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Ikaruga xbox360 Game Reviews
Ikaruga
Critic Score
Metascore: 88 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
9.4 out of 10
based on 30 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 7 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

[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]

PUBLISHER: Treasure
DEVELOPER: Treasure
GENRE(S): Shooter
PLAYERS: 2
ESRB RATING: E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE: April 9, 2008

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).
Read Full Review
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.
Read Full Review
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]
92
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.
Read Full Review
90
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.
Read Full Review
90
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.
Read Full Review
90
DarkZero
This game does not cheat, it simply requires pixel perfect shooting and dodging skills.
Read Full Review
90
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.
Read Full Review
90
Games Radar
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.
Read Full Review
90
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.
Read Full Review
90
Official Xbox Magazine UK
An amazing sight to behold. [Apr 2008, p.99]
90
IGN
There may not ever be a better 2D shooter on Xbox Live Arcade. Ikaruga is that good.
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90
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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90
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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90
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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90
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.
Read Full Review
90
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.
Read Full Review
90
GameDaily
It's undoubtedly hard, but looks, sounds and plays wonderfully, both alone and online through Xbox Live. Download this baby immediately.
Read Full Review
85
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.
Read Full Review
85
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.
Read Full Review
85
GameSpot
Time has not diminished Ikaruga's sublime shooting experience. This game still trumps other shooters with its unparalleled design and challenge.
Read Full Review
85
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]
Read Full Review
80
Giant Bomb
Just because it’s great doesn’t mean it’s accessible.
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80
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.
Read Full Review
80
Totally360
Ikaruga on XBLA is a smooth, fantastic looking version of the game.
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80
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.
Read Full Review
80
Games Master UK
As tough and great as ever. This suits the Xbox Live Arcade perfectly. [June 2008, p.74]
80
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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80
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.
Read Full Review
70
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

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 9.4 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

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.

Chris S. gave it a9:
This game is to 2d shooters what Shadow of the Colossus was to the ps2. Unbelievable beautiful, brilliantly clever and with controls to match. However its difficulty is mindblowing and if not for that it would have been a perfect ten. This game is worth the money in the Live-arcade just to look at, let alone to play.

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