Ikaruga (2014)

Developer: TREASURE
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Action, Indie
Rating: 4.7 of 5, 2,348 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 3.1 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A relentless, precision-focused shoot 'em up where every movement and polarity switch feels like a high-stakes puzzle, rewarding perfect play with a satisfying flow state.

fast-pacedintenseprecisepunishingrewardingpuzzle-likechallengingsatisfying

What players say

Players praise the unique polarity mechanic for demanding both reflexes and puzzle-like thinking. The game is short but brutally hard, and some find visibility poor on the white polarity or the third stage's environmental obstructions annoying.

Screenshots

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More by Treasure

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.