They really should have an included an option in the video settings and called it "Ignorant American" for all I care, rotate the goddamn field of play and the status information, and automatically rebind your analog stick to account for the change. Keep It Simple Stupid!

The problem is, you can rotate the screen but if you can't rotate your display along with it you can't read any of the information, and there is no way to rebind your analog stick. While I give them kudos for providing a lot of options for the placement of the on screen elements, there is no way to rotate them in the same way as the rendered view.

Unless you want to play without any way to read your status info and with the 360 controller rotated 90' in your hand you are pretty much screwed. Unacceptable.

Sorry, I don't have a 42" HDTV so I can play this game at 1/3rd the available resolution with static artwork flanking the cropped view. I don't care if the "ship" isn't "moving" vertically, the perception of "scrolling" is completely illusory based on shifting background patterns, so you'd have to be not only a really snobbish designer to lock users into one option but you'd have to be pretty stupid too.

This is XBLA, made for easy quick gaming of all your favorite old and new titles. If the game is too "hardcore" for the platform don't port it, simple as that.

appidydafoo

DaiMacculate

DaiMacculate

DaiMacculate

PsycheDiver

Ah, yes. I remember a time when these games were simply called "shooters". Then all of the sudden "first person shooters" became known as "shooters".

thelken

So basically because they added features 10 years after the game came out to a port on a console, your upset?

Thats likely the dumbest thing ive heard this year. Ive been a fan of ikaruga myself for years(although never to your extent it seems) and im looking forward to playing it in this form. I look at it as a differant version of the same game. Will it be better? likely, could it be worse, defintately a possibilty. Since I never liked putting a CRT on its side(too much work for somthing that has so little impact. If your eyes cant adjust youve got a few problems that are not game related) I find that feature to be meaningless. That aside, every version has essentially had that feature in it, thus it would be a shame for those who do use it to have it removed.

As for it being in HD, thats an improvement no matter how you look at it. More pixels is always better, its not even debatable. I love sprite games as much as the next, probably even more so, but ill be damned if Ill play a 480i version of a game over a 720p/1080p given everything else being the same.

On the topic of live coop, while you might deem it unneccessary, that doesnt make it bad. Its an additional feature, thus you never have to use it. For the rest of us in this world, adding something with no impact to the others can only be good. Who cares if it was "meant" to be a certian type of game. Giving me a feature to play the game outside of its "intended" style can only be positive, even if its terrible.(which ill be honest, given the nature of this game, is likely)

In the end, I do agree that ikaruga is great, I just disagree that this version will b elesser than the others. Infact, I feel that this one will likely be the best version out thers, even more so than the arcade original.

RuneX

excel_excel

I would have preferred that they redesign it or something- like the way they updated Pac-Man to Pac-Man Championship Edition. Arcade games were not designed with 16:9 in mind, so you gotta keep them updated. When this was first announced as a rumor (in the first Kotaku article I ever read), they said that there was nothing but a loading screen so I figured it was RS3 since early shots of Ikaruga had "Project RS2" written all over them. I still think that would have been a better idea. Even if people don't have the time/money/space for a cabinet (really hadn't thought of that when I made my argument), anyone with a CRT screen can simply turn it on its side to get the best damn Ikaruga experience you can have short of spending a dollar a credit. It's funny, because people with the big ass HD screens and surround sound systems are usually the ones who want quality visceral experiences in their games, but with Ikaruga you're sacrificing a lot of that.

I suppose the X-Box does come with RCA cables as well, so it could be possible that they'll add the option to play on its side, but generally SDTVs are not the preferred method of X-Box display. I realized I needed an HD after playing Dead Rising. It wasn't so much the fact that I simply wanted to be able to read the text in that one game, but more because I realized that games were now being designed around a certain level of technology that I hadn't taken advantage of. I've never regretted my purchase since I feel much closer to the intended visual effect of any game in my current-gen library. Ikaruga, on the other hand, was designed around a very specific visual presentation (not to mention one that has a direct correlation to the gameplay) that technology has grown out of.

Finally, even if they do add the option to turn your screen sideways, there is really no reason why Live coop is necessary. The great thing about Ikaruga is that easy, medium, hard, and co-op all affect the way you play, and different patterns and strategies must be adopted for each mode. As a result, a co-op game of Ikaruga is probably the hardest of all, because it requires precise timing and execution from both players simultaneously. If one player is weaker than another, you adapt to take over chains that they can't handle. It requires a lot of teamwork and practice. Hopping onto a game on X-Box Live with any idiot for a few rounds before you log off and never see them again isn't gonna get anybody anywhere in the game.

Now look at me. I came here to say "Ok, maybe I'm just a crazy fanboy" and ended up in a rant detailing the injustices of putting this game on the 360. Like I said, it's great that people will be playing it, but what worries me is that this version will gimp the experience a bit. You'll still be able to play the same Ikaruga, but never TRUE Ikaruga, and that's the ultimate injustice.

Of course I'm gonna buy it though. It's Ikaruga. =P

NeoStarr

This version should be the nicest version yet as it has a few lil improvements, pretty graphics and online co-op which is just drool-worthy

Flibble

sinister6000

GranzonTotoro

more workout for my arcade stick!!!

icepick314

Not hating, all respect to you (don't you have an RS cabinet, or am I thinking of someone else?), I just don't think most people will be bothered by those potential issues ;)

DaiMacculate

I still call them shooters. FPSs can't have the name dammit.

Billkwando

StevenRafael

Cactuar

Petezah

XbhaskarX

Zamzoph

Purchased.

Tepoz

Time to go buy me a big bag of drugs.

Komrade_Kayce

D00mM4r1n3

Thank you for taking a stand Mark, however marginal it may be. I'm fine with shoot'em up, shooter (horizontal/vertical/space). It's just find that newer term rather off putting.

Parsifal

Ikaruga on XBox 360 is BAAAAAD news. The game was perfect on GC when you could play it in it's proper 3:4 aspect ratio by turning your TV on it's side. In HD, you'll use maybe a quarter of the screen to actually play the game, and turning 16:9 Ikaruga on it's side stretches the graphics and makes it look all crappy. Ikaruga cabinets ftw. And online co-op? How many serious Ikaruga players will want to jump online to play with some n00b who keeps breaking their chains cause they don't know the patterns? Co-op takes dedication and a strong relationship with your partner and just isn't possible over X-Box Live. Seriously, this feels like a demo of what the GameCube version is capable of.

NeoStarr

VC on Wii is down right horrible compared to XBLA. Whether your a Microsoft fan or not...it's pretty obvious who has the better online support.

failbit

Anyway, I'll be dropping $10 bux to get this day one.

WasabiJoe

Would rather use "shmup" than shoot-em-up after watching that god-awful train wreck of a movie (so glad I didn't pay to see it.) I think it's best to just stick with "shooter".

ElMuerte

Kyle81

I don't want you to read that wrong. It fucks you hardcore, but it rules. RULES! Buy it or you'll never know what its like to have a sharp stick in the ass! And enjoy it!

2NinjasTapedTogether

mquest

iao_

iao_

DaiMacculate

So yes, I agree its a crappy term, and I hope it can be extinguished at some point, the way things are going 2008 should be a banner year for vertical and horizontal shooters, now might be the perfect time to fight against terminology we all can't stand ;)

DaiMacculate

You're my hero Mark. I want to claw my eyes out whenever I see someone use that term.

Yet I do like the idea of shoot 'em up aficionados being called shmuppets.

skullivan

NinjaBurg3r

darthmole12

dead_red_eyes

I'd really like to try both; it should provide an interesting twist on some of my favorite shooter genre gameplay.

This is a definite purchase ASAP for me.

Arttemis

Though I'm not actually a huge fan of the genre, so I don't know if I'll get this, it's good to see it arrive for those who are into such things.

Mister Adequate

psychobaka

I love Ikaruga on Gamecube (sadly don't have it on DC) but to play it in HD makes me so jealous...

DreamcastRIP

winston441984

K-Squad! (Badass Edition)

It's actually pretty easy. Just go to Amazon Used & New and add Cash money. Mix and you get Ikaruga.

Getting Ikaruga at less than it's original MSRP is difficult, though.

Part of me wants an X360 for stuff like this but with the failure rate is just so bad. I wonder how it plays on there. HD + a real joystick (the Hori model) would make for an interesting combo so maybe someday ...

battra92

Shandy706

WarlockSoL

So it's not just me that thinks that term is retarded?

WarlockSoL

K-Squad! (Badass Edition)

PopSchiller

Either way. I'm pumped for this. The $10 price tag is reasonable and the achievements may add some new challenges and goals.

Diet-Orange-Soda

Stormrider

Though I must admit that online leaderboards and coop are very cool.

Homard

Rebelphoenix83

This is required gaming.

Edge of Blade

Wapanese

Shin_Ein

I Spit On Your Comments

Gray665

I used to be afraid of XBL downloading but Shivering Ilse was the drug that pushed me past that fear and I haven't looked back since. Do it... it's like jumping into a cold pool :)

okenny :)

Nabbing it first day.

Ashurahori

Gossy

Hopefully it'll have an option to change the screen orientation and I can lie down on my side to play...

...yeah, I'm cool...

Northernsky

Kinburn

jayntampa

I know, this game is @#$@$ HARD.

exkon

ADAM

Witzbold

Pezdispenser

Len Bias Cocaine Surplus

Kickinstuff13

A_Zombie

Tetelestia

Good job I didn't buy it, eh?

Puzzle

tuffymcfukelbee

I'll probably try the demo and see what it about. I'm still just waiting on Bionic Commando.

enewtabie

Cucco

Kickinstuff13

Dresarius

entropyblues

edb87