode will take you a while to beat. I can run through the first two chapters without losing any lives, but after that it can become hell. So yeah...you won't be beating this game anytime soon.

The game was originally an arcade cabinet, and was then ported to the Dreamcast. That version is now extremely rare and overpriced. The Gamecube version (which many consider to be superior anyway) can be purchased for as little as $30, if you get lucky. Most of the time it's at around $45 and higher. Not much different from when you bought new Gamecube games back before the Wii came out, right? It's also important to note that it's soon to be released on XBLA, so you 360 owners can get your grubby hands on it too. There's already a demo out for it.

This is the best 2D shmup I've ever played. The difficulty, the absolutely beautiful graphics, the amazing soundtrack...it all makes one hell of a game. Get it or I'll slit your throat.

Oh, and for those of you who want multiplayer, you've got it. You can play through the chapters on co-op.



That's easier than it looks.

The end.

[Tupin]

I love that game, I played the demo on XBLA.

[Kaz]

I love that game, I played the demo on XBLA.

Are you gonna get the full version when it comes out?

[Tupin]

I love that game, I played the demo on XBLA.

Are you gonna get the full version when it comes out?

Probably, stuck between that and Rez HD.

Is it 800 Points?

[Kaz]

I love that game, I played the demo on XBLA.

Are you gonna get the full version when it comes out?

Probably, stuck between that and Rez HD.

Is it 800 Points?

Yes.

Although Wikipedia says it already came out. Huh. I thought it was just the demo.

Also, is the demo just the "trial game" mode that features the first two levels?

[Tupin]

I love that game, I played the demo on XBLA.

Are you gonna get the full version when it comes out?

Probably, stuck between that and Rez HD.

Is it 800 Points?

Yes.

Although Wikipedia says it already came out. Huh. I thought it was just the demo.

Also, is the demo just the "trial game" mode that features the first two levels?

I think so.

[Tupin]

I just checked XBLA, it says you can buy the full game.

It's out now.

[Kaz]

I just checked XBLA, it says you can buy the full game.

It's out now.

Oh okay. Everyone should get it then. No excuses.

[The Seventh]

Kaz, I have to say, that game sounds like fun.

Oh, so many games I want, and not enough cash :(