“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 1979’s “Galaxian”. “Galaga” was highly popular in arcades and has been ported to numerous platforms.
The gameplay of “Galaga” puts the player in control of a spaceship which is situated at the bottom of the screen. At the beginning of each stage, the alien enemies arrive in formation, and then they begin to fly down towards the player, firing bullets at and attempting to crash into them. In later stages, some enemies even break from an entering group to frantically try to crash into the player’s spaceship.
Galaga Facts
- “Galaga” was developed and published by Namco in Japan and was published by Midway in North America.
- The game was released in 1981 as a sequel to the 1979 game “Galaxian”.
- “Galaga” is a fixed shooter game where the player controls a spaceship at the bottom of the screen that can move left or right but not up or down.
- The player’s objective is to destroy alien ships that appear in formation at the top of the screen and then dive bomb the player’s ship while firing at it.
- A unique feature of “Galaga” is the “tractor beam” mechanic. Certain enemies can capture the player’s ship and take it away. If the player can destroy the capturing enemy, their ship is returned and doubles their firepower.
- The game does not have an ending and continues until the player loses all of their lives.
- The game’s name, “Galaga”, is derived from the Japanese word “galaxy”.
- Each stage is followed by a challenging stage, where enemies fly in patterns without directly attacking the player, providing an opportunity to earn bonus points.
- “Galaga” was one of the first games to feature a bonus or “challenge” stage between levels.
- The game was highly popular and is considered one of the greatest video games from the golden age of arcade games.
- Since its release, “Galaga” has been ported to numerous platforms, including various home computer systems and game consoles.
- In 2011, for the 30th anniversary of its release, a high-definition remake of the game called “Galaga Legions DX” was released.
- “Galaga” has been featured or referenced in various forms of media, including films like “WarGames” and “Guardians of the Galaxy”, and TV shows like “Stranger Things”.
- The game was a commercial success, becoming one of the most successful games of the early 1980s in the United States.
- The highest recorded score for “Galaga” according to Twin Galaxies is over 6 million points, a record set in 2009.
Galaga Gameplay Tips
- Learn the Patterns: The enemies in “Galaga” follow set patterns. Learn these patterns to anticipate the movement of the enemy ships, allowing you to position your ship for the best shot.
- Use the Dual Fighter Wisely: When an enemy ship with a tractor beam comes to the screen, let it capture your fighter. Then, you can destroy the captor ship to get a dual fighter with double the firepower. Just be cautious not to shoot your own captured ship!
- Focus on the Bombers: Some enemies will drop bombs as they dive. Make these your priority to minimize the threats coming your way.
- Stay in Motion: Try not to stay in one place for too long. Moving left and right continuously can help you avoid enemy fire.
- Aim for the Center of the Formation: Shooting the enemies in the center of the formation first can give you more room to maneuver when the enemies start to dive bomb your ship.
- Conserve Your Lives: Each life is valuable. Remember, it’s not just about shooting as much as possible, but also about surviving. Don’t risk a life for a risky shot or to retrieve a dual fighter.
- Challenge Stages are for Scoring: Challenge stages are a break from the action where you can score extra points. Try to hit every enemy ship during these stages for a perfect bonus.
- Practice: As with any game, the more you play, the better you will get. Practicing will help you learn the enemy patterns, improve your timing, and increase your high score.
Galaga Cheats
There are a couple of tricks and techniques that some players use to gain an advantage:
- The No-Fire Cheat: In the arcade version of “Galaga,” there’s a well-known trick where you can stop enemies from firing at your ship. At the beginning of the game, you allow all but one of the enemies to be destroyed. Then, you dodge that enemy’s shots for approximately 15 minutes. For whatever reason, this causes all enemies to stop firing for the rest of the game. Just be careful not to accidentally destroy that enemy too early.
- Dual Fighters: Another technique involves intentionally allowing your ship to be captured so you can later rescue it and have two ships firing at once. This can be risky, as you could potentially lose a life if you fail to rescue your ship, but it can pay off with the increased firepower.
Galaga Walkthrough
