Galaga + Xbox Live Arcade = Hours of fun!
So, how did Namco handle the translation? In my opinion, pretty damn well. One of the problems I had with Komani's Frogger was its lack of an innovative presentation. The menu system, the artwork, all of it was lackluster and not at all related to the actual game. Where were the hi-resolution and vibrantly coloured images of Frogger? Where were the slick, modern menu buttons?
Where Konami obviously chose to leave the presentation dated-looking, Namco have given Galaga (and their up-coming Pac Man) the modern treatment, while still preserving every ounce of retro along the way. And why not combine modern with retro? This is the HD era after all.
The gameplay is also as well-preserved. Button-mashing on the Xbox 360 controller has never been so much fun - at least not since Dead or Alive 4 anyway. Namco have also come up with some great Achievements for you to try and earn (some of which may take you a while, however) and for the newbies out there who never sampled the delights of this game, they have also included a great, simple to understand set of instructions on how to play. I can't quite imagine who would ever need to sit and read this, but the thought was still there I suppose.
Unlike many of the recently released Arcade titles, Galaga is not an online game. That doesn’t irk me too much, as I don't think they needed to incorporate such a feature into this particular title anyway. The only option that would have probably worked over Xbox Live is a co-op mode, and that I do miss slightly. Alas, it was not to be.
In summary, Galaga is a great game, and a game well worthy of the admission price - just 400 Microsoft Points. Will you be playing this every hour of every day? I think for the majority, probably not. But this is a perfect way to relive those days of nostalgia, and a great way to waste an hour every now and then. Enjoy.
Overall Score:
7.6/10