A better Galaga?

[Indiana Quack]

7800 Galaga is a very good game. I am VERY picky with the games that I buy for my collection and of the 25 or so 7800 games I own Galaga is proudly one of them.

 

I probably have played Galaga more than anyone else writing about this. I've played this game in the arcades for just about 30 years now. I started playing the 7800 version about 3 years ago and the first thing I thought was Atari could have done way better than this. I've been to level 212 on a Arcade machine with my points nearing 4 million. I would love to see a much better version of Galaga. As many people who have replied to this, I think it would be a great seller of carts if it were made.

[PAC-MAN PRIME]

I thoroughly enjoy 7800 Galaga, but it definitely could have been done better. Especially considering what the 7800 is capable of. If any of the homebrewers decided to tackle revamping it, I certainly wouldn't complain. I'd be one of the first in line to get a cart!

[Herbarius]

I just tried it again, and was reminded of another problem I have with it. They play the music while you sit there and wait, rather than playing it while the game is starting. So instead of the music feeling like part of the game, it instead just feels like a forced pause.

The arcade version does the same thing...

[Cliff Friedel]

Nevermind about getting a better Galaga, I think a better karateka should be the priority first.

 

Totally, totally agree.

 

7800 Karateka remains my biggest video game disappointment when I brought it home expecting to see the Apple II version I knew and instead getting those pared graphics, missing parts and one second joystick delay!

 

It's hard to port a game like that because you really did get decent control with the keyboard on the 8-bit versions that never seems to follow over when they port it to consoles.

[MIKE5200]

Heck, I'll be happy if someone makes a 5200 Galaga

[+Sauron]

I rather like the 7800 version of Galaga myself. Yes, it's not arcade perfect, but it's the only version the 7800 has had, and I'm perfectly fine with it.

[Lord Thag]

I rather like the 7800 version of Galaga myself. Yes, it's not arcade perfect, but it's the only version the 7800 has had, and I'm perfectly fine with it.

 

Me too. The graphics could be improved, but my real gripe is the crazy speed burst around (I can't remember) level 10 was it? Very jarring and unlike the arcade.

 

Honestly, you could likely hack this game, similar to, say, Nukey Shay's Pacman 4k and sand off the rough edges.

Edited September 3, 2010 by Lord Thag

[Madaracs]

I like 7800 Galaga quite a bit, but it's far from arcade perfect. It could use completely redrawn sprites, a POKEY (I'm guessing it doesn't use one), and some fine-tuning would be nice, such as fixing the speed issue. For instance, the second you hit stage 10, everything makes a large jump in speed. In other versions of the game, everything speeds up gradually as you progress as opposed to one huge, sudden jump. Also, once the speed kicks up like this, the game starts chopping up a bit as if the system can't keep up with it. Again, far from perfect.. but pretty good considering it was made in 1984. I still really enjoy it today.

/

I couldn't agree more. It would also be cool to fix the aspect ratio since it was a vertical game in the arcades. The NES/Famicom version does this correctly. One thing neither console will probably ever be able to do is properly scroll the stars in the background.

 

...An interesting side note that most people don't notice about the Fami/NES version is that the starfield in the background actually mimics certain constellations.

[+MrFish]

...The only real thing about this version is the graphics. Altough it is very good, NES had better graphics and I think this is a case of most complaints. NES Galaga runs in high resolution what make graphics look just arcade perfect. There is a little sprite flicker sometimes on NES version though, but it is no big deal.

 

For me 7800 Galaga is good enough and I don't care about graphics beeng slightly worse then in NES. I'm afraid that if Galaga were running in hi-res it could be worse game as it is, becouse it can loose smoothness and gameplay. There is known that rendering hi-res mode cost Maria a lot of it's power. I'm not sure if 7800 has enough power to run a smooth action in this mode.

I was always unimpressed with Galaga's graphics.

 

Here is a picture that I did on the 8-bit to see what the graphics might look like. It uses the same pixel width as the current version of Galaga on the 7800. Just throwing it out there (no starfield).

 

[NightSprinter]

Not a bad mockup so far. The sprites definitely look more authentic to the arcade original. Something I noticed in that pic, is that there are far more waves in the Boss Galga's tractor beam (as well as the curve and multiple blue/green colors). Definitely an improvement over the 7800 graphics so far. Same for the ship.

[Madaracs]

Not to veer off topic, but it might fun to see Gaplus (Galaga 3 to us North Americans) as a 7800 game. Go in a completely different direction! Literally!

[MitchSchaft]

I have the NES port on my Wii and was playing it this past week. It's one of my wife's favorites, too. It plays great with the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom joystick.

[Indiana Quack]

Not to veer off topic, but it might fun to see Gaplus (Galaga 3 to us North Americans) as a 7800 game. Go in a completely different direction! Literally!

 

I'd have to agree, Gaplus would be a great 7800 cart!

[Animan]

Not to veer off topic, but it might fun to see Gaplus (Galaga 3 to us North Americans) as a 7800 game. Go in a completely different direction! Literally!

 

I'd have to agree, Gaplus would be a great 7800 cart!

 

Count me third!

 

Gaplus. Please.

[+darryl1970]

A lot of people don't like 7800 Galaga but what is really wrong with it. Can we list it's problems so that if somebody wants to hack it or reprogram it, they know what to change? The more detail the better.

 

Allan

 

 

The 7800 version is a plain insult to everybody. I have tried to keep in mind that the

game was a release title, and it was rushed in 1984, but there are many things that are

unforgivable. Other things may be limits of the 7800 hardware. It had a cool graphics chip,

but it's a shame the processor and tia couldn't keep up with it. I know sprites are detached

from the background, but the 7800 has a problem with them not blending right. They look

like they are truly on a layer of cellophane on the screen. That could be the choppy animation

(same as the version of Mario Bros and DK that come to mind)

 

1. Lower Resolution, blurry, washed-out-color graphics

2. Choppy animation -- Sure, the NES is choppy in a "character graphics kind of way", but the 7800 version seems to move in a stair-step pattern (probable due to the lower res.)

I checked it out, and this might be due to the WIDE screen ratio. Maybe squeeze it like the NES version?

3. The game is just WAY too easy on the low levels, and the choppiness is even worse on the higher levels. (The alien patterns are no smooth. They look forced.)

4. Slow. They ruined the fast-paced excitement of the arcade.

5. The opening music is terrible! Understandable on the tia, but even worse than I'd like to hear. (Except bonus round music)

6. The star field is single color and does not have the simulated parallax scrolling like the NES and arcade (AND THE stars in the 8-BIT version of Galaxian, for that matter, looks 10x better due to the multiple colors!).

7. The stars are all one color. They look like blue periods scrolling down the screen!

Maybe, at least, speed them up to create more excitement?

8. Levels are displayed in NUMBER format at the bottom right. No flags and shields.

9. Big yellow shots. Alien shots look like am dumb line with a growth at the bottom.

10. The ship looks dumb.

11. Alien Patterns are wrong The blue aliens do not dip below the player's ship.

12. The tractor beam could be curved instead of lines.

 

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I was SO disappointed when I saw it in 1986.

Edited September 20, 2010 by darryl1970

[+darryl1970]

I like 7800 Galaga quite a bit, but it's far from arcade perfect. It could use completely redrawn sprites, a POKEY (I'm guessing it doesn't use one), and some fine-tuning would be nice, such as fixing the speed issue. For instance, the second you hit stage 10, everything makes a large jump in speed. In other versions of the game, everything speeds up gradually as you progress as opposed to one huge, sudden jump. Also, once the speed kicks up like this, the game starts chopping up a bit as if the system can't keep up with it. Again, far from perfect.. but pretty good considering it was made in 1984. I still really enjoy it today.

/

I couldn't agree more. It would also be cool to fix the aspect ratio since it was a vertical game in the arcades. The NES/Famicom version does this correctly. One thing neither console will probably ever be able to do is properly scroll the stars in the background.

 

...An interesting side note that most people don't notice about the Fami/NES version is that the starfield in the background actually mimics certain constellations.

I thought the NES did a good job. Even the 5200/8-bit Galaxian does a decent job. There's not multi-layer, but the colors create a nice illusion.

[Madaracs]

A lot of people don't like 7800 Galaga but what is really wrong with it. Can we list it's problems so that if somebody wants to hack it or reprogram it, they know what to change? The more detail the better.

 

Allan

 

 

The 7800 version is a plain insult to everybody. I have tried to keep in mind that the

game was a release title, and it was rushed in 1984, but there are many things that are

unforgivable. Other things may be limits of the 7800 hardware. It had a cool graphics chip,

but it's a shame the processor and tia couldn't keep up with it. I know sprites are detached

from the background, but the 7800 has a problem with them not blending right. They look

like they are truly on a layer of cellophane on the screen. That could be the choppy animation

(same as the version of Mario Bros and DK that come to mind)

 

1. Lower Resolution, blurry, washed-out-color graphics

2. Choppy animation -- Sure, the NES is choppy in a "character graphics kind of way", but the 7800 version seems to move in a stair-step pattern (probable due to the lower res.)

I checked it out, and this might be due to the WIDE screen ratio. Maybe squeeze it like the NES version?

3. The game is just WAY too easy on the low levels, and the choppiness is even worse on the higher levels. (The alien patterns are no smooth. They look forced.)

4. Slow. They ruined the fast-paced excitement of the arcade.

5. The opening music is terrible! Understandable on the tia, but even worse than I'd like to hear. (Except bonus round music)

6. The star field is single color and does not have the simulated parallax scrolling like the NES and arcade (AND THE stars in the 8-BIT version of Galaxian, for that matter, looks 10x better due to the multiple colors!).

7. The stars are all one color. They look like blue periods scrolling down the screen!

Maybe, at least, speed them up to create more excitement?

8. Levels are displayed in NUMBER format at the bottom right. No flags and shields.

9. Big yellow shots. Alien shots look like am dumb line with a growth at the bottom.

10. The ship looks dumb.

11. Alien Patterns are wrong The blue aliens do not dip below the player's ship.

12. The tractor beam could be curved instead of lines.

 

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I was SO disappointed when I saw it in 1986.

 

Tell us how you really feel. I agree with a lot of your points here. I wish I had more knowledge when it comes to 2600 and/or 7800 programming. I'd take it upon myself to create a Galaga Trilogy cart. Re-do Galaga, add Gaplus and Galaxian.

[Stechmann]

i love 7800 but it needs a TWO PLAYER MODE

[eightbit]

On 9/19/2010 at 8:46 PM, darryl1970 said:

 

10. The ship looks dumb.

 

 

I kind of like the look of the ship now that I can see it's detail over RGB via the GD

[+DrVenkman]

2 hours ago, Stechmann said:

i love 7800 but it needs a TWO PLAYER MODE

Holy necrobumps, Batman! You've bumped one thread that's almost 11 years old, and this one that's 13-1/2 years old. 👀

[Synthpopalooza]

I have POKEY sounds designed for this somewhere.  It was for an XL/XE version of this but I can easily convert to 7800 with POKEY

[Synthpopalooza]

 

 

There you go.

[Stechmann]

14 hours ago, DrVenkman said:

Holy necrobumps, Batman! You've bumped one thread that's almost 11 years old, and this one that's 13-1/2 years old. 👀

yup thats because i was googling Galaga 7800 looking for a hack that had two player mode

[doubledown]

Doesn't the original 7800 port of Galaga allow for two players?