The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
This thread has been linked to the game 'Ikaruga'.
Got this today, felt like doing a mini review.
This game really is a touch of genius. You probably know it's a classic 2D scrolling shoot 'em up, and that instead of having the usual selection of power-ups, you can switch between being white or black. And I must say that it's probably the best decision made in a game for years.The enemy ships are either white or black, and depending on what polarity you are affects what happens:
Same polarity:
Their shots can't hurt you.
You absorb their fire with the bulliet eater technique, which powers up your homing missiles.
When you destroy them they fire 4/5 shots at you.
Different polarity:
Their shots will destroy you.
You inflict double damage on them.
You earn double points for destroying them.
When you destroy them they don't fire any shots (unless you're playing on Hard)
But what makes it so great is that there are advantages to both ways. If you change to the same polarity as them you will be safer, and you can power up your lethal homing cluster missiles attack, but then again you can destroy them quicker and get a higher score by being brave and making yourself vulberable.
Also you can build up your chain combos and earn huge amounts of points by destroying 3+ ships of the same polarity. Naturally, you will be faced with ships and fire of each polarity at the same time for most of the game. The strategy element therefore is remarkable, and getting anywhere will require quick thinking and quicker reflexes. Another thing that struck me was that unlike the Monkeys Balls games, it has never once left me feeling frustrated, and I've never felt like the game was being unfair or irritating at anytime.
The graphics are pretty much what you'd expect, at some points I thought it could have done with some improved back grounds, but then when you think of the amount of ships and bulliets on the screen at one time, it's acceptable. Besides, if you actually want to be half good at you won't have time to admire the background anyway.
There's a few game modes, the normal story mode, trial mode (which is just the first 2 chapters, with unlimited lives for the first chapter), practice mode (choose a level to practice), Conquest; where you can choose a stage of a level and work on your technique, you can choose the difficulty and also if you want to play in slow motion for refinement. And of course, there's the 2 player co-op which I havne't tried yet.
There are also 4 modes you can unlock (I don't know what they are yet). They require things like beating Trial Mode on normal with one credit (continue), and beating the story on normal with one credit (which would only take...say..a year). But they can also be unlocked in a SSBM way, the first of the four will be unlocked after 5 hours of play time, the second 10 hours and then 15 and 20 hours for the others.
Lastly, there is a challenge mode, with is the story mode on normal, you are given one credit and you have to get the highest score possible. You will also get given a code, which I'm guessing is your score in some form of encryption; you can enter it on the website to enter your score in the world rankings. The top 5 for each category win a prize when it ends (July 31st).
Summary:
+ Classic retro action
+ Quick thinking
+ On the fly strategy
+ Hours and hours of game play
+ Extremely addictive
+ Very challenging
+ Enter world rankings
+ 2 Player co-op
- Slow down when a boss explodes, although it doesn't really matter because it's the end of the chapter.
- Doesn't give you cash for a high score.
- ..er..that's it.
And one final thing. I've spent ages playing it today, and I made it into the world rankings! Yep, for a whole glorious 15 minutes I was ranked as the 100th best player in the world at Ikaruga. I've been knocked off now, but I took a screenshot as a memento:
www.geocities.com/whitestripes15/ikaruga.JPG
This game really is a touch of genius. You probably know it's a classic 2D scrolling shoot 'em up, and that instead of having the usual selection of power-ups, you can switch between being white or black. And I must say that it's probably the best decision made in a game for years.The enemy ships are either white or black, and depending on what polarity you are affects what happens:
Same polarity:
Their shots can't hurt you.
You absorb their fire with the bulliet eater technique, which powers up your homing missiles.
When you destroy them they fire 4/5 shots at you.
Different polarity:
Their shots will destroy you.
You inflict double damage on them.
You earn double points for destroying them.
When you destroy them they don't fire any shots (unless you're playing on Hard)
But what makes it so great is that there are advantages to both ways. If you change to the same polarity as them you will be safer, and you can power up your lethal homing cluster missiles attack, but then again you can destroy them quicker and get a higher score by being brave and making yourself vulberable.
Also you can build up your chain combos and earn huge amounts of points by destroying 3+ ships of the same polarity. Naturally, you will be faced with ships and fire of each polarity at the same time for most of the game. The strategy element therefore is remarkable, and getting anywhere will require quick thinking and quicker reflexes. Another thing that struck me was that unlike the Monkeys Balls games, it has never once left me feeling frustrated, and I've never felt like the game was being unfair or irritating at anytime.
The graphics are pretty much what you'd expect, at some points I thought it could have done with some improved back grounds, but then when you think of the amount of ships and bulliets on the screen at one time, it's acceptable. Besides, if you actually want to be half good at you won't have time to admire the background anyway.
There's a few game modes, the normal story mode, trial mode (which is just the first 2 chapters, with unlimited lives for the first chapter), practice mode (choose a level to practice), Conquest; where you can choose a stage of a level and work on your technique, you can choose the difficulty and also if you want to play in slow motion for refinement. And of course, there's the 2 player co-op which I havne't tried yet.
There are also 4 modes you can unlock (I don't know what they are yet). They require things like beating Trial Mode on normal with one credit (continue), and beating the story on normal with one credit (which would only take...say..a year). But they can also be unlocked in a SSBM way, the first of the four will be unlocked after 5 hours of play time, the second 10 hours and then 15 and 20 hours for the others.
Lastly, there is a challenge mode, with is the story mode on normal, you are given one credit and you have to get the highest score possible. You will also get given a code, which I'm guessing is your score in some form of encryption; you can enter it on the website to enter your score in the world rankings. The top 5 for each category win a prize when it ends (July 31st).
Summary:
+ Classic retro action
+ Quick thinking
+ On the fly strategy
+ Hours and hours of game play
+ Extremely addictive
+ Very challenging
+ Enter world rankings
+ 2 Player co-op
- Slow down when a boss explodes, although it doesn't really matter because it's the end of the chapter.
- Doesn't give you cash for a high score.
- ..er..that's it.
And one final thing. I've spent ages playing it today, and I made it into the world rankings! Yep, for a whole glorious 15 minutes I was ranked as the 100th best player in the world at Ikaruga. I've been knocked off now, but I took a screenshot as a memento:
www.geocities.com/whitestripes15/ikaruga.JPG
Page:
Whitestripes DX wrote:
> I've won three times, but I since I got my shiny shiny Q:
>
> www.geocities.com/whitestripes15/theQ.jpg
>
>
>
> It doesn't interest me 'cause I buy NTSC games and I don't want PAL
> ones.
Where do you buy your games (if you don't mind me asking)
> I've won three times, but I since I got my shiny shiny Q:
>
> www.geocities.com/whitestripes15/theQ.jpg
>
>
>
> It doesn't interest me 'cause I buy NTSC games and I don't want PAL
> ones.
Where do you buy your games (if you don't mind me asking)
Whoa! It's even shinier than I could of ever imagined! That 'cube rocks, and just to rub it in, you place a copy of Pokémon Ruby in there aswell!
Import games tend to cost alot more, so do you only pick up the cream of the crop, or do you live in a Mansion...
Import games tend to cost alot more, so do you only pick up the cream of the crop, or do you live in a Mansion...
can't believe Ikaruga won't be out here until 23rd, wish I had bought it on import all those weeks ago now :(
Monkey_With_Attitude wrote:
> The Q Master...*does a Q shape with his fingers* (however that works)
Change it to a lower case "q" its easier to pull off.
> The Q Master...*does a Q shape with his fingers* (however that works)
Change it to a lower case "q" its easier to pull off.
The Q Master...*does a Q shape with his fingers* (however that works)
I've won three times, but I since I got my shiny shiny Q:
www.geocities.com/whitestripes15/theQ.jpg
It doesn't interest me 'cause I buy NTSC games and I don't want PAL ones.
www.geocities.com/whitestripes15/theQ.jpg
It doesn't interest me 'cause I buy NTSC games and I don't want PAL ones.
Whitestripes DX wrote:
> There is actually a proper place for reveiws, if you go to the product
> in question and click on 'your reveiws'.
Yeah, I just found it, after others helped... cheers!
> Also one reveiw submitted each day is chosen as a winner, and you can
> choose any game up to £50 as a prize.
Sounds extremely good. Have you won before?
> However you're only allowed a 3000 character limit, which is why I put
> my reveiws in here.
Ah right, good idea. Is there no limit at all on the forums?
3000 characters sounds reasonable, I may have a stab at it.
> There is actually a proper place for reveiws, if you go to the product
> in question and click on 'your reveiws'.
Yeah, I just found it, after others helped... cheers!
> Also one reveiw submitted each day is chosen as a winner, and you can
> choose any game up to £50 as a prize.
Sounds extremely good. Have you won before?
> However you're only allowed a 3000 character limit, which is why I put
> my reveiws in here.
Ah right, good idea. Is there no limit at all on the forums?
3000 characters sounds reasonable, I may have a stab at it.
cookie monster wrote:
> go to www.ukreviews.com, submit your review there and you might win a
> free game.
Ah, I'm just looking around it now. Free game? I bet that's difficult? I was going to write a review for Monkey Ball or something... I'll eventually navigate myself around this site.
> go to www.ukreviews.com, submit your review there and you might win a
> free game.
Ah, I'm just looking around it now. Free game? I bet that's difficult? I was going to write a review for Monkey Ball or something... I'll eventually navigate myself around this site.
There is actually a proper place for reveiws, if you go to the product in question and click on 'your reveiws'.
Also one reveiw submitted each day is chosen as a winner, and you can choose any game up to £50 as a prize.
However you're only allowed a 3000 character limit, which is why I put my reveiws in here.
Also one reveiw submitted each day is chosen as a winner, and you can choose any game up to £50 as a prize.
However you're only allowed a 3000 character limit, which is why I put my reveiws in here.
There is a review section of the site, if you're good you win free stuff. Like The Wind Waker, cheers SR.
Page: