Ikaruga scores!

[Glockstar]

Post your Ikaruga scores here!

Why?

Because the website that they mentioned in the manual seems like it was only for a short lived competition. A competition is that over now, btw.

Are they going to resume the sites score keeping anytime soon? I don't know, but until they do...

http://www.ikaruga-atari.net/en/ranking.html
[To see the NetRankings click on this link... though you will to scroll down a bit, then click on "Results"]

Did you see those scores that were posted?!? Aye carumba! Yep, they've got me beat. LOL! But only by about... 30 million!

Though you may never beat the guys on the opposite side of the globe, maybe you can beat your fellow posters (?). C'mon now... show us what ya got! If not for competition's sake... then at least for yourself; here's a real chance for you to find out/prove that Ikaruga is one of your "A" games!

Alright then, I'll go first: 333,181

See, that wasn't so bad now was it?
Um... you're laughing, aren't you?

[Gadfly2317]

<div class=\"smallfont\">Post your Ikaruga scores here!

Though you may never beat the guys on the opposite side of the globe, maybe you can beat your fellow posters (?). C'mon now... show us what ya got! If not for competition's sake... then at least for yourself; here's a real chance for you to find out/prove that Ikaruga is one of your "A" games!

Alright then, I'll go first: 333,181

See, that wasn't so bad now was it?
Um... you're laughing, aren't you?</div>

You know, I've honestly never looked at the score; I've always been mostly concerned with the level I've gotten to (I've still never even beaten the fourth level.) I guess that's why I keep coming back for more punishment at the hands of this cruel, cruel game.

So were you playing with the default 3 ships, or did you change the setting to 5? I'll check and see what kind of scores I've got and post my best one, but I didn't want it to be uneven if you were playing with 3 ships (on a game this hard I don't mind admitting I set it to 5 ships.)

[Gadfly2317]

My score isn't much to brag about either. . . my best is 1,853,080; that was on Normal mode with 5 ships. It was actually better than my "easy mode" high score, probably because I didn't play that mode much before moving on to Normal Mode. I didn't find it easier, just different. I haven't played Hard Mode--I just haven't seen the point yet.

I think my score was higher not because I'm any better than you at staying alive in the barrage of bullets, but was from trying to see how many Max Chains I could get. That 1.8 mil score was achieved solely in the first two stages; I've gotten to stage 4 and scored less than 1.8 million;

that's one of the other cool aspects of the game, you can really play it differently depending on what you want to achieve. . .getting through more stages, or racking up bigger points.

[Cuddly Knife]

10,641,230

I got that score this past Friday. I wasn't playing the game that much anymore because I was deep into Eternal Darkness and its story. anyways, I had worked up fifteen hours of play to get the sound test, and then my memory of the game got corrupted and I had to start everything over again. I had nine hours logged into the game before I finally beat it on easy all the way through without using a continue. I'm so proud of myself, and I made sure to copy me a cassette of the soundtrack, that way I won't lose that excellent piece of music again!!

How many hours has anyone been playing? That also plays a factor in how good you do in scores.

[no.1gamer]

That's impressive Peanut Juice! My high score is just over 2,000,000.

BTW, to obtain your official high score you must play on Arcade mode, which starts you with 3 lives. That's the way the website kept track of the high scores during the competition.

[Glockstar]

<div class=\"smallfont\">So were you playing with the default 3 ships, or did you change the setting to 5? I'll check and see what kind of scores I've got and post my best one, but I didn't want it to be uneven if you were playing with 3 ships (on a game this hard I don't mind admitting I set it to 5 ships.)</div>

<div class=\"smallfont\">How many hours has anyone been playing? That also plays a factor in how good you do in scores.</div>

<div class=\"smallfont\">BTW, to obtain your official high score you must play on Arcade mode, which starts you with 3 lives. That's the way the website kept track of the high scores during the competition.</div>

No... you guys are right.
Right, right, right.

That said:
I was playing in Normal difficulty, with 5 ships.
I got my highest score in the 2nd chapter.
But I've only put got about 2.5 hours into this game so far.

[Cuddly Knife]

<div class=\"smallfont\">
BTW, to obtain your official high score you must play on Arcade mode, which starts you with 3 lives. That's the way the website kept track of the high scores during the competition.</div>
In that case, my high score on Arcade is <u>7,867,955</u> and I reached the fourth stage. It's all about memorizing the enemy patterns.
With five lives, I could beat it on Normal.

I beat my high score on easy the other day. <u>15,006,578</u>

BTW, for having no storyline in the game, it sure does tell a mean tale.

[no.1gamer]

Can someone please explain to me why I'm still addicted to this game?

I've logged in 9 hours, 16 minutes and 25 seconds. And my high score is only 1,713,250. I'm not sure why I thought I surpassed 2 million points. But I know I will soon, I just have to take out that d@mn level 2 boss! I'm not sure if I'll be able to match Peanut Juice's 7,867,955 though. Not in this lifetime anyway. I would probably have better luck programming some type of gaming robot that will play for me. I guess my reflexes aren't as sharp as yours or something. BTW how much time have you logged in Peanut Juice.

[Cuddly Knife]

It's all about patterns.
I had logged in about fifteen hours(to unlock the sound test, which is grand), and then my data got corrupted, so I started over again, and logged in about nine hours before I beat it without continuing. This last high score I got(fifteen mil), I had about 10 and 1/2 hours. So I'd guesstimate that I've logged in about a total of thirty hours, because there have been times that I didn't save my game after getting wupped on.
On NORMAL, I've only made it up to the second half of the fourth stage without having to use a continue.
***************LEVEL TWO BOSS SPOILERS****************
Don't read if you don't wanna know.
To beat the second boss, make sure your missiles are powered up, and go to the "black" side first. Open the spot up, and then as you're moving in, change your polarity and shoot your missiles before you get there. Continue to fire at the weak point with your shooter, and it'll be gone in no time. Then go to the "white" side and open up the weak point. As you are opening it, collect missile power and let loose when it's about halfway filled. switch polarities as the boss shoots bullets at you and keep firing the missiles, and he'll die real quick. You won't even have to get in the weak spot area because the missiles drop his ass quick.

[no.1gamer]

Well I'll use your strategy next time I play. Unfortunately, I let my girlfriend borrow my GCN so I won't be playing any Gamecube until next week. I guess I've got my PC to keep me busy. I just seem to have problems defeating him with only 3 lives and no continues. I usually loose a life before I even reach the end of the 2nd stage. Then he kills me 2 more times to finish me off. If I can just take his @$$ out I'll pass 2 million by a long shot. I'll let you know when this happens.

[Cuddly Knife]

<div class=\"smallfont\">Well I'll use your strategy next time I play. Unfortunately, I let my girlfriend borrow my GCN so I won't be playing any Gamecube until next week. I guess I've got my PC to keep me busy. I just seem to have problems defeating him with only 3 lives and no continues. I usually loose a life before I even reach the end of the 2nd stage. Then he kills me 2 more times to finish me off. If I can just take his @$$ out I'll pass 2 million by a long shot. I'll let you know when this happens.</div>
Please do.

The trick to getting 2,000,000 early on is to figure out the patterns of the enemies on level one. If you learn them good enough, you could score 2 mil by the middle of the second stage.

And you do know that you could go into conquest mode to see how it's supposed to be done, right? You have to reach the level first before you could see it, though.

If you haven't been able to beat it, you could play and play until the game gives you unlimited continues. That's how I beat it the first time, and then it got easier and easier. Unless of course, that you play nothing but ARCADE mode.

I also thought that it would be cool for the people that have beaten the game to post their boss times. Here's mine:
Stage 1 boss-74 seconds left
Stage 2 boss-78 secs left
stage 3 boss-55 secs left
stage 4 boss-76 secs left
and I forgot to get the final two boss times. D'oh!!!

[no.1gamer]

I actually have unlocked the "unlimited credits" option. I'm not sure how or when but if I play on "normal" mode I can keep going until the end of the game. However I usually do play on "arcade" mode just to see how well I can score.

I pretty much have the patterns of level 1 memorized and end up with over 1 million points (and all my lives) by the end of the stage. However I'm still trying to learn the patterns in level 2.

BTW, if you haven't tried it yet check out the 2-player co-op mode. It's fun finding strategies to the end-of-stage bosses. I suspect you could lower those boss times significantly. Especially if you find someone who knows what they're doing.

[Cuddly Knife]

<div class=\"smallfont\">
BTW, if you haven't tried it yet check out the 2-player co-op mode. It's fun finding strategies to the end-of-stage bosses. I suspect you could lower those boss times significantly. Especially if you find someone who knows what they're doing.</div>
Yeah, I've been itching to get it on with another person on Ikaruga, but I've yet to score me another controller, and everyone that I've let play the game can't hang. Just because they lose all their lives in the first thirty seconds, they think that the game is impossible, so they quit trying. Freakin losers!!!!! *sigh* All of my friends suck ass at gaming.

I'm currently trying to beat the game on easy with one credit using the BULLET EATER style, but damn, it's too intense. The final boss with the four heads is always my downfall.

[Glockstar]

<div class=\"smallfont\">It's all about patterns.
I had logged in about fifteen hours(to unlock the sound test, which is grand), and then my data got corrupted, so I started over again, and logged in about nine hours before I beat it without continuing. This last high score I got(fifteen mil), I had about 10 and 1/2 hours. So I'd guesstimate that I've logged in about a total of thirty hours, because there have been times that I didn't save my game after getting wupped on.
On NORMAL, I've only made it up to the second half of the fourth stage without having to use a continue.
</div>

Alright PJ, since you're the master, maybe you can help me...

I have become quite disenchanted with this game, and am about to give it up, and trade it in. Not because the game is too difficult - which it is btw :p - but because I just cannot figure it out.

I know you say it's "all about patterns", but I'm not even worried about that yet, as I can't even figure out which of the enemies bullets are harmful, and which aren't! It's really ticking me off. I understand the reverse polarity thing (and that the white bullets do not hurt you when you're white - only the black ones do, etc.)... but I swear some of the enemy fire that should be damaging - or killing - me is not doing anything but passing right thru me. There's bullets flying everywhere - yet some of them don't seem to do any damage! Are they just there for looks?!? Until I can figure out which ones are the harmful ones, I will never stand a chance of doing well in this game. And because of that, I will continue to frown upon it. You gotta know the rules in order to play the game, right?

I've been looking for pictures to help illustrate my problem, and this is the best that I can find...

http://media.ign.com/thumb/509/509356/icky_031203_gcn_05_thumb.jpg

Looking at the action going on this picture... can you confirm for me that both the straight lines of dashed fire (coming from the top corners) and the little white balls (it looks like there's three of them here) are both harmful to this black ship? Or am I mistaking nothing for something? Because I swear, when I play this game, sometimes those white bullets will just pass right thru my black ship - and sometimes they will destroy it. And I have no idea why.

Any help here would be much appreciated.
Thanks.

[no.1gamer]

<div class=\"smallfont\"><div class=\"smallfont\"></div>

Alright PJ, since you're the master, maybe you can help me...

I have become quite disenchanted with this game, and am about to give it up, and trade it in. Not because the game is too difficult - which it is btw :p - but because I just cannot figure it out.

I know you say it's "all about patterns", but I'm not even worried about that yet, as I can't even figure out which of the enemies bullets are harmful, and which aren't! It's really ticking me off. I understand the reverse polarity thing (and that the white bullets do not hurt you when you're white - only the black ones do, etc.)... but I swear some of the enemy fire that should be damaging - or killing - me is not doing anything but passing right thru me. There's bullets flying everywhere - yet some of them don't seem to do any damage! Are they just there for looks?!? Until I can figure out which ones are the harmful ones, I will never stand a chance of doing well in this game. And because of that, I will continue to frown upon it. You gotta know the rules in order to play the game, right?

I've been looking for pictures to help illustrate my problem, and this is the best that I can find...

http://media.ign.com/thumb/509/509356/icky_031203_gcn_05_thumb.jpg

Looking at the action going on this picture... can you confirm for me that both the straight lines of dashed fire (coming from the top corners) and the little white balls (it looks like there's three of them here) are both harmful to this black ship? Or am I mistaking nothing for something? Because I swear, when I play this game, sometimes those white bullets will just pass right thru my black ship - and sometimes they will destroy it. And I have no idea why.

Any help here would be much appreciated.
Thanks.</div>


I think you're just noticing the dramatic "near misses" in the game. I even commented on this concept in my review of Ikaruga on this website (which BTW won Review of the Day). You must take on a "direct hit" from your enemy to die. In order to be destroyed you must take a hit right in the core of your ship (or run into a wall or something). If you're absorbing the energy on the other hand it will be "sucked into" your ship kind of like a magnet. Next time you play look closely at the cool effect.

[Cuddly Knife]

<div class=\"smallfont\"><div class=\"smallfont\"></div>


I think you're just noticing the dramatic "near misses" in the game. I even commented on this concept in my review of Ikaruga on this website (which BTW won Review of the Day). You must take on a "direct hit" from your enemy to die. In order to be destroyed you must take a hit right in the core of your ship (or run into a wall or something). If you're absorbing the energy on the other hand it will be "sucked into" your ship kind of like a magnet. Next time you play look closely at the cool effect.</div>
That's it. Your ship has a small area where it is capable of taking damage, and that area is pretty much the middle part of your ship. Your wings cannot take the damage, and maybe a small section of your ship in the front, maybe. A good place to notice how this works is in STAGE 3, during the part where there are small white ships coming down the screen towards you and black ships going up towards you from the bottom of the screen(in 2's and 3's on easy mode, and more on normal and hard). You can postition your ship so where it is in the direct center of the ships line of movement, and while your wings will go through the ships, you will not die (it's better to see this on NORMAL difficulty, as there are more ships to dodge).
There are also times when bullets are flying from all over the place, and it looks like there's no way to get through them, but since your ship only has a small area that can come in contact with the enemy fire, it can sometimes appear to "go through" bullets.
Believe me, once you figure this game out, it will practically become a whole new experience. It did for me.

[Glockstar]

Thank you, both!

(Don't know if it'll help tho'. :o )

[no.1gamer]

<div class=\"smallfont\">Well I'll use your strategy next time I play. Unfortunately, I let my girlfriend borrow my GCN so I won't be playing any Gamecube until next week. I guess I've got my PC to keep me busy. I just seem to have problems defeating him with only 3 lives and no continues. I usually loose a life before I even reach the end of the 2nd stage. Then he kills me 2 more times to finish me off. If I can just take his @$$ out I'll pass 2 million by a long shot. I'll let you know when this happens.</div>

Well, I've finally managed to defeat the level 2 boss therefore surpassing 2 million points. My high score is now 2,205,710! Keep in mind this is my score from "arcade mode." Which is "normal" difficulty with 3 lives and only 1 credit.

My total play time is 11hrs 12 min 3 sec! How about the rest of you guys? Have you managed to improve on your high scores?

[Gadfly2317]

Just curious. I'm getting ready to get this one out again; maybe I'll have some new scores to post. But seriously, there's no way I'm gonna get the scores Peanut Juice did.

I was also curious because we've seen new people getting gamecubes. Did any of you get this game? If you've got a gamecube and have any fond memories at all of things like Galaga, Gradius, and other shooters, you need this game.

[no.1gamer]

Just curious. I'm getting ready to get this one out again; maybe I'll have some new scores to post. But seriously, there's no way I'm gonna get the scores Peanut Juice did.

Do you remember the winning scores from the competition? Last time I checked there was a score of >32,000,000! It seems that the website has been taken down now, which kind of sucks.

If you can top my score let me know Gadfly. 2,000,000 took me some practice. And I'll bet that with enough practice I could even top Peanut Juice's record. However I don't think 32,000,000 would be physically possible. No amount of practice could earn my sorry @$$ a score that high. Yes, yes I know that I am the #1 gamer, but that score is perhaps out of my reach. I wonder how many hours that guy seriously spent to obtain that high score.

[Cuddly Knife]

I remember reading in the old VGR boards a thread from some guy saying that he had a score of 30+ million points. He said that he logged in about 50 hours of game time.I wonder if that is the same guy that took the websites highest score.
The only way to get a score in the upper 10s of millions is to beat it without continuing on NORMAL or HARD mode.

[Gadfly2317]

Do you remember the winning scores from the competition? Last time I checked there was a score of >32,000,000! It seems that the website has been taken down now, which kind of sucks.

If you can top my score let me know Gadfly. 2,000,000 took me some practice. And I'll bet that with enough practice I could even top Peanut Juice's record. However I don't think 32,000,000 would be physically possible. No amount of practice could earn my sorry @$$ a score that high. Yes, yes I know that I am the #1 gamer, but that score is perhaps out of my reach. I wonder how many hours that guy seriously spent to obtain that high score.

I would love to watch somebody play who can score that high. If somebody is that good, how can they find any challenge or fun in 99% of the games that are out there?

Even though I've played this game 2-3 times a month since its come out, I've never sat down and put in any serious long hours of practice necessary to become even mediocre. I suck. I can only get through chapters 1, 2 and half of 3 before I die and have to use a continue. My best score is 2,035,250. And that was with my highest ever Max Chain of 27. I got 27 Max Chain and a little over a million points in chapter 1, in chapter 2 I only got 8 Max chain, and then I died off in chapter 3 and had to continue. Anything after chapter 2, and I'm just trying to stay alive and can't get any more than 2 or 3 Max Chain.

I did finally make it to chapter 5, though I haven't beat it yet. But that's cool. I'm just enjoying this game as one I pop in when I want a quick, high action bit of gaming for 20 or 30 minutes here and there. I'll beat it eventually (using all the continues probably.)

You know, I still pop a quarter into a Galaga machine when I see one. I feel like Ikaruga is a game I will enjoy years from now (assuming my GC still runs.) Too bad Ikaruga isn't in airports, bars, and pizza joints all over America.

[no.1gamer]

The only way to get a score in the upper 10s of millions is to beat it without continuing on NORMAL or HARD mode.

Remember that your "official" high score is obtained playing on Arcade mode. Arcade mode is the same as playing on Normal mode with 3 lives (no continues). The scores I've mentioned have all been from Arcade mode. Make sure that you haven't turned the lives option up to 5 or do what I do and play on Arcade mode.

Gadfly:

Max chain of 27 sounds impressive. I wonder what the Max chain would be from a game of 32,000,000 points...

[Gadfly2317]

Remember that your "official" high score is obtained playing on Arcade mode. Arcade mode is the same as playing on Normal mode with 3 lives (no continues). The scores I've mentioned have all been from Arcade mode. Make sure that you haven't turned the lives option up to 5 or do what I do and play on Arcade mode.

Gadfly:

Max chain of 27 sounds impressive. I wonder what the Max chain would be from a game of 32,000,000 points...


I've been using 5 ships. My 2 million score though, I had 1.9 million of it with two ships left heading into chapter 3.

[no.1gamer]

Good news Ikaruga fans.

Several fans sites have appeared around the internet. This one even has a ranking system that will be available soon!

Ikaruga Scoreboard! (http://www.ikaruga.co.uk/scoreboard/)

So it looks like we're back in business!!! I hope this one goes lower than the top 200 people, as my score is pretty low. :p

[Cuddly Knife]

Damn, it's been so long since I've played Ikaruga, that I'm sure my skills have dropped drastically. I might have to whip it out now that there are places to show off my scores. I'm really looking foward to getting Gradius V and R-Type: Final. Shmups are so few and far between these days.

[no.1gamer]

Damn, it's been so long since I've played Ikaruga, that I'm sure my skills have dropped drastically. I might have to whip it out now that there are places to show off my scores. I'm really looking foward to getting Gradius V and R-Type: Final. Shmups are so few and far between these days.

Actually from my experience, playing Ikaruga is a learned skill. I managed to finally surpass the 2,000,000 mark after I hadn't played it for a few months! I put the Ikaruga disc in and on my first try I beat my high score!

[no.1gamer]

Ok, my new high score is 2,927,560!

This is a good thing because as soon as I manage to get 3 million points I'll earn an extra life!!! So I'll be posting here again soon hopefully!

Remember I'm playing on the "arcade challenge" which is normal difficulty with 3 lives. I can chain like crazy on the first level and parts of the second level. I usually die towards the end of the 3rd stage...

:)

[no.1gamer]

Hey guys, I played the game for 15 hours and unlocked the soundtrack! It's sweet!

But I still haven't beat that high score I already posted...

:(

[Gadfly2317]

Hey guys, I played the game for 15 hours and unlocked the soundtrack! It's sweet!

But I still haven't beat that high score I already posted...

:(


You mean you didn't unlock the soundtrack by beating the game with one ship? For shame! :D

(congrats--suprisingly enough, I still haven't hit fifteen hours yet, even though it feels like I've played the game a lot.)

[Cuddly Knife]

http://www.ikaruga.co.uk/

Here you will find videos of the best gameplay I have ever seen since Panda Attack and Hell=Slothisdead(DMC3). Bullet Eater videos are sick, as are the high-score runs on Arcade.

Here you will find the soundtrack to DL

Here you will find the highest scores

I come here every so often to show myself that i'm not as good as I think I am.

[Gadfly2317]

Thanks Cuddly. Cool stuff.

I'm still curious to see what your scores will be on Every Extend Extra if you play that one. It's another crazy cluster of bullets and explosions.