Ikaruga Reviews
Overall, Ikaruga remains a treasure in the shoot 'em up genre due to its tight gameplay, challenge, and overall design.
Ikaruga is a classic shoot 'em up in every sense of the word and I'm happy to say that it holds up beautifully after over 15 years.
Overall, Ikaruga is a great shooter but not quite what I was expecting. The length of the game combined with the difficulty may deter most people but the game is customizable enough to be fun for anyone. The game even features a couple 2-player options so you can invite a friend along for the ride. If you're a fan of shooter games, Ikaruga is definitely worth checking out. From the combo system, to the light/dark switching, it offers some unique gameplay elements even for genre veterans. Just be ready for a healthy challenge!
Ikaruga is great—everyone should play it unless you're fundamentally opposed to the genre. It can be frustrating but I found that I got a little farther almost every run. Maybe someday I'll even try to get through Arcade Mode with the default settings (on Easy) so that I can actually post a high score!
Ikaruga is a classic, but it’s not a game for everyone. It confidently dwells in its genre and is designed to cater to a specific audience. It won’t alter the perception of those who aren’t thrilled about shoot-em-ups, and neither is it meant to.
There's almost as high a degree of memorization to Ikaruga as skill as you can only improvise your way through challenges like this so much. True success will only come from having familiarity with where to go, what to do, and then almost a degree of muscle memory to help you perform ballet between bullets flying everywhere. If you've been looking for a game that's somewhat light on total content but that compensates with a demand for approaching perfection Ikaruga is as tough as they come. But, if you were hoping for something a bit more light and fun you can absolutely pass, this is a game that revels in its brutality.
Ikaruga has a reputation that is known well enough in the shoot'em up genre: its gameplay mechanic and difficulty level helped it build its name and now, Nintendo Switch players have the chance to enjoy this classic. While it does not add anything new to the original, Ikaruga on the Nintendo Switch expands the game's audience further and allows players on the new Nintendo console to get their hands on this merciless work, which might prove too frustrating for those not used to this level of challenge.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review