Iridion II

About

In "Iridion II," humanity's peace is threatened when the vicious IRIDION forces return after a century, taking over all colonized systems. As a lone SHN Fighter pilot, you must travel through vast galaxies, battle over 200 enemies, and reach the IRIDION mainframe to save Earth. The game features 5 galaxies, 15 planets, and intense shoot-'em-up action.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 16 reviews

music6 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features an outstanding soundtrack, considered one of the best on the Game Boy Advance.
It offers a good amount of content with 15 stages, unique backgrounds, and engaging visuals.
The nostalgic factor and overall presentation make it a beloved title for fans of the original GBA game.

The port lacks significant graphical or audio improvements, making it feel like a basic emulation of the original.
Gameplay can become repetitive, especially in later stages, with limited challenge and memorization-heavy sections.
The asking price is considered high for a game that can be completed in a few hours and offers little new content.

music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The music in this Game Boy Advance shmup is widely praised as one of the best soundtracks on the system, with many players considering it their favorite of all time. The soundtrack enhances the overall impressive presentation of the game, and players appreciate the option to unlock a jukebox feature to enjoy the background music at their leisure. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and appeal.
- “An easygoing shmup for the Game Boy Advance that has a soundtrack among the best of the system, and also an impressive presentation overall.”
- “The best video game soundtrack ever.”
- “Iridion II is one of my favorite games on the GBA and has quite possibly my favorite video game soundtrack of all time.”
- “The music (oof, the music!) really detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack is still bangin’ though, but it doesn't fit the game's atmosphere.”
- “While the graphics and gameplay are impressive, the music is a major letdown.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic pixel art and vibrant colors, while others express disappointment over the lack of resolution updates and improvements in the port. Many feel that the original Game Boy Advance visuals hold up as a curiosity but do not meet modern standards, and the smoothing feature fails to enhance the experience. Overall, there is a desire for a future remaster that could better modernize the graphics.
- “The graphics, the music (oof, the music!), the gameplay, the bosses, the planets (really cool colors :D), everything in this game is awesome and I'm glad I have this title once more :'D”
- “Fun shooting game with interesting visuals originally on the Game Boy Advance.”
- “I do have a CRT monitor to play games like this, so that goes a long way in making the visuals pop.”
- “Its primary selling point at the time was the interesting 3D perspective, which, while it still holds up today, is more of a curiosity than a graphical draw.”
- “It seems to do nothing but emulate the original GBA ROM, without a single improvement to the graphics or, as far as I can tell, the audio.”
- “However, the smoothing feature does nothing to improve the visuals, as it really just turns the game from a pixelated mess into a blurry one, and I really don’t even see a difference when turning the 'stretch' option on.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The gameplay is praised for its variety of weapons and a unique mechanic that allows players to shift the position of secondary shields, enhancing the overall experience. Players also appreciate the vibrant graphics and engaging boss battles, contributing to a well-rounded and enjoyable game.
- “The graphics, the music (oof, the music!), the gameplay, the bosses, the planets (really cool colors :D), everything in this game is awesome and I'm glad I have this title once more! :')”
- “There's a variety of different weapons to choose from, and a unique mechanic where you can shift the position of the secondary shields.”
- “The gameplay feels clunky and unresponsive, making it frustrating to enjoy the experience.”
- “The mechanics are overly complicated, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “There are too many bugs and glitches that disrupt the flow of gameplay, making it hard to stay immersed.”