Galaga: Destination Earth Preview

Perhaps the most compelling of Hasbro's vintage video game remakes, Galaga: Destination Earth brings to mind memories of big bugs dive-bombing from the sky with only one poor soul at the bottom to defend against the swarm - without even some Space Invader-like barriers to shield him from the shots. The action in the original was as fast moving as anyone had seen up until that point, with surviving members of the swarm circling round to take another crack at you. It is one of the most highly played bowling-alley/truck-stop-diner arcade games of all time, this side of Ms. Pac-Man. Now Hasbro is gearing up to bring it into the world of 3D.

Your allies have been destroyed, and the mysterious alien fleet that had annihilated them is heading toward Earth, and you, obviously, are the planet's only hope for survival. You have to chase the horde through asteroid fields, shipwrecks in outer space, and orbital rings of debris before settling in to the familiar reaches of the solar system near Earth, Sun, and Moon.

This new, 3D version of Galaga features 3D ships, enemies and landscapes, numerous power-ups, and special weapons. There is the standard solo player mode, and there is a multiplayer mode for (hopefully) even more frenetic shooter action. Galaga: Destination Earth is scheduled to ship at the easy-on-the-wallet price of $19.99 in September 2000.