For those who haven’t heard of Ikaruga, it’s a vertical shooter with a unique twist to it - the polarity system. Your ship can be either positive or negative polarity. Your shots are also positive and negative - the polarity of your shots is proportionate to the polarity of your ship. Enemies, and their shots, also have polarity.
Match the polarity of a bullet fired toward you, and you can absorb the shot instead of it killing you. Obviously, this is important to survival, because this is a “one shot death” game… but what’s more, is that absorbing a shot charges up your special weapon.
Match the polarity of your shot to the targetted enemy, and you do normal damage. Invert it, and you do double damage. Obviously, this is risky, since you are now vulnerable to whatever that enemy is shooting. But it can pay-off in terms of score, or getting a large enemy out of your face sooner.
Notes:
-Z for shoot, X for switch polarity, V for special attack
-Polarity can be switched instantly, but there is a delay before you can start shooting again.
-Glitch alert: if you don’t see any bullets, try reloading the game and trying again.
-Polarity applies to your homing attack. Switch to opposite for maximum damage.
-The hit-box on your ship is very small, so don’t be afraid to “bullet scrape” in the opposite polarity.
-The full game is for the Dreamcast and Gamecube.
Treasure have brought out many other great games that are worth checking out. Back when I had my Saturn my two favourite games were Radiant Silvergun and Guardian Heroes… both by Treasure.
Radiant Silvergun, holy crap… that game hard. Not for the claustrophobic (not that Ikaruga is much better ). Pretty fun game, but the music is awful. (If anyone cares, I can explain Radiant Silvergun’s system, which is vaguely similar to Ikaruga.)
Are you a Cave fan too by any chance? I wouldn’t call myself one, but I know what I like.
No, but I know of Atlus. I completed Princess Crown despite not understanding a word of it! Really beautiful game, 2D just rules.
Actually while I’m here… I’ve got a question for you. I’ve been out of the gaming scene since the Dreamcast died (never owned a Sony or Microsoft console). I’m thinking of getting back into it and because of my preference for 2D I’m thinking along the lines of a handheld system (never owned one before). At the moment I’m not sure whether to go for the DS or whether to stick with the GBA. I’m not sure there’s anything in the current lineup that really jumps out at me like Guardian Heroes did and quite a lot seem to be 3D. Don’t get me wrong, I like 3D done properly (Jet Set Radio on the DC!) but not in general.
So… the question is do you think the DS is worth the extra cash?
From that info, I’d say no. At least not while the price is high. There are a few excellent titles, and Wi-Fi is finally making multiplayer nintendo games possible. Advance Wars can single-handedly sell the system for you if you’re into it. But there isn’t much else for you unless you specifically want that, and Metroid Prime Hunters, Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney, the upcoming Pokemon Diamond and Pearl (if it doesn’t have Wi-Fi… I swear…), or that cool puzzle game who’s name escapes me.
The DS can play GBA titles… with an adapter… but not classic GB titles
Y’know what, I was thinking along those exact lines today at work. Feeling like it can sell it like Guardian Heroes sold the Saturn. This despite the fact I know very little about Advance Wars! I’ve seen screenshots and I can only wonder how great the stylus system would be in a turn-based (blessed be!) strategy game. One of my favourite games of ALL TIME is a turn based strategy game (Chaos: the Battle of Wizards. If you’re from outside the UK you probably won’t have heard of this, it’s a cult thing here).
But for now I’m going to buy this really cool thing that’s out here in the uk, kinda similar in a way to what that flash Ikaruga has done.
The console looks like a tiny little megadrive/genesis and it plugs into any tv and comes with two pads that I wouldnt object to using for a game of Street Fighter (dragon punches would probably come out alright). You turn it on and get a choice of three games: Sensible Soccer, Cannon Fodder and Megalomania.
All three of the games are by Sensible Software and use their trademark overhead graphics with tiny little 2D sprites. They arent quite Japanese-style SD and have a very unique look (it was also used in Sensible Golf).
Megalomania is an average ‘Sim-God’ type game but has some amusing speech samples (think along the lines of Warcraft’s “the ORks are apprOOAching, sire!”). Cannon Fodder is a step up and a minor classic.
But Sensible Soccer is what sells this “system” single handedly. Classic games can do that. But why is Advance Wars having this effect on me despite my never having played it?
(maybe Nintendo’s excellent marketing has had an effect too. Choosing to throw it’s weight into british comedy (which is booming right now) it really hits the target audience. If only Sega had learnt how to get it right)
Anyway I’ve got a Sensible Soccer tournament round my pals house on Easter Sunday (we’ve all bought these little megadrives to train on) so I’m pretty hyped on the gaming thing right now.
It’s part of Nintendo’s plan to take over the world - their sattelites are broadcasting waves that give an uncontrollable urge to play Advance Wars. Once you’ve played it, you’re hooked, and there’ll be no hope for you!
However, the Advance Wars series has two games out for the GBA, which can be gotten cheaply. So you don’t need to get a DS right away… but you’ll probably want it eventually, for the new content. And because of the satellites
I’ve been playing the heck out of that demo. After many many tries, I’ve managed to get an S rank with 714140 points, 66 seconds, no deaths. I watched a replay of someone playing on the real game on the DC, and they killed the boss in 73 seconds . I do exactly what they do, but the health just drops way faster on the DC… maybe that’s an alteration for the flash demo.
). Pretty fun game, but the music is 
. I do exactly what they do, but the health just drops way faster on the DC… maybe that’s an alteration for the flash demo.