Nicalis announced the return of Ikaruga, the legendary and critically acclaimed vertical shooter from renowned Japanese game developer Treasure. Nicalis and Treasure have joined forces to introduce this groundbreaking piece of video game history to modern players in the updated version for Nintendo Switch.
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 energy polarities (black or white) at the touch of a button. Bullets that are the same color as Shinra’s ship can be absorbed, while the opposite color will do damage. This polarity-switching mechanic is the game’s core feature and the foundation for its stage and enemy design, as all of the enemies and bullets that players encounter will appear as either black or white.
Throughout the gameplay, as the amount of absorbed bullets increases, so does the player’s homing laser attack. When maxed out, this special attack can be ten times more powerful than a standard shot and all attacks can be chained together to earn bonuses that will achieve higher scores.
Ikaruga on Nintendo Switch features both single-player and two-player (local) cooperative modes, as well as global leaderboards that can be accessed online for tracking high scores. Ikaruga can be played in the traditional horizontal mode on Nintendo Switch, or flipped vertically for arcade-style “TATE” mode action.
“I’ve always thought that Ikaruga is one of the most perfect vertical shooters of all time, and I know that a lot of shooter fans agree,” said Nicalis president Tyrone Rodriguez. “The fanboy in me is honored that Nicalis can work with Mr. Maegawa and Treasure in bringing this legendary game to Nintendo Switch.”
Ikaruga for Nintendo Switch is rated “E10+” by the ESRB and will be available digitally on May 29, 2018 for $14.99 MSRP.