Galaga Legions DX

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Galaga Legions DX
Xbox 360 cover art
Developer(s)Namco Bandai Games
Publisher(s)Namco Bandai Games
Director(s)Tadashi Iguchi
Producer(s)Toshiko Tamura
Composer(s)Akihiko Ishikawa
SeriesGalaxian
Platform(s)Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows Phone
Release
June 29, 2011
  • Xbox 360
    • WW: June 29, 2011
    PlayStation 3
    • WW: August 4, 2011
    • EU: August 10, 2011
    Windows Phone
    • WW: August 28, 2012
Genre(s)Twin-stick shooter, bullet hell
Mode(s)Single-player

Galaga Legions DX[a] is a 2011 twin-stick shooter video game developed and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It is the sequel to Galaga Legions (2008), and is the fourteenth entry in the Galaxian series. The player controls the AEf-7 "Blowneedle" starship in its efforts to wipe out the Galaga forces before they destroy all of mankind. The objective is to clear each of the game's nine stages in the quickest time possible by destroying waves of enemies. The Blowneedle has a pair of satellites that can be pointed at enemies to shoot them down. New additions have been made to the core gameplay, such as a "slowdown" effect when the player is about to collide with an enemy.

The game was developed by the same team behind Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, headed by director Tadashi Iguchi and producer Toshiko Tamura. Iguchi thought the original Legions tried too hard to be original and only appealed to a niche audience, deciding to make the game appeal towards more casual players with simple controls and a focus on frantic gameplay. The team focused heavily on high-score battles as a callback to video game tournaments from the early 1980s, and to appeal towards both veterans and newcomers to the Galaxian series. It was the second game released under the Namco Generations label and was made to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the original Galaga arcade game.

Following its release, Galaga Legions DX received mostly positive reviews from critics. The game was praised for its impressive graphics, fast-paced gameplay, and the improvements it brought compared to its predecessor. However, some reviewers criticized the game for its lack of content and perceived it as less refined than the original Galaga Legions. In addition to its initial release, a version of the game for Windows Phone was also made available in 2012. The Xbox 360 version was made available on the Xbox One in 2016 as part of the system's backward compatibility lineup. It was the only other game released under the Namco Generations label, as it was discontinued a year after the game's release in 2012.

Gameplay[edit]

In Galaga Legions DX, players control a starship named the AEf-7 Blowneedle in its mission to eradicate the hostile Galaga forces. Players traverse through ten different stages, which are divided up into four sections each and become progressively difficult.[1] Players can begin at any level they choose. Each section consists of multiple waves of enemies, with players needing to destroy as many as they can before the time limit runs out.[2] Player score and progress is tallied up in a bar graph displayed upon completion of each section, culminating in a final area where players must destroy a boss.

Xbox 360 version screenshot.

Gameplay of Legions DX has been compared to similar twin-stick shooters such as Geometry Wars.[3] In each wave, players must destroy large formations of constantly-moving enemies while avoiding collision with them or opposing projectiles.[2] If the Blowneedle is about to collide with an enemy or shot, a slowdown effect is applied that gives players a chance to escape before dying. The objective is to clear each section as quick as possible, with bonus points awarded for destroying enemies under a par time.[4] Enemies fly in pre-determined patterns, indicated by blue neon lines drawn across the screen. Most formations feature large, orbular ships that explode when shot, which can be used to cause chain reactions and easily wipe out larger enemies.[5] The Blowneedle is equipped with two satellites, which can either be pointed in any direction or fixated to the side of the player.[5] Flying closer to enemy formations enables "Focus Fire", which increases the Blowneedle's movement and shooting speed.[1][6] Destroying circular Black Hole Bombs sucks in all on-screen enemies, who join the player's side and provide additional firepower.[5][1]

The game features two different play modes: Adventure, where players take on each level in a linear format, and Championship, a score-attack mode where players try to get the highest score in any stage they choose.[1] Before each game beings, players can select a difficulty option and a cosmetic skin, which alters the game's visuals. Many of these replace the Blowneedle and enemies with sprites from other Galaxian games, alongside those from other older Namco games including Pac-Man, Mappy, Dig Dug, and Rally-X.[1][7][6]

Development[edit]

Tadashi Iguchi in 2009

After completing work on Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (2010), Namco Bandai Games director Tadashi Iguchi began drafting plans for a sequel to one of his previous projects, Galaga Legions (2008). Originally released for the Xbox 360, Legions was a modernized update to Namco's Galaxian series of shoot 'em ups. While the game sold well and was received favorably by publications,[8][9][10] a common complaint was its drastic departure from the gameplay of the original Galaxian and Galaga,[11][12] both of which were fixed overhead shooters. Acknowledging the criticism, Iguchi started production of a sequel that was much more accessible to new players.[13]

Iguchi directed development of Galaga Legions DX. The majority of the developers behind Pac-Man Championship Edition DX assisted him in production, such as producer Toshiko Tamura.[13] The project goal was to create a game that was intuitive and welcoming to both newcomers and franchise veterans, and to find a balance between simplicity and complexity in its gameplay.[13] With the original Galaga Legions, Iguchi felt that it trying to be original instead distanced it from previous Galaxian games, resulting in a niche target audience.[14] Iguchi's experience with developing Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, a well-received update to the original Pac-Man, provided him with a basic idea of how Galaga Legions DX should be designed. The game's design was themed around the word "crush", referring to the destruction of large hordes of enemies in the original.[15] Simplicity was a focal point for the project, as the development team didn't wish to create something too easy it lacked difficulty or something too complex it confused players.[13][14]

A number of changes were made to the gameplay structure of Legions to accommodate the team's design goals. The level progression system, a linear series of stages in the original Legions, was omitted and instead allows players to select whichever stage they choose. Iguchi didn't enjoy the first game's progression for having only one specific way to clear stage formations, believing the new non-linear structure allowed for variations within each level to accommodate different playstyles: "We want it to be both intuitive and flexible. There shouldn't be one specific way of clearing the game or obtaining a high-score."[14] The controls were also simplified so that players were able to focus on the gameplay.[14]

Among the new design choices for Legions DX was its heavy focus on earning high scores and competing with other players, as the team believed part of the rise in popularity of the shooter genre came from high-score tournaments.[13] Iguchi in particular suggested it would ignite a "competitive spirit" within players, fueling them to compete against others for the highest-score possible on leaderboards.[13] Other additions include improved visuals, reworked enemy patterns, and a slowdown feature that takes effect when the player is about to collide with an enemy. Like Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, the development team hoped to make the game "more exhilarating and satisfying" than before, and to feel like a proper evolution of its arcade game predecessors.[13][15] The game was described as an "enemy curtain shooter", as the way enemy formations closed in on players resembled the movement of curtains.[16] Composer Akihiko Ishikawa, whose works include Ninja Assault and The Idolmaster series, scored the soundtrack.[17]

Release[edit]

Namco Bandai Games teased Galaga Legions DX on November 16, 2010. The company revealed that the game would be the second title released under its Namco Generations series of classic game updates, which included Pac-Man Championship Edition DX and the later-cancelled[18] Aero-Cross.[19][20] Namco Bandai released a teaser trailer in April 2011, where it announced the game would coincide with the 30th anniversary of the original Galaga.[15][21] A playable demo was demonstrated at E3 2011.[22]

Galaga Legions DX was released for the Xbox 360 on June 29, 2011 worldwide through the Xbox Live service.[23] The PlayStation 3 version was released for the PlayStation Network on August 3, 2011 in North America and Japan,[24][25] and on August 10 in Europe.[26] To commemorate its release, an update for both Taiko no Tatsujin 14 and Taiko no Tatsujin Plus included one of the game's songs, "Doom Noiz", as a playable track.[27] A version for Windows Phone was released on September 4, 2012, which uses touch-screen thumbsticks for movement.[28] On April 27, 2016, the Xbox 360 version of Galaga Legions DX was re-released through Xbox One's backwards comparability lineup.[29]

Reception[edit]

By the end of 2011, Galaga Legions DX sold 19,755 units on the Xbox 360, significantly less than its predecessor.[8] The game itself was received favorably, holding a 74/100 on the review aggregator website Metacritic.[30]

David Wolinsky of GamesRadar+ praised it for being more approachable than to the original Legions, saying that it was much faster and it made the player "feel like a badass" while destroying large waves of enemies.[31] He concluded by stating the game is a "mighty fine diversion worth sinking your teeth into." Jim Sterling of Destructoid said the game appealed to both hardcore and casual fans for its addictive gameplay and content, heavily praising the game's puzzle-solving techniques, easy approach and graphics.[30] Carolyn Petit of GameSpot called it "a worthy bearer of the Galaga title", applauding the game's lowered difficulty, graphical style and addictive gameplay.[5] Daemon Hatfield of IGN praised its graphics and selectable game skins, and for its strategy-based gameplay,[32] while Sammy Barker of Push Square applauded the "fantastic" presentation and its "risk-and-reward" mechanic.[33]

Despite its praise, many would argue the game was not as refined as its predecessor and still lacked in content. Hatfield was the most critical, saying that the game's content left with little to offer for its price point, expressing disappointment towards its lack of replay value and for bearing little resemblance to the original Galaga.[32] He went on to say the game was not much of an improvement over the first Galaga Legions and that only one playthrough showed off all it has to offer. Barker stated it was not as refined as Pac-Man Championship Edition DX and disliked its large emphasis on pattern memorization, saying that it led to repetition,[33] while Wolinsky criticized the game's lack of extra content.[31] Sterling suggested that the game could have used more gameplay modes and longer levels, feeling it has room for improvement.[4]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Japanese: ギャラガレギオンズDX, Hepburn: Gyaraga Regionzu DX

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Brown, Christopher (29 June 2011). "Galaga Legions DX [Xbox Live Arcade]". Allgame. All Media Group. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Jones, Darran (18 August 2011). "Retrorated - Galaga Legions DX". No. 93. United Kingdom: Imagine Publishing. Retro Gamer. p. 96. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b Ryckert, Dan (30 June 2011). "Review - Galaga Legions DX". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Sterling, Jim (4 July 2011). "Review: Galaga Legions DX". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e Petit, Carolyn (5 July 2011). "Galaga Legions DX Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 5 April 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  6. ^ a b "ギャラガレギオンズ DX". www.ng.namco-ch.co.jp (in Japanese). Namco Bandai Games. 2011. Archived from the original on 9 August 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  7. ^ "『ギャラガレギオンズ DX』無料アップデート実施、ナムコのあのキャラが登場". Famitsu. Kadokawa Corporation. 13 October 2011. Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  8. ^ a b Langley, Ryan (20 January 2012). "Xbox Live Arcade by the numbers - the 2011 year in review". Gamasutra. UBM Technology Group. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  9. ^ Scott, Ryan (28 August 2008). "Galaga Legions Review". 1UP.com. IGN. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  10. ^ Francis, Don (21 August 2008). "Galaga Legions Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 29 April 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  11. ^ Whitehead, Dan (20 August 2008). "Galaga Legions - Page 2". Eurogamer. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  12. ^ "Galaga Legions Review for 360, PS3". 1UP.com. IGN. Archived from the original on 2016-06-03. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g "Interview with Toshiko Tamura - Producer of Galaga Legions DX". Vol. 10. Namco Bandai Games. NG News. 2011. Archived from the original on 9 August 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d "Interview With Tadashi Iguchi - Director Of Galaga Legions DX". Vol. 11. Namco Bandai Games. NG News. 2011. Archived from the original on 9 August 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  15. ^ a b c Shiga, Yasuki (8 April 2011). "バンダイナムコ、PS3/Xbox 360「ギャラガレギオンズ DX」 進化したギャラガのプロモーションビデオを公開". Game Watch (in Japanese). Impress Group. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  16. ^ Yusuke (4 May 2011). "「ギャラガレギオンズ DX」は弾幕系ならぬ"敵幕系"STG。火力を集中させる「Focus Fire」でギャラガの大群を粉砕するのだ". 4Gamer.net. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  17. ^ Ishikawa, Akihiko (2017). "『レギオンズDX』製作にあたって新規に楽曲を手掛けました。 「前作よりもシューティングゲームっぽい曲を」というオーダーを受けての製作です。". www.peing.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  18. ^ Siliconera Staff (8 December 2012). "With Aero-Cross Canceled, The Namco Generations Series Ends Too". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  19. ^ Dengeki Staff (16 November 2010). "ナムコの旧作を作り直し新価値を付加！ ナムコジェネレーションズ". Dengeki Online (in Japanese). Dengeki. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  20. ^ Stuart, Keith (18 November 2010). "Namco Generations seeks to update retro gaming". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  21. ^ IGN Staff (6 June 2011). "New Galaga Titles Arrive This Summer to Commemorate 30th Anniversary". IGN. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  22. ^ Calvert, Justin (8 June 2011). "E3 2011: Galaga Legions DX Hands-On Preview". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  23. ^ Mallory, Jordan (25 June 2011). "Galaga Legions DX explodes all of the aliens June 29th, at least on XBLA". Engadget. Verizon Media. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  24. ^ IGN Staff (3 August 2011). "Galaga Legions DX Now Available For the PlayStation Network". IGN. Archived from the original on 15 November 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  25. ^ "ギャラガレギオンズ DX （PS Store ダウンロード版）". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  26. ^ McElroy, Griffin (10 August 2011). "European PSN releases for August 10". Engadget. Verizon Media. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  27. ^ "「太鼓の達人プラス」，高難度の曲が収録された「すごゲームぱっく」を配信". 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Aetas. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  28. ^ Rubino, Daniel (4 September 2012). "Galaga Legions DX now available on the Windows Phone Marketplace". Windows Central. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  29. ^ Makuch, Eddie (29 April 2016). "Next Xbox One Backwards-Compatible Games Arrive". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  30. ^ a b c "Galaga Legions DX for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  31. ^ a b c Wolinsky, David (9 July 2011). "Galaga Legions DX review". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 9 February 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  32. ^ a b c Hatfield, Daemon (3 August 2011). "Galaga Legions DX Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  33. ^ a b c Barker, Sammy (18 August 2011). "Galaga Legions DX Review - PS3". Push Square. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
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