Category:Galaxian

Galaxian
Developer(s)	Namco
Publisher(s)	Namco
Year introduced	1979
Genre(s)	Shooter

Galaxian is a series of five fixed shooter arcade games that were released by Namco between 1979 and 1995. However, only the initial title in the series was actually named Galaxian, as its direct sequel and all three of its subsequent sequels were named Galaga. Two laserdisc theatres were also produced - Galaxian³ (1990) and Galaga: Attack of the Zolgear (1994).

Galaxian (1979): The first title in the series was the first game from Namco to use a Zilog Z80 microprocessor, and was licensed to Midway Games for US manufacture and distribution. Its lasting legacy was the red, yellow and blue flagships, which made an appearance in a total of sixteen other Namco arcade games between 1980 and 1996 (same amount of years).

Galaga (1981): The second title in the series was released two years after the original, and was also licensed to Midway Games for US manufacture and distribution. Its lasting legacy was the Boss Galagans, who took two hits to kill and could capture your ship with their tractor beams if it was directly beneath them - but if you retrieved it, it would double your firepower.

Gaplus (1984): The third title in the series was released three years after its predecessor, and was yet again licensed to Midway Games for US manufacture and distribution. Its lasting legacy was the "King" aliens, who took two hits to kill (much like the Boss Galagans) and yielded special powerups known as "blaster heads" which would fall onto the top of your ship.

Galaga '88 (1987): The fourth title in the series was released three years after its predecessor (despite its name), and was licensed to Atari Games for US manufacture and distribution. Its lasting legacy was the blue "warp capsules" that would fall out of obstacles onto your ship when you destroyed them, which would give you the power to warp to the next dimension.

Galaga Arrangement (1995): The fifth and final title in the series was released eight years after its predecessor as part of Namco Classics Collection Vol. 1, along with a carbon copy of the original. Carbon copies of Xevious (1982), Mappy (1983) and Super Xevious (1984) were also included in this compilation, along with "arrangement" versions of Xevious and Mappy.