Pardon my ignorance, but surely tons of games have appeared on Partner Net before release. What makes Ikaruga special?

@Digitalguardian (GOD DAMN EWOKS!):

Ikaruga was amazing, that's what makes it special.

LOL... @Ashcraft: Aren't you guys under embargo/nda about things on partner net? Not that I mind as I gobble up the info with greed in my eyes :)

@Digitalguardian (GOD DAMN EWOKS!): ...it's Ikaruga?

I wouldn't mind that being the free game due to XBL debacle.

It's the sheer awesomeness of Ikaruga. I snagged a copy of it a few months ago for GC to play on my Wii, but I'm very happy that XBLA will allow many more people to enjoy the game.

whats the difference between 16:9 and 16:10? I lack this kind of knowledge :'(

@Trowble: I like the way you think. Or Castle Crashers. When will that game come out already?

@Digitalguardian (GOD DAMN EWOKS!): Not to mention you don't have partner net... that's why it's amazing. Think of it as confirmation/ early warning system. Show some gratitude :)

I've already got it for Gamecube, picked it up for $10 Mint. :D

@okenny :):
I don't have Partner Net! How can I be under NDA? :P

Wait a minute! STOP THE PRESSES!!! 16:10 is 1920x1200 on HD display... I didn't even know that resolution was available! Are you shitting me Bashcraft?!!!

@Brian Ashcraft: Tell your mole I said thank you then :)

I feel so greedy...they give me some manic shooter I never heard of so I ask for Ikaruga. Now they give me Ikaruga and I'm asking for Radiant Silvergun.

Including a 16:10 resolution is a little random. But if dev's have finally started to hear the cries of widescreen monitor users then that's great, because MS certainly hasn't given a fudge about them.

@Brian Ashcraft: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

you Scamp you

Maybe Ikaruga being available to a wider audience will cut down on how overrated it is? Nah... probably not. But I guess Gradius V isn't coming and neither are any Cave shooters, so I'll be quiet now.

So it supports a number of widescreen resolutions. Groovy. What about tate modes for people who monitors that can rotate? This is important.

16:10 resolution is for those who can use Tate mode. You basically turn your TV on its side.

I think the only other games that naturally support 16:10 are from the Beatmania IIDX series.

@suntorytime:

So true, while running 1080p with fill on the 24" 1920x1200 16x10 looks amazing, it would be nice to have it native.

The 16:10 could also mean a 1680x1050 resolution, not necessarily 1920x1200! But would also make no sense due to it being less than the 1080p marketing.

@EggmaniMN:

Well, my Dell swivels to the vertical mode, so I would LOVE to play this game 1920x1200 with it vertical!

*wishes*

@shindokie: 16:9 is generally the ratio of the width of a video to its height. 16:9 widescreen is the most common format used for movies on DVD, despite that true movie screen ratio is something far different (I worked at a movie theatre for three years, I've seen plenty of movie screens =P). 16:10, however, is most often used for widescreen computer monitors, for some reason. It has just a slight bit more vertical viewing area than 16:9. It's taller, if you will =P

@okenny :):

That may be one resolution available for 16:10, but as with 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios, the resolution will obviously scale acording to the ratio.

That is why we have aspect ratios and dont just say the resolution, since there are many resolutions that are 16:10. And 16:9. And 4:3. etc...

What is really annoying me at the minute is that after getting a widescreen hdtv, and watching hd content on it, I find that the bloody films are letter-boxed. WHY? No doubt in a couple of years we will end up being told we need to buy the new Extra-WideScreen TV (tm).

@Digitalguardian (GOD DAMN EWOKS!): Ikaruga was a game that got released twice on two different consoles (Dreamcast and Gamecube) that got ignored both times. It's generally one of the few shmups in recent memory, and also one of the damn hardest games of the decade.

I'll be selling my GC version once this one drops.

Is there any other way of playing this apart from GC or XBL?

Now release Radiant Silvergun and I will truly be happy.

DAMN YOU 360 AND YOUR IKARUGA!!!.... I have to go back to playing it on my dc now :(.

Ikaruga is a serious mindfuck, and an enjoyable one at that... play it enough and the connection between your mind and your fingers will operate so quickly that you won't recognize your own actions.

Love this game, many a 4 AM college morning was wasted playing this co-op with roommates.

@DarrenIndeed: LOL.. you seem understand enough about the matter to know that's not something they would advertise :) That like the Wii calling its GH3 sound output "enhanced stereo".

@Morpork: Dreamcast?

@Morpork: Dreamcast, but your going to pay out the nose for it.

Ya I figured, thanks guys.

@Sixtail: Unless he can download a 50Mb file and burn it onto a cd ;)

@Morpork:

Flash version of the first level: [kotaku.com]

Hopefully the XBLA version will also have the option of turning the game side ways. I have a VGA cable for my dreamcast and a LCD computer monitor that rotates to a vertical oriention so Ikaruga is displayed full screen in the correct aspect ratio, arcade cabinet style.

Also, Video of a guy playing both player 1&2 (one hand on each controller) on Chapter 5...amazing:
[www.youtube.com]

@Sixtail: Sell it to me! ME!

@Carac: The flash version is the boss of the first level, and they only render 1/5 the density of projectiles he shoots at you, since an arcade accurate Ikaruga flash game would cripple most computer do to the sheer number of things on the screen.

Ack...jealous this is going to XBL... come to PSN...with online support??? So I can relive my Dreamcast days with others :) Loved this game, get this if you like 2D shooters.

@TheCleaningGuy: If you got Paypal and MSN, ICQ, Yahoo or a e-mail, let's talk there.
I'll likely use what I make from it's sale to buy MS points anyway.

@Cow_Shed: Yeah, because this game will be just fantastic with lag.

No thanks.

Need this game NAU!111111

Woaaaah 16:10 widescreen? I hope they start doing this for more games =D. Or maybe I should scrape together some cash and get a HDTV. >_>

@blackadvent: Ikaruga was also popular because it both happened to be one of the best shooters of its day, and saw actual, attainable US release. It arguably wasn't the best shmup, but it was unique, insanely difficult, and just...within...grasp. Also, Treasure is known for putting out barely attainable, unique, and legendary games. So each game they release tends to immediately inherit that legacy.

I'll be happy when the live arcade version comes out, though I don't know if I'll put in the raw time required to get unlimited credits again (8 hours, I believe). At least with a live release people can try it for themselves.

@shindokie:
People, 16:10 widescreen is simply the aspect ratio of most widescreen computer monitors. 16:9 is the ratio used for HDTV. Example: My screen right now is 1680x1050, which is 16:10, but a 1080p HDTV runs at 1920x1080 which is 16:9. The closest PC monitor to that resolution is a 1920x1200 which is 16:10. Get it?

@AzureDrag0n1: I second that! I was such a fool for not picking Radiant up when I had the chance for my Saturn. At least I picked up Ikaruga for my Dreamcast...

@EnigmaNemesis: Unfortunately, the Dell monitors swivel the "wrong" way (for Ikaruga on the GameCube with my 2405FPW, anyway). It's a pretty easy physical mod to remove the offending stopper, though ;)

At whatever resolution the bosses shoot to many bullets :P

@Brian Ashcraft:

"In the following days, Microsoft has been reminding developers and journalists that they are in breach of NDA by sharing information about content available on PartnerNet, and has been asking websites to remove lists of games in development discovered on PartnerNet."

As far as I can tell, Microsoft is still against the disclosure of Partnernet information.

That being said. I played me some HD Ikaruga today at work ;)

@sugardeath: @Blah8:

yeah i understand. thank you.

@DarrenIndeed: Some movies are filmed in a wider ratio, that's all. Unless they create a TV that can actually morph its physical shape and size, those letterboxes will always be there. Or I'm sure maybe someone will release an "extra" widescreen TV that letterboxes the sides of the screen for normal movies...

@Carac:

To this day, I was always amazed by that video!

@EnigmaNemesis: You say that like you're not anymore.

@moobaa:

Or maybe the game is programmed the wrong way, since the desktop and web pages flick the proper way... /wink

I am sure they will have this in mind, and probably do since they are making that aspect ratio... why else would they knowing full well most of those monitors in the upper quality swivel, which is perfect for the game!!!!