Ikaruga - where to get it?

[charlesr]

Hopefully this will make a good replay with opinions being varied. Anyway, we'll leave that for the discussion thread.

Where's this still available? I've got the DC version, but I think it's on GC and 360 too?

[honeymustard]

I see a lot of Gamecube copies on eBay. And it's on XBox Live Arcade I think.

I have a CD-R of it on Dreamcast which I play quite a bit. Just wish I could turn my monitor vertically!!

[Jurassic]

Yeah available on 360 Xbox Live (easily the cheapest option), Gamecube (All territories) and DC (Jp only). Read somewhere the PAL Gamecube conversion was poor? Not experienced it myself so maybe someone else can confirm. Can't beat the DC version with the arcade stick though!

Good choice as well for a Re: play was thinking about digging this out again, as like most shooters I really enjoy them but suck badly.

[Matt]

I think there was a scoring error in one of the import GC versions??

[Nu-Eclipse]

JB@XL was kind enough to sort me out with a mint-condition PAL GC copy of this. One of the all-time great shmups for me, and I'll be looking forward to playing this again over the next month.

I'm taking part in my first Re:Play Appreciate session!!

[paperghost]

never managed to get hold of a copy of this, but i refuse to pay the insane ebay prices for the dreamcast version. i've seen the GC version going cheap a few times so i might just pump for that instead...

[losersclub]

Xbox live arcade is the cheapest way to go, failing that the PAL cube version on ebay

[MattyD]

I seem to recall the problems with the PAL GC version being slowdown and a lack of 60hz option? XBLA version is the way to go if you ask me, it's only £7 and supports not only TATE modes but 16:10 for PC monitors as well.

[Jurassic]

That sounds right to me Matty from what I remember frames were removed from the PAL Cube version to try and compensate for the lack of 60hz, resulting in things being a little choppy at times. To be honest it doesn't sound like something you'd really notice unless you were a die hard fan and had already played it on the DC or 360.


If you haven't got this already (and if not, why not!) go for the Live Arcade version, looks lovely in HD.

[Pilotwings]

Someone has a pal cube copy for sale on rllmuk

[MattyD]

There's one thing I don't like about the XBLA version which I thought I should mention: the text translation in the other Western versions must be owned by Atari or whoever else published the US version as the text in the XBLA version has been completely redone... and clearly with a Japanese-English dictionary.

I realise it's a pretty small consideration for most people (especially given there's probably only five or six lines of text in the whole game) but the properly translated text does a beautiful job of developing the philosophical themes explored in the design and aesthetic.

[jamesy]

Yea the translations are horrible but for me they go full circle and seem pretty good as they are so poor.
I don't know about the US version but I'm pretty sure the PAL version didn't have any translations at all. All the text was just ripped out from what I remember.
I'll be joining this replay this time round. Gonna be battling hard again for that ever elusive 1 credit completion. (no chance)

[teddymeow]

I remember reading somewhere that the worlds best Ikaruga player said that the XBLA version was horrible and that certain bits had been changed so it played differently.

Don't know if that's true or not.

[danholo]

I have the US GC version. It's a great shmup and quite difficult too. Getting the choreography right demands quite a bit of hours which I'm not ready to spend. The music is wonderful as well, I would like to hear an actual live orchestral version of it. Would be splendid. I would definitely choose the XBL version since the graphics are quite impressive at HD, but since I don't have one, I'll try to give my GC version a spin.

[MattyD]

I remember reading somewhere that the worlds best Ikaruga player said that the XBLA version was horrible and that certain bits had been changed so it played differently.

Don't know if that's true or not.

He was just upset because the hundreds of hours he spent mastering the DC version suddenly meant nothing and, ZOMG, he had to LRN 2 PLAY PLZ all over again.

It's true that there are some minor differences but they are mostly tiny variations in enemy placement or bullet patterns and as such won't make a blind bit of difference unless you're the kind of person who can S-rank the game in your sleep.

In case anyone cares, here's a list I CTRL+Ved from the web (spoilered in case you dont!):

"

->Open Spoiler<-

*Chapter 3's miniboss has been mirrored - his laser patterns are the opposite way around to the old versions.

*The bonus balls after this miniboss have had their pattern changed to make it harder to chain them.

*The weakpoints on chapter 2's boss can now be damaged before the covers close, allowing you to get a couple of shots in before the timer starts.

* In chapter 4, the large ships moving across the screen right at the start now appear a fraction of a second earlier, making it harder to chain them all without missing one.

*The very large white ships before the boss on chapter 5 have had their hitboxes changed. They can now kill you as they fly towards you, meaning you can't hide in the 'sweet spot' any more.

* Your ship's movement speed is now analogue rather than digital, i.e. in previous versions it was either moving or not, but in this version your speed is proportional to how hard you press the stick.

*The charge and bullet counter reset at the beginning of each stage.

"