Rank 01Why this
Also Shoot 'Em Up and Bullet Hell, like Ikaruga.
- Deck Playable
- 2014
Games like Ikaruga
- 26 games
- Updated Oct 23, 2026
Players who liked Ikaruga also play
The closest matches to Ikaruga: Crimzon Clover WORLD IGNITION, Radiant Silvergun, Mushihimesama, DoDonPachi Resurrection, and Nex Machina. Ranked by imho.run from Steam co-play data, shared tags and reviews.
- Rank 01
Rank 02- $19.99 (Price checked Oct 31)
- 2023
Rank 03- $9.99 (Price checked Oct 31)
- Deck Playable
- 2015
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DRAINUS
Why this: Shares bullet absorption with Ikaruga.
Rank 07 
Rank 08 
The full ranked list: top 24 games like Ikaruga
Best match first, as plain text. The same list for AI assistants:
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- Released: 2014
- Developer: TREASURE
- Price: $9.99checked Nov 2
- Steam Deck: Deck Verified
- 95% of 1,193 reviews
- Genres: Action, Indie
- Metacritic 84
- Platforms: Windows
Players highlight
- Forces players to rewire their brain for duality
- Levels feel like choreographed ballets
- Polarity switching turns defense into offense
- Challenging
- Contemplative
- Hypnotic
More games like Ikaruga, sliced differently
Reviewers mention these as similar to Ikaruga
Surfaced from review text: when other players write 'if you liked X, try Y', we catch the name and resolve it back to a Steam game.
R-Type Final 2
Why this: Also Shoot 'Em Up and Bullet Hell, like Ikaruga.
Cheaper alternatives
Games in the same vein priced at least 40% below Ikaruga at current Steam store prices.
Gun Wings
Why this: Shares bullet absorption with Ikaruga.
Neptunia Shooter
Why this: Shares pattern memorization with Ikaruga.
Space Invaders Extreme
Why this: Also Shoot 'Em Up and Bullet Hell, like Ikaruga.
Polygoneer
Why this: Same hypnotic mood as Ikaruga.
Free alternatives
Free games the recommender matches to Ikaruga, limited to titles with at least 500 Steam reviews and 80% positive.
Waves
Why this: Also Shoot 'Em Up and Bullet Hell, like Ikaruga.
About Ikaruga
The closest matches to Ikaruga: Crimzon Clover WORLD IGNITION, Radiant Silvergun, Mushihimesama, DoDonPachi Resurrection, and Nex Machina. Ranked by imho.run from Steam co-play data, shared tags and reviews.
If Ikaruga is your kind of game, the closest matches are Crimzon Clover WORLD IGNITION, Radiant Silvergun and Mushihimesama — picked from the ranked list below. Reviewers describe it as challenging, contemplative and hypnotic, and single out its bullet absorption and chain combo system. Each pick is ranked by what players of this game also play, shared genres and tags, and review-mined similarity — not a generic popularity list.
Ikaruga is a vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up from TREASURE released on Steam in 2014 at $9.99. The core mechanic centers on polarity-switching, allowing players to absorb enemy fire rather than merely dodge it, transforming defense into an offensive tool. Chain combos reward skilled play and feed into a grading system, while pattern memorization and replay leaderboards support mastery. The title runs verified on Steam Deck. Players describe the experience as intense, hypnotic, and contemplative, with some noting the levels feel like choreographed performances and the soundtrack synchronizing with gameplay like a pseudo-rhythm game. Reviewers highlight the scoring system as encouraging expressive mastery. Currently holding a 95% positive rating from 1,193 Steam reviews, the game is solo-only and suited for short, focused sessions.
About 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!
Is Ikaruga worth buying?
Players recommend it
A summary of what players say, not a promise you'll like it. Every signal is listed below.
- 95% of 1,193 Steam reviews are positive.
- We don't track this game's daily reviews yet, so this is the all-time picture.
- Price: $9.99 (checked Nov 7).
- People who recommend it had played a median of 4 h when they wrote their review.
- Steam Deck Verified.
What fans praise · Themes mined from positive reviews
- Forces players to rewire their brain for duality
- Levels feel like choreographed ballets
- Polarity switching turns defense into offense
- Scoring system encourages mastery and expression
People who play it also play: Crimzon Clover WORLD IGNITION, Radiant Silvergun, Mushihimesama
Frequently asked about Ikaruga
Can I run it?
Is Ikaruga verified for Steam Deck?
Yes — Ikaruga is Steam Deck Verified, meaning Valve has confirmed it runs well on the Deck with full controller, text legibility, and default configuration support.
How much does Ikaruga cost?
Ikaruga is listed on Steam at 9.99 USD (current store price; Steam sales may reduce this temporarily).
Does Ikaruga have multiplayer or co-op?
Yes — Ikaruga supports multi-player play according to its Steam store listing (Multi-player).
What games are most similar to Ikaruga?
Based on Steam play patterns and shared genres/tags, the games most often recommended alongside Ikaruga are Crimzon Clover WORLD IGNITION, Radiant Silvergun, Mushihimesama.
Who developed Ikaruga?
Ikaruga was developed by TREASURE.