It’s A Good Week To Buy Ikaruga

Despite being such a failure at scrolling shooters, I love this genre. I love the thrill of entering "shooter zen", only to realize I can't keep a chain past 5 or beat the second boss (and automatically die on level 3. Always.) Name a shooter, any shooter, and I will fail at it.
Ikaruga is hard. I fail at this game. If I could wipe my lousy score off the face of the earth and replace it with a bad-ass 1-coin clear, I do it in a heart beat. But I can't.

Reality sets in, and my meager improvement is told only by my successive failures and slow crawl past levels. I am crushed on "easy" mode, yes, but I'd have it no other way.

Treasure, in its brilliance, not only gives players pretty graphics and shineee lasers, but... Each and every boss beaten gives you a GIGANTIC, FRAME-RATE SLOWING EXPLOSION OF GOODNESS. And I think the controller rumbles like mad, too. It is a feeling of success, which can only be brutally ruined by the sheer difficulty of the next level.

But I don't give up, end neither should you. PEW, PEW, PEW! And no, I don't have a DreamCast. I'm still (mentally) punishing myself over not getting one way back when, too. (Thank god I might still be able to find one for cheap out there... But the games? That's another story... @_@)

@Malfunktion v2: I feel like I'm being rewarded for picking up this game a year and a half later.

To each his own.

@Malfunktion v2:

psst let me let you in on a little secret

games are more expensive when they first come out, as opposed to later

you're pissed about having paid more for it when it first came out?

Go look up the going price of the gamecube version right now. Or the Dreamcast. And imagine those prices before your XBLA version came out.

Suck it.

@ThisCharmingMan: Haha, I feel your pain - I don't think I ever finished the DC version!

Mister_Bump

Oh Dear Lord how Ikaruga is hard... xD

@(Zombie) Goldwings: Online play and leaderboards...if that isn't in the GC version.

@Poojipoo: Nah not really. Ikaruga's challenge is different than other Bullet Hell's. It could be said Ikaruga isn't really a bullet hell when you compare it to something like Touhou. The challenge of the games are just very different. Going from Touhou to Ikaruga, Ikaruga was still very challenging...and Touhou is also an equally monstrous game. However, your reaction time will improve in general, so it'll definitely help.

I have this on GameCube, but will definitely pick it up on XBLA for the HD, achievements, leaderboard, and all the other nice bonuses.

LeepNasty

@Brain.wav: Just be careful, it's only "half" a bullet hell shooter. You'll need to spend time absorbing shots as well as avoiding them.

dbc

i wish i still had live gold right now. oh well. i'll live. i still have it on Dreamcast.

@KesMonkey: There's an Xbox 360 Community Game in development called Duality which I believe is the first shooter to offer eight ships at a time, two per player. I think that's a great concept, but I'm not sure I can split my focus like that.

@MSUHitman:
Well the XBLA version has achievments, and the whole game is in HD. Not to mention online co-op and leaderboards. I've never played the GC version, but I'm sure that this would seem a lot better.

@Malfunktion v2: So basically what you're saying is that you think you're special and you think that when you want to buy something, companies should give you a special price break. Good luck with that.

This game makes me feel like a complete failure. Purchase with caution...

@KesMonkey:

my beau beat the game, and i was impressed; this is just mindboggling, and reminds me of my initial reaction to Ikaruga.

i wonder what other activities he engages in, hobbies or careerwise, i mean -- the ability to control both ships seems like it'd translate well to playing an instrument.

birdtongue

This is such a great game. I have some pirated version for the Dreamcast, then downloaded it the day it came out for XBLA. It's definitely worth the $5.

@Malfunktion v2: So you have a vision where things start out cheap and then get more and more expensive throughout time as the demand drops. As bewildering as that sounds I do hope you open a store because I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy shopping there.

crim

What a coincidence, I was looking to buy a new arcade game this week and Ikaruga kept coming up on my short list of games to check out. I've had 600 points sitting on my account since Christmas, so this settles it for me. Ikaruga will be purchased tonight.

I was going to get Ikaruga, but never got around to it, so this is great news. I'll get a 1600 point card this week, get Ikaruga, and save the remaining 1200 points for Marvel VS. Capcom 2, then.

twinturbo2

Man, I bought "N+" as the DotW last week, and that's hard enough. I don't need "Ikaruga" too- I might jump out of a window.

So what are the pros/cons of this version compared to the Gamecube version? Also does someone know how much the Gamecube version is still worth?

Just wondering if it's worth it to ditch the GC version and get the XBLA version and make a bit of money off the GC version. Thanks in advance.

OK, I need to bite the bullets and get this game already.

I'm still waiting for the price to drop down for the gamecube version, once I can find a copy ... :'(

I hope this also goes for Europeans. The link Major Nelson posted just sent me to the regular priced 800 points version. :|
Must check on XBLA later.

Thanks for the tip, I was gonna buy this game yesterday but couldn't get to a game store for an MS points card.

I hate how this didnt happen months ago when I bought it, was kinda meh, I bought it because I loved the first boss's OST.

@Phydeaux: To me, this isn't the kind of game that doesn't need to regenerate interest. Its been voted time and time again one of the greatest SMUP games of all time. This is also a game that's not 1.5 years old. It made its original debut in 2001, and I personally already own a copy on the Cube.

This is the kind of game that should have been cheaper early on because the people most likely to have bought it have already owned it before.

@Malfunktion v2: You get to play the game for one and a half years while us cheap bastards have to wait for an indefinite period of time until the price drops to a price we want to pay.

How are you being punished? You're not. It's called a trade off. You pay more but get to play it on release date. Us cheapos pay less but have to wait. You don't see US complaining that we're being punished for wanting to pay less, because we have the option of getting it sooner if we pay more. You too have that option.

RockyRan

1 guy playing a 2 player game of Ikaruga by himself. You will never be this good.

KesMonkey

@Kobun: Is Philadelphia in the South? I forget.

winshape

@TheWP listens to Yukkuris; Takes it easy: Ikaruga is a Treasure shmup, so it's kind of different. It's certainly danmaku in many cases, but not quite to the level of a Cave or Touhou. The whole concept of Ikaruga is that there are two kinds of bullets on the screen as opposed to one. It's a unique gameplay mechanic, and the danmaku elements keep the game intense. I highly, highly recommend it, not only as a Treasure fanboy but as a general gamer as well.

Every week is a good week to buy Ikaruga. The game rawks. :)

@ShaggE wants to join the Egg Council.: It is definitely a must-buy...without this game I wouldn't have discovered Cave's games. And yes, I suck at these, but it is such a pure adrenaline rush...especially when the scoring system starts to sink in.

@ShaggE wants to join the Egg Council.: The nice thing about Ikaruga is, if you get at least half-way decent at this one, all other shooters are child's play.

@Malfunktion v2: I'm going to agree with everybody who posts in reply to you...

@Malfunktion v2: hear hear! I *really* hate that we early adopters gets totally screwed over and over again for everything.

and don't get me started about PRICE DROPS on the AppStore. O-M-G. it's to the point where I just wait a few months for everything to get cheaper (paying 9.99 for something and seeing it drop to 0.99 a couple of months later really blows).

I'm sure I'm not the only one starting to think like that.

Can't possibly be good for sales, now can it?

belsunce

@Malfunktion v2: Ooooor you could look at it as "I payed a 400 point premium to play the game one-and-a-half years earlier than other people." In all likelihood you've gotten your monies worth by now.

Giggers

This is a ridiculously awesome bargain, considering the fact that a physical copy of the game is extremely rare ( and expensive ). I've gotten an insane amount of playtime out of this title, both on my GC and XBLA. Is it frustrating? Certainly...but Ikaruga is a very satisfying and addictive experience. A great "gateway drug" for the insanity that is the Danmaku shmup. I recommend it without reservation.

Showing 800 points for me.

az060693

@ShaggE wants to join the Egg Council.: I'm with you on this one, shmups and beat em ups are two of my favourite genres, and I am horrible at both. And at 400 points it is a bargain.

@Guitarzan2k5 - Bad puns are my business, and...: Absolutely. This game is a pain in the ass. I'm actually glad that in all the hours I tried passing level one or not shooting anything that I was able to not gather any gamerscore so that I could delete any record of having played it.

I hate this game more than Yaris, for what it's worth.

@gold163 (° д° ): I just found a GC copy and it was $40 so I know your pain. Had to travel about an hour and half to get it too.

@Malfunktion v2: agree with malfunktion, unlike other game price drops which mostly happen for games nobody wants in the console world (eg. if you're Halo or Modern Warfare it's years later) it's punishing to see everything I bought drop by HALF. It only makes me think "do I REALLY *need* this?" before buying CURRENT titles.

The fix would be to make more efforts to offer NEWER titles at reduced prices. What would have happened if Ikaruga launched at just 33% off as a DOTW? I probably would have bought a copy.

MrFatalistic

anyone with a dreamcast laughs and/or scoffs at this....

asdf4321

@Malfunktion v2:

You got to play the game early... You would also probably feel "punished" for waiting the price to go down before getting the game.

@gold163 (° д° ): I don't know what you're complaining about. I bought the game on GC a long time ago without and problems :D

@Malfunktion v2: el oh el wut?

Punished because you've gotten 1.5 years of play time out of a game?

Welcome to the reality of economy and LAGS, I guess?

You bold your "one and a half" years statement when it's the very thing that invalidates your whine. I'd be annoyed if MS did a price drop on something a month after it comes out. 1.5 years, and then running a temporary sale where it's going to go back to the regular price is an acceptable way to generate interest in the title again.

As far as your concerned, damned if they do, damned if they don't.

@ShaggE wants to join the Egg Council.: This one will kick your ass harder than almost any other, but it unlocks free play after seven total hours of gameplay (it will accumulate via autosave), which will allow unlimited lives. If you can get to that point and see the whole game, it's worth it as this is a really an awesome game. The music, gameplay, sound, and artwork all flow together so well in this game.

Black and white has never been quite as complicated as it is in Ikaruga

Someone needs to do some reading on Resident Evil 5 or spend some time in the south. :p

Five dollars for the game is a steal. Well, for everyone but Gamerscore whores. I'll never sniff completion, but it's nice to live vicariously through others thanks to the downloadable replays.

I just bought it, and I'm fairly good at bullet hell...but man do I suck at Ikaruga...

MorbidToaster

I thought it was blue and red?

@SmilingPolitely: Exactly.

Finally! A reason to use that 48 hour trial card I've been holding onto!

Another Bullet Hell shooter for cheap? Sign me up!
Poor Excellica's going to be ignored for a while again.

@Malfunktion v2:
Yea...no. This is how retail works. Its more of an issue that XBLA/DLC rarely drops in price outside of these weekly deals over time.

@GunFlame:
ew nm. Thinking of the wrong name.

@gold163 (° д° ): Try Goozex, it's at 550 points, but if you've got a couple of older games to trade that shouldn't be hard to hit.

Now just bring us Guardian Heroes Treasure :D

Well, I'm convinced. I love bullet hell shooters, but I suck horribly at them. At five bucks, I won't feel bad when my copy collects virtual dust after two plays. (Small Arms, I'm looking at you...)

@(Zombie) Goldwings: I know, I sacrificed helpfulness for a bad joke. Sorry, mate. AncientUnknown is right, though. No HDTV support and the standard problems with discs.

Guitarzan2k5 - Bad puns are my business, and business is good!

@Malfunktion v2:

Stuff gets cheaper over time? I know it's annoying to see something get discounted after you've bought it but ... you know ... that's how it works, for everything, ever.

drag

I love this game even though I suck at it.

But I must say, almost every single XBLA game I've bought has either become free or gets cut in price. What the fuck.

njd09

Grr I bought this a few weeks back

@gold163 (° д° ): I hear ya.

Wish some of those XBLA titles would come to PSN or something, this game looks awesome, as do many of its others.

...I want to play Braid :(

@gold163 (° д° ): Have you looked online? Amazon is selling it for $20 at the lowest :D

@Malfunktion v2:

It's not like it's a strange trend for a game to drop in price over time. So, you suggest they cut the price of the game at the point in time it's supposed to sell the most. Doesn't make a lick of sense.

Obviously you liked the game enough to buy it when it first came out. You had that year and a half to play it. There's your five dollars worth.

CaptLtrl

@Malfunktion v2: I don't see how this is different from boxed retail software, which also drops in price at a precipitous pace.

Maybe I should hook up my 360 again.... This is more than tempting.

@Malfunktion v2: How is it any different from buying a game in a store on release day? If you wait a few months, the game will be dirt cheap.

Highwinter

@Guitarzan2k5 - finding obvious points are my business: obviously I was talking about content, but thanks for the heads up.

It's always a good week to burn a copy for your Dreamcast.

I keed! I love & support Treasure. Bangai-o go!

Is it any good? It looks cool but who has it and likes it? Im poor now and need to keep my points when I have them.

@mrgregs: Wait, Ikaruga defines, as in it was the first, or its just a paragon of danmaku?

I never paid much attention outside Touhou, though I got to play Death Smiles at the anime store in Rochester.

Also, as a complete aside, with the ability to edit, I could change my first post to refer to a different genre than danmaku.

"I'm guessing this is more turn-based RPG than regular shooter" -> "This game defines that genre"

@ithyphallus of his own will recommends Kotaco!...: They charge for that? I must have got them on clearance sale. They were giving them away!

AncientUnknown1

And once again I feel like I'm being punished for buying a game on its release date. Download titles should really have specials to give people incentive to buy the game early and not one-and-a-half years late.

This game has already cost me 50 bucks...From the controller I broke playing the demo.

@Guitarzan2k5 - Bad puns are my business, and...: And low-res, and it's gone if the disc is damaged whereas I can always redownload.

AncientUnknown1

Tempting... but just bought BF1943 and BlazBlue... Do I really need another game so soon!? D:

Damn my addiction..

GODDAMMIT WHY IS THE GC VERSION SO STUPIDLY RARE.

It's the only version I can play. :(

Man, XBLA sounds like such a blessing.

@ithyphallus of his own will recommends Kotaco!...: (same experience)

@ithyphallus of his own will recommends Kotaco!...: Are you contracting? I will gladly kick your balls in for $5!

Guitarzan2k5 - Bad puns are my business, and business is good!

Don't got an xbox so I will have to make do with what the PC offers.

Wahrheit

@(Zombie) Goldwings: Yeah. About $45.

Guitarzan2k5 - Bad puns are my business, and business is good!

for the same amount of money i can get my balls kicked in

I got the Gamecube version of it for $50 way back, so this kind of put me down :(
Oh well for me anyway
hard copy > virtual copy
So is there any difference between the LIVE one and the GC one?

@TheWP listens to Yukkuris; Takes it easy: This game defines that genre. You can absorb the color you are currently so some areas of the game have only bullets to be seen.

mrgregs

This is one of those games I can't even beat on easy mode. To add further insult, it's only like 5 levels long.

AncientUnknown1

BAH!!!!!!! My DC version is still collecting dust.

Black_STAR

Awesome. That five dollar savings will help buy the blood pressure medicine this game will invariably necessitate. Still, it looks fun in that blood boiling, old-school sort of way.

Guitarzan2k5 - Bad puns are my business, and business is good!

I highly recommend this game to anyone who loves old school, and doesn't mind dieing a lot. This is the only game which I am not sad at all when I die, I am proud I made it that far.

mrgregs

This might be stupid of me to ask, but going from the screenshot, I'm guessing this is more danmaku than regular shooter?

@ThisCharmingMan: Keep at it, it's not as ruthless as it comes off at first. It demands a lot of practice, but if you're playing it for a few hours every day it shouldn't take you that much longer to get a 1cc than... I dunno... Fallout 3.

@Karlott: I know. Same here. A friend of mine can play Street Fighter on an arcade stick, using only one hand, and blindfolded. Honestly. And, he can kick my ass playing that way too. He holds the stick with the little finger of his left hand, and reaches across to the buttons with his thumb. How does he know what I'm doing if he's blindfolded? He listens for my clicking of the stick and the buttons. Mental. :D

KesMonkey

@Kobun: Sounds interesting. I assume you would control each ship with each analogue stick, and each trigger for fire. I can juggle, so I'm hoping those skills will translate. :)

KesMonkey

@KesMonkey: I don't even feel like I'm a gamer after watching that. My life has been a waste.

@kicking222: If you miss out on this Ikaruga sale, know that you can buy XBLA Ikaruga on eBay for $6 which isn't too much more.

I've still got it on the Gamecube. Probably the only game in my collection I've yet to finish.

Hi-Im-Asylum