Editing Galaxian (universe)

{{Title|''Galaxian'' (universe)}}
{{ArticleIcons|ssb4=y|ssbu=y}}
{{Infobox Series
|title             = Galaxian (universe)
|image             = [[File:Galaxian logo.png|250px]]
|developer         = Namco<br>Various
|publisher         = Namco<br>Midway<br>Various
|designer          = Kazunori Sawano
|genres            = Shooter
|originconsole     = Arcade
|firstinstallment  = ''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaxian}}'' (1979)
|latestinstallment = ''Arcade Archives: Galaga '88'' (2023)
}}
The '''''Galaxian'' universe''' ({{ja|ギャラクシアン|Gyarakushian}}, ''Galaxian'') officially stylized as '''GALAXIAN''', is a series of famous fixed shooters developed by [[Namco]]. The series revolves around the player in a spaceship who must shoot all of the enemies of an alien swarm. The second game in the series, ''Galaga'', is among the most successful arcade games of all time.

==Franchise description==
The series was inspired by many other popular projects at the time. Director Kazunori Sawano previously worked on electro-mechanical shooting gallery games and wanted to make a game that could match the elaborate presentation those games were capable of. The presentation was also inspired by blockbuster science fiction films like ''{{iw|wikipedia|Star Wars}}'', particularly the large-scale space battles. Gameplay was inspired by ''{{iw|wikipedia|Space Invaders}}'', which had previously swept the world as the most popular arcade game of its day. While this new game was similar to ''Space Invaders'', there were some fundamental differences to make it stand out. First was an improved presentation, including color graphics and synthesized sound, the game being among the earliest to use the latter. Enemies also swoop down and attack the player directly, with artificial intelligence programmed to examine the player's movements and act accordingly. A sprite rendering system was also used, allowing for faster gameplay and more detailed graphics compared to the industry standard bitmap rendering system.

The game released in arcades on September 15, 1979 as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaxian}}'' to critical and commercial success. Midway acquired the North American distribution rights as a response to losing the rights to ''Space Invaders'', and it released on February 2, 1980 in that region. The game is often credited for revolutionizing video game development, particularly in how graphics are processed, as upcoming home consoles shifted to a sprite-based processor to save time and money. The game itself received many ports to home consoles and rereleases, often included in Namco game collections on modern hardware. A stage based on this game appeared in the arcade game ''{{iw|wikipedia|Gorf}}'', which was cut from console ports due to copyright issues. Namco also made a parody game in 1992 titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Cosmo Gang the Video}}'', which is basically identical to its inspiration, but replaced the characters with the Cosmo Gang, a mascot group Namco was pushing at the time. The game was remade in a "miniature" format in 2000 on mobile phones titled ''Galaxian Mini''.

A sequel was immediately put into production. Originally intended to be created on the same arcade board that powered ''Galaxian'', developed shifted to a newer, more powerful architecture at some point. This sequel released in arcades July 23, 1981 as ''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaga}}'', and released internationally later that year. This game added several new features, including improved graphics and sound, more dynamic and complex enemy movement, and more power-ups to use, with some being secret. ''Galaga'' was also among the first games to have a proper bonus level; inspired by the intermissions in {{uv|Pac-Man}} and a bug where they would travel off-screen to attack the player, the  "Challenge Stage" was introduced and became a precursor to other bonus stages in a multitude of future titles. This game in particular became one of the most popular arcade titles ever made, spawning a sub-series of its own.

Also in 1981, American electronic company {{iw|wikipedia|Entex Industries}} released an LCD game titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaxian 2}}''. It is not an official sequel to the original ''Galaxian''; the "2" is a reference to the two-player multiplayer mode built into the console.

A full sequel to ''Galaga'' released in 1984, titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Gaplus}}''. While playing similar to its ancestors, some innovations include vertical movement, upgrades to make the player ship more powerful, and new bonus stages based on juggling the enemy as long as possible. Another sequel released in 1987 titled ''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaga '88}}''. Instead of repeating endlessly until the player runs out of lives, this game has several worlds with a set number of enemies, with different endings depending on the paths the player takes.

A particularly interesting entry in the series is ''Galaxian3: Project Dragoon''. Originally showcased at the {{iw|Wikipedia|'90 Expo}} International Garden and Greenery Exposition, the game was a hybrid video game/theme park attraction that supported up to 28 simultaneous players. The original 28-player version was relocated to Namco's {{iw|Wikipedia|Wonder Eggs}} theme park, where it remained in operation until 2000; Namco also produced downscaled versions of the game to distribute to arcades, reducing the player count to 16 and later to six. The game itself was a rail shooter, and acted as a fundamentally similar experience to previous entries, but from a first-person perspective.

''Galaxian3'' also received several direct sequels. The first was ''{{iw|wikipedia|Attack of the Zolgear}}'' in 1994, which was a conversion kit for existing "Theatre 6" cabinets Namco created specifically for ''Galaxian3: Project Dragoon''. Another sequel titled ''The Rising of Gourb'' released in 1996 as a bonus game for the PlayStation port of ''Galaxian3''.

For the next several decades, truly original entries and sequels in the series were pumped out much less frequently, as the majority of entries have been adaptations, remakes, and collections of existing titles. Notable examples include:
*''[[wikipedia:Namco Classic Collection Vol. 1|Galaga Arrangement]]'' (1995), an updated version of ''Galaga'' with upgrades introduced in ''Gaplus'' and  ''Galaga '88'';
*''SD Gundam Over Galaxian'' (1996), a crossover with the ''{{iw|wikipedia|Gundam}}'' franchise;
*''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaga: Destination Earth}}'' (2000), which combines multiple genres of shooting games;
*''[[wikipedia:Namco Museum Battle Collection|Galaga Arrangement]]'' (2005), a different remake of ''Galaga'' with new powerups and boss fights;
*''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaga Legions}}'' (2008) and ''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaga Legions DX}}'' (2011), twin-stick shooters that reimagine the game in the vein of ''Pac-Man Championship Edition'';
*''{{iw|wikipedia|Space Galaga}}'' (2015), a crossover with the anime series ''{{iw|wikipedia|Space Dandy}}''.

''Galaxian'' series games have also been prominently drawn from in other Namco franchises, with the most notable examples being in the first {{uv|Tekken}} and ''Ridge Racer'' games, where interactive emulations of ''Galaga'' and ''Galaxian'' could be played respectively during the loading screens, and the {{uv|Pac-Man}} series, where Galaxians frequently take the role of [[Bonus Fruit]], and have been featured as a power-up in ''Pac N' Pal'' and boss in ''Pac-Man World''.

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''==
Various elements from ''Galaxian'' appear in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', most notably the Boss Galaga item.

===Item===
*'''[[Boss Galaga]]''': The strongest enemies in ''Galaga'' appear as an item. When used, it will fly to the top of the screen (dealing a small amount of damage to anyone it collides with), then fly in formation as it did in its home series. After such, it will dive down and home in on the targeted player's last known position and fire its tractor beam. A character caught by its tractor beam will be taken to the top of the screen and over the upper blast line while 8-bit sound effects from the original Galaga plays: this can be avoided by mashing buttons to escape. The tractor beam can only catch fighters a few moments after being fired; anyone near the beam after that will not be affected.

===Music===
*The start music from ''Galaga'' appears in ''{{SSB4MusicLink|Namco|Namco Arcade '80s Retro Medley 1}}''.

===Cameo===
* The Galaxip from ''Galaxian'', the fighter from ''Galaga'', and the secret Hypership from ''Gaplus'' all cameo in [[Namco Roulette]]. Additionally, the boss Galaxian appears in [[Bonus Fruit]] in reference to its cameo in ''Pac-Man'' in that purpose. Pac-Man's grab animation also has him shooting out the same tractor beam as the Boss Galaga.

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''==

===Item===
*The Boss Galaga keeps its function from ''SSB4''. Additionally, when a character gets caught the background of the stage changes into a spacescape reminiscent of the original Galaga game.

===Music===
*'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pac-Man|Galaga Medley}}''', a remix of music and sound effects from the game.

===Cameo===
The Boss Galaxian "fruit" and tractor beam both reappear as part of Pac-Man's moveset, as do the three Namco Roulette cameos.

===Spirit===
Boss Galaga also appears as a [[spirit]].

{|class="wikitable"
! No. !! Image !! Name !! Type !! Class !! Cost !! Ability
|-
| 1,292 || {{SpiritTableName|Boss Galaga|size=64}} || {{SpiritType|Support}} || ★★ || 1 || Bury Immunity
|}

==Games with elements appearing in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series==
The ''Galaxian'' universe has games represented throughout the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series with a total of 3 games. The latest game represented in this universe is ''{{iw|wikipedia|Gaplus}}'', released on January 8, 1984.

===''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaxian}}''===
*Playable character:
**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} The Galaxip is one of the cameos in [[Namco Roulette]].
**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} The Boss Galaxian appears in [[Bonus Fruit]] in reference to its cameo in ''Pac-Man''.
*Spirits:
**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} The Boss Galaxian appears as part of the Bonus Fruit spirit.

===''{{iw|wikipedia|Galaga}}''===
*Playable character:
**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} {{SSB4|Pac-Man}}'s grab animation has him shooting out the same tractor beam as the Boss Galaga.
**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} The Fighter from this game is one of the cameos in Namco Roulette.
*Item:
**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} [[Boss Galaga]] appears as an item.
**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} When a character gets caught by Boss Galaga, the background of the stage changes into a spacescape reminiscent of this game.
*Spirits:
**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} Boss Galaga appears as a spirit.
*Music
**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} "'''{{SSB4MusicLink|Namco|Namco Arcade '80s Retro Medley 1}}'''": The startup music from this game appears in this track.
**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|Pac-Man|Galaga Medley}}'''": A remix of music and sound effects from this game.

===''{{iw|wikipedia|Gaplus}}''===
*Playable character:
**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} The secret Hypership is one of the cameos in [[Namco Roulette]].

==Trivia==
* With ''Galaxian''{{'}}s release in 1979, it is the oldest Namco property represented in ''Smash'', predating {{uv|Pac-Man}}.
**It is also one of only three properties represented in ''Smash'' to debut in the '70s, the others being {{uv|Color TV-Game}} and {{uv|Sheriff}}.
**Furthermore, it is the only one of those three to be a third-party property, making it the oldest third-party represented series as a result.

{{Universe}}

[[Category:Galaxian universe| ]]
[[Category:Bandai Namco]]
[[Category:Third-party universes]]
[[es:Galaga (universo)]]
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