Still, as far as nostalgic shoot 'em ups go, this is classic stuff and well worth the price of a premium pint. A risky strategy maybe, but it's not such a bad idea to let your ship be taken over in the early stages of the battle.Īlmost thirty years on and seven generations of consoles later, both games remain addictive and challenging though some might argue that after playing the much-improved sequel there's no reason to go back to Galaxian. If your aim is good enough and you manage to take down the Boss Galaga mid-flight, your captured Fighter will return to the side of your other ship, essentially providing you with double the firepower. If successful, your captured Fighter will act as an escort to the enemy, flying directly behind the Boss Galaga at all times. Boss Galagas (green and yellow aliens that require two shots to be defeated) will occasionally use a tractor beam to try and take over your ship.

It also keeps track of your 'hit-miss ratio' so there's further scrutiny to your aiming accuracy.īut perhaps the most noticeable element is the enemy's ability to capture your Fighter.

Galaga improves on the original by adding bonus stages, more intricate enemy formations and the ability to fire two shots in quick succession. There's no abundance of green 1-up mushrooms here Galaxian is unforgiving and requires serious concentration if you're to reach later levels. High scores mean extra lives, so you'll want to take advantage of these situations. Shooting down aliens whilst they swarm down towards you yields more points, as does destroying three of the critters in one fell swoop. Perfect pick-up-and-play stuff for when you're on the move, but with enough challenge to keep you coming back for more. Arlasoft just last month, this one is called Petaxian a game which is basically Galaga and Galaxian but based on PETSCII graphics developed by Borgar. There's no tiresome plot, no clunky control system it's a simple case of pressing start and firing away to your heart's content. It certainly makes for a fast and frenetic gameplay experience.Īnd it's an experience that lends itself very well to the mobile format.

Old they may be, but these retro shooters still pack a mean planetary punch.įirst released in the arcades in 1979, Galaxian is an evolution of the formula created by Space Invaders, whereby you take control of a ship and blast apart an ever-nearing barrage of baddies.īesides having flashier visuals (the scrolling star field was a BIG deal back then) and a theme tune so cool that I use it as a ring tone, Galaxian adds an element of danger by having the enemy aliens dive-bomb towards your ship - kamikaze style. Thankfully, this double offering of Galaxian and Galaga is a lot sharper. We've all been there – pushing trolleys down supermarket aisles only to be hypnotised by the bright red and yellow signs that read, 'Blunt knives! Buy one get one free!' The prospect of a 2-4-1 offer is often a very tempting one, even if the original product isn't all that desirable.

Galaga & galaxian