Ikaruga
What Is It?
Originally released in 2001, Ikaruga is not a retro release, so including it on this page is already a little suspect. However, this fantastic Treasure game has gone through more turmoil in the last seven years than most old school titles do in two decades. Treasure originally released this game in the arcades, but Ikaruga quickly found a home on the Dreamcast. Unfortunately it was released at a time when Sega was pulling out of the hardware market, so this 2D shooter was never actually released on the Dreamcast here in the U.S. Thankfully gamers on this side of the pond were able to experience Ikaruga when it was released on the GameCube. Fast forward five years and Xbox 360 owners are finally able to play this overhead shooter. And not only are they given a solid port of the arcade/Dreamcast/GameCube game, but they get it for a low, low $10.
If you've somehow missed Ikaruga on the other systems, it plays a lot like all of the other overhead 2D shooters you've played. What sets this game apart from all of the other shoot-em-ups crowding the Xbox Live Arcade is the black and white gimmick. The concept is simple enough; enemies will fire two different colored bullets, one that is white and one that is black. Your ship can also change from black to white, thus allowing you to literally absorb the same colored bullets (black ship absorbs black bullets, white ship absorbs white bullets). The game uses this gimmick from beginning to end, which really adds a lot of character to what could have otherwise been just another overhead shooter. Add in better looking graphics, downloadable videos and achievements and you have the best version of Ikaruga yet.
Does It Hold Up?
Ikaruga is a masterpiece, from beginning to end. It may only be five levels, but getting through those stages is going to take a lot of work. The controls are fantastic, the graphics look great on an HDTV and there's enough replay to get your money's worth. Ikaruga is a fantastic game with an interesting gimmick, of course it holds up.
Is It Worth The Money?
If you somehow missed it on both the Dreamcast and the GameCube then by all means you need to pick this game up. The good news is that this game is still as fresh and exciting as it was seven years ago; the even better news is that it's only ten dollars. I would argue that this game is still worth the full $50, but I'm certainly not going to complain about a $10 price tag. Ikaruga is one of the best shooters of all time, the type of game that may rekindle your love for the genre.
This Week in GameTap
Every week I plan on taking a look at the classic games being uploaded on the
GameTap service. Regardless of whether it's part of their free or premium service,
GameTap offers a wide variety of old school games that is worth checking out. Here are the most recent games uploaded to their server, keep in mind that all of these games are free to play unless otherwise stated:
King of Monsters 2 (Neo Geo) -
Like Rampage, its obvious inspiration, King of Monsters 2 is a multiplayer "action" game that has you taking control of a huge Godzilla-like monster trampling cities and fighting other humungous men-in-rubber-suit bad guys. Like Rampage, King of Monsters 2 is a lot of fun at first, but this is one title that quickly wears thin. This game is plagued by a complete lack of variety; you just do the same thing over and over and call it fun. It's fun, but only for about fifteen minutes.
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