Ikaruga
Shoot! Dodge! and... Get Hit!? "Ikaruga" is a vertical shoot 'em up that features an unique polarity-switching gameplay. Switch the ship's polarity and "get hit and absorb" enemy bullets! Achieve High Score with the chain bonus!
- Released
- 2001
- Developer
- Treasure
- Platforms
- 2 systems
- Critics
- 84
- Steam Deck
- verified
- Download
- 0.5 GB
What is Ikaruga?
Shoot! Dodge! and... Get Hit!? "Ikaruga" is a vertical shoot 'em up that features an unique polarity-switching gameplay. Switch the ship's polarity and "get hit and absorb" enemy bullets! Achieve High Score with the chain bonus!
Description as published by the developer on its own store page, read 30 August 2026. It is marketing copy, not our assessment.
The record
| First released | 20 December 2001 |
|---|---|
| Developer | Treasure |
| Publisher | Treasure |
| Platforms | Nintendo GameCube, Steam Deck |
| Genres | First-Person Shooter |
| Languages | 2 supported |
Source. Catalogue facts from Wikidata Q1658068, seeded 30 August 2026. Store data from Steam, read 30 August 2026.
How was Ikaruga received?
Method. Player figures are Steam's own totals for the PC version, read 30 August 2026. The Metacritic score is the one Steam publishes on its store page and can lag the site itself. Metacritic page. Neither is our opinion. We have not published a review of this game.
Accessibility
Seeing
None declared
Hearing
None declared
Input
- Full controller support
Difficulty
None declared
Method. Features the publisher declared on its own store page. A declaration is a floor, not a review.
What does it support?
| Capability | Support |
|---|---|
| Controller | full support |
| Cloud saves | Yes |
| Cross-platform play | No |
| Mod support | No official workshop |
| Online play | Single-player only |
| In-game purchases | No |
| Steam Deck | verified |
| Download size | 0.5 GB |
| Add-on content | None listed |
| Age gate | None |
Method. Read from the publisher's Steam listing on 30 August 2026. Describes the PC version. Console versions differ.
What does it cost?
Steam price in US dollars, read 30 August 2026. Prices move hourly and vary by region. Check the current price.
Problems players report
We read the 69 most recent negative Steam reviews of Ikaruga on 30 August 2026 looking for recurring complaints. Nothing came up often enough to report: no theme was mentioned by more than 3% of them. That is not a claim that the game is bug-free, only that the people who disliked it were not agreeing about why.
Games like Ikaruga
24 games overlap with Ikaruga on the tags Steam players applied to it, on genre, and on theme. The closest are Defy Gravity Extended, Distant Space and Polarity.
Common questions about Ikaruga
What platforms is Ikaruga on?
Ikaruga is available on Nintendo GameCube, Steam Deck. It first released in 2001.
How much does Ikaruga cost?
$9.99 on Steam in the United States, read on 30 August 2026. Prices move often and vary by region, so check the store before buying.
Do players recommend Ikaruga?
95% of 2,364 Steam reviews are positive, which Steam rates Very Positive. That is players rating it, not our review. We have not published a review of this game.
What is the Metacritic score for Ikaruga?
84 out of 100 for the PC version, as published on the game's own Steam store page. Steam can lag Metacritic by a few points.
Does Ikaruga work on Steam Deck?
Valve rates Ikaruga as verified on the Steam Deck, from its own testing. That means it works out of the box with no configuration.
How big is the Ikaruga download?
0.5 GB on PC, from the storage requirement on its Steam listing. Console versions differ.