A new Galaga!

[Singapura]

Microsoft and Namco Bandai want to cash in on the retro craze and will bring out Galaga Legions for Xbox Live Arcade. I so hope there will be a PC version and that it will be cab friendly!



http://kotaku.com/5026439/galaga-legions-hands-on-impressions-heavenly-galaga-hell

[TOK]

Hopefully its better than whats represented in those screenshots. Looks like a big, blurry jumble of crap.

[evilfuzzle]

oh it won't be as bad as the screenshots , i reckon it will kick ass as long as they add a mountain of levels (in the 100's) because it the don't it will suck, i like to do indurence shooters

[javeryh]

Looks good to me:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKv_Zz7j7B0[/youtube]

[WunderCade]

Looks like they overdid it, with an emphasis on graphics and light shows instead of on game play. Which is exactly why modern games are lacking the playability and charm of the classics everyone love.

The only cool factor for me was the positional side guns. Other than that, the game reminded me of the Windows Media Player Visualization feature.

[fjl]

 

I was hoping for a retro sequel like they did with Megaman 9.

[somunny]

I was impressed with what was done for Pacman: Championship Edition.  Still play it, in fact.  If they can update the game while preserving the original spirit, it might be a winner.  I'm cautiously optomistic, for now.

[Ginsu Victim]

If they call it something other than Galaga, I'm all for it. Looks great.

But that's not Galaga....

[javeryh]

bah, you guys sound like my grandfather when DVDs came out...   

[pinballwizard79]

Looks good, agreed it isn't exactly true to the classic Galaga but then again it isn't Elder Scrolls either 

There are a lot more "old school" games on XBL, usually you can choose to play the arcade version + the new "revised" version.

Asteroids is a good example of what I am referring to.

[Mr Kray]

You guys will not be satisfied with anything they bring out!

For a game to succeed today it will have to have awesome graphics otherwise the only people that will buy it will be retro fanboys and there aren't enough of us to make a company like Microsoft make a new Galaga with old graphics.

So basically awesome graphics area requirement, as for game play if it was not in the style of Galaga then you would all be up in arms saying that it's not Galaga and shouldn't use it's name.

The Galaga format is very restricted and really there isn't much you can do with the game play whilst still keeping it similar enough to call it Galaga.

Whether I would play this game I'm not sure but I think they've done a pretty damn good job considering the limitations they have to work with.

[patrickl]

At least it's not so lame as the new Galaga version they included in Namco Museum for the Wii.

[Blanka]

Looks like they gonna use it to promote DirectX 10.1 when it comes to the PC. Even when these visual were possible on a 286 already if you look at the Unreal demo from Future Crew in 1992.

[Level42]

Looks like any  modern style scrolling shooter.

Too many f-ing things moving on screen at the same time, you aimlessly fire at will in the hope to hit something (what, you don't know) and crazy moving about in the hope you're missing any attacking fire.

No skill required.

At least, that's what it looks like....

[Malenko]

I wont judge it until I play it, looking at that movie... I dont think I'll ever have to judge it?

[urbecrisch]

Looks disappointing!  Believe me, I'm all for new innovating ways to bring some of the classics back but this just looks ridiculous.  Not too keen with the horizontal fire either.  Something more like Mutant Storm is what I look for in newer games for the PC that is CAB friendly.  Plays like Robotron but has some kick ass graphics and sound.

[FrizzleFried]

I agree with most that it looks like ass.  What's with everything HAVING to have a glow to it?

Did you see the absurd footage at the beginning?

From what i've seen,  2/10 at best.

[coltchillin]

reminds me of geometry wars for some reason.

[ahofle]

Am I the only one who thinks it's almost a direct copy of Geometry wars?   Same style of graphics, same frenetic shooting of tons of enemies, even those little snake things look the same!  The only difference I see is the Galaga looking ship that only points upwards. 
Still looks cool though -- I too hope it makes it to the PC.

EDIT: DOH coltchillin beat me by a few seconds!

[coltchillin]

 

[RoomTenONine]

It does look like Geometry Wars, unfortunately.  If it were "just another game" it would probably be decent (although I don't think much can top GW for what it is).  However, being a Galaga sequel it seems as if it missed the mark.  Although I'd never know until I actually played it.

[erictrumpet]

I have both an Xbox360 and a MAME cab and I hate when the two overlap. I don't expect to play state-of-the-art games on my cab, and I don't want to play retro remakes on the Xbox. With the modern consoles amazing new capabilities, they should stick to creating brand new games from the ground up. Geometry Wars is a perfect example. That game has "arcade feel" in spades but it is fresh and new and looks and sounds awesome. I'm aware there is a cab-friendly version of Geo Wars, but I actually think it works better on a big TV with surround sound and those little analog sticks under your thumbs, just like Galaga works best standing up in front of a 20-something inch monitor relentlessly pounding away on a huge 1-inch button and shaking the whole machine as you wrestle the stick back and forth...

Eric.

[leapinlew]

Rubbish...

What was Galaga: Destination Earth? Was it not a sequel? It sucked too, just like this will...

Heres some ideas I give them for free, and it could be better.

How about a multiplayer mode where it's split screen with my ship in the middle back to back with another players ship. Keeping the same left right movement, but giving you a feeling of being surrounded by the enemy. I've attached a picture to illustrate.

Or how about a multiplayer mode where your on opposite sides and the enemy in the middle, where you can shoot at the enemies and the other player? Still keeping the left right movement, but introducing a multiplayer aspect.

How about a good story line with an end goal, power ups, or multiple paths?

I mean, I'm fine with updated graphics, but the game play shouldn't change too much because it will  alienate their biggest fans.

[clok]

Well I must admit I'm really getting sick of the "throw as much crap at the player as possible and fill the screen so they cant tell WTH is going on" game style. Pretty is just fine, but when my game is like Wheres Waldo to see bullets I dont like it. And far to many games are doing this, sure it makes it hard, sure it takes ALOT of skill to play um, but they forgot that "FUN" thing. Pretty, hard and takes skill are all part of makeing good games, but haveing them dont mean its a good game. I sometimes think its my age (and honesly I'm almost sure it is) my reflexes are no where near what they where, games from the 80's i could play somewhat succesfully frustrate me quite often now (but I still enjoy um). I cant get throuhg 1/10th the screens I could in Robotron, heck i could do a few levels in defender in the old days, now 2-3 screens is a bonified miracle. Maybe its my frustration that makes me assume its going to be no fun. The last Remake i truley ejoyed as much or almost as much as the original was Tempest 2000, and that came out long enouhg ago I think i still had a reflex or two...

But as with anything, my unplayed opinion of it isnt good, but I will need to play it and see, maybe its more fun to play then to look at.

Clok

[RayB]

It's called "Galaga Legends".
or "Legions"...

 
maybe "Lager".

[leapinlew]

It's called "Galaga Legends".

A TRUE sequel he says...

[pinballwizard79]

I agree with Mr Kray about it being difficult to please everyone with this game.

Javeryh was right too, you guys do sound like paw paws 

Galaga already exists, perhaps you heard of it, they call it Galaga? So with that logic Galaga "next gen HD" wouldnt be Galaga "next gen HD" if it were just plain old Galaga. Because we already have that, its called Galaga.

So I would just play regular Galaga when feeling the need & then play the "fancy, mushroom & seizure fest" Galaga redux in HD as well.

Then you can have your cake & eat it too.

Because if all they did was take Galaga & add a 2nd player or give you freedom to move around everyone would be like "oh all they did was mix Galaga with Asteroids & then add a 2nd player, bah bah bah".

Anyway, I just wanted to type the word Galaga 12 times.

Galaga, there was #12

If you want to play the game with better graphics just play it on your LCD, if you want a story line just play Fable, if you want to play the original play the original, if you want to play the wtf is going on new HD version then fire up your 360!

Dont get too mad at me fellas, I will still need some of your help with my next arcade in a few weeks guys 

[Malenko]

i think our point is, if its a sequel build off the original dont make a new game that has nothing to do with galaga and call it galaga 2.

its like making a new RallyX game but you shoot it out in armor plated cars while racing in the sewer and picking up donut power ups ;but since the car kinda looks like the car from RallyX its Rally X 2

[pinballwizard79]

Mmmmm, doughnuts.

LOL, yeah man I hear you.

All this Galaga talk makes me want to play it.

[patrickl]

It's called "Galaga Legends".

Galaga Legions?

[Level42]

Let's not forget that Galaga was already a lot worse than it's original.

[patrickl]

Let's not forget that Galaga was already a lot worse than it's original.

At least it improved on Space Invaders (the game the prequel of Galaga was based on) 

[Malenko]

Let's not forget that Galaga was already a lot worse than it's original.

I dunno, I couldn't play galaxian anymore after playing galaga. of course Now Ive played DoDonPachi and Mars Matrix but still love Galaga =) I hope the new Galaga game doesnt suck, just for the sake of Galaga . I still think if the game isnt based on Galaga, then it shouldnt be called "Galaga Anything"


I could only type Galaga 7 times, including that one.





GALAGA  make that 8

[leapinlew]

Am I the only one who played Galaga: Destination Earth?

Galaga Destination Earth

[Malenko]

Am I the only one who played Galaga: Destination Earth?

Galaga Destination Earth

yes?

[ark_ader]

My favourite is Galaga 99 on the PC Engine.

[Singapura]

It's true, it has nothing to do with the original and is just a cynical attempt of the gaming "industry" to cash in on an existing name. On the other hand, it will appeal massively to the 5 Japanese gamers that own an Xbox 360 as well as the well to do 30-somethings that remember the name from their highschool days and that's a good thing. I'd love to play this thing on my cab though because that's were arcade games, HD or not, belong.

[Ummon]

It's true, it has nothing to do with the original and is just a cynical attempt of the gaming "industry" to cash in on an existing name.

Bingo. Gaplus was a sequel, and it upped the ante. Galaga '88 is a true sequel if you wanna go there, and it skirted the edge between killer graphics and retaining cool game play. But it also added to the theme in the 'triple ship' feature, as well as the different beasties, the warp modules, etc, etc. There's no need to go any further.

On the other hand, it will appeal massively to the 5 Japanese gamers that own an Xbox 360 as well as the well to do 30-somethings that remember the name from their highschool days

Which 30-somethings are you talking about? The ones who were in grade school when galaga came out? Or the ones who probly only knew it as legend by the time they were old enough to be in highschool?

[danny_galaga]

Rubbish...


Or how about a multiplayer mode where your on opposite sides and the enemy in the middle, where you can shoot at the enemies and the other player? Still keeping the left right movement, but introducing a multiplayer aspect.

[RoomTenONine]

On the other hand, it will appeal massively to the 5 Japanese gamers that own an Xbox 360 as well as the well to do 30-somethings that remember the name from their highschool days

Which 30-somethings are you talking about? The ones who were in grade school when galaga came out? Or the ones who probly only knew it as legend by the time they were old enough to be in highschool?

There are some of us "30 somethings" that were in the arcades with their Dad and/or older brothers at a very young age.  I remember certain early 80's classics arriving new at the local arcade and was barely in elementary school (kindergarten).  I remember begging my Mom to get me the blue Tron sweat shirt for school...not the red one (they both had this awesome translucent plastic disc on it that was iridescent)...after I had watched the movie and after I had played the piss out of the arcade game.

My point being, we didn't have to be in high school when the classics came out to appreciate them or have valid experiences playing them.