Line #10 VideoGame/GalaxyForce


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/258795_galaxy_force_ii_fm_towns_front_cover.jpg]]
2	''[=Galaxy Force=]'' is [[UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame arcade]] [[RailShooter rail shooting]] game by Creator/{{Sega}}, released in 1988. It's a space flight simulation game that relies on sprite-scaling, like ''VideoGame/SpaceHarrier'' or ''VideoGame/AfterBurner''. The main selling point of ''Galaxy Force'' was its visual - flying through the diverse enviroments and fighting the giant enemies that only consist of a series of layered sprites without using a single polygon was exceptionally impressive for its time, not to mention the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bZfY-LK10U fancy sit-down cabinets]] that came with it, aptly name ''Deluxe Edition'' and ''Super Deluxe Edition''.
3
4	The game was quite successful at debut in arcades, but its popularity didn't last long; the main reason for this was that it never received a proper port on any home gaming systems. Sega Y Board, which ''Galaxy Force'' was built on, was simply way too powerful for the contemporary systems to even remotely replicate it. Japan-exclusive FM Towns version suffered from several cut-downs and sprite flickerings, and the other conversions for Sega consoles (Sega Master System, Sega Genesis) and western computers (Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum) ranged from serviceable to downright awful. Fortunately, a faithful 1:1 conversion was eventually created and brought over to modern platforms by M2.
5
6	----
7	!!''Galaxy Force'' contains examples of:
8	* ArcadePerfectPort: Enhanced ports by M2 is the first version that actually resembles everything about the arcade original. Saturn version came close, but runs at half the framerate and has occasional slowdowns.
9	* DifficultyByRegion: Arcade version in Japan didn't allow you to continue upon your failure, whereas the overseas version does.
10	* FourIsDeath: The Fourth Empire is your enemy in this game.
11	* HardLevelsEasyBosses: The stages ''will'' make you burn through your wallet or give you a quick GameOver if you aren't careful, while the reactors [[ZeroEffortBoss put up next to no defense]]. [[spoiler:Yes, the [[FinalBoss final reactor]] is just as much of a pushover as all the other ones.]]
12	* TheHedgeOfThorns: Level 3, Malkland. There're a bunch of fast growing plant that are likely to entangle your ship, posing a huge obstacle to your flight.
13	* LadyNotAppearingInThisGame: The cover of Japanese version featured an eerily looking lady in metallic [[Main/LatexSpaceSuit latex spacesuit]], but there's no human in the game at all. Decades later, she found her place as [[Main/GuestFighter guest fighter]] in M2's ''3D VideoGame/PowerDrift''.
14	* LethalLavaLand: Level 2, Ashutar. You fly above the seemingly endless lava, where reside [[SegmentedSerpent multi-sprite serpents]] leaping around.
15	%%* MacrossMissileMassacre
16	* NintendoHard: It is an arcade game after all. Moving at high speed and not geting hit are very important, as a few hits or seconds or dawdling means you could be short of the energy needed to get to the end and not find out until you learn the hard way.
17	%%* RailShooter
18	* ReactorBoss: The game pulls this off at the end of every level, in case the ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' influnce wasn't obvious enough. It barely counts as boss fight though, since there's no danger at this point unless your energy's very low.
19	* ShiftingSandLand: Level 4, Sara. The whole area is a barren wasteland with tornadoes, with small mechs jumping in to pepper you.
20	%%* SpaceBattle
21	* SpaceZone: Level 1, Megaleon. You spent the first half fighting against the enemy forces trying to interrupt your mission until you enter [[Franchise/StarWars Death Star]]-like planet.
22	* UpdatedRerelease:
23	** ''Galaxy Force II'' is, despite the name, more of an update than a sequel, released only two months after the original. It tunes and fleshes out all the stages in the game, adding entirely new two levels, and lets you fire four missiles simultaneously.
24	** M2's port of ''Galaxy Force'', released in 2007 under [=PS2=] Sega Ages 2500, comes with a number of extras - cheat menu, optional arranged soundtrack, "Neo Classic" that replaces the graphics with filtered one, and 16:9 widescreen support. Regrettably, this was only released in Japan, but the said version also made it on UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS via Sega 3d Classics Collection, minus the CD soundtrack and plus 3D mode.
25	* WizardNeedsFoodBadly: Variant of it. Your ship has limited energy meter that drains by time pretty quickly. The only way to replenish it is either blazing through the course real fast or shooting down the enemies to gain point, both of which aren't easy tasks to master.

Context VideoGame / GalaxyForce