Galaga: Destination Earth (PlayStation)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 2.0 stars Mediocre
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 4.3 (2.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Shane Satterfield
• Reviewed on: 10/20/2000
• Updated on: 05/17/2006
• Released on: 10/22/2000
• Originally published on GameSpot: Galaga: Destination Earth (PlayStation) Review

Many of you probably remember the original Galaga arcade game from the days of yore. This fast-paced shooter was essentially a more frantic version of Space Invaders, but its furious raids of looping enemy ships convinced a generation of players to keep pumping in the quarters. Now Hasbro has brought this classic title back from the grave with Galaga: Destination Earth. While Destination Earth has a lot in common with the original, few - if any - upgrades have been incorporated besides the typical graphical transformation into polygonal 3D.

There are three different types of levels in Galaga: Destination Earth. Thankfully, the classic top-down 2D gameplay is one of them. Side-scrolling levels similar to Irem's R-Type are also included, along with completely new 3D levels where your ship flies directly into the screen much like those seen in Nintendo's Star Fox. In all three variations, Galaga manages to retain the core gameplay from the original. The aliens fly onto the screen in formations that culminate at a turning point. Constantly battering this point with your blasters is the key to wiping out dozens of aliens at once. Like the original, certain aliens will come down and emit a tractor beam that will suck your ship up into its vortex. If it's your last ship, then it's game over. If not, you can take out the ship holding yours captive with your next fighter and be awarded with double firepower once your original returns to you. It's both impressive and disappointing that, no matter which camera angle Galaga is played in, the same gameplay mechanics have been retained. Unfortunately, in this century, it's not nearly enough.

There are nine levels to play through, and each one is broken up into seven or eight stages. As you play through the game, the perspective switches throughout each stage. Sometimes you're required to swat as many aliens as possible during a given time limit, while at other times your duties include stopping missile launches or activating aqueducts. One of Galaga's major issues is that the shooting techniques are very basic. There are no high-powered weapons to pick up, and there are no secondary functions for the blaster that your ship is equipped with. This ultimately results in a sore thumb and boredom. About the only reprieve is a brief period where you sit in a turret and blast the aliens from a first-person perspective.

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