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Ikaruga

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7.2 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 34 critic reviews
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Based on 20 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Treasure

Developer: Treasure

Genre(s): Shooter

Players: 2

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: April 9, 2008

Summary

[Xbox Live Arcade] Treasure's award-winning scrolling shooter brings a tactical twist to the genre with its yin-and-yang gameplay: the color of your ship determines your effect on enemies. In this polarized system, enemy ships and their bullets are one of two colors. Attack an enemy of the opposite color for extra damage. Absorb enemy fire of the same color as your ship, and use the energy for a special attack. Destroy multiple enemies of the same color to score a chaining bonus. Play solo or cooperatively, and use your polarity to achieve victory. Multiplayer support for two-player co-op offline or over Xbox LIVE allows you to clear the levels with a friend. [Treasure]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

1UP

Crystal-clear graphics and Achievements are certainly appealing, but the bigger draws are online multiplayer with the leaderboards and downloadable replays. At the very least, it will likely refresh your interest in the game (and subsequent determination to finish it off).

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100

Destructoid

Whether you enjoy shooters or not, it is simply something that must be played. Treasure created a wonderful experience, and has delivered that very same experience to the 360, perfectly intact, accomplishing far more than it aspires to do, and offering much more than just a shmup.

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100

Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

Ikaruga isn't tough our unfair, and is always kind enough to encourage perfect play without ever demanding it. [June 2008, p.94]

Worth Playing

If you're not sold on Ikaruga, then you probably aren't hardcore enough for it. Even if you are hardcore enough for it, you'll be chewed up, spit out, and left out to dry.

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Cheat Code Central

It took me almost six hours just to get through the first three levels on easy with all the handicaps listed above. It is a truly challenging game, and is probably one of the best games out on Live Arcade.

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NZGamer

It might not be the best vertical shooter ever – that honour goes to Ikaruga’s predecessor Radiant Silvergun – but it is easily the best game on Xbox Live Arcade and indeed the Xbox 360 itself. Purchase immediately.

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Thunderbolt

It’s frustrating but satisfying at the same time, and I can’t think of any other game that represents the genre so well.

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DarkZero

This game does not cheat, it simply requires pixel perfect shooting and dodging skills.

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GotNext

This is my third time playing Ikaruga, and I'm still not very good at it, but somehow that doesn't matter. Each play is a joy, and each small improvement a delight.

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Games Radar (in-house)

The spiritual follow-up [to "Radiant Silvergun", Ikaruga, is arguably just as good, if not better than its predecessor. And now, we get another chance to experience it, this time in glorious high-definition.

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GamePro

Unless you're a diehard shooter fan it'll give you a beating worse than the one Shane Falco took in the '96 Sugar Bowl, but if you have the skills and are up to the challenge this is a must own.

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Official Xbox Magazine UK

An amazing sight to behold. [Apr 2008, p.99]

IGN

There may not ever be a better 2D shooter on Xbox Live Arcade. Ikaruga is that good.

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Computer and Video Games

Vertical shooting at its best. A must-buy for fans of the dying shoot-'em-up genre but only if you can handle extreme difficulty levels.

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Team Xbox

The game’s unique spin on a classic formula, coupled with a difficulty level sure to challenge even the most hardcore gamers, make the game an experience just waiting to scratch your itchy trigger finger.

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Gamestyle

With only five levels one could argue that there isn’t much to Ikaruga. Yet what it lacks in size it more than up for in terms of playability and challenge.

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GamingExcellence

For just 800 Microsoft points you get what is possibly one of the best games released on the Xbox Live Arcade and the single best top-down shoot 'em up of all time.

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Da Gameboyz

For 800 MS points you can experience one of the greatest shooters of all time for a fraction of the original game’s cost. Ikaruga is extremely deep yet simple in its style of play.

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Level7.nu

Ikaruga is one of the most challenging, fun and addictive vertical shooters out there, and the latest platform to be graced by this title is Xbox Live. This is definitely a challenging game, and the total of five levels is a bit on the short side, but the lean price tag of 800 Microsoft Points is more than justified for such a great gaming experience.

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GameDaily

It's undoubtedly hard, but looks, sounds and plays wonderfully, both alone and online through Xbox Live. Download this baby immediately.

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Game Chronicles

The staggering difficulty and blazing visuals may overwhelm the casual gamer - it took me two days to get to the second boss, but anyone who takes the time to master the binary gameplay model will find a deep strategic shooter.

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Game Over Online

I recommend it to those who grew up in arcades, those who enjoy a challenge, and casual gamers looking for something they can pick up and play.

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Console Monster

The best vertical shooter on Xbox LIVE to date. Oozing compelling gameplay, sound and graphics with a learning curve so steep that you’ll be coming back for more until you complete it.

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Gaming Target

Bottom line, if you are a fan of shoot 'em ups or just do not feel like dragging out the Dreamcast, you will not be disappointed in this updated version of a classic game.

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GameSpot

Time has not diminished Ikaruga's sublime shooting experience. This game still trumps other shooters with its unparalleled design and challenge.

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Official Xbox Magazine

The fact that it's a mere five levels long and can be frustratingly difficult might limit the game's appeal, but it's hard not to appreciate Ikaruga's meticulously crafted brilliance. [May 2008, p.75]

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Giant Bomb

Just because it’s great doesn’t mean it’s accessible.

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Gamer.nl

Ikaruga is without doubt the best arcade shooter ever made. Although the Xbox Live Arcade version isn't changed most compared to its predecessors on the Dreamcast and Gamebug, this game is absolutely worth the 800 points. The game is quite a challenge though, which might not appeal everyone. But if you like a challenge, you will be entertained for hours with this game.

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Totally360

Ikaruga on XBLA is a smooth, fantastic looking version of the game.

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Eurogamer

In Ikaruga there is no refuge, and there's honesty to this black and white approach that demands respect. But will that respect will turn to adoration? Well, that very much depends on how hard you'll work to make your own memories herein.

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Gameplanet

It is extremely challenging and if you don’t get too frustrated it will also be tons of fun; either on your own or with a friend. It is classic side-scrolling gaming at its best.

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Games Master UK

As tough and great as ever. This suits the Xbox Live Arcade perfectly. [June 2008, p.74]

MS Xbox World

A Perfect package here if you’ve been searching for something with style and excitement in short bursts.

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X360 Magazine UK

You're likely to have as much success doing this as trying to watch a 3D movie without the free Sugar Puffs glasses - it amounts to much the same thing. [Issue#32, p.116]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.2 (out of 10) based on 20 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chris H gave it a9:
Amazing game, the difficulty (even on the lowest setting, with the most lives/continues) is the key element that just makes me keep coming back to play this visually stunning, devil of a game. Played it back on the gamecube and rebought it on live, I would thoroughly recommend it to any gamer with the above average caliber of skill. Not quite 10, wish it was longer and got harder!

Samuel S. gave it a9:
Not since Einhander have I played such a compellingly frustrating shooter of this quality. Not for the easily flustered.

Homer gave it a10:
An amazing action game that just might be the greatest shooter of all time. It's also hard as utter s***.

J. gave it an8:
One of those rare, special games that's exhilarating when you succeed, and fills you with incredible self-doubt when you lose. And lose you will. A lot. If you're not good at shooters, do yourself a favor and don't even bother with Ikaruga, because you'll never see and play the best that it has to offer. If you're an above-average gamer, though, the highs will carry you through the lows just enough to make it essential, as the graphics, sound, and compellingly brazen approach of this title demand attention and respect.

Adam D. gave it a10:
best thing to happen to the xbox live arcade. the game is absolutely beautiful, the game is incredibly challenging, the concept is simple yet incredibly deep and complex. It's strange this game flew right under my radar 7 years ago considering I'm sort of a buff when it comes 2 the old-school shooter and this one is the best one ever made.

Gerrit S. gave it a10:
A true masterpiece! I can't remember any other vertical shooter that have been ported to so many systems (Arcade, Dreamcast, Gamecube, Xbox 360) and really deserved having been ported like Ikaruga. IMO this is a game wich people will still remember in 2018 (so will I)! I'm addicted to it since it came out for the GC in 2003. It's short but intense and genius. I mean I'M playing it every once in a while since 5 years now and every time I start playing it I just think: great! Even if you already have a Dreamcast or GC port: Download! (I think it isn't that hard to play through but to get a decent score -watch the replays of the top players- is very hard).

Jeff K. gave it a9:
I’ve wanted Ikaruga ever since I saw X-Play review the Game Cube version, and I’m really glad Xbox Live Arcade picked it up. But when hard core gamers talk about how difficult a game is, I know that a more casual gamer such as I won’t have much of a chance. If it weren’t so difficult, I would probably give this game a perfect 10, because it really is a lot of fun, and the changing polarities is a nice, creative twist. But setting the difficulty to Easy honestly doesn’t make it any easier than Normal, so I just use the default Normal. You can set the game to give you five lives instead of three, but doing so doesn’t extend my play time by all that much, and it prevents my score from being recorded to the leaderboard, so I just use the default three. But even setting the game to five lives, it’s too hard for someone like me, and it’s hard to become proficient when the game ends so quickly. I am getting better, though. I’m able to survive over 3 minutes now, LOL, which is certainly an improvement over the 30 seconds I lasted when I first started playing it. That might be why I’m not frustrated with it yet, because I am showing improvement. One feature of Ikaruga I like is that you can record your games and replay them, apparently so you can go back later and see what you did wrong and try to figure out what you should have done instead. It has helped me figure out how to survive situations that I thought were impossible, so it’s well worth using. You can do a limited number of Continues so after you lose your last life you can restart the game where you left off instead of starting over from the beginning, but not only does that prevent you from making the leaderboard, but it also prevents you from recording the game for replay. I am able to make it to the beginning of the second level before the Continues run out, so I know a little of what I’m going to face in the future, and it looks pretty hard. I doubt I’ll ever complete this game, but I also think that every time I take a break from it, I’ll keep coming back to it over and over. Despite the difficulty it is fun, and I hope it doesn’t scare casual gamers away because it’s certainly worth getting.

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