History VideoGame / Galaga

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* ChainReactionDestruction: The final boss in ''Galaga '88'' is chain-explosive.

''Galaga'' [[note]] [[ItsPronouncedTropay pronounced ga-LAG-a]], per WordOfGod. [[/note]] is a fixed shooter arcade game and the sequel to ''VideoGame/{{Galaxian}}''. It was released by Namco in 1981; the US version was released the same year under license to Midway (and later ported to the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem to Bandai (now merged with Namco to form ''Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment'') and the UsefulNotes/GameBoy game systems (under license to ''Creator/{{Nintendo}}'') along with ''VideoGame/{{Galaxian}}'').

* FusionDance: ''Galaga '88'' at the very least has enemies that can fuse to form other much tougher.

* MookChivalry: If you free a captured ship, the enemies will let up for a few seconds to allow your ships to combine. That's about the only break you'll be getting in this game.

''Galaga'' ([[ItsPronouncedTropay pronounced ga-LAG-a]], per WordOfGod) is a fixed shooter arcade game and the sequel to ''VideoGame/{{Galaxian}}''. It was released by Namco in 1981; the US version was released the same year under license to Midway (and later ported to the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem to Bandai (now merged with Namco to form ''Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment'') and the UsefulNotes/GameBoy game systems (under license to ''Creator/{{Nintendo}}'') along with ''VideoGame/{{Galaxian}}'').

* MultipleEndings: ''Galaga '88'' has different endings depending of which dimension you took to beat it, [[spoiler:from an image of your fighter returning to base with text mentioning how the aliens stroke back seven years later to a female fighter pilot thanking you for saving her and inviting you to be together as a man and a woman]].

* SpellingBonus: The Challenging Stages in ''Gaplus'' have the player juggling enemies and gradually spelling out words that describe what happens if spelled out. For example, "DOUBLE" will double the amount of points received from the Challenging Stage. [[PoisonMushroom "BYE BYE"]] is probably [[DoWellButNotPerfect best left not spelled]].

* TurnsRed: The boss Galagas take two hits to destroy, turning darker colors after the first.

* UnInstallment: ''Gaplus'', the sequel to ''Galaga'', had conversion kits that changed the title to ''Galaga 3'' in North America. There was no ''Galaga 2'', unless Galaxian was counted as an entry.

2016 saw the series returns to the arcades in the form of ''Galaga Assault'' which HD the graphics and can now be played for tickets.

* AnotherDimension: In ''Galaga'88'' some enemies give bombs. Collect two of them to open a rift to warp to another dimension after each Challenging Stage, where enemies are harder to fight.

* AsteroidThicket: Scrolling stages in ''Galaga'88'' have asteroids, either fixed or moving around.

* BonusStage: The Challenging Stages (marked in Galaga'88 by an "That's Galactic Dancin' announcement), that show up every few stages. You can't die in them, and they just serve as a way of getting extra points, with a bonus awarded if you kill every target [[spoiler: or a hidden bonus if you do nothing, in Galaga'88]]. Getting a dual ship beforehand makes them significantly easier to beat.

* MultipleEndings: "'Galaga'88'' has different endings depending of which dimension you took to beat it [[spoiler: From an image of your fighter returning to base with text mentioning how the aliens stroke back seven years later to a female fighter pilot thanking you for saving her and inviting you to be together as a man and a woman]].

* AnotherDimension: In Galaga'88 some enemies give bombs. Collect two of them to open a rift to warp to another dimension after each Challenging Stage, where enemies are harder to fight.
* AsteroidThicket: Scrolling stages in Galaga'88 have asteroids, either fixed or moving around.

* MultipleEndings: Galaga'88 has different endings depending of which dimension takes [[spoiler: From an image of your fighter returning to base with text mentioning how the aliens stroke back seven later to a female fighter pilot thanking you for saving her and inviting you to be together as a man and a woman]].

* BonusStage: The Challenging Stages that show up every few stages. You can't die in them, and they just serve as a way of getting extra points, with a bonus awarded if you kill every target. Getting a dual ship beforehand makes them significantly easier to beat.

There was a webcomic based on it written by[[Webcomic/DinosaurComics Ryan North]], as part of ''Website/ShiftyLook'', but that site is now defunct.

* [[spoiler:HappilyEverAfter]]: The GoldenEnding to ''88''.

* NoPronunciationGuide: Fans were split for years on whether the title is pronounced "ga-LAG-a" or "GAL-a-ga". [[WordOfGod A Midway staffer]] [[http://triosdevelopers.com/jason.eckert/blog/Entries/2012/7/14_Entry_1.html confirmed]] that it's pronounced the former way, stressing the second syllable. Because it is the sequel to ''Galaxian'', which is pronounced similarly.
** Namco themselves seem to be on the fence about this, actually, as the computer voice from ''Legions'' pronounces it the latter way.

* UnInstallment / MarketBasedTitle: ''Gaplus'', the sequel to ''Galaga'', had conversion kits that changed the title to ''Galaga 3'' in North America. There was no ''Galaga 2'', unless Galaxian was counted as an entry.

If you want to ruin your productivity for the day, [[http://www.galagagame.net/galaga.php the game is playable here]]. [[http://www.shiftylook.com/comics/galaga Now there's a webcomic based on it written by]] [[Webcomic/DinosaurComics Ryan North]], as part of ''Website/ShiftyLook''.

* WinsByDoingAbsolutelyNothing / PacifistRun: If done in the Challenging Stages in ''88'', the player gets a bonus equal to what the FlawlessVictory bonus would have been.

* BlandNameProduct: At least one bootleg version is called "Gallag".

* UnInstallment: ''Gaplus'', the sequel to ''Galaga'', had conversion kits that changed the title to ''Galaga 3'' in North America. There was no ''Galaga 2'', unless Galaxian was counted as an entry.

* UnexpectedGenreChange: ''88'' at times goes from a fixed shooter into a scrolling shooter and adds music.

* UnexpectedGenreChange: A slight example, as ''88'' at times turns into a scrolling shooter and has music.

* SpellingBonus: The Challenging Stages in ''Gaplus'' have the player juggling enemies and gradually spelling out words that describe what happens if spelled out. For example, "DOUBLE" will double the amount of points received from the Challenging Stage. [[PoisonMushroom "BYE BYE"]] is probably best left not spelled.

''Galaga'' ([[ItsPronouncedTropay pronounced GAL-a-gah]], per WordOfGod) is a fixed shooter arcade game and the sequel to ''VideoGame/{{Galaxian}}''. It was released by Namco in 1981; the US version was released the same year under license to Midway (and later ported to the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem to Bandai (now merged with Namco to form ''Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment'') and the UsefulNotes/GameBoy game systems (under license to ''Creator/{{Nintendo}}'') along with ''VideoGame/{{Galaxian}}'').

* NoPronunciationGuide: Fans were split for years on whether the title is pronounced "Gah-Lag-Uh" or "Gal-Uh-Guh". [[WordOfGod A Midway staffer]] [[http://triosdevelopers.com/jason.eckert/blog/Entries/2012/7/14_Entry_1.html confirmed]] that it's pronounced the former way.

The series has also been given a downloadable title in the same vein as Pac-Man Championship Edition: VideoGame/GalagaLegions on Xbox Live Arcade in 2008, with a Deluxe version released as part of the Namco Generations line on Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network in 2011.