The Return of a Classic – Galaga for iPad and iPhone
For those who remember games like Pong, Joust, Frogger, Space Invaders, etc., please try to contain your excitement. The 30 year anniversary of the original Galaga is coming up this summer, July 23rd, so the folks at Namco have treated us to a free anniversary collection of 4 of their most successful arcade game series: Galaxian, Galaga, Gaplus, and Galaga’88.
One thing setting this anniversary version apart from other plain old arcade games out there is the opening movie. The brief introduction to the world of Galaga uses all of the iPad’s capabilities to create a truly exhilarating experience.
With stunning graphics and an enticing explanation of the plot, the movie immediately draws players into the game’s universe.
As the summary states, the content includes Galaxian, Galaga, Gaplus, and Galaga’88, all of which are the new 30th anniversary editions. The catch however, is that in order to play them all users have to pay $8 via an in-app purchase. The games are also available to purchase individually. The one entirely free game however, Galaxian, is available from the menu screen to jump right into.
Galaxian was Namco’s original version of the game, released in 1979. Believe it or not, at the time the game set new standards for the video game industry. For those not familiar with the history (maybe because they weren’t yet born, myself included), the game was one of the first to be in full color, and it also included an innovative score tracking system that set the framework for future arcade games.
The games within the anniversary app have all received overhauls which have served to increase picture, sound, and gameplay quality. There are also added gameplay modes that vary between the games allowing those who purchase the complete collection to experience more ways to eradicate the invading alien scum. One such variants is “Score Attack”. Along with the variants comes a new option to customize and upgrade your ship as well.
Gameplay is simple enough, offering three distinct control setups including my personal favorite, the ever-classic joystick and button layout. The joystick is used to move the spaceship left and right across the screen and the button simply fires. An added feature also lets users choose whether they want to do the shooting themselves or have the game automatically blast the baddies for them.
What I liked: Classic arcade games are always fun to play, especially for those who haven’t had the opportunity to play the games on the original consoles. Galaga 30th Collection does not fail to keep players of all ages engrossed in the simple, yet challenging game world that is Galaga.
What I didn’t like: The summary for the app is very misleading. I’m sure I can speak for others when I say that I was excited to be able to play all four games and even more let down when I found out I’d have to pay $8 to do so. The game also takes up a good bit of space on the iPad, which is because of the ever-present intro video.
To buy or not to buy: Whether you’re trying to relive teenage conquests, or looking for an arcade classic to step into the days of old, Galaga 30th Collection is a steal at the price of free.
- Product Name: Galaga 30th Collection
- Category: Games
- Company: Namco
- Version Reviewed: 1.0.0
- Price: Free
- Score:
