Galaxian
Encyclopedia
is an arcade game
developed
by Namco
in 1979. It was published
by Namco in Japan
and was imported to North America by Midway
in 1980. A fixed shooter-style game in which the player controls a spaceship at the bottom of the screen and shoots enemies descending in various directions, it was designed to compete with the successful earlier game Space Invaders
.
The game was highly popular upon its release, and has been a focus of competitive gaming ever since. It spawned a successful sequel, Galaga
, in 1981, and the lesser known Gaplus
in 1984, as well as many later ports and adaptations.
Galaxian expanded on the formula pioneered by Space Invaders
. As in the earlier game, Galaxian featured a horde of attacking aliens that exchanged shots with the player. In contrast to Space Invaders, Galaxian added an element of drama by having the aliens periodically make kamikaze
-like dives at the player's ship
, the Galaxip. The game's plot consisted of a title screen that displayed the message "WE ARE THE GALAXIANS / MISSION: DESTROY ALIENS". Galaxian was also an early example of levels
and boss encounters, and it was the first game to have all of its graphics in RGB colour.
was relatively simple. Swarm
after swarm of alien armies attacked the player's ship that moved left and right at the bottom of the wraparound screen
. The ship could only have one shot on screen at a time. The player would defeat one swarm, only to have it replaced by another more aggressive and challenging army in the next screen. A plain and repetitive starfield scrolled in the background.
Galaxian was very successful for Namco and introduced several "firsts". Although true color (as opposed to a color overlay for a game that was otherwise black and white) began appearing as early as 1975, Galaxian took graphics a step further with multi-colored animated sprites and explosions, a crude theme song, different colored fonts for the score and high score, more prominent background "music" and the scrolling starfield, and graphic icons that showed the number of ships left and how many rounds the player had completed. These elements combined to create a look and feel that would set the standard for many other 1980s arcade games such as Pac-Man
.
by Namco
in 1979, and released in Japan
that year. It was designed to build and improve upon the formula of Taito
's game Space Invaders
, which had revolutionized the gaming industry upon its release a year earlier. Galaxian incorporated new technology into its dedicated arcade system board
, the Namco Galaxian
. Unlike Space Invaders, which was black and white and featured enemies that could only move vertically and horizontally as they descended, Galaxian had a color screen and enemies that descended in patterns and came from various directions. The result was more complex and difficult game play.
In 1980 Namco partnered with the American company Midway
to release the game in North America. Midway had previously published Space Invaders in the market, but had to seek new foreign partners when Taito decided to market their games themselves. Though not nearly as successful as Space Invaders had been, Galaxian became one of the most profitable games of its time. It was a major boost for Namco and Midway, allowing Midway to challenged the dominance of their rivals Atari
in North America.
ed to many different systems. These include:
A port for the Game Boy Color
was planned, but never released.
Galaxian has also been released as part of the Namco Museum series of collections across several platforms:
Galaxian was also released on Microsoft Windows
in 1995 as part of Microsoft Return of Arcade.
The game was also released as part of the Pac-Man's Arcade Party
30th Anniversary arcade machine.
The game has also been seen in Jakks Pacific
's "Plug It In & Play" TV game controllers.
Galaxian, along with Galaga, Galpus, and Galaga '88, was "redesigned and modernized" for an iPhone app compilation called the Galaga 30th Anniversary Collection
, released in commemoration of the event by Namco Bandai
. The collection app comes with Galaxian as a free game, with the remaining three games available in-app for $3 each or the complete set for $8. The app also features "Galaga points", collected as the games are played and used to unlock various consumable power-ups and special arcade cabinet designs, including the original art for each game.
, which largely eclipsed its predecessor in popularity, introducing aliens attacking in intricate formations, multiple guns, and bonus rounds. A third official sequel, Gaplus, was released in 1984. Like Galaga, this was a bottom shooter, with some limited up/down movement (like Centipede
). However, by 1984 the novelty of the Space Invader formula had faded, and it was no longer successful.
has been the focus of many competitive gamers since its release. The most famous Galaxian rivalry has been between British player Gary Whelan and Perry Rodgers (USA), who faced off at Apollo Amusements in Pompano Beach, Florida
, USA, on April 6–9, 2006. Whelan held the world record with 1,114,550 points, until beaten by newcomer Aart van Vliet, of the Netherlands, who scored 1,653,270 points on May 27, 2009 at the Funspot Family Fun Center
in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire
, USA.
) and would also go on to become a recurring item in other games).
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
developed
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
in 1979. It was published
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by Namco in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and was imported to North America by Midway
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
in 1980. A fixed shooter-style game in which the player controls a spaceship at the bottom of the screen and shoots enemies descending in various directions, it was designed to compete with the successful earlier game Space Invaders
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
.
The game was highly popular upon its release, and has been a focus of competitive gaming ever since. It spawned a successful sequel, Galaga
Galaga
is a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
, in 1981, and the lesser known Gaplus
Gaplus
, far more commonly known as Galaga 3 , is a fixed shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1984. It runs on Namco Phozon hardware and was only known as Gaplus in Japan...
in 1984, as well as many later ports and adaptations.
Description
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
. As in the earlier game, Galaxian featured a horde of attacking aliens that exchanged shots with the player. In contrast to Space Invaders, Galaxian added an element of drama by having the aliens periodically make kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
-like dives at the player's ship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
, the Galaxip. The game's plot consisted of a title screen that displayed the message "WE ARE THE GALAXIANS / MISSION: DESTROY ALIENS". Galaxian was also an early example of levels
Level (video gaming)
A level, map, area, or world in a video game is the total space available to the player during the course of completing a discrete objective...
and boss encounters, and it was the first game to have all of its graphics in RGB colour.
Gameplay
The gameplayGameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
was relatively simple. Swarm
Swarm
Swarm behaviour, or swarming, is a collective behaviour exhibited by animals of similar size which aggregate together, perhaps milling about the same spot or perhaps moving en masse or migrating in some direction. As a term, swarming is applied particularly to insects, but can also be applied to...
after swarm of alien armies attacked the player's ship that moved left and right at the bottom of the wraparound screen
Wraparound (Video Games)
Wraparound, in video games, is a gameplay variation on the single-screen in which space is finite but unbounded; objects leaving one side of the screen immediately reappear on the opposite side, maintaining speed and trajectory...
. The ship could only have one shot on screen at a time. The player would defeat one swarm, only to have it replaced by another more aggressive and challenging army in the next screen. A plain and repetitive starfield scrolled in the background.
Galaxian was very successful for Namco and introduced several "firsts". Although true color (as opposed to a color overlay for a game that was otherwise black and white) began appearing as early as 1975, Galaxian took graphics a step further with multi-colored animated sprites and explosions, a crude theme song, different colored fonts for the score and high score, more prominent background "music" and the scrolling starfield, and graphic icons that showed the number of ships left and how many rounds the player had completed. These elements combined to create a look and feel that would set the standard for many other 1980s arcade games such as Pac-Man
Pac-Man
is an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
.
History
The game was developedVideo game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
in 1979, and released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
that year. It was designed to build and improve upon the formula of Taito
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
's game Space Invaders
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
, which had revolutionized the gaming industry upon its release a year earlier. Galaxian incorporated new technology into its dedicated arcade system board
Arcade system board
An arcade system board is a dedicated computer system created for the purpose of running video arcade games. Arcade system boards typically consist of a main system board with any number of supporting boards...
, the Namco Galaxian
Namco Galaxian
The Namco 8-bit Galaxian arcade system board was first used by Namco in 1979.-Namco Galaxian specifications:*Main CPU: Zilog Z80*Sound chips: Discrete*Video resolution: 256x224...
. Unlike Space Invaders, which was black and white and featured enemies that could only move vertically and horizontally as they descended, Galaxian had a color screen and enemies that descended in patterns and came from various directions. The result was more complex and difficult game play.
In 1980 Namco partnered with the American company Midway
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
to release the game in North America. Midway had previously published Space Invaders in the market, but had to seek new foreign partners when Taito decided to market their games themselves. Though not nearly as successful as Space Invaders had been, Galaxian became one of the most profitable games of its time. It was a major boost for Namco and Midway, allowing Midway to challenged the dominance of their rivals Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
in North America.
Ports
The original arcade version of Galaxian has been portPorting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
ed to many different systems. These include:
- Apple IIApple IIThe Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
- Atari 400/800Atari 8-bit familyThe Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
- Atari 2600Atari 2600The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
- Atari 5200Atari 5200The Atari 5200 SuperSystem, commonly known as the Atari 5200, is a video game console that was introduced in 1982 by Atari Inc. as a higher end complementary console for the popular Atari 2600...
- Bally AstrocadeBally AstrocadeThe Astrocade is an early video game console and simple computer system designed by a team at Midway, the videogame division of Bally. It was marketed only for a limited time before Bally decided to exit the market. The rights were later picked up by a third-party company, who re-released it and...
- ColecoColecoColeco is an American company founded in 1932 by Maurice Greenberg as "Connecticut Leather Company". It became a highly successful toy company in the 1980s, known for its mass-produced version of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and its video game consoles, the Coleco Telstar and...
VFD table top - ColecoVisionColecoVisionThe ColecoVision is Coleco Industries' second generation home video game console which was released in August 1982. The ColecoVision offered arcade-quality graphics and gaming style, and the means to expand the system's basic hardware...
- Commodore VIC-20Commodore VIC-20The VIC-20 is an 8-bit home computer which was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET...
- Commodore 64Commodore 64The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
- IBM PCIBM PCThe IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
- Dreamcast
- Game BoyGame BoyThe , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
(bundled with its direct successor, GalagaGalagais a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
) - MSXMSXMSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
(Europe and Japan only) - NEC PC-8801NEC PC-8801The NEC PC-8801 was an early Zilog Z80-based computer exclusively released in Japan, where it became very popular, by NEC Corporation in 1981. It was informally called the "PC-88"....
- Nintendo FamicomNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(Japan only) - Sharp X1Sharp X1The X1 is a series of home computer released by Sharp Corporation from 1982 to 1988. It was based on a Z80 CPU.Despite the fact that the Computer Division of Sharp Corporation had released the MZ series, suddenly the Television Division released a new computer series called the X1...
- ZX SpectrumZX SpectrumThe ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
- Mobile JavaMobile Information Device ProfileMobile Information Device Profile is a specification published for the use of Java on embedded devices such as mobile phones and PDAs. MIDP is part of the Java Platform, Micro Edition framework and sits on top of Connected Limited Device Configuration , a set of lower level programming...
- Virtual ConsoleVirtual consoleA virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
(Japan only)
A port for the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
was planned, but never released.
Galaxian has also been released as part of the Namco Museum series of collections across several platforms:
- PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
(as part of Namco Museum Volume 3) - Nintendo 64Nintendo 64The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
(Namco Museum 64) - Dreamcast (Namco Museum)
- Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
(Namco Museum Advance) - PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, XboxXboxThe Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, Nintendo GameCubeNintendo GameCubeThe , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
and Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
(Namco Museum: 50th Anniversary Arcade Collection) - PlayStation PortablePlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
(Namco Museum Battle CollectionNamco Museum Battle CollectionNamco Museum Battle Collection is a collection of Namco arcade games such as Dig Dug, Pac-Man and Galaga. It was released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan on February 25, 2005 and contained eleven classic games from Namco's game history. The game was developed by Namco Tales Studio Ltd...
) - Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
(Namco Museum DS) - WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
(Namco Museum RemixNamco Museum RemixNamco Museum Remix is a video game compilation for the Wii, featuring a wide array of classic and updated Namco arcade games. Featured in the compilation are the original arcade versions of Cutie Q, Dig Dug, Galaxian, Gaplus, Mappy, Pac & Pal, Pac-Mania, Super Pac-Man and Xevious...
)
Galaxian was also released on Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
in 1995 as part of Microsoft Return of Arcade.
The game was also released as part of the Pac-Man's Arcade Party
Pac-Man Anniversary Arcade Machines
On special anniversaries for Pac-Man and/or Ms. Pac-Man . Namco has released compilations of their classic arcade games as arcade machines....
30th Anniversary arcade machine.
The game has also been seen in Jakks Pacific
Jakks Pacific
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a designer and marketer of toys and consumer products, with a range of products that feature numerous children's toy licenses...
's "Plug It In & Play" TV game controllers.
Galaxian, along with Galaga, Galpus, and Galaga '88, was "redesigned and modernized" for an iPhone app compilation called the Galaga 30th Anniversary Collection
Galaga 30th Collection
Galaga 30th Collection is an iOS application by Namco Bandai made to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Galaga arcade game. The application allows you to play remakes of the games in the Galaga series. The application is downloaded for free and comes with Galaga's prequel Galaxian...
, released in commemoration of the event by Namco Bandai
Namco Bandai
, also known as the Bandai Namco Group, is a Japanese holding company formed from the merger of Namco and Bandai. It has interests in toys, video games and arcades, anime, and amusement parks. The new entity was founded on September 29, 2005...
. The collection app comes with Galaxian as a free game, with the remaining three games available in-app for $3 each or the complete set for $8. The app also features "Galaga points", collected as the games are played and used to unlock various consumable power-ups and special arcade cabinet designs, including the original art for each game.
Legacy
Galaxian has spawned several follow-up games. The most popular of these was its immediate successor, GalagaGalaga
is a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
, which largely eclipsed its predecessor in popularity, introducing aliens attacking in intricate formations, multiple guns, and bonus rounds. A third official sequel, Gaplus, was released in 1984. Like Galaga, this was a bottom shooter, with some limited up/down movement (like Centipede
Centipede (video game)
Centipede is a vertically-oriented shoot 'em up arcade game produced by Atari, Inc. in 1980. The game was designed by Ed Logg along with Dona Bailey, one of the few female game programmers in the industry at this time. It was also the first arcade coin-operated game to have a significant female...
). However, by 1984 the novelty of the Space Invader formula had faded, and it was no longer successful.
In the competitive arena
The Galaxian world recordWorld record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
has been the focus of many competitive gamers since its release. The most famous Galaxian rivalry has been between British player Gary Whelan and Perry Rodgers (USA), who faced off at Apollo Amusements in Pompano Beach, Florida
Pompano Beach, Florida
Pompano Beach ) is a city in Broward County, Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean just to the north of Fort Lauderdale. The nearby Hillsboro Inlet forms part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 99,845...
, USA, on April 6–9, 2006. Whelan held the world record with 1,114,550 points, until beaten by newcomer Aart van Vliet, of the Netherlands, who scored 1,653,270 points on May 27, 2009 at the Funspot Family Fun Center
Funspot Family Fun Center
Funspot Family Fun Center is a video arcade and self-declared "classic gaming museum" founded in 1952 by Bob Lawton, and located in the village of Weirs Beach in Laconia, New Hampshire, USA. It includes over 500 games, an indoor golf center, a 20-lane ten-pin and candlepin bowling center, cash...
in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire
Weirs Beach, New Hampshire
Weirs Beach is a village within the city of Laconia in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. It is located on the southern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. The cruise ship Mount Washington terminates there...
, USA.
Standard arcade games
- GalagaGalagais a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
(1981) - GaplusGaplus, far more commonly known as Galaga 3 , is a fixed shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1984. It runs on Namco Phozon hardware and was only known as Gaplus in Japan...
(1984) - Galaga '88Galaga '88is a 1987 fixed shooter arcade game by Namco. It is the third sequel of Galaxian . It features significantly improved graphics over the previous games in the series, including detailed backgrounds, larger enemies and more ship details. Although it was well received, fewer units of this game were...
(1987) - Galaga Arrangement (1995) - released as part of Namco Classic Collection Vol. 1
- Galaxian was one of the most widely pirated motherboards during the early 80s. Numerous hacks were made of the game and featured slightly redesigned aliens and special bonus stages. The scrolling starfield and the lose-a-life explosion was still familiar as the one from Galaxian.
Arcade laserdisc
- Galaxian 3Galaxian 3Galaxian 3 is an arcade game released by Namco in 1994. It is a walk-in style arcade game run on a hybrid of laserdisc and traditional arcade hardware and it uses two synchronized laserdisc players to create the pre-rendered backgrounds of the game...
(1990) Galaxian 3 : Project Dragoon (Theatre 6) for 6 Players on 2 x 110 inch RGB Projectors - 18 feet (5.5 m) screen - Attack of the ZolgearAttack of the ZolgearAttack Of The Zolgear is a video game implemented as a conversion kit for Namco's "Theater 6" system, which was used for the 1994 arcade version of Galaxian 3...
(1994) (A ROM and laserdisc upgrade for Galaxian 3Galaxian 3Galaxian 3 is an arcade game released by Namco in 1994. It is a walk-in style arcade game run on a hybrid of laserdisc and traditional arcade hardware and it uses two synchronized laserdisc players to create the pre-rendered backgrounds of the game...
)
Games featuring elements of Galaxian
- Entex IndustriesEntex IndustriesEntex Industries, Inc. was a toy and electronic game manufacturer based in Compton, California. The company was active during the 1970s and 1980s.-Background:...
released a handheld electronic gameHandheld electronic game----Handheld electronic games are very small, portable devices for playing interactive electronic games, often miniaturized versions of video games. The controls, display and speakers are all part of a single unit. Rather than a general-purpose screen made up of a grid of small pixels, they...
called Galaxian 2Galaxian 2Galaxian 2 is a handheld electronic game that was released in 1981 in the US by Entex Industries. It was also released the same year in Japan under the name Astro Galaxy and in Europe under the name Astro Invader.-Description:thumb|left|Galaxian 2 displayThe game is called Galaxian 2 because it...
in 1981. The game is called Galaxian 2 because it has a two-player mode. It is not a sequel, as there is no Entex Galaxian. - The video game GorfGorfGorf is an arcade game released in 1981 by Midway Mfg., whose name was advertised as an acronym for "Galactic Orbiting Robot Force". It is a multiple-mission fixed shooter with five distinct modes of play, essentially making it five games in one...
, by Bally Midway, has a Galaxian stage. - A version of the game can be unlocked in Midway's Mortal Kombat 3Mortal Kombat 3Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game developed by Midway and released in 1995, first as an arcade game. It is the third game in the Mortal Kombat series...
on the Sega Genesis. - The game can be seen on the home stretch of various Ridge RacerRidge Racer (series)Ridge Racer is a series of arcade racing games developed and published by Namco for both the arcade and various gaming systems. In each of the games, players race on courses set in and around the fictional Ridge City while utilizing the concepts of drift racing to quickly traverse...
circuits. On the PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
version, while the player is waiting for Ridge Racer to load, they can play a quick game of Galaxian. Also, on Ridge Racer 64 and Ridge Racer DS, a car is available called the "Galaxian Paradise" (in Ridge Racer 64, the car is named "White Angel" like Ridge Racer and Ridge Racer RevolutionRidge Racer RevolutionRidge Racer Revolution is a racing game developed by Namco for the PlayStation in 1995. It is the sequel of the inaugural game Ridge Racer. The game's covers between the Japanese version and the European & North America version are different in this game. The game's cover of the Japanese...
). - The boss of the Space Zone in the game Pac-Man WorldPac-Man Worldwas released on the 20th anniversary of the creation of Pac-Man. It is a 3D based free roaming platform game for the PlayStation released on September 30, 1999...
for PlayStation is inspired by the game Galaxian. However, the stage itself is similar to GalagaGalagais a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
. - Japanese RTS game New Space Order by Namco Bandai Games is set in the same U.G.S.F. universe as the setting of Galaxian.
Games featuring the Galaxian flagship
The Galaxian flagship (also called the Galboss) has made numerous cameo appearances in other Namco games (like the Special Flag from Rally-XRally-X
Rally-X is a maze driving arcade game that was released by Namco in 1980. It runs on Namco Pac-Man hardware, and was the first Namco game to feature "Special Flags", which would become a recurring object in later games .It was the first game to ever feature a "bonus round." The object is to...
) and would also go on to become a recurring item in other games).
- Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
(1980): The flagship makes an appearance as a bonus fruit on rounds 9 and 10, and is worth 2000 points if Pac-Man eats it. - GalagaGalagais a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
(1981): The flagship makes an appearance as one of the "transform" ships. It splits into 2, then 3 clones of itself. If all 3 are killed, they are worth 3000 points. - Dig DugDig Dugis an arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan in 1982 for Namco Galaga hardware. It was later published outside of Japan by Atari. A popular game based on a simple concept, it was also released as a video game on many consoles.-Objective:...
(1982): The flagship makes an appearance as a bonus vegetable on rounds 16 and 17, and is worth 7000 points if Dig Dug picks it up. - Super Pac-ManSuper Pac-Man, released in 1982 is the third installment of the Pac-Man series of arcade games and the second starring Pac-Man himself. It is also the second game to be created by series originator Namco, as Ms...
(1982): All regular edible items on rounds 15, 31, 47, and 63 are flagships, and they are worth 150 points each. Starting from their second appearance, Round 31, they are 160 points instead. - Pac-Man PlusPac-Man PlusPac-Man Plus is an arcade game released by Bally Midway in 1982, and is the 4th title in the Pac-Man series of games.- Gameplay :The gameplay in Pac-Man Plus is nearly identical to that of the original Pac-Man...
(1982): The flagship's role is exactly the same as its role in Pac-Man. - Pac & PalPac & Palis an arcade game that was released only in Japan by Namco in 1983. The game ran on Namco Super Pac-Man hardware, and the object of the game was for Pac-Man to eat all the items before he was caught by the ghosts. Most of the items are fruits from the original Pac-Man game with a few new additions....
(1983): The flagship makes an appearance as one of the "special items" that make Pac-Man turn blue when eaten, and allows him to stun the ghosts for a short while by shooting a GalagaGalagais a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
style capture beam. It is worth 1000 points if Pac-Man eats it. - Pac-LandPac-Landis an entry in the Pac-Man series of arcade video games, released into arcades by Namco, and its American distributor Bally Midway , in 1984. It was the first Namco arcade game to use the then-new arcade system later titled as Namco Pac-Land...
(1984): The ghosts in airplanes sometimes drop flagships and they are worth "7650" points (765 being Namco's goroawase number in Japanese) if eaten. - Super XeviousSuper Xeviousalso is a vertical scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1984. As the name suggests, it is the sequel to Xevious, which was released 2 years earlier.-Gameplay:...
(1984): The flagship makes an appearance in a silver form and as an enemy, and sometimes several of them attack at once. They are worth 300 points each. - QuesterQuesterNamco Quester is an arcade game that was released by Namco in 1987 only in Japan and was released on the Wii Virtual Console on December 8, 2009 in Japan.-Gameplay:...
(1987): In Round 5, the bricks form a Galaxian Flagship. - Pac-ManiaPac-Maniais an arcade video game in the Pac-Man series, released by Namco in 1987 and distributed by Atari Games in the United States and Europe. It is a pseudo-3D interpretation of the classic maze game genre using an isometric view and features most elements of the original Pac-Man, as well as several new...
(1987): The flagship makes a 3-D appearance as a special item and in 2 forms as well, the other one being the silver form from Super Xevious. The regular one and the silver one is 7650 points if eaten. - Pistol Daimyo no BoukenPistol Daimyo no Boukenis a side-scrolling shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1990 only in Japan. It runs on Namco System 1 hardware. It is a spin-off of Bravoman, as the titular character appeared in that game as a boss-type enemy...
(1990): The flagship makes an appearance as an enemy along with the other Galaxian characters, and they attempt to hit Pistol Daimyo with their fire. - Tinkle PitTinkle PitTinkle Pit is an arcade game that was released by Namco in 1993 only in Japan.-Description:In Tinkle Pit, an evil wizard spawns monsters in a tiny village. The nameless protagonist of Tinkle Pit chooses to go on a world-saving quest to defeat the wizard and his minions. He is accompanied by an...
(1993): The flagship also makes an appearance with the other Galaxian characters, but this time they appear as bonus items. It is worth 800 points if collected. - TekkenTekken (video game)Tekken is a fighting game and is the first of the series. It was released at arcades in late 1994 and on the PlayStation in 1995. A simplified "arcade" version of the game was later released in Tekken 5s Arcade History mode. It was developed and published by Namco...
(1994 - ArcadeArcade gameAn arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
, 1995 - PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
) and Tekken 2Tekken 2Tekken 2 is the second installment in the popular Tekken fighting game series. It was first released in arcades in 1995, and later released for the PlayStation in 1996...
(1995 - Arcade, 1996 - PlayStation): Winning at least seven rounds in Arcade Vs. mode will reveal the Galaxian flagship on the lower left (or right) hand corner of the screen. In order for this to work, "Number of Wins Shown By" must be set to "Fruit". - Namco Classic Collection Vol. 1 (1995): The flagship makes an appearance in Galaga Arrangement as a Challenging Stage enemy in Space-Plant Zone (Stage 20) and Normally in Space-Flower Zone (Stage 26). If killed normally, they are worth 150 points. If killed in Challenging Stage, they are worth 300 points.
- Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2 (1996): The flagship appears in both Pac-Man ArrangementPac-Man ArrangementPac-Man Arrangement is a remake of the game Pac-Man. It was released in 1996 by Namco as part of Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2.-Gameplay:...
and Dig Dug Arrangement. In Pac-Man Arrangement, the Galaxian Flagship makes its appearance in World 4-1 and 4-2 and it is worth 5000 points if Pac-Man eats it, and in Dig Dug Arrangement, they appear in Stages 17 and 18 and it is worth 7000 points if Dig Dug picks it up. - Pac-Man WorldPac-Man Worldwas released on the 20th anniversary of the creation of Pac-Man. It is a 3D based free roaming platform game for the PlayStation released on September 30, 1999...
(1999): The flagship appears again in a Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
game. This time, the item must be collected in order to access the mazes. - Pac-Man World 2Pac-Man World 2is a video game by Namco for Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, and PC released in . Like the original Pac-Man World, the player controls the character of Pac-Man in a 3D platform game.-Story:...
(2002): The flagship teleports Pac-Man to mazes. The point value will be the same as the points earned in the maze (if completed), plus 2,000. - Pac-Man World 3Pac-Man World 3is a video game that was released on November 15, 2005 in North America for PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, and PC. It is the third game in the Pac-Man World series. It also marks the 25th anniversary of the Pac-Man arcade game. This game features more...
(2005): The flagship has the exact functionality as it does in Pac-Man World 2. - Namco Museum Battle CollectionNamco Museum Battle CollectionNamco Museum Battle Collection is a collection of Namco arcade games such as Dig Dug, Pac-Man and Galaga. It was released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan on February 25, 2005 and contained eleven classic games from Namco's game history. The game was developed by Namco Tales Studio Ltd...
(2005): The arrangement versions of Pac-Man and Dig Dug, later called Pac-Man Remix and Dig Dug Remix in the iOS version, feature the flagship. Pac-Man Remix features both the flagship, worth 3200, and the red drone, worth 2800, as fruit items, while on Dig Dug Remix, the flagship is a vegetable item and is worth 7000. - Dig Dug: Digging StrikeDig Dug: Digging StrikeDig Dug: Digging Strike is a Nintendo DS game developed by Namco.-Plot:Taizo Hori, chairman of the Driller Council and hero of the Dig Dug Incident, has become somewhat bitter over the fact that the media spotlight has left him in favor of his own son Susumu Hori, AKA Mr. Driller...
(2005): Just like the first Dig Dug, the flagship appears as a vegetable on stage 13, except it's worth 6000 points. - Pac-Man Championship EditionPac-Man Championship Editionis a 2007 video game in the Pac-Man series, developed by Namco Bandai Games. The game was designed by Tōru Iwatani, the creator of the classic original 1980 arcade game Pac-Man, and it was Iwatani's final game before his retirement...
(2007): The flagship reappears, but is this time joined by the Galaga BossGalagais a fixed shooter arcade game developed and published by Namco in Japan and published by Midway in North America in 1981. It is the sequel to Galaxian, released in 1979. The gameplay of Galaga puts the player in control of a space ship which is situated on the bottom of the screen...
, Queen GaplusGaplus, far more commonly known as Galaga 3 , is a fixed shooter arcade game that was released by Namco in 1984. It runs on Namco Phozon hardware and was only known as Gaplus in Japan...
, and two drones, one each from Galaga and Galaxian. - Pac-Man Championship Edition DXPac-Man Championship Edition DXThe game has received universal praise from critics and gaming websites, citing a big improvement over the original. IGN gave the game a perfect 10/10 and an Editor's Choice award, calling it "a master class in game design." GameSpot gave the game 9.0/10, praising the new elements which make...
(2010): The flagship and Galaga/Galaxian drones, Queen Gaplus and the Galaga Boss serve the same purpose as the original Championship Edition.
External links
- Galaxian High Score table at Twin Galaxies
- The Arcade-History entry on Galaxian
- Article at The Dot Eaters, on the history of Namco and Galaxian
- The Arcade Flyer Archive entries for Galaxian