Black and white has never been quite as complicated as it is in Ikaruga, the shooter that adds an interesting polarity mechanic to standard gameplay, with black and white bullets only affecting white and black ships respectively. The Dreamcast and Gamecube shooter got a lovely Xbox Live Arcade port last year, and now that port is available to Xbox Live Gold members for half off this week. 400 Microsoft points, or $5 in real money, is a ridiculously low price to pay for the hours of sweet frustration Ikaruga supplies.

Deal of the Week: Ikaruga [Major Nelson]

The results are as you'd expect. It's Pong, except there are Ikaruga ships in the middle of the screen to blow up, and the ball changes colour between black and white, forcing you to - like Ikaruga - change the colour of your paddle to survive.

There's even an authentic Ikaruga soundtrack and menu screen in there to keep things faithful. You can download and play the game from the link below if you're interested. Though why you wouldn't be interested is a mystery to us.

Pong-Karuga [Odd Man Out, via Dtoid]

"Why make a game so hard that only the most skilled and determined players can complete it?" asks Brophy-Warren, who then proves the appeal of just such a game. "What makes games such as Bangai-O [Spirits] appealing is that glimmer of joy a player gets from even the smallest achievements. (I only squeaked through the tutorial for Bangai-O, so even mastering the accuracy aspect of the game was an accomplishment for me.)"

The writer talks to Treasure, which developed Bangai-O Spirits, and Capcom's Hironobu Takeshita, and also Jesper Juul, a video game researcher at MIT. ""It's about the feeling of inadequacy," he says. "You get stuck somewhere and feel stupid." That can lead to a sense of triumph if one does eventually succeed."

Hard to Handle [The Wall Street Journal]

The XBLA version of Ikaruga is a horrible port.
This isn't Ikaruga, this is Ikaruga LOL.

Warning. The big list of love and hate is approaching at full throttle. No refuge.

Loved
Still Gorgeous Graphics - Ikaruga has the best visual design of any shooter ever. The limited color palette, in black, red, white and blue, is painted perfectly on earthy backdrops. Playing the game in high definition alone is worth the 800 Microsoft Points, even if you have the Dreamcast and GameCube ports
Soundtrack - Shooting game soundtracks are required by shmup law to feature dramatic, blood pumping anthems and Ikaruga does not disappoint. Its boss battle fanfare is classic stuff.
Punishing Difficulty - There's a certain joy to be had in beating your previous shooting performance until, ultimately, you can conquer the barrage of beams and bullets and clear the game's five chapters. After each failed attempt, you may find yourself giving it another go. And another. And another. It's hard, damn hard, but in a very satisfying way.
Options For Everyone - TATE mode lets those with rotating monitors play Ikaruga in its original, portrait aspect ratio. Replays let players save their best runs to the hard drive. Multiple difficulty options let the scrubs enjoy the later levels with continues that accrue with more play time.
Real Replayability, Real Depth - Simply beating the game isn't enough. Ikaruga's real challenge lies in racking up max combo chains—shoot groups of three of the same color consecutively without breaking the sequence—requiring memorization, strategy, twitch controls and genuine skill.

Hated
Online Lag - In a game that demands tight control and pixel accurate perception, a quarter of a second delay in response is unacceptable. System link and local two-player options perform fine, but it's hard to take Xbox Live matches seriously.
Dull achievements - A good portion are only for the hardest of the hardcore, but as a whole they're largely uninspired. Maybe I'm just bitter that I know I'll NEVER get an A on Chapter 4.

Over the past six years, I've logged a few hundred sessions with Ikaruga in its two console incarnations, but playing through it again in high(er) fidelity helped renew my appreciation for it. It also showed how rusty I'd become, requiring nearly a week of playtime to finish all five chapters.

Ikaruga is not for everyone, but it's arguably one of the best values to hit Xbox Live Arcade, considering how much many of us paid for the import Dreamcast version (or the Naomi one!). The appeal may be limited due to its niche genre and unforgiving difficulty, but even if you've never played a Treasure shooter before, you owe it to yourself to see what the fuss is about.

Ikaruga was developed by Treasure and release on April 9. Retails for 800 Microsoft Points ($10 USD). Available on Xbox Live Arcade. Completed single player mode on Normal difficulty and played six Xbox Live two-player games.

Maegawa says that they're looking into it, but that they already have two unannounced Wii games in development. Details are nonexistent other than the Treasure president teasing that "both games will have a lot of impact." Who wants to make some wagers?

So the question isn't should you play Ikaruga if you haven't. The question is, should you play Ikaruga on XBLA, or should you hunt down a Gamecube or Dreamcast version. Hit the jump for our Frankenreview to find out: it's Ikarugalicious.

Team Xbox
Time and again, the game has gotten high marks with critics as being one of the best looking 2D shooters on the market. ... now, making the jump to the 360, the game looks even better. In 720p HD, everything looks sharp, refined, and runs smooth as silk.

IGN
To truly excel at Ikaruga requires a mastery of the polarity system and a lot of practice...Casual gamers may find themselves overwhelmed and unable to scratch the surface of this classic. That would be a shame, though, as this is easily one of the best titles on the Live Arcade.

CVG
If you have an LCD TV you can flip that bad boy on its side and, in the options screen, flip the gameplay sideways so you get full-screen up-scrolling action (known in the shooter scene as TATE mode). That's how the purists play (and us).

Eurogamer
...whereas once dedicated players would need to import Japanese DVDs of the top players' score runs for tips and techniques, now you simply select their name on the scoreboard and sit back to watch their replay, awestruck. The option to save and upload all replays, combined with co-op play over Xbox Live, makes the definitive version of the game.

At $10, it's the price of two value meals. And cheeseburgers don't taste this good.

In addition, the highly regarded newb Poker Smash will be offering two expansions. The Environment Pack (with two new action mode environments) and the Puzzle Pack (with 15 new puzzles) will each be available for 100 points.

All in all, it's a nice week of updates on XBLA. For the full, gruesome details, hit the jump.

The Japanese arcade hit "Ikaruga" receives the full Xbox LIVE Arcade treatment and is poised to launch on the platform this Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (1:00 a.m. PDT).

"Ikaruga" is a fast-paced scrolling shooter with a twist - players must constantly switch their ship's polarity to maximize their damage output and avoid incoming enemy fire of the opposite polarity.

"Ikaruga" on Xbox LIVE Arcade features a two-player co-op mode both locally and over Xbox LIVE. Newcomers can also easily bring their skill up to speed by using the game's slow motion training mode.

"Ikaruga" is a perfect combination of beautiful, manga-style storytelling and challenging arcade heroics, all brought to life in a gorgeous HD environment.

Gamers itching to obtain a moment of "Ikaruga" glory will be wise to master the chaining system that detects when enemies of the same polarity are destroyed consecutively. Doing so will reward players with huge score bonuses, which will be key to topping "Ikaruga's" leaderboards.

The ability to relive a particularly harrowing battle is also possible thanks to the game's record and replay function, which is new to the Xbox LIVE Arcade version of the game.

From the Japanese developer Treasure, "Ikaruga" will be available worldwide for 800 Microsoft Points and is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB.

Independent developer Void Star Creations unveils two new downloadable content packs for their hit Xbox LIVE Arcade title, "Poker Smash" this Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. GMT (1:00 a.m. PDT). The new content includes two Action Mode Environments in the Environment Pack and an additional 15 Puzzles in the Puzzle Pack, giving "Poker Smash" players a total of 13 immersive environments and 70 mind bending puzzles. The "Poker Smash" Environment Pack and Puzzle Pack will each be available for 100 Microsoft Points.

Ikaruga [Xbox Japan via XBLAH]

But thanks to the newest issue of the Official Xbox Magazine (UK), we know that Ikaruga is already "Out Now." Obviously, it's not, but since it's from the April issue of the mag, we can certainly hope that it really, genuinely, totally is coming very, very soon. It didn't show up in a recent list of upcoming XBLA releases, but let's just hope MS is being coy.

OXM hints at imminent Ikaruga [Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Might want to turn down the volume on your computer as YouTube's sound quality is rather shrill. Hit the jump for her renditions of Takeshi no Chousenjou, Mega-Man 3 and Dynasty Warriors 3. Keep the comments clean. Or else.

Thanks, 108!

As for the gameplay, it's identical as Ikaruga's appearances on the Dreamcast and Gamecube. We were limited to single player only, so there were no opportunities to try the new online co-op mode. For those who aren't familiar with how the game plays, the vertical shooter uses a black and white polarity system. Your ship and its surrounding field can be switched at any point. While in black mode, your ship is vulnerable to white bullets and beams. Inversely, in white mode, you'll take damage from black bullets and beams. However, your ship, when firing in white mode, will do more damage to black enemies and vice versa. The challenge lies in managing your color to avoid being hit, whilst managing the effectiveness of your shot.

The demo version of the game ran smoothly at 60 frames per second and looked pixel perfect on the Xbox 360. There are no complaints in the graphics department, from what I saw. Due to the typical game show cacophony there was some difficulty judging the game's sound, but Ikaruga's satisfyingly beefy explosions resonated through the din.

Ultimately, Ikaruga is a fantastic game that should appeal to almost anyone who likes shooters. The Xbox Live Arcade version simply takes the successful formula and gives it a high-def polish. Based on the TGS demo, it's going to be yet another solid hardcore-friendly shmup.

In other news, Maegawa confirmed that the company's other newly announced title, Bangai-O Spirits for the Nintendo DS is not a straight remake of the Dreamcast/Nintendo 64 game. That game will be playable at TGS this week, so expect to read in-depth impressions, hopefully from yours truly.

More details, including a teaser on Radiant Silvergun for the 360, at the 1UP report.

Treasure Talks Ikaruga, Wii Title, and More [1UP]

Treasure already has two DS games under its belt, a pair of Bleach licensed fighters published by Sega, so they know the hardware. However, this one's under the publishing wing of ESP, responsible for some of Treasure's best shmups, including Radiant Silvergun, Bangai-O and Ikaruga. What could it be? Stay tuned! We'll let you know ASAP.

Treasure X ESP Nintendo DS Project [ESP via GamerCafe]

Treasure, the cult-fav developer behind Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun, is looking to start a "new action game." According to the company's site, Treasure is looking to hire a 3D CG programmer and designer. The homepage mentions there's an emphasis on originally for the new game. The company is also searching for a "motion leader," an effects designer, a character modeler, a background modeler and a scene designer. Hmm... Doesn't sound like they're making another shooter. Brandon Sheffield over at Insert Credit thinks it's a third person action game. I'm inclined to agree. Brian Ashcraft

Recruiting [Treasure via Insert Credit]

If you're the kind of gamer who likes to get your hands a little dirty, why not try out the simple, do-it-yourself region switching mod? It requires little more than a soldering iron, some wire and a CD-burner. I'm a bit late to the party on this one, but it's still worth mentioning if you're tired of disc swapping prior to sessions of Ikaruga or Shenmue II.

The process looks fairly straightforward, simple enough to warrant a back-up Dreamcast purchase and an hour of your time.

I'm off to find my rose-tinted glasses, play some Cosmic Smash and reminisce. Michael McWhertor

Convert the region of your Dreamcast! [Lyris Lite via Namako Team]

Dust off that box covered with Animal Crossing stickers, it's time to remember at the top ten games you loved (in my case) a year ago. But for all of you out there in Kotaku-land who already sold your box to buy something newer and shinier, this should make you reconsider picking one up at the next garage sale you crash.

I've already been inspired to find that infectious Mario Sunshine soundtrack. Kim Phu

Screw Attack's Gamecube Farewell [Gametrailers]