Ikaruga on Live Arcade? News

Xbox 360 News by Tom Bramwell

14 February, 2007

It looks like Treasure's rather marvellous Dreamcast and GameCube shooter Ikaruga might be on its way to Xbox Live Arcade.

That's because the game is currently showing up on Partnernet, the Xbox 360's closed debug network, access to which is limited to journalists and developers.

There are two downloads listed in the Xbox Live Arcade section of Partnernet, which mirrors Xbox Live's functionality in a different setting. The titles are nondescript, but if you download the two 5.7MB files Ikaruga appears under a Japanese name in the console's Live Arcade menu.

We couldn't get it to run, but it does reach a Treasure title screen, and lists 12 achievements including one marked "Secret" and one for each of Chapters 1-4 and the Final Chapter.

Treasure has previously said it was "really interested" in working on Xbox Live Arcade, but when company president Masato Maegawa spoke about that desire recently he wasn't specific about any projects in development.

Treasure is known to be working on an original shooter for Xbox 360, but last we heard it won't be out for a while.

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GingerMagician

14/02/07 @ 10:43

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This will rule - especially if they've HD'd up the graphics.

Just need Radiant Silvergun and Gradius V now Treasure...

Aretak

14/02/07 @ 10:43

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Another format for me to get pwned by Ikaruga on. :(

Freelancepolice

14/02/07 @ 10:44

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Yes please

Dyason

14/02/07 @ 10:44

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Great news indeed. Classic games like these are why I love XBLA. And with coop online this would make it truely awesome.

And hear hear, bring on Radiant Silvergun too!

Dizzy

14/02/07 @ 10:45

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Wow awesome! Radiant Silver Gun would be even better and Guardian heroes please!!!!!! Oh AND Bangai-O!!!

Edited 1 times, most recently on 14/02/07 @ 10:46

Universal Hamster

14/02/07 @ 10:48

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HD Banghai-o?

/Explodes in a shower of spunk

GingerMagician

14/02/07 @ 10:49

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+1 on the pwnage, but the game's just so crazily hard it makes me laugh.

Worth a few MS points just for that.

parm

14/02/07 @ 10:50

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This, please.

And yes, Bangai-O needs the treatment, too.

They'll never do Radiant Silvergun, though, it would kill the second hand market and piss of a lot of people.

Dizzy

14/02/07 @ 10:51

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"They'll never do Radiant Silvergun, though, it would kill the second hand market and piss of a lot of people. "

I know.. sold mine for 200 euro ;)

GingerMagician

14/02/07 @ 10:52

#10

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Having said it's hard, it ain't for this guy....

/jaw drops

Dizzy

14/02/07 @ 10:58

#11

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>/jaw drops

WTF!!!

/head falls off in disbelief

Edited 1 times, most recently on 14/02/07 @ 10:58

Cadence

14/02/07 @ 10:58

#12

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That dude isn't human. Some sort of Cyborg I'll wager.

Hank Scorpio

14/02/07 @ 10:59

#13

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Oh my god that Youtube video just made me feel a little sick.

GingerMagician

14/02/07 @ 10:59

#14

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Unbelievable isn't it!

Cadence

14/02/07 @ 11:02

#15

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I've made it to the end of level 4.........then my brain just melts.

asphaltcowboy

14/02/07 @ 11:04

#16

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I bet it's two guys - one left and the other right handed, both can play with only one hand ;)

GingerMagician

14/02/07 @ 11:08

#17

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I bet it's two guys - one left and the other right handed, both can play with only one hand ;)

Doubt it - the coordination and timing is too good

Besides, even if it was, I'd still be impressed :p

Dizzy

14/02/07 @ 11:09

#18

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>Besides, even if it was, I'd still be impressed :p

I think he was being sarcastic m8 ;)

Der_tolle_Emil

14/02/07 @ 11:13

#19

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I would definetly buy this if I did not already own it for the cube. I wonder though how they are going to cope with widescreen because it already has borders on the side using 4:3

GingerMagician

14/02/07 @ 11:14

#20

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I think he was being sarcastic m8 ;)

I kinda guessed that - was just referencing my utter shitness at this game, no matter how many hands I'm using!

;)

andromeda

14/02/07 @ 11:17

#21

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now we're talking

move aside 'Paperboy'

Skeletor

14/02/07 @ 11:23

#22

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@GingerMagician
There's no need to "HD up" the graphics. Play the Dreamcast version via VGA and just marvel at its beauty :-) And btw, don't expect RS or GradiusV any time soon. There's a good reason why they bring Ika to XBLA - it's very small (compressed DC version was under 20 MB) and being a "Naomi" based game pretty easy to port (see Senko on Japanese 360).
I would love to see Under Defeat on XBLA too - my favourite DC shooter.

Eldritch

14/02/07 @ 11:24

#23

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Huzzah!!! \o/

ralphwolfenstein

14/02/07 @ 11:39

#24

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I've said it once

I've said it twice

I've said it thrice

And here it is again...

Radiant Silvergun is coming to Live Arcade

dbeamish

14/02/07 @ 11:42

#25

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this was a good game. It better not be too ��

morriss

14/02/07 @ 11:50

#26

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I knew it would happen, Dirtbox so 'NO!!!' but I knew it!

HazyUK

14/02/07 @ 12:04

#27

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I just bought jap PS2 versions of Gradius V and R-Type Final for my import PS3, can anyone recommend any more good shumups that I've missed?
I've heard there's a load of good japanese shumups that didn't get released over here.

Dirtbox

14/02/07 @ 12:04

#28

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Bang goes my resolve. I'm going to have to get a sodding 360 now :(

BadBoyBonner

14/02/07 @ 12:33

#29

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Awesome gaming feat in the Youtube Vid - might have to duck tape a 360 pad to eithr leg to try replicate it! lol

Xerx3s

14/02/07 @ 12:37

#30

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Bang goes my resolve. I'm going to have to get a sodding 360 now :(

Well, as long as you don't plan to use xbl, the rest of us are oke. ;p

McBradders

14/02/07 @ 12:46

#31

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Oh... my... goodness.

Great news.

Skeletor

14/02/07 @ 12:48

#32

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@ralphwolfenstein
More like wishful thinking...
There are two reasons why a XBLA version of RS probably won't happen anytime soon: 1. Porting/emulating a Saturn title is a much bigger effort than a port from Naomi due to the exotic architecture of the Sega Saturn and 2. Treasure is concerned about the collectors who pay ridiculous prices to play this (overhyped?) holy grail of shoot em ups.
It'll probably be mamed properly (arcade version that is) before it hits XBLA.

El_MUERkO

14/02/07 @ 13:07

#33

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how could ikargua be such a small download?

jiveguy

14/02/07 @ 13:31

#34

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It probably isn't all that small. Don't forget that MS upped the file size limit to 250Meg recently, for "select" titles.

Maybe the eg folks can tell us how big the download is on their xbox?

Edited 1 times, most recently on 14/02/07 @ 13:31

Skeletor

14/02/07 @ 14:07

#35

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It is small. The DC iso in its compressed form was between 17 and 20 MB. There are no fmv in the game and textures or music can be compressed. It should come out easily under 50 MB.

Edited 1 times, most recently on 14/02/07 @ 14:09

jlaakso

14/02/07 @ 14:23

#36

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If it does, there will be few reasons to keep the Gamecube plugged in anymore. I'd probably buy it, simply because I can't be arsed to fiddle with wired controllers anymore.

Pob

14/02/07 @ 14:55

#37

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I really wanted this when it came out for the Dreamcast, but now I'll hopefully be able to get it on my 360, ace!

Machetazo

14/02/07 @ 14:59

#38

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A fabulous opportunity to play Ikaruga, since I couldn't find it for Gamecube. I'm in. :)

ralphwolfenstein

14/02/07 @ 17:13

#39

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@Skeletor

There are, in fact, six reasons why it probably wouldn't/couldn't happen (and you listed none of them)

But there is one very good reason why it will

Skeletor

14/02/07 @ 18:42

#40

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@ralphwolfen
How mysterious...I'm sure someday you'll share your supersecret knowledge with us all, right ;-)

El_MUERkO

14/02/07 @ 19:27

#41

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it is an amazing game, especially on a 40" LCD balanced on its side, but after about 30 minutes of being punished by the game it can get a bit tiring

yagisencho

14/02/07 @ 20:16

#42

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Parm:
"They'll never do Radiant Silvergun, though, it would kill the second hand market and piss of a lot of people."

I don't think you're wrong, but I wonder what's so sacred about the used games market. The publisher gets no cut, and most gamers don't get a chance to enjoy the game.

My Megadrive copy of Monster World IV is about to be rendered 'merely collectible' by next month's SEGA AGES release. But I'm mollified by the fact that I can enjoy it on the PS2. And plenty of people who never got to play it on its initial release will now be able to enjoy this gem of a game.

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