Nicalis and Treasure have announced a release date for the Switch port of Ikaruga. The companies revealed the game will release via Nintendo eShop on May 29 for $14.99.
Originally released in arcades back in 2001, Ikaruga has been ported over to several systems in years past including the Sega Dreamcast, PC, GameCube, and Xbox 360.
You can view an overview of the game down below:
About
Shoot! Dodge! and… Get Hit!?! Ikaruga is a “cult classic” vertical shoot ’em up that features unique, polarity-switching gameplay. The game’s story follows a rebel pilot named Shinra, as he battles an enemy nation using a specially-designed fighter called the Ikaruga, which can switch between two polarities: black or white. This polarity mechanic is the game’s key feature and the foundation for its stage and enemy design.
All enemies and bullets in the game are either black or white. Bullets which are the same color as can be absorbed by the player’s ship, while the opposite color will do damage. As the amount of absorbed bullets increases, so does the player’s homing laser attack. When maxed out, this special attack can be up to 10x more powerful than a standard shot. Attacks can be chained together to earn bonuses that will achieve higher scores. Ikaruga on Nintendo Switch features both single-player and a two-player (local) cooperative modes.
Key Features
- Players pilot their sleek Ikaruga fighter and face off against enemy ships, while they maneuver to avoid obstacles and other dangers.
- Switching the polarity of the ship between black and white will let pilots absorb bullets of the same color, while opposite colored bullets do damage.
- As bullets become absorbed, the player’s homing laser attack becomes up to10x more powerful than a standard shot.
- Spectacular 3D graphics showcase this vertically scrolling shoot ‘em up cult classic.
- Five stages feature elegant, yet tactical, level design and include challenging boss battles.
- Two game modes include Arcade and Prototype, with support for single player and two player cooperative modes.
- Vertical screen mode support allows for the game to play like a side-scrolling shooter!
