Control your fighter, with its unique ability to combine with other fighters, and shoot down the invading aliens.

The NES version of Galaga is a almost perfect port of the timeless arcade classic. Like space invaders you control a ship at the bottom of the screen and blast away at oncoming enemies. The enemies in Galaga first fly in and line up in formation and then dive-bomb at you while firing sometimes in predictable patterns and sometimes not.

Levels get progressively more difficult as you would expect. However you can allow certain enemies to capture your ship. Once captured, your ship is held hostage until you destroy the enemy holding it. The ship is then returned to you and joins up with your existing ship to double your firepower! This adds to the depth of the game, it is not without risk as you can inadvertently destroy your own ship trying to do this!

Every 3-5 levels, Galaga offers a fun "Challenging Stage" in which players attempt to blast 30/30 non-attacking enemies that fly around the screen in unusual formations. The player is rewarded with points for each enemy they destroy. A perfect 30/30 gets you additional bonus points. These challenging stages offer a nice break from the stress of a typical stage and add greatly to Galaga's charm.

This is a fun little game, especially with the rose tinted spectacles of nostalgia firmly in place over the eyes. Little things such as the lack of record saving features, slow controls, and just a generic simplistic feel keep it from being legendary. However, if you have a penchant for old arcade gems, then you will probably still enjoy this. It is a worthy transition from the arcade so you might want to give this a chance.