From the makers of PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX comes an all new spin on intergalactic enemy takedowns. Namco Generations pays homage to the classic shooter Galaga with Galaga Legions DX by giving it a bit of a facelift for its 30th anniversary. Take flight as you battle against an endless barrage of enemy ships while having to survive in a fast-paced fantastic environment.
Like Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, it’s clear that Namco really wanted to stay true to its roots while offering a fresh and invigorating environment to play in. Right off the bat I can tell you that unlike their rendition of Pac-Man, Galaga Legions DX is missing one crucial element...the pull of making me want to play more and more. On its surface, the game looks and feels new. There are nine areas to play in, each of which has five levels to complete, three difficulty settings (Easy, Normal and Hard) and six different visual types to toggle through. At first glance, these visual types give each time you play something new to look at, but once you’ve gone through them all there is not much else to keep you coming back for more. There’s also a Championship Mode that offers a total of nine different environments that have specific guidelines you have to follow in order to complete.


In Championship Mode, it’s a battle against time as you attempt to clear each wave as quickly as possible. The more time that you manage to save at the end of each level will determine how much time you will have on the fifth and final level. This level offers double the point awards and can have as many as 99 waves (depending on how much time you’ve managed to save) so the faster you are at taking down enemy ships, the better.


I will say that Namco has done a solid job in taking Galaga from a slow-paced button tapper, to giving it the edge of some of the more modern dual-stick shooters like Geometry Wars. The controls are quite easy to learn and are very fluid. This may make it easier for some gamers with precision issues to play, as I found for myself, it’s a lot more enjoyable then most dual-stick shooters I’ve attempted. My right hand, which usually has issues, seems to cope nicely with moving around the environments. If using the Analog Sticks isn’t your thing, you can also use the D-Pad to move your ship and the [L2] or [R2] triggers to shoot. This is also to be a suitable way to play if you’re using one hand or have other motor impairments.

I found that in a game like this it’s important to be able to move around freely as the enemies do not just sit idly by as you attack them; they are constantly moving and rotating around, and you have to do the same in order to take them down while receiving little to no damage. As each wave rolls in, there are visual indicators to show the pattern that they will follow once they arrive. These patterns flash with color as a way to tell you what’s coming up next. Even though color plays a part in identifying the upcoming patterns, it should not affect color-blind gamers, as the placement of where enemies will be is not reliant on these colors, it’s just to add some visual pizzazz.

The way you take down each wave is ultimately up to you, but there are certain enemies that when shot will explode, taking out surrounding enemy ships with them. This will help you clear areas faster but keep in mind, you’ll only receive half the points, so try and use some strategy when you make your shots. By default, your ship comes equip with two satellites (one on either side) to help you in your attack but as you progress through each area, you can add enemies to your sides by shooting the vortexes that surround them. Using [L1] or [R1] you can control the direction these satellites shoot (whether to the sides or straight forward) and trust me, it’s important to change this depending on where the enemies are attacking from.

Accessibility Issues/Concerns:
The game doesn’t offer several different controller mappings, however, with the ability to use the D-Pad to move and [L2] and [R2] to shoot; players are given a few options in terms of how they want to play.
Deaf Gamers should have no issues playing Galaga Legions DX as sound does not play a crucial role in the gameplay.
As mentioned above, although color doesn’t play a huge part in the completion of the game, Color blind gamers may find the visual smorgasbord of shapes and enemy ships slightly difficult to sort through, but this would only be a minor setback.
At a Glance

Mobility: Even with my own precession issues I found Galaga to be quite accommodating and I feel that with the secondary button options to control the movement and attack Namco’s done a decent job at allowing players to play the way they want. Recommended score: 8/10

Hearing: With the game weighing heavily on its visual aspects as opposed to its sound, deaf gamers can expect a visually entertaining experience. Recommended score: 9/10

Vision: Gamers with certain visual impairments may find the game more difficult to play but with the game offering 6 different visual types and the ability to adjust the screen size from the Main Menu options they’re may be a set of options that could accommodate to each individual. Recommended score: 7/10

Overall: I think that Namco had the right idea when considering the speed and look of Galaga Legions DX but they fell short in other areas. For $9.99 I would try the demo before committing to purchase this title. It may be by the makers of PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX but in no way does it have the same addictive qualities.