Together Retro: Ikaruga

[mjmjr25]

Stage 3 boss about 15 runs in. Playing for score right now, at least on stage 1 and first part of stage 2, scoring and surviving after that are not for me yet. Would love the ALL, hoping I have enough time over the next month.

[Ivo]

I think I used to be able to get to level 4 on a credit, but I had serious, serious difficulty on the level 3 boss and also on level 4.

[graffix_13]

Bought this for my Gamecube last week and I played it for the first time a little bit last night (Practice Mode).

The hardest part is going to be switching polarity (which is the point, of course). My first instinct is to dodge all the bullets.

Looking forward to playing more of this. Much more.

[ExedExes]

Score update from the SOTM thread -

ChrisH2049 - 13,274,650 - Chapter 4 - Dreamcast
skate323k137 - 5,415,120 - Chapter 4 - Arcade
DocHauser - 4,835,600 - Chapter 3 - Dreamcast
ExedExes - 1,520,240 - Chapter 2 - Gamecube
mjmjr25 - 1,249,280 - Chapter 2 - PC
noiseredux - 627,790 - Chapter 2 - PC

If you have a score, post it here or over on the other thread!

[Duane Dibbley]

Ikaruga is one of my favorite shmups, and was the only one I owned until I rediscovered my love of the genre a few years ago. I have the GameCube version, which I got not too long after its release. Supposedly, Infogrames/Atari had an online high score website, but it was shut down by the time I tried it.

[ExedExes]

Supposedly, Infogrames/Atari had an online high score website, but it was shut down by the time I tried it.

Correct, the GC port had an online scoreboard at release in 2003, and you could play to get a code to submit there, but the site is long gone.

[TSTR]

Doing this thing on Steam, working on survival. At Chapter 2 so far; lots of work to do. At least my score is better than noise's right now, hehe.

[noiseredux]

Doing this thing on Steam, working on survival. At Chapter 2 so far; lots of work to do. At least my score is better than noise's right now, hehe.

where you at, son?

[ExedExes]

You know, someone made a good point (Noise?) about the game taking a no(i)sedive in the fun factor just because it expects you to play as perfectly as you can score-wise. It's fun for me so far to chain the 1st chapter, then go ahead and survive past the 2nd. I'd love to see Chapter 3 this month. I took on Radiant Silvergun the same way, except I did a little better score wise there.

[dunpeal2064]

I actually never saw how Ikaruga's scoring was any more "forced" or "strict" than something like Dodonpachi, Mushihimesama Futari, etc. The only difference is, Ikaruga is very clear about what it wants you to do. The game is still great going at your own pace, picking what sections you want to score in or feel comfortable doing so, picking what sections are too tough and need to just be plowed through, and slowly taking away survival and adding scoring as you get more familiar with parts of the game.

Even if you never hit max chain, you are getting more points for every group of 3 you are able to ad to your run. Its so customizable.

Can't wait to plop this in this weekend. :3