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.
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.