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Galaga

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7.0 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 17 critic reviews
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Based on 4 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Namco Bandai Games

Developer: Namco Bandai Games

Genre(s): Shooter

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: July 26, 2006

Summary

[Xbox Live Arcade] Galaga was released in the arcades in 1981 and became an instant classic. This exciting title soon became know for its innovative fighter combination system and the varied enemy attack patterns. Take control of a fighter space craft and shoot down the invading aliens. Watch out for the swooping motherships, which will try to steal your fighter. Rescue captured fighters to double your firepower. Earn Perfect Bonuses as you battle your way through wave after wave in different challenging stages. [Namco Bandai]

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Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

VGPub

Galaga is still the classic game that’s loved by many, but it doesn’t feel right. Whether it’s the iffy controls, the ill-advised border, or the lack of the ability to play Mrs. Pac-Man instead, something doesn’t feel right about the Xbox Live Arcade version of the Namco classic.

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X360 Magazine UK

Galaga has varied enemies, a cute double ship trick, as well as tough bonus stages that are nearly impossible to get perfect for (Hello Achievements!). [Issue 9, p.106]

Game Chronicles

Not flawless, since it’s missing multiplayer online and off, but it still has the leaderboard to keep you playing – and lets face it, back in the arcade, that was you’re only real goal, to achieve the highscore for that day – to remove some previous player’s 3 initial name.

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Cheat Code Central

Sure, the title is only five bucks, but there is absolutely nothing new here besides the ability to continue from your last stage, which is something no self-respecting Galaga player will ever use.

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Gaming Nexus

It's certainly a true arcade port of the arcade game with the same graphics and gameplay. There aren't many new options however.

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360 Gamer Magazine UK

Despite a shameful lack of two-player online mode you'll find yourself dreaming about Galaga and itching for another go. [Issue #16, p.77]

Official Xbox Magazine

As a Museum piece, Galaga's beeen almost perfectly preserved, but the missing multiplayer makes us think twice about spending 400 Microsoft Points. [Oct. 2006, p.72]

Xbox Evolved

The achievements for the game is what gives it most of it’s new luster, with achievements such as find the stingray, mosquito, Gal Boss, Get up to stage 10, 20, 30, so on and so forth. As of yet, this is probably also the best arcade conversion yet on Live Arcade.

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Games Radar (in-house)

This frantic game still delivers the twitch frenzy that gamers crave, and deserves its spot in your quick-fix collection.

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IGN

For those who've never delved into Galaga's repetitive madness, it's worth the investment even if this isn't the best version available. Still, a co-operative mode would have been much appreciated, online or off.

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GameSpot

The original Galaga is an undisputed arcade classic, and this is a fairly faithful version of it.

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GamerFeed

While many will still enjoy its timeless shooting gameplay, it's a little disappointing to find that it offers no frills. This is, pure and simple, the arcade game, with the addition of online leaderboards and unlockable achievements.

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Xboxic

The game is and always will be great, and you’re getting unlimited plays for the price of twenty, don’t get me wrong; but Namco-Bandai made a sloppy port, and the neglect of a multiplayer mode of any sort is a huge mistake.

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Eurogamer

You know what to do: if you want an arcade perfect, no frills port of Galaga then that's what you'll get, but you can probably get your fix by simply downloading the free trial. The lure of global leaderboards (and a succession of largely identical levels) in the full version adds something of a gloss for the retro obsessives, but that's about it.

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Talk Xbox

The port seems to be fairly close to arcade perfect, but the controls are just a tad sluggish. You’re better off saving those Microsoft Points for the new original content planned for XBLA later this year instead of this tired retro retread.

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GameShark

If Gamerscore records and leaderboards are that important to you, then go wild. Otherwise, save your money for the next Xbox Live Arcade game.

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Official Xbox Magazine UK

The problem that this and indeed any retro shooter has nowadays is Bizarre Creations 2D tour de force, Geometry Wars. Still one of our Xbox Live download favourites, Galaga by comparison is a poor substitute.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.0 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Sean D. gave it a10:
It's Galaga, pure and simple. It's the same thing game you can still find at times on the old arcade machines. If you liked Galaga, it's absolutely magnificent. And hey, you can play it all you want for $5 instead of feeding quarters into a machine.

BruinsFan gave it a5:
Its Galaga, though it advertises enhanced graphics, NOT! The game is fun, all be it for about 10-20 minutes. I just cant recommend this game. Look at Frogger, there are some obvious graphical upgrade without getting the historical society up in arms.

Andyman gave it a4:
Sure, Galaga is a classic and all... but you'd think Namco Bandai would add something... anything... to it, to make it worth a purchase. After all, this game has been on dozens of arcade compilations on many different platforms already. But they didn't. It has literally nothing new. No co-op or versus mode, no updated graphics, nothing. Even the borderline-terrible Frogger has all of that. Galaga gets a 4 out of respect for the arcade memories.

Mat C. gave it a9:
I don't understand the reviews. This $5 game is a faithful reproduction. The achievements aren't super-easy, but can be had with an hour or two's perservierance. The game plays like it always has, and is exactly what Galaga was. The only bad stuff is that there are some mandatory 2 second delays and some small usability problems, but nothing like some other games. If you rate this compared to what the standup arcade is, and say "how well does it reproduce that experience", it's excellent. It's also 400pts. Why reviewers feel the need to compare this type of game to $60 disc games confuses me. It's a good ARCADE game.

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