Ikaruga

This page is about the video game. For the town of the same name, see Ikaruga, Nara.

Ikaruga
Cover of Ikaruga, Dreamcast version
Developer(s)	Treasure, G.rev
Publisher(s)	JPN SEGA (Arcade) JPN ESP (DC) JPN NA EU Atari (GC)
Designer(s)	Hiroshi Iuchi Director, BG Graphic Design, Music Atsutomo Nakagawa Co-Director, Main Programmer Yasushi Suzuki Character, Object Design Satoshi Murata Sound Effect, BGM Data Edit Masato Maegawa Executive Producer
Platform(s)	Arcade, Dreamcast, GameCube, Xbox 360 (XBLA)
Release	JPN December 20, 2001 (Arcade) JPN September 5, 2002 (DC) JPN January 16, 2003 (GC) NA April 15, 2003 (GC) EU May 23, 2003 (GC)
Genre(s)	Vertical scrolling shooter, Manic shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, 2 player Co-op
Arcade system	Sega NAOMI

Ikaruga (斑鳩, lit. Japanese Grosbeak) is a vertically scrolling shooter video game developed by Treasure Co. Ltd. It was released in the arcades in 2001 on Sega's NAOMI system and subsequently ported to Dreamcast in Japan and then worldwide to the Nintendo GameCube. It is a spiritual sequel to Radiant Silvergun, and the introduction says it is "Project RS2" (usually interpreted as "Project Radiant Silvergun 2").

The gameplay consists of shooting enemies who come in one of two polarities: either black(red) or white(blue). The player's ship can be either polarity, and can be switched at will. This yin-yang gameplay mechanic was previously explored in another Treasure game for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation called Silhouette Mirage. Ikaruga was well received by critics, with scores averaging around 85%.

Gameplay

Ikaruga's gameplay centers primarily around the polarity mechanic. In most scrolling shooters, any enemy fire will damage or destroy your ship on contact, but in Ikaruga only bullets of an opposite polarity (i.e. a black bullet hitting a white ship and vice versa) can kill the player. Same-color bullets are instead absorbed and converted into energy for the game's special weapon, a homing laser that fires up to 12 blasts (if the energy meter is full). Switching the ship's polarity also changes the color of the player ship's bullets, and shooting an enemy using opposite-polarity bullets will cause double damage. Thus, much of the challenge of Ikaruga comes from careful polarity-switching, choosing between high damage and (relative) invulnerability. This is especially true when fighting bosses, as they often fire bullets of both colors in overlapping patterns. The game also presents navigational challenges where the player must maneuver through continual streams of weapons fire, using their shields to absorb one color while avoiding the others. The first kanji in the title (which is normally pronounced in its Japonic reading as /fu/ or /madara/, or its Sinitic reading as /han/) means spotted or variegated, which can be interpreted as a metaphoric reference to this polarity change.

Stage 2 boss fight; the use of the polarity system is evident

Adding an extra layer of gameplay, skillful players may also perform combination "chains" for points. A chain occurs when three enemies of the same polarity are destroyed consecutively. The more sets of three enemies that are dispatched in a row, the more points are acquired, eventually rewarding the player with an extra chance/life. This form of point scoring is similar to the one used in Radiant Silvergun, but in that game enemies are red, blue and yellow. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the entirely original "bullet eater" or "dot eater" strategy, wherein the player doesn't shoot down a single enemy, including bosses, which retreat after a set period (usually 100 seconds).

Despite the fact that only 4 individuals are responsible for its creation (an uncommonly small team at this point in game development), Ikaruga features full three-dimensional landscapes and a strong soundtrack. It also has a TATE mode - the ability to rotate the game's display by ninety degrees while the player's monitor rests on its left side (for full-screen arcade size). This same mode can be used without rotating the monitor by configuring the controls, in essence changing the game from a vertical scrolling shooter to a horizontal one. When the game is played with the display in a normal orientation (YOKO mode), the sides of the screen are blank because the game field itself is taller than it is wide. If it is turned on its side, it can take up the whole screen and still have the same aspect ratio An interesting feature of the arcade release (which is also included in the home formats) is the 'Trial Game' mode, where infinite lives are awarded for a single credit on the first level, but only the first two chapters of the game can be played, offering a good way to practice.

In addition, Ikaruga features a 2-player simultaneous mode (with player two piloting the Ginkei fighter plane), an in-depth slow-motion tutorial mode (with stage tutorials becoming accessible to players who reach them in the main game), and an in-game art gallery featuring character and mechanical designs by Yasushi Suzuki (who previously did designs for Treasure's Sin and Punishment for the Nintendo 64).

Plot

Several years ago in the small island nation of Horai, one of the most powerful men of the nation, Tenro Horai, discovered the Ubusunagami Okinokai—the Power of the Gods. This energy emanated from an object he dug up from deep underground and granted him unimaginable powers. Soon after, Tenro and his followers, who called themselves "The Divine Ones", began conquering nations one after another. "The Chosen People" carried out these conquests in "the name of peace".

Meanwhile, a freedom federation called Tenkaku emerged to challenge Horai. Using fighter planes called Hitekkai, they fought with the hope of freeing the world from the grips of the Horai - but all their efforts were in vain. They were no match for the Horai and were eventually almost completely wiped out. Miraculously, however, one young man survived. His name was Shinra.

Shot down near a remote village called Ikaruga, inhabited by elderly people who had been exiled by the Horai's conquests, Shinra was dragged from the wreckage and nursed back to health. Shinra regained his health and pledged to defeat the Horai, and the villagers entrusted him with a fighter plane that they had built themselves, called the Ikaruga.

The Ikaruga was no ordinary plane, designed by former engineering genius Amanai with the help of Kazamori and the village leaders. Hidden in a secret underground bunker and launched via the transportation device called the "Sword of Acala", it is the first fighter built that integrates both energy polarities, and is capable of successfully switching between the two.

Development and release

Ikaruga was developed by a four-man team in Treasure Co. Ltd led by lead game designer, BG graphic designer and music composer Hiroshi Iuchi. The game, when completely uncompressed, amounts to a mere 18MB.

Ikaruga was the first game for which the company (Treasure) released an official Speed Run video, the Ikaruga Appreciate DVD, before Konami released the Gradius V "Options" and "Perfect" DVDs. The print run for the Dreamcast version was a very limited 50,000 copies, distributed only in Japan. For this reason, the Dreamcast version is considered rare and fetches high prices on internet auctions.

An Xbox Live Arcade version was officially announced at Microsoft's Tokyo Game Show press conference. Details are scarce but include the entire original game in High Definition and multi-player and leaderboards over Xbox Live, and remotely.

Spiritual theme

Part of the much-appreciated artistry of the game is the subtle echoing of a spiritual theme, although many dismiss this idea. Like its predecessor, Radiant Silvergun, director Hiroshi Iuchi intended this work to carry a heavier meaning (though it is not as obvious in the plot). The chapter names of "Ideal", "Trial", "Faith", "Reality", and "Metempsychosis" suggest humanity's struggle towards Enlightenment, with the aura-enveloped Ikaruga craft symbolizing the human soul. References to Buddhism abound, such as the aforementioned "Sword of Acala" and "The Stone-like" (probably a mistranslation of The Immovable One). In enhancement of the theme of polarity are the pilots of the player craft: The Ikaruga piloted by Shinra, embodying Masculinity, and the Ginkei piloted by Kagari, embodying Femininity. See Yin-Yang for more details.

Reception and legacy

Although it garnered below average sales, Game Rankings places the average review score for Ikaruga at 85%. Metacritic gives the Gamecube version a metascore of 85 out of 100.

In its first week (2002/9/2–8), the Dreamcast version of Ikaruga debuted 5th on the Weekly Famitsu Magazine Top 30 selling about 18,596 units. The top game was Shin Sangoku Musou Moushouden "Dynasty Warriors" at 140,053 units that week. The following week it dropped off the chart. In its first week (2003/1/13–19), the Gamecube version of Ikaruga debuted at number 20. It sold about 6,916 units with the top game that week was Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire at 105,173 units. By the next week, it dropped off the chart.

The duality concept of Ikaruga lived on in a playable minigame called "Duality" in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

ScrewAttack voted Ikaruga the 2nd greatest 2D shooter of all time, while IGN voted it the 3rd greatest.

External links

• Ikaruga at MobyGames
• Template:GameFAQs
• Ikaruga at the Killer List of Videogames