Ikaruga Review

By Simon Parkin Published 9 April, 2008

Radiant.

Version tested: Xbox 360

Let's suppose you know nothing about Ikaruga. Let's assume that developer Treasure, forbear Radiant Silvergun, director Hiroshi Iuchi and No Refuge are all names and phrases that carry no weight or significance to you. This is a good place to start because, as with the re-release of any classic game, it's easy to get caught up in the context, the history and the memories and lose sight of the fact that all videogames live or die in the now.

And if you do get the references; if you can one-credit the game blindfolded using only your sphincter; if the mere mention of its name fills your heart with Dreamcast swirls and warm nostalgia; or if you're approaching this review not as a prospective purchaser but as an inspector, clipboard and beady eyes checking every consonant for the shadow of an error the way only a snooty Japanese shmup aficionado can... Well, try to imagine you know nothing about Ikaruga and discard the context, the history and the memories: that way you might get to fall in love all over again.

Ikaruga, like all the very best arcade endeavours, is easy to grasp and near-impossible to master. The simplicity derives from the fact that its mechanics are quite literally black and white. Everything in this slick, confident shoot-'em-up - the enemies, the bullets and the paintwork on your ship - is one of two colours. One button-press switches your ship between them: black, white, black, white.

'Ikaruga' Screenshot ikaruga1

Not everything in Ikaruga is black-and-white. There's some brown, too.

While black you fire black bullets that tear white enemies to shreds but only gently damage opponents that share your shade. Flick to white and the reverse is true. Additionally, rather than taking damage from enemy bullets of the same colour as yourself, you store them up. Collect enough and you can deploy the tracer tendrils of a smart bomb. In this way you have direct control over what is and isn't a threat on the screen at any one time. Flip the switch and it all changes, friends become enemies, enemies become friends. In the relentlessly prescribed field of videogame design, this is rare freedom indeed.

It's a good idea (one Treasure had already explored a little in the SEGA Saturn's Silhouette Mirage) and, it transforms what would otherwise be a short, sharp, orthodox vertical shooter into an elaborate twitch puzzle. Herein lies the game's clever: every encounter with a group of enemy ships forces a critical decision to either take the long easy route (by matching their colour) or the short difficult one (by opposing it). There is only one combo mechanic to master and it's straightforward and elegant. Shoot any three of a kind followed by any three of a kind: black, black, black, white, white, white.

But for all the system's fresh inventiveness, it is also an idea that overwhelms the experience, stifling many of the other elements that define shoot-'em-ups. While you fire a solid stream of bullets, dodge enemy fire and target weak points, your constant attention is drawn and held by the core conceit. Where are the best places to switch up to maximise the combo meter? Are my reflexes good enough to dodge this stream of black bullets as a white ship or should I take the slower, safer route for fewer points and lesser glory? These questions complicate and crowd your mind as you play, drawing the game away from a pure shoot-'em-up experience into something altogether different and inscrutable.

While broadening the definition of the genre, Treasure has also then, in a sense, narrowed it. This is a game of relentless, near-clinical precision, built for repeat-repeat-repeat-till you-get-it play that it will stifle players who don't fully commit to developing and perfecting a strategy. Seasoned shmup players are often lukewarm towards the game because you can't simply fall back on sharp reflexes and instinct alone. Success takes planning and practice. Whereas in Radiant Silvergun the colour-matching mechanics were totally optional, allowing the game to be played as a straight shoot-'em-up, here understanding and mastering the core idea is the key to success, a decision that splits the audience neatly in two: black, white, black, white.

So a shoot-'em-up with a good idea. What's the big deal? Well, while the game's mechanics are notable, in a sense it's the chassis and circumstance that have made it important. The utilitarian elegance that marks the game's core idea extends to its visuals in a remarkable fashion. Sunsets invade battleship blue skies, a cacophony of visual wonder built from a narrow colour palette of understated apricot hues mixed with cool iceberg blues. Patchwork quilt fields scroll miles below while exquisite ship, particle and lighting designs unfurl above. It's a game of such assured style to make most other games seem clumsy, juvenile and ridiculous by comparison.

'Ikaruga' Screenshot ikaruga2

If you can't play as both players simultaneously using your feet, you're not worth knowing.

The game found fame on the Dreamcast, arriving late into the beloved but ill-fated console's lifespan, but it was in the arcade that it debuted, the home console version but a twinkle in NAOMI's eye. A limited, Japanese-only production run made the game a desirable and expensive eBay item. This interest resulted in its acquisition by Atari for a GameCube release, where it subsequently found an evangelical fanbase. And now, finally, Ikaruga arrives on XBLA for the masses, complete with all of the leaderboard support it deserves at an irresistible price point.

The conversion is, to our hands, flawless. The screen (bordered at either side as the game was made for vertically-aligned arcade cabinets) can be stretched and moved to better fill modern widescreens and the resolution is higher than it has ever been. Likewise, whereas once dedicated players would need to import Japanese DVDs of the top players' score runs for tips and techniques, now you simply select their name on the scoreboard and sit back to watch their replay, awestruck. The option to save and upload all replays, combined with co-op play over Xbox Live, makes the definitive version of the game.

That said, there are scant few extras here, as if the four-man development team knew that the extraordinary challenge of making it through the game's five stages in a single credit while also vying for a high score would be content enough. There is no dead weight to the game, either in terms of presentation, design or content. You either fall for this Spartan approach or find its undiluted focus too much to bear. 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.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Simon.

About Simon Parkin

Simon Parkin is an author and journalist on video games. A regular contributor to Eurogamer since 2005, his work has also appeared in Edge, The Telegraph, Gamasutra and Boing Boing.

Read more articles from Simon by visiting the Simon Parkin archive page.

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Comments (71) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Inquisitor #1 4 years ago

    Not as high as I expected.

    Nice that the game is being looked at on its own merits though and the reviewer isn't just slapping a 9 or 10 on it just because it's a supposed 'classic'.

    Not sure if I can get past the orientation of the screen, how well does that work?
    Edited by 1 at 09/04/08 @ 07:25

  • Xerx3s #2 4 years ago

    It isn't hyped so minus 2 points.

  • NegativeZero #3 4 years ago

    Is it possible to rotate the screen 90 degrees and then reorient your display? I personally use a PC monitor for my 360 gaming and it's very easy to turn it so if it's possible to get the game to tilt and fill up the whole surface area it would be awesome.

  • SlackMaster #4 4 years ago

    I already own this on DC and Gamecube so won't be getting it on live as well but anyone who hasn't played this should... Ikaruga and Contra III: The Alien Wars are for me the best shoot-em-ups ever made. Edit: Although I've not played Radient Silvergun. I hope they bring that out on live as far less people have played that title.

  • muscleblade #5 4 years ago

    Ikaruga gets the same score as Mr. Driller. Thats beyond me.

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #6 4 years ago

    Why shouldn't Ikaruga and Mr Driller get the same score? They're both very good games with limited appeal. I'm one of the biggest shmup fans (and Treasure fans) going, but Ikaruga's widely over-rated in the same way as similarly "arty" games like Rez and Ico are. It's very beautiful and clever but not really all that much fun for about 94% of gamers.

    Radiant Silvergun would be a much better addition to XBLA. It's rarer, designed for a horizontal display, and would benefit more from a visual polish.

    (And of course, what any sane person REALLY wants is Bangai-o.)

  • convercide #7 4 years ago

    @ Inquisitor and NegativeZero

    You could in the GameCube version so I hope you can here. I'm buying this regardless later today (after work) so I'll let you know with an edit to this post.

  • Tim #8 4 years ago

    "It's very beautiful and clever"

    I think you mean "it's the clever".

    It is clear from the review that clever is now a noun, and not an adjective after all.

    'Cleverness' need not apply.

  • iago71 #9 4 years ago

    When is this going to be released on XBLA or is it already there? I didnt see it last night when I was on......



    EDIT: Just seen the mini article saying its there today (as of Wednesday). P.S. RAD S G would be a nice addition I have to say. O BTW those of you into treasure should check out Bangai-o on DS.
    Edited by 3 at 09/04/08 @ 10:48

  • Darren #10 4 years ago

    I've read reviews of Mr. Driller on GameSpot where they gave it 2.5 (out of 10) and IGN gave it 2.8 so I wondered whether this was the same game EG reviewed and gave 8/10 to... I mean I can understand slight differences of opinion but not to the extent of one person saying the game is great and the other two saying it's terrible. Having tried the Mr. Driller demo, I'm with GameSpot and IGN, it's not a good game. The GameRankings average of 48% seems to confirm that too.

    However, I haven't played Ikaruga before so I can't help wondering if this is another overhyped retro game that isn't as good as people make out or whether it really is good... thank goodness for trial demos, eh?

  • BooMMooB #11 4 years ago

    best shooter ever. I have it for my dreamcast, I have it for gamecube (even though I never got a gamecube) and now will get it for my x360.

    YES!

  • HSH25 #12 4 years ago

    On the subject of Mr Driller, IGN got their score totally wrong. It is a classic. Granted the fact that the online part just doesn't work (because of unplayable lag) and the graphics are a bit blurry, deserve a mention and probably should effect the score, but the core game is intact and is great (IGN gave the Dreamcast version an 8.6 or something back when it was released).

    Back on the subject of Ikaruga, despite owning it on Gamecube, I'll definitely be picking it up again, it is a classic well worthy of the praise heaped upon it. Although personally I think Treasure's best shooter is Gradius V.

  • muscleblade #13 4 years ago

    @Darren

    Ign gave Ikaruga 90%. And i actually bought Mr. Driller because of the Eurogamer review being the only one availaible before the game was out. Big mistake. Im absolutely with gamespot and ign regarding Mr. Driller Online. The online part dont even work.

    Ikaruga should be a safe buy though.
    Edited by 1 at 09/04/08 @ 08:32

  • HSH25 #14 4 years ago

    Ikaruga should be a safe buy though.

    It wouldn't surprise me if the online part of Ikaruga didn't work either, to be honest.

  • muscleblade #15 4 years ago

    @HSH25

    I can agree with you that the core game in Mr. Driller online is very addictive and fun too. But its called Mr. Driller ONLINE.
    The game is made for multiplayer - and without it its just too shallow imo. Still fun but not enough compared to the competition on xbla.

  • muscleblade #16 4 years ago

    @HSH25

    Im sure its fine. Ikaruga is very good in singleplayer and its not called Ikaruga Co-op special either. No other xbla game ive played has been as poorly as Mr. Driller Online eh online.

  • Darren #17 4 years ago

    @HSH25 - That's the point though... some games *were* great "back in the day" but only the classics age well and stand up to the test of time, that's what makes them classics. Most games are superseded by better games so while you remember them as being good, quite often returning back to them years later reveals that, well, they ain't that great anymore.

    I think it's too easy to get carried away by nostalgia when reviewing retro games but I find the vast majority bore me after 10 minutes but if that was my attitude to full priced games well then I'd have given up playing games by now. Yes, XBLA games are cheap at £7 but even so they're still overpriced if you don't play them for more than 10 minutes, right?

    I guess my problem is that I've been playing games for 28 years and in that time games have changed dramatically, and for the better, but although I remember the old days with fondness, I've learnt that they are best remembered as they were through rose-tinted glasses because most older games don't stand the test of time very well IMO. I could play some games like Banjo-Kazooie for hours - I consider that a classic - but other like Mr. Driller bore me rigid within minutes. Generally though, I'm someone who looks to the present and future not the past for my gaming pleasures.

  • GordonCaladan #18 4 years ago

    8/10 is about 492 points too low for Ikaruga, you heretics. But I do suppose, for the mortals adressed by this site, the score is about right and indeed, many will "find its undiluted focus too much to bear". What the otherwise good review seems not to point out consequently is that Ikaruga - to my mind - is more of a puzzle game with schmup mechanics than vice-versa, which, I'd assume, is why hardcore schmup fans often underrate it.

    And by the sounds of it, the HD graphics, playback mode, online co-op and leaderboards elevate it from the realm of perfect to that of divine.

    Now if only MS would publish DoDonPachi Dai Ou Jou Black Label...

  • jaylab #19 4 years ago

    This is a 10/10 for me and an instant purchase, even though I already own GC version.

    Looking forward to challenging the leaderboards.

  • DanWhitehead #20 4 years ago

    What the otherwise good review seems not to point out consequently is that Ikaruga - to my mind - is more of a puzzle game with schmup mechanics than vice-versa

    From the review: "it transforms what would otherwise be a short, sharp, orthodox vertical shooter into an elaborate twitch puzzle"

  • Dizzy #21 4 years ago

    >best shooter ever

    Err.... I still think Radiant Silvergun tops this. Now bring that to XBLA instead of paying 250 euro for it.

  • mingster #22 4 years ago

    I 'heart' Treasure. My favourite developer.
    +1 on needing Bangai-o.
    Then i can finally sell my dreamcast and not miss anything.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #23 4 years ago

    That's the best image for an article ever.

  • asphaltcowboy #24 4 years ago

    Now, if the leaderboards aren't just the top 100 players (like Triggerheart), then this is a definite purchase for me (as soon as I get my Xbox back!) Please say everyone is on the leaderboards so I can compare with friends!

  • Toothball #25 4 years ago

    @Rev. Stuart Campbell
    (And of course, what any sane person REALLY wants is Bangai-o.)

    I dispute this. Most sane people have trouble dealing with Bangai-o, mostly due to the story.

    Now that you mention it though, I really want that.
    Edited by 1 at 09/04/08 @ 09:22

  • thedaveeyres #26 4 years ago

    So it's space invaders with a twist then?

  • morriss #27 4 years ago

    Is the word 'clever' a noun? "Herein lies the game's clever: every encounter...."

  • GordonCaladan #28 4 years ago

    Good that Dan's always around to prove me wrong.

    The key word in my above post is consequently. The review continues to treat Ikaruga as first and foremost a "shoot-'em-up with a good idea" whereas in my opinion it's a good idea with a schmup.
    Edited by 3 at 09/04/08 @ 09:43

  • Quint2020 #29 4 years ago

    No split screen co op? Bit disappointed about that, will still buy it tonight though i reckon.

  • asphaltcowboy #30 4 years ago

    Quint2020: Eh? There's no splitscreen co-op because it's same screen co-op, surely? It does have local multiplayer!

  • Quint2020 #31 4 years ago

    It does have local co op? Ok great, never played this game despite being a huge Dreamcast fan and buying games well after SEGA had supposedly withdrawn support for the machine, for one reason or another though i never picked Ikaruga up, that will change tonight =].

    The whole "It offers Xbox Live co op" with no mention of any kind of local co op kind of threw me.

  • noresalenocopy #32 4 years ago

    Ten - I've been playing the 360 version on partnernet for months and it's ace. This and RezHD are the best Live Arcade has to offer.

    It even supports WS tate mode.
    Edited by 1 at 09/04/08 @ 10:05

  • speedjack #33 4 years ago

    Spot on review.

    Nice to see the art style get a mention - really blew me away when I first played this on the GC.

  • Mr_Sleep #34 4 years ago

    Speaking of dedication to the game and perfecting a strategy, check this out.

  • Krelle #35 4 years ago

    Rev, stay away from ICO, mmkay :)

    me likes those "arty games".

  • Colin8703 #36 4 years ago

    You can rotate the screen.

  • miiiguel #37 4 years ago

    The scotish invaded Lisbon, btw.

  • foamy #38 4 years ago

    Quais escoceses?

  • monkie_king #39 4 years ago

    So do real men play this with an arcade stick? I was never happy with either the analogue stick or d-pad on the Gamecube version, and the Xbox's d-pad is hardly any better ...

  • miiiguel #40 4 years ago

    "Quais escoceses? "
    The ones who are going to loose bad next thursday.

  • muscleblade #41 4 years ago

    @Miguel

    Im pretty sure you wont be buying this. Im i right or im i right.

  • J.C #42 4 years ago

    Fact. Radient Silvergun will never make it to XBLA.

  • miiiguel #43 4 years ago

    I will be buying, I have no doubts about that. The question is, when will I have time to play it. Rez is still holding in line, but it's already purchased.

  • Retroid #44 4 years ago

    There's slowdown when the first boss explodes but as I've said before, that's there by design.

    It's great, but am I missing the option to rotate the controls aswell as the screen...?

  • muscleblade #45 4 years ago

    @Miguel

    One of the best things about xbla games is that it doesnt take ages to complete them. You need to play them many times to get the achievements but you can always squeeze in and hour now and then inbetween the huge retail games and still enjoy it.
    I havent played Rez more than maybe 3-4 hours but i enjoyed those hours alot more than hours spent on many retail games.

    I have the same problem though - too many games i want to play and complete - too little time to do it.
    Edited by 1 at 09/04/08 @ 12:47

  • montdidier #46 4 years ago

    Such florid drivel. Someone's been appreciating themselves too much. Anyway sounds like a good game.

  • HSH25 #47 4 years ago

    'I could play some games like Banjo-Kazooie for hours - I consider that a classic - but other like Mr. Driller bore me rigid within minutes.'

    With me its totally the other way around...although Banjo was never any good (Rare never made a good platform game either in 2D or 3D as far as I'm concerned).

  • macmurphy #48 4 years ago

    'Radiant Silvergun will never come to XBLA'
    Um, why not? If this sells you can bet your bollocks to a barndance it will. why the hell would the original makers not want to make money? the chance of playing a game that's rarer than rocking horse shit on E Bay will be a big draw and it will sell real well, so I'd expect to see it sooner rather than later.

    Lads, get this it's really great. I had it for the cube, not even a big fan of shooters but got it and loved it. It's really pure and makes me feel warm and fluffy every time I play it. Two player mode is good, I also think it's perfectly suited to just firing up for a quick blast. The finest compliment I can pay is that I'm debating buying it even though my Wii (and the cube disk) sits next door to my XBOX, just because it will be great to play in between COD4 and because I want to support it.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #49 4 years ago

    That's the best image for an article ever.

    \o/

  • espibara #50 4 years ago

    Now we want,

    UNDER DEFEAT, UNDER DEFEAT, UNDER DEFEAT, UNDER DEFEAT, UNDER DEFEAT, UNDER DEFEAT, UNDER DEFEAT, UNDER DEFEAT, UNDER DEFEAT, UNDER DEFEAT,.

    Come on G-rev bring the best 2D shooter ever made to the 360.

  • MrChuckles #51 4 years ago

    Why don't you guys shoot actual aliens with real spaceships instead of wasting your time playing games?

    Do something useful with your time ffs...

  • Rev.StuartCampbell #52 4 years ago

    You bring 'em, we'll shoot 'em.

  • kiroquai #53 4 years ago

    Just to clarify for a few peeps if it's not been done already, you CAN rotate the game and flip your screen (or monitor) if you so wish, and yes - local co-op is correct and present :-).

  • asphaltcowboy #54 4 years ago

    and decent leaderboards?

  • convercide #55 4 years ago

    Further to my earlier post, you can rotate the screen.

  • HSH25 #56 4 years ago

    There appear to be Leaderboards for everything.

    The one slightly strange and annoying thing about it, is that if you switch to using more than 1 credit it won't let you post your score to the Leaderboards at all. It warns you about this, so its not a bug, just some strange design choice they've made.
    Edited by 1 at 09/04/08 @ 17:38

  • beastmaster #57 4 years ago

    I love Radiant Silvergun. Dig it out from time to time on the Saturn. Will buy Ikaruga too. Now all we need is Dodonpachi and a load of other Saturn classics which never made it to UK shores. In nice HD graphics.

  • MAX99 #58 4 years ago

    as a seasoned shmup'er myself i'd say a 8/10 for ikaruga is about right. when it initially launched all those years ago on dreamcast it gained some degree of free praise simply because of its relationship to the mighty radiant silvergun...in fact for a long time people were dubbing it radiant 2.

    its play mechanics are certainly clever and its presentation slick but it lacks a certain atmosphere that the classic shumps have, the lone fighter saving the world feel....in essence it feels more like a contrived puzzle game than a shooter.

    a good game in its own right, yes, but its certainly no dodonpatchi, battle garegga or radiant silvergun.


  • Ryze #59 4 years ago

    Aww[link url=http://www....shit!
    ]http://www....shit!
    [/link]

    /wants

  • Ryze #60 4 years ago

    ????


    @convercide

    Damn, now I've got to prop my Big JVC up against the wall on its side to try this out!!!!

    /nearly breaks expensive HDTV

  • DanMW #61 4 years ago

    Bad news beastmaster http://ww w.joystiq.com/2008/03/30/cave-s... hopefully Ikaruga will sell well and they'll reconsider.

  • malloc #62 4 years ago

    Go to Youtube and type in Ikagura. Some pretty scarily great masters on there.

    8 is a well deserved score. Difficult to give it a good score, not possible to please everyone with.
    Was the entire game only developed by 4 people?

  • quantumsheep #63 4 years ago

    Had a quick blast on this.

    Forgot how rubbish I am at it! :(

  • HSH25 #64 4 years ago

    '...in fact for a long time people were dubbing it radiant 2.'

    Thats because it is (in spirit).

    Not sure if its on this version, but when you loaded up previous versions it would say Project RS2 or something.

    On the subject of the Cave shooters, apparently the reason MS rejected them is that they weren't willing to put in any online play or update them in any way at all...assuming thats the real reason it actually makes sense for MS to reject the games.
    Edited by 1 at 09/04/08 @ 22:21

  • espibara #65 4 years ago

    I think teh 8/10 score is spot on to be honest (although i do acknowledge its greatness) as shoot em ups go id give it a 7/10.

    The problem is with ikaruga is that it is a 2D shooter puzzle hybrid. To truely master the game you need to get a handle on the black/white switch play mechanic. It is inherently built into the game design. This is what makes it soooo hard and in turn alienates a lot of shooter fans. They generally acknowledge its good but dont enjoy playing it that much. I'm right in that camp i admit Ikaruga is a good game but I dont enjoy it.

    I much prefer the free flowing adrenaline shooters such as Caves' Espgaluda, Dodonpachi, Ibara and G-revs Border Down and Under Defeat.

  • Nookyalar #66 4 years ago

    i wish i wasn't so shit at this type of game! Luv those shmups!

  • pac666 #67 4 years ago

    It's the biz. Gardius V is the only thing I've played that gives it a run for it's money for that one more go feeling. Once you get the hang of the black white thing you'll never look back.

    More of this on XBLA please.

  • pac666 #68 4 years ago

    It's the biz. Gardius V is the only thing I've played that gives it a run for it's money for that one more go feeling. Once you get the hang of the black\ white thing you'll never look back.

    More of this on XBLA please.

  • mukki #69 4 years ago

    didn't this come out for the Dreamcast way back in the days...
    It might have been a Japanese release only though...

    fun game!
    Edited by 1 at 11/04/08 @ 15:07

  • oupe #70 4 years ago

    Very, very hard game. Even on easy :p

  • BillyBrush #71 4 years ago

    Dodonpachi pls..