Galaga for Xbox Live Arcade

Galaga is a game that should need no introduction to anyone. Since it was released in arcades way back in 1981, Galaga has blasted its way onto a number of systems, from the Atari 7800 to the iPhone. This review is based on the Xbox Live Arcade port, which is presumably arcade-perfect.

At heart, Galaga is a very simple game. You move your ship horizontally, blasting wave after wave of enemy fighters before they kill you. It was certainly influenced by the classic shoot ‘em up Space Invaders, but it’s by no means a clone – it introduces several new ideas that establish its originality.

One of the said features is the ability to double your ship’s firepower by combining two ships to make a Dual Fighter. To do this, your ship must come into contact with a Tractor Beam fired by a certain type of enemy, known as a Boss Galaga. Your ship will then be sucked up by the Boss Galaga – you can retrieve your captured fighter by shooting the Boss Galaga as it descends. But don’t trying doing this if you’re down to your last ship, because it’ll result in a Game Over.

As you would expect, the difficult level gradually increases as you progress, but it’s not as though you’re suddenly bombarded by a billion bullets flying in every direction – Galaga’s relatively lenient difficulty curve ensures even novices should be able to survive the opening rounds. That said, the game does get pretty challenging in later stages, and trying to beat your high score can be very addictive.

Sure, Galaga doesn’t boast the complex weapon combos found in modern shmups, but simplicity isn’t always a bad thing. There are no gimmicks that get in the way of the gameplay, instead you get a straightforward shooter without all the bells and whistles. Galaga is both challenging and enjoyable, and it should keep you coming back for more.

The graphics are also of a high standard. The visuals aren’t anything to write home about by today’s standards, but back in ’81 I imagine they’d have been pretty impressive. Galaga makes good use of colour, and the enemies have a consistent design that ensures the game appears professional and polished. I didn’t notice any slowdown, since this game doesn’t throw millions of bullets on screen – instead it’s more about having quick reflexes. Due to the differences in resolution between the arcade cab and TVs, the game doesn’t take up the whole screen, but you do get some cool arcade artwork in the background, which makes up for this problem.

The audio still holds up well to this day. Whilst music is used rather sparingly in Galaga, the tunes that are used are very memorable – this is truly a case of quality over quantity. The sound effects, which consist mostly of explosions, do their job nicely, and overall the audiovisuals are a terrific complement to Galaga’s awesome gameplay.

Galaga’s precise controls allow you to control your ship’s movement with ease. Granted, all you do is move from side to side and mash the fire button, so there’s relatively little that could go wrong, but the controls are extremely effective and allow you to play with confidence. Whenever you die, you always know it’s your own fault, rather than being down to a design flaw, which obviously decreases the sense of frustration you feel when your ship gets destroyed.

So Galaga’s got great gameplay, memorable music and vivid visuals… surely it can’t be all good? 

Well, to be honest, I can’t think of anything bad to say about this game – it’s a classic shoot ‘em up which remains one of the best examples of the genre. Whether you’re new to ‘shmups’, or you’re a seasoned gamer with years of experience blasting invaders, I guarantee you’ll have a blast with Galaga. Like I mentioned earlier, Galaga is available on a plethora of platforms, so there’s really no excuse not to give it a try. Stop reading this review, and pick it up right now… you’ll see what I mean!

By Chris Burridge Barney.

Pokemon Snap for Nintendo 64

Grab your camera and get ready for a ride you will never forget in Pokemon Island!


Pokemon Snap was a first person rail shooter and simulation game released for the Nintendo 64 in 1999 by HAL Laboratory and Pax Softnica. Originally slated for the unsuccessful 64 DD it was met with much skepticism as a game concept when originally promoted , however much of this died down once Pokemon fever began to hit the USA. It was one of the first console games to be released based on the Pokemon series and would leave a legacy which would reach into many games of the future , such as Beyond Good and Evil and Afrika due to it's revolutionary camera system.


In Pokemon Snap you take on the role of Todd Snap, an aspiring Pokemon photographer. On the request of Professor Oak, your mission is to traverse through a variety of areas and take the best photos of Pokemon that you can. It may not be the most exciting journey in the world of video games, but it works well enough as a means to motivate you as a player. The game features seven levels in which you explore (although in a linear fashion.). These are Beach , Tunnel , Volcano, River, Cave, Valley, and the special course Rainbow Cloud. Each course has it's own unique Pokemon and unique style which keeps the game vibrant and refreshing.


In your journey through the world you are equipped with apples and pester balls with which you garner the attention of Pokemon to get the best snapshot possible to bring back to the Professor. Once back in the lab your photos are rated in terms of the Size of the Pokemon in the photo , how well centered it is and also whether it is performing a special pose which will net you some extra points for your time.  Which I think is a very neat feature which can keep you coming back to get the pitch perfect photograph. While this system works well , you often have the urge to keep some of your favourite photos , but this is made possible by a photo gallery which allows you to store 60 pictures. A final feature which is of no use now but I think is something that could be utilised more often in today's games is that fans could print out some of their photographs onto stickers at local blockbuster stores. I think features like this can make a game more immersive and bring a game into the real world far more successfully than any 3D functionalities we see today.

As fun or exciting as the game is , It's replay value and value as a game in itself can be let down by a few hitches. A major problem with the game is that it is rather short. You will get the first 50 or so Pokemon in only a few hours. While the remaining creatures are generally harder to capture, you can probably expect to spend a maximum of 20 hours playing Pokemon Snap before running out of things to do and maxing out your scores. Which can subsequently effect the replay value of a game which had a lot of good points going for it up till this point. A final smaller problem which I found personally in the game was that the controls were often a bit stiff and difficult to use and at some points I found myself myself missing out Pokemon due to the slow movement of the character and the fast motion of the vehicle in the game.


Ultimately however the game is saved from downfall due to these hitches , and the saviour is found in the graphics department. Pokemon Snap really does sport some of the most detailed and beautiful graphics the N64 has to offer. The environments are lush and detailed but also have a variety about them which prevents any feeling of repetition and keeps a good frame rate at the same time. The soundtrack to the game is also an aspect which I thoroughly enjoyed. Melodies are catchy and well designed but also keep faith to a almost Japanese pokemon feel. In game character voices are also detailed and liken very much to those off the Anime TV series which once again gives a recognisable Pokemon vibe. Graphics and sound in Pokemon Snap effectively enhance  a game which is both addictive gameplay wise and beautiful to cast your eyes upon.

Pokemon Snap is a game that however let down it is by a lack of features , due to a number of brilliant aspects picks itself back up onto two feet and stands proudly as an influence towards games of today and an experience not just for a Pokemon fan but for gamers of all generations.


By Robbie Morrissey.

Arcade Classics for Sega Genesis

Arcade Classics is, as the name suggests, a compilation of 3 classic arcade games. You get Centipede, Missile Command and Ultrapong (Pong), all on one cartridge, both in their original arcade forms and in updated ‘Sega’ versions.

Centipede is a shoot ‘em up, where you have to defend your pod against an angry centipede. The segments of the centipede move across the screen and gradually move downwards towards your pod. You’ve gotta try and destroy all of the segments before it gets too close, because if it reaches the bottom you may well end up colliding with it. To make matters worse, a spider frequently appears near your pod, which you can destroy for bonus points, but it makes it even more difficult to defend yourself. Centipede has the classic arcade trait of being easy to learn but hard to master, and the difficulty level increases quickly. The controls, sound and graphics are all solid, and it’s easy to see why this game was such a hit in arcades.

The next title, Missile Command, is also a shoot ‘em up. This game pits you in the defense of 6 cities under attack from ballistic missiles. Armed with anti-missiles, you must destroy the missiles before they cause destruction. The missiles fall slowly at first, but the difficulty gradually increases, and you must be careful not to deplete your limited stock of anti-missiles. Whilst the graphics and sound are somewhat crude by today’s standards, Missile Command is still an extremely engaging, addictive game.

Ultrapong, which is basically Pong under a different name, is supposedly a ‘bonus’ to complement the other titles, but it’s definitely worthy of its inclusion on the cartridge. I’m pretty sure most of you are familiar with the concept – you move a paddle up and down to stop your opponent from scoring. You must score 15 points to win, but this is no easy task as the AI opponent is very smart. A slight criticism I have of this game is that the hit detection is rather odd – the ball can pass right through the back of barriers. However, Ultrapong controls solidly and the game variations (including a hockey game based around the Pong concept) add depth to this game. It’s the kind of game that keeps you coming back for more, and I’m sure it’ll be popular for many years to come.

In conclusion, Arcade Classics lives up to its name and delivers 3 classic arcade games. Whilst it doesn’t really bring anything new to the table (the Sega versions feature slight graphical and audio improvements), I don’t think you need to when the gameplay’s so solid. Though I wouldn’t recommend you rush out and buy a Sega Genesis (or Sega Mega Drive) just to play this game, as the trio have been ported to countless other systems, if you own a Genesis, I’d recommend you pick Arcade Classics up if you get the chance.


By Chris Burridge Barney

PokéPark Wii Pikachu’s Adventure for Nintendo Wii

PokéPark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure, published by Nintendo in 2010, is a spin-off of the renowned Pokémon RPG series. This title makes radical changes to the Pokémon formula, both for better and for worse.

The main plot of this game is that the PokéPark, the land in which this game is set, is being threatened by the loss of pieces of the Sky Prism. Pikachu must travel around the PokéPark, reuniting these segments and restoring peace to the land.

To obtain pieces of the Sky Prism, you must take part in Attractions, minigames in which any of the 193 Pokemon present in this game can compete. The minigames range from straight-up races, to contests where you have to fly through hoops to rack up points, and in my opinion the variety of the Attractions helped keep the game fresh. However, the minigames are very easy to beat, and those of you looking for a challenge may want to look elsewhere.

A major gripe I have with this game is the complete lack of multi-player. Considering PokéPark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure is meant to be a family-orientated game, you may justifiably expect there to be some form of multi-player, but this feature is completely absent. Battling against a computer opponent is nowhere near as enjoyable as competing with a friend would be, and I think the decision not to include multi-player was a real own-goal.

Another issue I have with this game is its very awkward controls, especially when exploring. To control Pikachu’s movement, you use the Wii Remote’s D-Pad, but given that this game takes place in a 3D environment I think the Nunchuk’s control stick would have been better suited. Thankfully, the control schemes utilised during the Attractions are much more effective.

Graphically, this game is fairly average for a Wii game; the zones you travel through during the game look fairly good though a little lacking in character. The Pokémon themselves look and sound exactly as they do in the anime, so if you’re a fan of the cartoons they should seem familiar.

This game takes around 10 hours to beat, and once you’ve done that, there’s not much to keep you coming back for more. In previous games in the Pokémon series, you could play through the game and experiment with a different team if you wished, but given that there’s no real ‘party’ in PokéPark Wii, this probably won’t appeal to you. After befriending all 193 Pokémon, you’ve done pretty much all the game has to offer.

In the end, it all comes down to whether you are a fan of Pokémon. If you’ve played some of the earlier games in the series, or are an avid watcher of the anime, you may enjoy PokéPark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure, but otherwise there will be little to interest you. A series of questionable design choices prevent this game from being anything other than mediocre, and I can’t recommend it unless you are a die-hard Pokémon fan.


By Chris Burridge Barney

Donkey Kong Country for SNES.

Donkey Kong Country was a side-scrolling platform game released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in a collaboration between Nintendo and Rare. It featured the character Donkey Kong from a series of previous successful Arcade games. However this time Donkey Kong was teamed up with his Nephew Diddy Kong in a Mario style platformer. 

At the time the game was released Nintendo was busy trying to convince people that 16 bit S NE S console still had life left in it. The company's argument was that games on the Super NES could output graphics on par with that of the forthcoming 32-bit consoles were capable of. Donkey Kong country proved that point and saved Nintendo from a possible downfall.

The object of Donkey Kong Country is to make it through 39 levels of side scrolling and recover DK's Banana hoard which has been stolen by the Kremlings. As a player you can switch between the two characters if they are both on the screen. Donkey Kong is the larger and stronger of the two  , and can defeat enemies more easily. Diddy Kong is faster and more agile , but not as powerful. Each level is uniquely themed whether it's swimming underwater , riding in mine carts , swinging from vines , or firing your character out of barrel . There are secret passages that can lead to bonus games in which you can earn bananas and balloons which essentially become additional lives. In many areas of the game , you will find crates which contain animals that you can ride , these including anything from a rabid rampaging rhino and a fearsome frog to a speedy swimming swordfish and a odd flying ostrich. 

At the first release of Donkey Kong Country people were in awe of its revolutionary pre rendered 3D graphics and also its thoroughly entertaining and intricately woven soundtrack. However the true amazement is found in today's world because although we are 17 years in the future the aspects of graphics and sound that made the game what it was still stand the test of time.   The characters were brilliantly animated and had real personality. The environments are rich with colour and imaginativeness but also make use of nearly every aspect of the Super NES's arsenal. Even though the game is a side scroller it presents a 3 dimensional sense of depth. The audio is no different  , the game is packed with real ape noises used for Diddy and Donkey Kong but also a calm and melodic soundtrack which can keep you humming along for days on end.

Donkey Kong Country spawned a number of sequels on the Super NES and also on the Game Boy and recently on the Wii with Donkey Kong Country Returns. However in my eyes no other sequel or remake or resale of the game can ever match up to the charm and dedication put into this wonder of gaming.

By Robbie Morrissey