The Xbox Live Arcade has become fertile ground for classic shooters, and one good example is Ikaruga, a port of a cult classic “bullet hell” shooter. The nickname here comes from the fact that it’s a vertically-scrolling shoot-em-up where enemies toss a constant stream of fire at you and say “good luck!” Aw, how considerate.

However, there’s one trump card that can be used to even the score: Your ship can absorb the bullets and assist in your survival. The enemies realize this, though, and throw two types of colored bullets at you – red and blue. You have to constantly switch between absorbing red and blue bullets – you can only absorb one type at a time – to get through a level.

And trust me: There will be times where coordinated switching will mean the difference between victory and the “Sorry, you died. Continue?” screen.

If you’re at an impasse, you can download and upload replays of score runs and analyze them to see how the best players in the world dodge and absorb those bullets. You can also bring a friend on over Xbox Live for some co-op action.

Overall, Ikaruga is worth the buy if you’re into “bullet hell” shooters.

$10/ 800 Microsoft Points / Xbox Live Arcade / Release Date: Now