Raiden IV

In Japan, the video game arcade scene is far different from what it is in America, and most would say it is far superior. Games that are available in their arcades run the gamut from fighting games, to shooters, platformers, and even some simulator-style games where you sit in a cockpit and pilot a Gundam, for instance. But, one of the most popular and successful genres in these Japanese arcades are “shoot ‘em ups” (or shmups, for short). And perhaps the most enduring, beloved franchise of shmup in Japan is the Raiden series. This series started in 1990, and since then has ruled both arcades and home consoles. One of the most recent Raiden releases was Raiden IV from 2007. If you’re looking to experience this staple of the Japanese arcade scene, here is everything you need to know about Raiden IV.

Classic Shoot ‘Em Up Gameplay, In Your Own Home

Raiden IV was initially released to the hungry Japanese arcade market in 2007, where it made a big splash with fans. The previous game was released in 2005, and the two-year wait for a new game made fans ravenous with excitement as they played similar games like Galaga to fill the time. But, that was just for fans in Japan. Raiden lovers on the other side of the planet would have to wait an extra year.

That wait was definitely worth it, because in 2008 Raiden IV was released on the Xbox 360 in North America, bringing the excitement of those foreign arcades right into your own living room. All of the vertical scrolling, ship blasting action was a delight to behold on the new Xbox hardware. Previous console releases of the Raiden games struggled to run on the PlayStation 2 era of consoles, with the series signature screens full of enemies and projectiles bringing those consoles to their knees. The Xbox 360 had no such problem displaying all of the action, and with much better, higher fidelity graphics and textures.

All Of The Arcade Content And More

The home console release of Raiden IV contains all of the action-packed content from the arcade release. Every level is faithfully ported over with all of the HD assets, even the very impressive reflection effect of the pools of water you fly over. The incredible, bumping soundtrack is fully intact, providing the encouraging synth sounds to accompany your dodging, weaving, and laser blasting. The imposing enemy boss craft and their projectile patterns are there to test your piloting skills and abilities. And, in addition to all of that, Raiden IV includes some content of its own, like an additional two ships outside of your red starter craft.

Pros

• Iconic Raiden gameplay
• New ships are fun to play with
• Fantastic soundtrack

Cons

• Game can get quite difficult for new players
• The additional charge for the new ships was quite controversial