is a third-person

space combat simulator A space flight simulation is a Video game genres, genre of flight simulator video games that lets players experience space flight to varying degrees of Reality, realism. Common mechanics include space exploration, space trade and space combat. ...

game developed and released by

Sega is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...

for arcades in 1988. The player assumes control of a starship named the TRY-Z, as it must prevent the Fourth Empire from taking over the entire

galaxy A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System. ...

. Gameplay involves shooting down enemies using either a laser shot or a limited supply of heat-seeking missiles, all while avoiding collision with projectiles or obstacles and making sure the ship's energy meter doesn't fully deplete. It ran on the Sega Y Board arcade system, and was released with a

motion simulator A motion simulator or motion platform is a mechanism that creates the feelings of being in a real motion environment. In a simulator, the movement is synchronised with a visual display of the outside world (OTW) scene. Motion platforms can provi ...

cockpit

arcade cabinet An arcade cabinet, also known as an arcade machine or a coin-op cabinet or coin-op machine, is the housing within which an arcade game's electronic hardware resides. Most cabinets designed since the mid-1980s conform to the Japanese Amusement Ma ...

version like previous

Sega Super Scaler Sega is a video game developer, publisher, and hardware development company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with multiple offices around the world. The company's involvement in the arcade game industry began as a Japan-based distributor of coin-o ...

games ('' Space Harrier'', '' After Burner'' and ''

Thunder Blade is a third-person combat flight simulator video game released by Sega for arcades in 1987. Players control a helicopter to destroy enemy vehicles. The game was released as a standard stand-up arcade cabinet with force feedback, as the joysti ...

''). Created by the same group of developers that later went on to form

Sega AM1 is a development department within Japanese video game developer Sega that also previously existed as Wow Entertainment and AM1 spent most of its early existence under the leadership of Rikiya Nakagawa and developed a number of arcade games f ...

, ''Galaxy Force'' was developed specifically to show off the capabilities of the Sega Y hardware with its usage of large, detailed backgrounds and massive amount of on-screen sprites. The game is part of Sega's Super Scaler line of

s, alongside titles such as '' Out Run'' and '' Space Harrier''. It was largely inspired by ''

Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...

''. The soundtrack was composed jointly by Katsuhiro Hayashi and Kouichi Namaki, both of whom previously created the music for ''

''. The game came in three different cabinet styles; a standard upright, a "Deluxe" machine, and a "Super Deluxe" version that could twist and turn the player around. Almost immediately after the game's release, Sega published an updated version titled ''Galaxy Force II'' which added two new levels and other minor additions. ''Galaxy Force'' was critically acclaimed, being praised for its graphics, gameplay, presentation, music and hardware capabilities, considered to be visually impressive for the time period. It was ported to several platforms, including the

Master System The is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console manufactured by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series of consoles, which was released in Japan in 1985 and ...

Sega Mega Drive/Genesis The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...

and

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in the Guinness ...

, as well as being released under several different Sega classic game re-release labels such as '' Sega Ages''. A high-definition remake titled ''Galaxy Force Neo Classic'' was released for the PlayStation 2 in ''Galaxy Force II Special Extended Edition'', alongside the original, which featured smoothed-out graphics and additional visual effects. With the exception of the Master System version, all home versions of the game are based on ''Galaxy Force II''.

Gameplay

''Galaxy Force'' is a third-person space combat simulator video game. The player assumes control of a starship named the TRY-Z, in its mission to vanquish the Fourth Empire before they take over the entire galaxy. Gameplay involves maneuvering the TRY-Z through six different stages, referred to as "worlds" in-game, all while shooting down incoming enemies and avoiding collision with either them, their projectiles, or an obstacle such as a wall. The TRY-Z is equipped with two weapons to destroy enemies; a standard laser shot, and a limited supply of heat-seeking missiles that automatically track down targets. Additional missiles can be found throughout specific portions of levels. A shield is displayed at the bottom left of the screen that will deplete should the TRY-Z collide with an obstacle or projectile. The TRY-Z has an energy meter at the bottom of the screen that depletes as the level progresses; energy is decreased by firing weapons and coming into contact with obstacles or projectiles. When the energy meter is fully depleted, the game will end.

Development and release

Created as part of Sega's " Super Scaler" line of arcade games, which also included games such as '' Out Run'' and '' Space Harrier'', ''Galaxy Force'' was designed specifically to show off the Sega Y Board arcade system, showcasing graphical features such as rotating scrolling backgrounds and many on-screen sprites. Development of the game was handled by a group of developers that later went on to form

, and was in production alongside

Yu Suzuki is a Japanese game designer, producer, programmer, and engineer, who headed Sega's AM2 team for 18 years. Considered one of the first auteurs of video games, he has been responsible for a number of Sega's arcade hits, including three-dimensional ...

's '' Power Drift''. Three cabinet versions of the game were produced; a standard upright cabinet, a "Deluxe" machine, and a "Super Deluxe" version that could twist and turn 335 degrees left and right, and move forwards and backwards at 15 degrees. The Super Deluxe version also included a headphone jack. The music in ''Galaxy Force'' was composed jointly by Katsuhiro Hayashi and Kouichi Namaki, both of whom previously worked on the soundtrack for ''

''. The game was largely inspired by ''

'', containing several subtle references in-game through its stage design. ''Galaxy Force'' was released into arcades by

in April 1988 in Japan, and later that year in both North America and Europe. The Deluxe version cost £10,000 or , while the Super Deluxe version cost £17,000 or .

''Galaxy Force II''

Two months after the game was released, Sega published ''Galaxy Force II'' as a conversion kit; it is not a sequel, but rather an updated version of the original that adds two new levels, corrects many difficulty balance problems, and allows the player to fire all four missiles at once instead of one at a time. Almost all home releases of ''Galaxy Force'' are based on ''Galaxy Force II''; the first of these was released in 1990 for the

FM Towns The is a Japanese personal computer, built by Fujitsu from February 1989 to the summer of 1997. It started as a proprietary PC variant intended for multimedia applications and PC games, but later became more compatible with IBM PC compatibles. ...

, followed by a port for the

Sega Genesis The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Syst ...

; both of these were developed by Japanese company CRI Middleware. A version for the

was also released, which was published by Sega in Europe and by Activision in Europe. The Master System port was completely redone to accommodate for the console's technical limitations, bearing a much closer resemblance to ''Space Harrier'', and is the only port not to be based on ''Galaxy Force II''. ''Galaxy Force'' was also ported to several home computers, including the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as t ...

Atari ST The Atari ST is a line of personal computers from Atari Corporation and the successor to the Atari 8-bit family. The initial model, the Atari 520ST, had limited release in April–June 1985 and was widely available in July. It was the first pers ...

and Amstrad. In 1998, ''Galaxy Force II'' was released for the

Sega Saturn The is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the succ ...

as part of the '' Sega Ages'' series of classic game re-releases, including a brief background on the game's story and the ability to watch a pre-recorded playthrough. A

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...

version was released in Japan in 2007 under the ''Sega Ages 2500'' brand, developed by M2 and titled ''Galaxy Force II: Special Extended Edition''. It includes the arcade, Master System and Genesis versions of the original, alongside a new "Neo Classic" remake that features smooth, enhanced graphics, transparency effects and visual cues. ''Special Extended Edition'' also allows the player to select either the original or FM Towns version soundtracks, gain access to a cheat menu, and arranged music tracks. A version for Japanese mobile phones was published in 2008. The Sega Genesis version was digitally re-released for the Wii Virtual Console in 2009. In 2013, ''Galaxy Force II'' was ported to the

Nintendo 3DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...

by M2 under the

3D Classics 3-D, 3D, or 3d may refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Relating to three-dimensionality * Three-dimensional space ** 3D computer graphics, computer graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data ** 3D film, a ...

brand, renamed ''3D Galaxy Force II'' and supporting the system's 3D display. This version was later compiled into ''

Sega 3D Classics Collection is a series of video game compilations for Nintendo 3DS developed by M2 and published by Sega, each featuring enhanced versions of older Sega games with added stereoscopic 3D. Many of the games included in the compilations in this series have ...

'' in 2016. According to ''

Sonic the Hedgehog is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers mo ...

'' creator

Yuji Naka , credited in some games as YU2, is a Japanese video game programmer, video game designer, designer and video game producer, producer. He is the former head of the Sega studio Sonic Team, where he was the lead programmer of the original ''Sonic t ...

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

was given a ''Galaxy Force'' arcade cabinet as a gift during his visit to Sega's offices in Japan. The machine was later sold off in early 2009 when his Neverland Ranch was foreclosed.

Reception

The January 15, 1989 issue of trade publication ''Game Machine'' listed it as the thirteenth most-popular coin-operated arcade game in Japan at the time. In North America, it was an arcade hit; it was one of the highest-earning games at a number of arcades through 1990, and the top-earner at some arcades, but the game was not widely available at most American arcades. ''Galaxy Force'' was critically acclaimed by a number of publications, and is seen among Sega's best arcade games of the era. In late 1988, ''

Sinclair User ''Sinclair User'' was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum (while also occasionally covering arcade games). Initially published by ECC Publications, and later EMAP, it was publi ...

'' gave the game the "Shoot 'Em Up of the Year" award for its impressive graphics and hardware. Several critics commented on the game's visuals. '' Commodore User'' found the arcade game's visuals to be much more detailed than those in Sega's previous game '' After Burner'', and applauded them for being stunning and impressive. ''Sinclair User'' agreed, arguing that it usurps ''

'' in its graphics. ''TheOne'' magazine also liked the visuals. Reviewing the Nintendo 3DS version, ''Nintendo World Report'' commented on the graphics for being impressive for a 2D game, which '' Nintendo Life'' and ''

Eurogamer ''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson. Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...

'' agreed with. ''Nintendo Life'' also added that the graphics of ''Galaxy Force'' present "a tantalizing glimpse into what interactive entertainment could have looked like had polygons never happened". ''

Mean Machines ''Mean Machines'' was a multi-format video game magazine published between 1990 and 1992 in the United Kingdom. Origins In the late 1980s '' Computer and Video Games'' (''CVG'') was largely covering the outgoing generation of 8-bit computers l ...

'' was critical of the graphics in the Sega Mega Drive conversion, saying that they only looked good when the player was moving in a straight direction. ''Mean Machines'' also disliked the port's "crummy" sound effects and mediocre presentation. ''Galaxy Force'' was widely praised for its gameplay. While '' The One'' said that it felt "more of a simulator than a game", they liked its fast-paced action. Both ''Commodore User'' and ''Sinclair User'' commended the gameplay of ''Galaxy Force'' for its focus on speed, with ''Sinclair User'' saying that it was "possibly the most mind-blowingly impressive arcade game" of the time. ''Nintendo Life'' labeled the 3DS version as "arguably the culmination of M2's 3D Classics range" for its great gameplay and overall challenge, adding that it was a great conversion of the game overall. ''Nintendo World Report'', who felt it was the best of the 3D Classics lineup, agreed and said that its extra features made it the best way to play the game. ''Mean Machines'' lampooned the Genesis version further for its gameplay and poor job at converting the arcade version for the system, alongside its sluggish pace and overall lack of any real challenge. ''Sega Saturn Magazine'' liked the Sega Saturn version for its great effort at converting the game for the Saturn hardware and was still a fun game, but its lack of any real additional extras made it somewhat of a hard sell for consumers. Retrospectively, ''Hardcore Gaming 101'' applauded ''Galaxy Force'' for its visuals, gameplay and overall presentation. Although they felt the game felt more like an amusement ride than a game, and was too difficult at times, they liked the game for being impressive for its time, writing: "Galaxy Force is still an incredibly impressive feat of programming, a work of art in its own way". In his book ''The Sega Arcade Revolution'', Ken Horowitz commented on the game's graphics, presentation and technological capabilities, saying that ''Galaxy Force'' "remains a prime example of the company at its best, combining gameplay and presentation into one of the more memorable arcade experiences".

Notes

References

External links

* *
''3D Galaxy Force II'' official website (Japanese)
{{good article 1988 video games Amiga games Amstrad CPC games Arcade video games Atari ST games Commodore 64 games FM Towns games Master System games Nintendo 3DS eShop games PlayStation 2 games Science fiction video games Sega arcade games Sega Genesis games Sega Saturn games Sega video games Shoot 'em ups Single-player video games Space trading and combat simulators Video games scored by David Lowe Virtual Console games ZX Spectrum games Video games developed in Japan