Advance’s launch in June 2001, Majesco released a game called Iridion.
Developed in the vein of R-Type and other side-scrolling shooters, Iridion was
played from an almost 3D perspective. The camera was permanently positioned
behind the ship, and the directional pad enabled you to move all around the
screen, similar to the controls in the original Star Fox. This style of
gameplay isn’t quite appropriate for the GBA, since it was hard to distinguish
a close 3D object from one that was far away. Still, I loved Iridion, and
hoped that the developers would bring us a fantastic sequel.
Fast-forward to the present
time and you’ll find that the developers have done just that. Iridion II is
on store shelves, and it retails for $20 less than the original game did when
it was released. Do not, however, mistake this for a "budget" title. It’s
cheap, which I’m sure no one will complain about. But the gameplay is
absolutely, positively, some of the best 2D shooting action you will ever find
on the GBA.
Wait a minute – 2D? What
happened to the 3D-ish gameplay of the first Iridion? For some reason or
other, the developers decided to abandon that perspective in favor of an
angled top-down view. The sequel has cooler backgrounds and more detailed
ships than the original, but it is entirely a 2D game. If Ikaruga were
developed for the GBA it would probably be a lot like Iridion II.
Aside from the pretty
graphics, Iridion II has one thing that will immediately catch your attention:
its gameplay. This is as refined as a 2D shooter comes. Enemies have unique
swarm patterns and cannot be killed by one measly laser blast. There are some
more classic enemy formations that’ll bring back memories of Galaga, but
defeating them is still far from being a walk in the park. Even more
impressive is the boss battles, which I must say, are some of the most unique
I have ever experienced. Not just in shooters, but in any game.
One of the bosses has a
circular shape with three paddles on its side. The majority of the boss’s
body is immune to attacks; hitting only his weak spot (a small area that is
not shielded) will lead to his destruction. Most of the time, however, his
weak spot is pointed away from your ship. The only way to hit the boss is by
shooting the paddles to make the boss spin around until his weak spot is in
the right position. This makes it extremely difficult to defeat the boss
without using a bomb. (Bombs shoot circular laser blasts all over the area,
hitting nearly everything in its path.) Couple that with the boss’s attack
patterns (it follows your ship!) and you’ve got yourself one tough enemy to
beat.
Among the game’s 16
levels you’ll find a number of various planets and spaceports. In addition to
avoiding enemy attacks, you’ll have to avoid being crushed in between an
obstacle as it scrolls across the screen. Avoiding this type of death is part
of the game’s challenge. If you’re too busy avoid obstacles, you’re likely to
get shot. But if you don’t avoid the obstacles, you won’t make it to the end
of the level. One-shot deaths, however, do not occur in Iridion II. Your
ship is now equipped with a life bar (which can be refilled by flying over
specific check points). On the game’s easiest level difficulty, most
experienced players will beat the game very quickly. On the harder
difficulties, players will be more challenged, but the game is never as
frustrating as the 2D shooters of the early and mid-90s.
A new challenge mode is
unlocked once the game has been completed. It includes a series of boss
battles – and you only have one chance to defeat them! No continues, and no
extra lives are available. Just as before, Iridion II uses a password save
system, so you’ll have to enter a password every time you turn on the game if
you want to access the challenge mode again. An arcade mode is also unlocked
after beating the game, allowing you to replay any level that you want.
It may be over fast, but
Iridion II’s gameplay is good enough to keep you coming back again and again.
The new weapon types and weapon upgrades are awesome. Each one has its own
strengths, making them all worth using. From laser beams that ricochet off of
anything they hit, to small pellets that lock-on and follow the enemies
wherever they go, Iridion II’s weapons are anything but ordinary. At $19.99
(regular price for most retailers), this game couldn’t be a better buy.
Gameplay: 8.5
I haven’t had
this much fun with a shooter in a long time. Fans of Ikaruga will be glad to
know that there is finally a comparable title available for the Game Boy
Advance. With so much shooting action packed into one inexpensive cartridge,
it would be a huge mistake to overlook Iridion II.
Graphics: 9
One word
describes this game’s graphics: gorgeous. This sequel may not be in the third
dimension, but it looks even better than the first Iridion. Iridion II is an
amazing game with high replay value, and the visuals are some of the best ever
seen on the GBA.
Sound: 8.8
I don’t know who
the sound guys were, but they deserve tons of credit for making this game
sound as well as it does. The soundtrack is not only great, but it actually
sounds good on the GBA! It’s hard to create high-quality sound on a
cartridge-based system, but somehow they pulled it off.
Difficulty: Medium
Compared to
Einhander (a super-frustrating shooter from Square), Iridion II may seem a bit
easy. Try it on one of the harder difficulties though and you’ll see that
it’s a pretty challenging game. The challenge mode adds even more "challenge"
to the experience.
Concept: 8
Take a near-3D
game and make its sequel in the second dimension. Sounds strange, doesn’t
it? Obviously the developers knew what they were doing, since this turned out
to be a really incredible game.
Overall: 8.5
This is the
quintessential time-killing game. Got a car trip coming up, or a long, boring
afternoon at an aunt’s house? Maybe you’ve got a business trip to Chicago and
would like a great game to play on the way there or in between meetings.
Whatever your reason for needing to pass time, there isn’t a better way to do
it than playing through Iridion II. It’s long enough to keep you entertained
for a while, but short enough to prevent you from forgetting all about that
important luncheon you absolutely must go to. Even without the need to kill
time though, Iridion II is a must-buy.
