Summary
- Release Year: 1979
- Genres: Arcade, Shooter
- Platforms: Arcade
- Developers: Namco
- Publishers: Midway, Namco
Galaxian (1979): A Space Shooter Classic
Galaxian is a shooter arcade game developed by Namco in 1979. It was released by Namco in Japan and a few months later by Midway Games in North America. The game was developed to compete with Taito Corporation’s Space Invaders, released a year earlier, and featured a similar space theme. However, Galaxian introduced several new features that set it apart from its predecessor and made it a classic in its own right.
Gameplay
The player controls a space ship at the bottom of the screen and shoots at enemies descending from the top of the screen. The enemies are aliens of various types, each with their own unique movement and attack patterns. The player’s ship can move left and right and fire bullets. The player must destroy all of the enemies on the screen to advance to the next level.
Galaxian introduced several new features to the space shooter genre. First, the game featured color graphics, which made the aliens and backgrounds more visually appealing. Second, the game introduced bonus rounds, which gave players the opportunity to earn extra points by destroying enemy formations in a specific order. Third, the game featured a “hyperspace” feature, which allowed the player to instantly jump to a different part of the screen. This feature was very useful for avoiding enemy fire and setting up attacks.
Development
Galaxian was developed by a team led by Namco game designer Toru Iwatani. Iwatani was inspired to create Galaxian after seeing Space Invaders and wanting to create a game with more variety and excitement. He added new features such as the color graphics, bonus rounds, and hyperspace feature to make Galaxian stand out from its competitors.
Reception
Galaxian was a huge success upon its release. It was one of the most popular arcade games of the early 1980s and helped to establish Namco as a major force in the video game industry. The game was praised for its addictive gameplay, beautiful graphics, and innovative features.
Galaxian has continued to be popular in the years since its release. It has been ported to numerous home consoles and computers, and it is still played by many people today. The game is considered to be one of the greatest arcade games of all time.
Legacy
Galaxian had a major impact on the video game industry. It helped to popularize the space shooter genre and inspired many other games, including Galaga, Pac-Man, and Ms. Pac-Man. The game’s simple but addictive gameplay and innovative features have made it a classic that is still enjoyed by people today.
Here are some of the reasons why Galaxian is such a great game:
- Addictive gameplay: Galaxian is a simple game to learn, but it is difficult to master. The player must constantly be on the move, shooting aliens and avoiding their fire. The game is fast-paced and exciting, and it is easy to get lost in the action.
- Beautiful graphics: Galaxian was one of the first arcade games to feature color graphics. The aliens and backgrounds are colorful and detailed, and the game’s overall presentation is very polished.
- Innovative features: Galaxian introduced several new features to the space shooter genre, including bonus rounds, the hyperspace feature, and the ability to control the player’s ship with a joystick. These features added depth and variety to the gameplay and helped to make Galaxian stand out from its competitors.
- Lasting legacy: Galaxian is one of the most influential arcade games of all time. It helped to popularize the space shooter genre and inspired many other games. The game’s simple but addictive gameplay and innovative features have made it a classic that is still enjoyed by people today.
If you are a fan of space shooter games, then you owe it to yourself to check out Galaxian. It is a classic game that is still fun and exciting to play today.
Review Score
9.5/10
Art
Cover Art
Screenshots
