Whatever happened to arcades, anyway? Better yet, whatever happened to the vertical scrolling space shooters that used to be so abundant in those hallowed halls? Perhaps they were swallowed up by 3D or were beaten out by the home systems that ultimately became more powerful. In any case, “Ikaruga” attempts to right these wrongs with its own brand of top-down shooting. The game that reared its head on the now-forgotten Dreamcast as well as its own arcade console has respawned itself on the Gamecube.
“Ikaruga” combines stunning 3D graphics with an interesting 2D idea. It’s old school shooting just like you remember but with a twist: Enemies appear as either a bluish-white or a reddish-black, firing projectiles of the same color. Your ship and its lasers can also switch back and forth between these colors. If your ship is hit with the same color projectile, the energy is absorbed and can be used to launch a special attack. If you are hit with the opposite color, you lose one of your precious lives. So the task here is to switch back and forth between colors in addition to simply avoiding enemy fire.
Sound hard? It is. This is probably the hardest game I’ve played since Contra (without the 30 lives code, wimps), and only through practice will you have a prayer of completing its five missions. But even with a practice mode where you can play any segment of a level in slow motion, this try-and-die style of gaming quickly wears thin. I can’t help but speculate how an extra five missions and a smoother learning curve could have greatly improved the lasting appeal of this game.
Don’t get me wrong, the game can still be fun at times, and the satisfaction of finally beating a tough level is worthwhile, but the process of fighting through familiar territories only to know that you have no chance of defeating the next challenge is ultimately too frustrating.
It still has its high points, though. While a 2D environment doesn’t offer much room for groundbreaking graphics, everything on screen is still extraordinarily detailed. Ships come in various shapes and sizes, and their respective explosions and gunfire are well-suited. Beautiful 3D environments also pass by in the background, and your ship’s reactions to these backgrounds in an occasional cutscene helps to break the 2D monotony. While the music is decent at best, the sounds that accompany the action are rich and meaty, and really help to boost the experience.
“Ikaruga” is basically a game taken straight from the arcades, and while this is admirable, it does not satisfy the console owner in the end. Even though there are a few extra features like a mode that allows you to compare your score online via a password, they are all just small variations on the same five missions. If only the developers had created more levels and a smooth learning curve, if only they had kept the home gamer in mind instead of the guy with a roll full of quarters, they could have created a more memorable blast of nostalgia.
Rating: 2.5 Stars.