History VideoGame / Galaxian

''Galaxian'' was one of [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco's]] earliest successes, and it introduced concepts such as multi-colored sprites and explosions (as opposed to the black-and-white in games that came before it) and running background "music". Sure, [[OnceOriginalNowCommon they may sound mundane to us gamers]] ''[[OnceOriginalNowCommon now]]'', but back in 1979 when this first came out, these were a ''big deal''.

A sequel named ''[=Galaxian3=]'' (the "3" as in "cubed", not the number three), also known as ''[=Galaxian3=]: Project Dragoon'', was released as an attraction that ran in Namco's Wonder Eggs theme park in Tokyo from 1990 to 2000. Now a 3D polygonal RailShooter similar to ''VideoGame/{{Starblade}}'' (hence the [[VideoGame3DLeap "3"]] in the title), the game allowed for 28 players sitting in 2 levels surrounded by a massive 360 degree screen powered by 16 projectors. Smaller versions of the game for 16 players and 6 players were later released for arcades in 1991 and 1992; the latter was followed up by another sequel, ''Attack of the Zolgear'', in 1994. In 1996, a home port of ''[=Galaxian3=]'' for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation was released in Japan and Europe, this time without the ''Project Dragoon'' subtitle. This version would see a digital release on the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStationNetwork PlayStation Store]] in 2014 under Bandai Namco Games' ''Games Archive'' brand.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Officially, the title of the sequel has no space between the "Galaxian" and "3", being stylized as "[=GALAXIAN³=]" (since, as noted above, the "3" is supposed to stand for "cubed" due to [[VideoGame3DLeap the polygonal models used]]). Most other mentions of the game, with the notable exception of [[Website/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]], spell it as "Galaxian 3", usually prompting questions from gamers about [[OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo the title]]. Not helping matters is the Japanese title using the characters ギャラクシアン3 (''Gyarakushian 3'') as opposed to ギャラクシアン3乗 (''Gyarakushian Sanjou''[[note]]3乗 being "cubed/raised to the third power"[[/note]]).

''Galaxian'' was one of [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco's]] earliest successes, and it introduced concepts such as multi-colored sprites and explosions (as opposed to the black-and-white in games that came before it) and running background "music". Sure, [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny they may sound mundane to us gamers]] ''[[SeinfeldIsUnfunny now]]'', but back in 1979 when this first came out, these were a ''big deal''.

%% Administrivia.ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/galaxian_4798.gif]]

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Officially, the title of the sequel has no space between the "Galaxian" and "3", being stylized as "[=GALAXIAN³=]" (since, as noted above, the "3" is supposed to stand for "cubed" due to [[VideoGame3DLeap the polygonal models used]]). Most other mentions of the game, with the notable exception of [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]], spell it as "Galaxian 3", usually prompting questions from gamers about [[OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo the title]]. Not helping matters is the Japanese title using the characters ギャラクシアン3 (''Gyarakushian 3'') as opposed to ギャラクシアン3乗 (''Gyarakushian Sanjou''[[note]]3乗 being "cubed/raised to the third power"[[/note]]).

* WombLevel: The final stretch of ''Attack of the Zolgear'' entails launching an insult on the titular space monster from within.

->[[TheNewRockAndRoll "All modern games are vain, they're evil, and they're the product of the dark lord that is Satan."]]

->"All modern games are vain, they're evil, and they're the product of the dark lord that is Satan."
->"What about Galaxian, would you play that?"

-->-- '1982 Amish', ''Series/FistOfFun''

The game spawned several spinoffs and sequels, the most famous being ''VideoGame/{{Galaga}}'', which greatly exceeded its predecessor in popularity. Both games are staples on ''Namco Museum'' home collections, and have been ported to almost every system imaginable.

A sequel named ''[=Galaxian3=]'' (the "3" as in "cubed", not the number three), also known as ''[=Galaxian3=]: Project Dragoon'', was released as an attraction that ran in Namco's Wonder Eggs theme park in Tokyo from 1990 to 2000. Now a 3D polygonal RailShooter similar to ''VideoGame/StarBlade'' (hence the [[VideoGame3DLeap "3"]] in the title), the game allowed for 28 players sitting in 2 levels surrounded by a massive 360 degree screen powered by 16 projectors. Smaller versions of the game for 16 players and 6 players were later released for arcades in 1991 and 1992; the latter was followed up by another sequel, ''Attack of the Zolgear'', in 1994. In 1996, a home port of ''[=Galaxian3=]'' for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation was released in Japan and Europe, this time without the ''Project Dragoon'' subtitle. This version would see a digital release on the [[UsefulNotes/PlayStationNetwork PlayStation Store]] in 2014 under Bandai Namco Games' ''Games Archive'' brand.

''[=Galaxian3=]'' has a notable legacy of its own, with a single-player prototype of the game going on serve as the basis for Namco's ''VideoGame/{{Starblade}}'', which in turn inspired games like ''VideoGame/StarFox1'' and ''VideoGame/PanzerDragoon''.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Officially, the title of the sequel has no space between the "Galaxian" and "3", being stylized as "[=GALAXIAN³=]" (since, as noted above, the "3" is supposed to stand for "cubed" due to [[VideoGame3DLeap the polygonal models used]]). Most other mentions of the game, with the notable exception of [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]], spell it as "Galaxian 3", usually prompting questions from gamers about [[OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo the title]]. Not helping matters is the Japanese title using the characters ギャラクシアン3 (''Gyarakushian 3'') as opposed to ギャラクシアン3乗 (''Gyarakushian Sanjou''[[note]]乗 being "cubed/raised to the third power"[[/note]]).

''Galaxian'' is a fixed shooter arcade game that bears a lot of similarities to the ''VideoGame/SpaceInvaders'' series. You've got one ship to use against an encroaching army of space bugs that move back and forth at the top of the screen in perfect formation. Occasionally, one or two of them will swarm out of formation to attack you. Shooting the flagship enemies (the ones at the very top) garnered bonus points, depending on how many escorts it carries and in what order you shoot them. (Saving the flagship for last is ''always'' worth a big bonus).

''Galaxian'' was one of Namco's earliest successes, and it introduced concepts such as multi-colored sprites and explosions (as opposed to the black-and-white in games that came before it) and running background "music". Sure, [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny they may sound mundane to us gamers]] ''[[SeinfeldIsUnfunny now]]'', but back in 1979 when this first came out, these were a ''big deal''.

A sequel named ''Galaxian 3'' (also known as ''Galaxian 3: Project Dragoon'') was released as an attraction that ran in Namco's Wonder Eggs theme park in Tokyo from 1990 to 2000. Now a 3D polygonal RailShooter similar to ''VideoGame/StarBlade'', the game allowed for 28 players sitting in 2 levels surrounded by a massive 360 degree screen powered by 16 projectors. A smaller version for 6 players was later released for arcades in 1994, this was followed up by another sequel ''Attack of the Zolgear''.

* AdaptationDistillation: The arcade version of ''Galaxian 3'' reduces the screen to a pair of screens rather than the 360-degree juggernaut used in the theme park version. It also reduces the number of players from 28 to 6. Even then, the cabinet is still ''huge'' by arcade cabinet standards, to the point of being billed as "THE WORLD'S LARGEST VIDEO GAME!" at the time. A four-player, single-screen port for [=PS1=] exists as well, which included a new story mode named ''The Rising of Gourb'' as a compensation.

* PostDefeatExplosionChain: In ''Galaxian 3: Project Dragoon'', If the [[WaveMotionGun Cannon Seed]] is damaged enough to get destroyed, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHIMumv3GEM&list=PL9PErHPb5c3TBCpA7SyanJNMRc9R2i5Ou&index=6&t=651s it will start to explode with progressively larger explosions]].
* RailShooter: [[EnforcedTrope Due to the limitations]] of the UsefulNotes/LaserDisc format, players could not control Dragoon's movement, only where they shot. It's essentially a video game with a prerendered animated background.

* TimedMission: [[EnforcedTrope By necessity]] in the ''Galaxian 3'' games due to the limitations of the UsefulNotes/LaserDisc format: the final segments of those games task the players with destroying a target within a given time limit. Failure to do so results in an instant GameOver.
* WaveMotionGun: The Cannon Seed is a large laser that can cause an EarthShatteringKaboom, and the mission is to destroy it before it can destroy Earth.

* TimedMission: [[EnfordecTrope By necessity]] in the ''Galaxian 3'' games due to the limitations of the UsefulNotes/LaserDisc format: the final segments of those games task the players with destroying a target within a given time limit. Failure to do so results in an instant GameOver.

* TimedMission: By necessity in the ''Galaxian 3'' games [[JustifiedTrope due to the laserdisc format]]: the final segments of those games task the players with destroying a target within a given time limit. Failure to do so results in an instant GameOver.

* AdaptationDistillation: The arcade version of ''Galaxian 3'' reduces the screen to a pair of screens rather than the 360-degree juggernaut used in the theme park version. It also reduces the number of players from 28 to 6. Even then, the cabinet is still ''huge'' by arcade cabinet standards, to the point of being billed as "THE WORLD'S LARGEST VIDEO GAME!" at the time. A four-player, single-screen port for [=PS1=] exists as well.

A sequel named ''Galaxian 3'' (also known as ''Galaxian 3: Project Dragoon'') was released as an attraction that ran in Namco's Wonder Eggs theme park in Tokyo from 1990 to 2000. Now a 3D polygonal RailShooter similar to ''StarBlade'', the game allowed for 28 players sitting in 2 levels surrounded by a massive 360 degree screen powered by 16 projectors. A smaller version for 6 players was later released for arcades in 1994, this was followed up by another sequel ''Attack of the Zolgear''.

* AdaptationDistillation: The arcade version of ''Galaxian 3'' reduces the screen to a pair of screens rather than the 360-degree juggernaut used in the theme park version. It also reduces the number of players from 28 to 6. Even then, the cabinet is still ''huge'' by arcade cabinet standards, to the point of being billed as "THE WORLD'S LARGEST VIDEO GAME!" at the time.

%% ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

* AdaptationDistillation: The arcade version of ''Galaxian 3'' reduces the screen to a pair of screens rather than the 360-degree juggernaut used in the theme park version. It also reduces the number of players from 28 to 6. Even then, the cabinet is still ''huge'' by arcade cabinet standards.