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Radiant Silvergun Flies To XBLA Spring 2011

MY MINT CONDITION COPY IS WORTHLESS!

By Matt Kessler  |  Sept. 15, 2010

The theme at Microsoft’s Tokyo Game Show press conference was celebrating Japanese game creators and, in the service of that goal, a long-awaited Japanese classic is coming to the Xbox 360. Radiant Silvergun, the famed shooter developed by Ikaruga and Gunstar Heroes masterminds Treasure, is getting an enhanced port exclusively for Xbox Live Arcade next year.
 
Released in arcades and on the Sega Saturn back in 1998, Radiant Silvergun is a beloved top-down shooter often considered the precursor to Ikaruga. While revered for its high quality and pedigree, Radiant Silvergun only received a limited release in Japan, and was never officially brought stateside. Between that Japanese release and the small number of copies available, Radiant Silvergun has long been a sought after title by game collectors and shooter fans alike, with copies of the Saturn version of the game going for as much as $200 on Ebay. 

 
 This is what a $200 shooter looks like. Now how much would you pay?
 This is what a $200 shooter looks like. Now how much would you pay?

Now, more than 12 years after its original release, Radiant Silvergun is closer than ever to finally getting its proper US release in the form of a brand new port of the game developed by Treasure. And it looks like this enhanced port will be even more enhanced than the version of Ikaruga that Treasure put out on Xbox Live Arcade back in 2008. Beyond the online leaderboard support, Kotaku reports that the new port of Radiant Silvergun will feature enhanced visuals and online co-op.
 
Whether you’re a shooter connoisseur or just a fan of the genre, you’ll be able to take Radiant Silvergun on a trip to bullet hell next year. In the meantime, Giant Bomb will continue its exhaustive coverage of Radiant Silvergun’s Ebay auction price fluctuation over the weeks and months to come. Right now, mint or near-mint condition copies of the game are going for $200… but for how much longer?
 
Images courtesy of Kotaku.
Filed under: Radiant Silvergun
59 Comments
Rusputinon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:01 p.m.
2nd?
Redbullet685on Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:02 p.m.
2nd?
demonknightinuyashaon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:03 p.m.
why don't all these good shooters come out on psn as well damn it >.<  
 
at least pac man is coming finally >.< 
Shiroganeon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:06 p.m.

This'll be fun. PSN anyone? Please? Oh wait, I have a 360...
MarkWahlbergon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:08 p.m.
If you think that's worth $200, why don't you take a look at my "radiant silvergun", if you know what I mean....
Sil3n7on Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:08 p.m.
This should be good.
SnakeEyes327on Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:08 p.m.
Ouch, first Rez, then MVC2 and now Radiant Silvergun. Add in Panzer Dragoon Saga and the XBLA will have some of the rarer games that have been released. Still, an HD remake of Silvergun sounds fucking awesome. I can't wait.
damswedonon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:10 p.m.
@MarkWahlberg said:
" If you think that's worth $200, why don't you take a look at my "radiant silvergun", if you know what I mean.... "
We're talking penis here right?
MikkaQon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:12 p.m.
Hell yeah! I've played this once, and it was awesome.
kollayon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:13 p.m.
@damswedon said:
" @MarkWahlberg said:
" If you think that's worth $200, why don't you take a look at my "radiant silvergun", if you know what I mean.... "
We're talking penis here right? "
Plasticpalson Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:13 p.m.
@MarkWahlberg: 
 
Uh, it's widely considered one of the best shoot-em-ups ever made, AND it's extremely rare.  So yeah, it's pretty fucking special.  Don't talk smack if you don't know wtf you're talking about.
DoctorWelchon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:14 p.m.
I dont understand the whole "This is coming out on a downloadable service now my rare copy is worthless" thing. Anyone anywhere could play this game on a computer anytime they wanted. The reason that the game is expensive is because it's rare in it's original form, not because you cant play it unless you have it in it's original form. For instance, I am pretty sure that Ogre Battle released on some download service but it is still a super rare and expensive game if you have it in mint condition. It's the same thing as yeah, you could play an arcade game in MAME, or you could play it on XBLA or PSN, but there is still something about the experience of owning an arcade machine that makes it worth while. It's the same reason why I still have my NES, SNES, and N64 hooked to my old ass TV. I could just go play some of those games on my computer or on my Wii because of VC, but there is still something cool about owning them and playing them how they were originally intended on the system they came out on.
tairygreeneon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:18 p.m.
whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat
scarace360on Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:19 p.m.
kessler if it makes you feel any better ill buy your copy for 50$
MarkWahlbergon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:27 p.m.
@Plasticpals: If you can't tell the difference between talking smack and making a dumb penis joke, I have nothing to say to you.
 
@kollay: I laughed.
phatjayunoion Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:27 p.m.

Like Ikaruga and Sega's Rez, I take it this awesome game will not be coming to the PSN as well. Shame really. 
 
*Goes off to listen to Radiant Silvergun's soundtrack* 
 
One of Hitoshi Sakimoto's best works in my opinion, epic boss music with "Debris" and "Evasion" happens to be my phone's ringtone, just to be all geeky about it.
DBoneson Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:33 p.m.
Xbox Live Arcade is turning out to be a collector's worst nightmare.
villainyon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:37 p.m.
No disrespect to Radiant Silvergun, but Ikaruga was mentioned so now I have to go watch all of those double play videos again and feel inferior because the two lobes of my brain are still connected.  Or something like that.
NickLotton Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:38 p.m.
@SnakeEyes327: Not to mention Ikaruga. Used copies of that game were going for 80+ dollars before the XBLA releasse. 
 
I should sell my PS2 copy of Ico.
FengShuiGodon Sept. 15, 2010 at 9:46 p.m.
I think the price will stay the same. I mean, I can go look at every picture of Alec Soth's Sleeping by the Mississippi on his website, but a signed first edition is still $1,500 on Ebay.

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Radiant Silvergun is a vertical scrolling shooter with several weapons and a color-based chain system.

US Release Date: Sept. 14, 1998

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