Nicalis Teases Ikaruga Physical Release With World's Largest Nintendo Switch Case

Awww man bought this digitally day 1 now if this physical release becomes a reality I will definitely have to double dip!!! Jeez they really need to time digital and physical releases much better than they’ve been doing!!

Reminder that if you're European, Nicalis are infamous for not giving a blorp about you. This game won't get a physical edition in Europe either, just like almost every other game they publish hasn't.

@joey302
They know exactly what they’ve been doing. Not just Nicalis but all of them. 😉

Great game but too damn hard, thus not worth double dipping imo. Only superhumans can finish it on default settings

This is why I hold out for physical releases. Megaman legacy 2 and X legacy 2 will soon be physically available here in the states mark my words!

@Blizzia then order it online or fly to Asia like I usually do. Stop crying

I waited since this was Nicalis published, I kind of figured we'd see at least a limited physical. Glad I did.

@BigKing Because companies actions that treat regions like second class citizens by not releasing physical and price hikes shouldn't be brought up?

It's not like they aren't able to. They choose not to. Just like that Capcom company.

@Liam_Doolan Quick sidenote. Any chance you guys can rework the current adverts? The current ones that work behind the articles with videos keep crashing the webpage.

Am using Android for reference.

@BensonUii A lot of cases it's their own fault with this anti consumer "Lets see if it sells well digitally first" take. Double dipping especially paying more the second time customers generally aren't cool with.

Though that goes over the heads of just Nicalis.

@CroRock agreed it’s a great game but simply too difficult have it on the Dreamcast but very rarely play it

I have a physical copy brand new still sealed. ........only on GameCube not Switch.

@BensonUii I'm ok with later releases depending on the circumstances. For example the upcoming physical for Shovel Knight is done right as it includes all DLC, updates etc that users who previously bought it digitally could have missed out on.

Sonic Mania is the same case. All extras and such are free included with the physical version, bringing motivation to make the purchase again.

Nice announcement one day after physical RXN -Raijin- becomes available for preorder, Psyvariar Delta releases in Japan and the eShop releases of Touhou Azure Reflections and Argus.

Great times to be a shmup fan.

@XenoShaun Could the price hikes in part be due to VAT? I've seen it can get higher than 20% in some EU countries, and that seems rough to me at the mere 7% state sales tax I pay. Another difference is your VAT is usually included in the price and our sales tax isn't. So when you see $59.99, it really means someone is paying around 65 USD for it.

@Frendo How do you know our wasn't a success?

I can't tell how big the game case is from that picture.

It was a digital day one for me. No worries. I have way to much joy turning my quite small Samsung tv on its side to care

@Frendo Consider how much it cost them to port it. Bog all I reckon. Why would they release physically if digitally bombed?

@Freek MUCH better cover art than my very opened NTSC version.

Nicalis can count on me to purchase a physical release of Ikaruga. Now...how about a Switch port of Radiant Silvergun, Nicalis? Personally, I think RS is the superior shmup, but both are equally brilliant.

My favourite shoot-em-up, ever. And I've never been able to complete it yet.

Yay, happy I haven't bought digital yet!

@CroRock it is hard but still the thought of a Switch retail copy would compliment the shelf! 😃

@Freek me too!!! Sealed baby!! 😃😃

@Liam_Doolan Sure will do. Just seems to be one specific ad (and pretty sure its due to the video running). I'll get a screenshot over asap.

I haven't had the chance to pick this up digitally so I'm glad I waited.

@Liam_Doolan Sods law it isn't showing the advert at the moment. It was an esports one if that helps at all. I will screenshot as soon as (or if) it appears again. Honour Play seems to be the background ad at the moment.

@Frendo
If you consider the context, the digital release must have been a major success.

Shmups are a very niche genre, that Ikaruga managed to get into the charts at all was an acheivement - no other shmup on the Switch managed to do that. Don't confuse the popularity of games/genres among the gamers you see on online forums with it's popularity among the general public.

@Magician I'm actually kind of sad to hear about this physical release because I was hoping for the eventual Ikaruga/Radiant Silvergun/Bangai-O combo pack. Still, I will be picking this up day one.

sigh Here we go again with those late physical releases. Bet it won''t come to Europe either.

Kicking myself for getting this right away.

These companies know exactly what they are doing by making a great game only digital so they can make a alot of money off digital then turn physical and charge 15 to 25 more dollars on top of the digital price...

To anyone kicking himself for downloading the digital version, i recommend Psyvariar Delta, which gets a physical release on the Switch (available in Japan now, western release later this month), which is just as good or better then Ikaruga in my opinion.

I'm good with digital.

@Liam_Doolan Hey just a follow up re: advert issue, it has appeared again and causing the same issues. Popped an email off to the address you sent me with a picture of the advert, so hopefully all goes well your guys' end and helps out.