Treasure’s game development history is really something. Most of its games have really nailed it out of the park, including Radiant Silvergun, Gunster Heroes, Guardian Heroes and Gradius V. But there’s something special about Ikaruga, its challenging “shmup,” that really stands out.
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The game started its run in arcades before being ported to the Sega Dreamcast, but it found most of its success on the GameCube and Xbox 360 (via digital download) here in the States. Now Nicalis has made the smart decision to reintroduce it to audiences on the Nintendo Switch, with a few small changes to make it feel more complete than ever. And despite its ages, this is a shooter that still never gets old.
In the game, you’re guiding a ship through a number of challenging scenarios, with enemies shooting at you from every direction. But you have a slight advantage — the ability to switch between two polarities. That means you can go from white to black (or dark brown-ish, more like) with a press of the button.
This actually serves a benefit to gameplay. Enemies fire at you in two different colors. If your ship is the same color as the bullets and/or lasers, you can absorb that energy and turn it around into more concentrated blasts. But if the opposite color hits you, there’s an explosion. So it offers a twist on the conventional shooter that’s still incredible after all these years.
Difficult Or Easy — It’s Actually Your Choice
Though the game has only five levels to it, Ikaruga is, by default, a difficult game. You’ll need to watch out for bosses that rain gunfire down on you; levels that pretty much pour fire out like flamethrowers; and enemies that, again, will stop at nothing to shoot you down. Each level is different than the last, and even more challenging as you go along. But that’s Treasure design for you — making sure it gets every last ounce of your skill set.
Ikaruga plays wonderfully on the Switch. The controls are ultra-responsive no matter which control method you use, be it JoyCons or Pro Controller; and the ability to play in “vertical” mode with the Switch screen is awesome, as you can play the game as originally intended. (Going “horizontal” forces you to look at wallpaper on the sides of the screen, along with tracking your Achievements.)
If the game’s too hard, you can change around the options more to your advantage. Unfortunately, you’ll get shut out of the high score leaderboards as a result. So you’ll need to decide what’s more important — going for the gold or just getting to the finish line. Either way, though, you’ll be satisfied by what comes towards you. There’s also an easier mode where you can change what type of bullets are fired at you, if you prefer.
Those preferring an even greater task can take on Prototype mode, in which you take on the same level of enemies but with less bullets. I’m not sure what kind of twisted masochist this mode was built for. Hey, good luck anyway.
A Bullet Hell Party You Shouldn’t Miss
The game also supports local co-op and is a blast with two players. Things might get confusing in more hectic levels, but there’s no question there’s fun to be had here. The only downside is that there’s no online option. But local is more fun anyway, especially for a game like this that requires communication with boss enemies.
As for the presentation, Ikaruga hasn’t changed much over the years. But it doesn’t need to. The graphics are still spellbinding, with beautiful 3D renders, sharp boss designs and great background details. It looks even better in vertical mode, as the whole screen is filled up and the wallpaper is done away with. The soundtrack is also quite riveting, though I still kind of prefer Radiant Silvergun‘s. But only by a smidge.
Should you pick up Ikaruga? Well, it really depends if you’re a “shmup” fan or not. Casual players may be thrown off by the game unless they take the easy way out. That said, die-hard fans of previous versions or the “shmup” genre in general shouldn’t miss it. It’s a splendid port that comes together wonderfully with a number of extra options, for rookies and newcomers alike.
It’s just hard to believe that a shooter just under two decades old can still find new life on the Nintendo Switch. I heartily recommend it to all those that can’t get enough of “bullet hell.” And to newcomers, this is a good welcome into the genre. Just don’t enter Prototype Mode yet…
WWG’s Score: 4.5/5
Disclaimer: A review code was provided by the publisher.
