Ikaruga - level 5. My Everest.

[Geoff D]

I know some of you peeps are insanely good Ikaruga players - how do you cope with level 5? i'm struggling really badly & I'm not even thinking about chains, just trying to get through it.

I've not even made it to the boss, who I would imagine is some mutated hell-spawn if the rest of the level is anything to go by

[Magnakai]

I can't even get through level 4...
I get so confused.

[Crispin]

Yeah, level 3's boss takes the piss, and then you see level 4. And you're like

But I like the start of Level 2. Dodging and diving, weaving and firing.

[JU!]

Level 3 has me stoaked, i need to practice more. This is the only shump i own which may explain why im so crap Brilliant game tho can't wait to eventually conquer it

[rjpageuk]

Here are some tips:

(PM me if you want a video of this, I have plenty I can give you)

First set of enemies - as soon as the level starts move up about 1cm and sit there holding fire. As enemies start to fly towards you slowly (very slowly) edge downwards continously firing. YOu should kill every enemy, and not run out of screen before they stop coming.

If you only move up a little from your starting position you shouldnt get many appear under you. If they do, just edge slightly to one side and then back again to avoid it.

The next set of enemies, its just a case of avoiding the fire. With the white and then black rings - homing release on both of these, remembering to change colour between.

Next up is the rings. There is a very specific and easy way to avoid these, but it is a little hard to explain! Move right to the left of the screen around the middle while holding fire. Just as an enemy appears beneath you, homing release (killing it). Then edge down as each new circle appears. That should kill all those, chaining them nicely .

Next up, are the 3 white enemies - kill these quickly as black, and then kill the next 3 black enemies quickly as white.

Next up, move down the screen and homing release for the 3 whites at the top and 3 blacks at the bottom (you dont need to fire). This will kill the 3 blacks at the bottom quickly, and then the 3 whites at the top. If you are fast, they wont even have time to fire at all.

Now its the big white ships. The easiest way to survive these is just to stay as white and homing release as your bar gets full. Once they die, they spawn a cricle of smaller enemies, just homing release to kill these (alternatively if you are far enough away from the big ships when it dies, it is easy enough to shoot them).

Without sounding too patronizing here the level itself is a complete piece of piss compared to the bosses, I bet you are sorry to hear.

The second form of the boss still gives me nightmares many hours on!

[Magnakai]

Woah!


Thanks! That should help a LOT!

I guess, cause it's exactly the same each time you play, it's possible to make a "perfect route."

It's funny, I can get through the first two levels without losing a life, but after that...
ERK!

Getting through the beginning of stage 3 without dying is a challenge, fo sho.

And Crispin... that's EXACTLY how I felt. I was playing it at a friend's place, and he was kinda impressed, as he'd never seen a shooter being played "properly." Then I got to stage 4, and we both just stared at the screen for about a minute, and then burst into laughter as it filled to the brim with bullets.

[rjpageuk]

Woah!

Apologies for that. I dont get a chance to talk Ikaruga much on this board .

If anyone else has any questions they want answered in a 1000 word long post, let me know .

[venom743]

Just wondering. Do people use 'tate' mode whilst playing this game?

[rjpageuk]

I dont, I use horizonal 2 - mainly because I cant turn my widescreen TV on its side.

However I just got a VGA cable for my cube, so I always play TATE if playing on my TFT .

[Steev]

I'm crap at Ikaruga. Can't get half way into stage 3 and struggle with the level 2 boss

[Crispin]

I'm crap at Ikaruga. Can't get half way into stage 3 and struggle with the level 2 boss

Have you tried watching the demos in different viewing modes? They all have different methods (albeit inconsistent) ways of defeating the stages IIRC (it's been a while since I played, I hit the barrier a while back. HARD). But one even shows how to "dot-eat" (I think that is the phrase) stage 2, which I am currently trying to emulate.

But watch the demos in different modes. Helps a great deal. Well helps you realise how paltry your efforts are. Mind you, if they made a Pokemon Appreciate DVD, you can bet it would be Cris and not Wiz on it.

heheh, just kidding

[spagmasterswift]

This game is so good! I played last night for the first time in a while and the first level patterns stayed with me. I only managed 37 chain before stacking it though. ft:

Beyond level 2 things are just too manic, I'm always laughing too much at the insanity of the situation to avoid stuff or switch colours too soon.

[Moodmon]

[Cheap Mode]If you find it too difficult, repeat the first level over and over again in normal mode. The points accumulate (I think) and you'll eventually be swimming in continues, thus having no trouble with the rest of the game. Of course, you could always do it the proper way. You insano reaction people you. [/Cheap mode]

I have managed to get all the way to level four on one credit, but then I spontaneously explode with the skill required to finish that bitch. Level 5 is a cake walk compared to it.

[3rdnode]

Level 4 is my fave but the boss is seriously bitchin. My bit of obscure advice is to play it without any sound. Mabey play some other music in the background. It helps me concentrate better.

[rjpageuk]

I find the sound really important as I subconciously use the sound to judge my position etc.

The 4th level is definately the hardest to survive, especially during the satellite section (4-2), but the ch3 boss is probably the hardest to avoid death on.

As for chaining, chapter 3 is by far the hardest chapter to chain properly. In fact no one has ever chained the entire level properly as far as we know.