Geometry Wars: Galaxies Review

By Tom Bramwell Published 14 January, 2008

And now the Wii bit.

Version tested: Wii

Like the DS version (and we certainly did like the DS version), Geometry Wars: Galaxies on Wii is a collection of 60 or so levels built around the controls and enemies used in classic Xbox Live Arcade game Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved - which is itself bundled in both the Wii and DS versions. In fact, the content's mostly the same. "Galaxies" mode, as it's called, changes things like level shapes, enemy spawn routines, enemy types (and there are lots of new ones), and more to give each of the 60-odd a distinctive feel. Also like the DS version, Galaxies on Wii proposes an alternative to dual analogue stick control - which is just as well because the Wiimote doesn't have any analogue sticks and the Nunchuk only has one.

So what's Geometry Wars then? Good point, suspiciously well-informed and photogenic grandma interviewed about Wii in a national newspaper! It's a shoot-'em-up where you move around shooting things that are coming for you until you run out of lives. Your goal is to get a high score - on the Wii, that score may then be worth a bronze, silver or gold medal. You don't even have to stand up to play it, really, which must be a relief after all those photo-calls.

'Geometry Wars: Galaxies' Screenshot 1

ARE YOU OKAY DEAR. DO YOU WANT A DRINK. A DRINK. OKAY. THIS IS ONE OF THEM NINTENDOS OFF THE TELLY. SEE YOU LATER.

If you stick to the Wiimote and Nunchuk scheme, you will be using the latter's single stick to move your little spaceship around, and pointing at the screen with the Wiimote to tell it which way to fire. There you'll see a red line emanating from your ship to wherever you're pointing, with an aiming reticule positioned somewhere along it to illustrate exactly where you're pointing. Hold A to fire, hit Z to smartbomb, clearing the screen for a bit of respite. It takes getting used to (well, holding A doesn't), but then so do computer and videogame control schemes in general. Remember when you were crap at WSAD? Again like the DS version, however, your effectiveness will be diminished if you're a southpaw. Unless you're a twisted mutant southpaw like me who writes with his left hand and plays tennis, points and 'other's with the right. Watch out for that.

Or rather, don't, because again there is another option, although this time you will have to invest in a Classic Controller for the privilege of selecting it. If you do, you can resort to the more traditional two-stick control scheme of moving with left and firing with right. And it's here that - not unlike the DS version, in hindsight - Kuju's otherwise-clever adaptation of Bizarre Creations' celebrated original develops a potentially uncomfortable split personality.

'Geometry Wars: Galaxies' Screenshot 2

The new Galaxies levels sometimes have wonky outlines. Those crazy bastards.

Problem is, this is a high-scores game. Excellently, both the DS and Wii versions can upload those high scores - for Retro Evolved and any of the individual Galaxies levels - to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection so you can compare them with people whose 694-digit code you've miraculously managed to write down correctly and then bothered to program in. However, people using the Classic Controller will fare better for the simple reason that they can easily point and move in the same direction. Sorry to keep going on about this in everything I ever write, but it's vitally important - and both of the analogue sticks on the Classic Controller have their movement curtailed by an octagonal boundary that lets you point exactly left, right, up, down and at each diagonal. The only way you'll achieve this with the Wiimote is using a spirit level.

Then again, if you're not playing it specifically to rack up high-scores, but just to beat the gold medal score for each level, then you're fine. Galaxies has an excellent system of progression - as you play you collect "geoms" which go toward unlocking new levels and new behaviours for your little pet sentry spaceship remora thing (drone, apparently - just looked it up). You collect geoms whether you beat your old high score or not, so progress is tangible for any time investment, providing you don't quit out in anger. What's more, the individual levels - although they're not always brilliant - are varied and numerous enough to keep your interest, and the absence of the DS version's slowdown means that you rarely reach the insurmountable comfort zones you sometimes did in the helpfully sluggish handheld incarnation. It also doesn't slow down despite looking very pretty - indeed, the Wii's little ATI graphics chip can afford to puff out its chest a bit now that the Xbox 360's undulating background graphics have returned.

'Geometry Wars: Galaxies' Screenshot 3

New enemies include bigger versions of old ones that have to be hit a few times to produce the familiar angry death-shapes.

One slight downside is that multiplayer has to happen on the same screen. On the DS, some of the individual modes were outstanding - especially Versus mode, where one player controls enemy deployment while the other tries to survive. On Wii, any measurable difference in skill will mean less success in single-screen competitive and co-operative play, despite the laudable option to play through a few of the Galaxies mode star systems together. It's also a shame that you can't use the GameCube controller, because the Classic Controller is still 15 quid and not everybody has one.

Forgive them, though, because Galaxies is still very likable, with tons to do and a well-designed new control system for people who aren't busy forming high-score cults. And if you've never played Geometry Wars before anyway, the inclusion of Retro Evolved - a bit easier thanks to the Classic Controller design, but no less brilliant on account of it - is a splendid extra. With the DS game retailing for GBP 19.99 and the Wii one for a fiver more, you should certainly buy one or other. Having played them both, I'd make it this one, but only just.

8 / 10

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About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Santino #1 4 years ago

    £25? thats less than i was expecting.

  • Killerbee #2 4 years ago

    Ooooh! Shiny.

    It's almost a shame this isn't a 1000-point Virtual Console game, because I'd be much more inclined just to give it a whirl. I'm quite tempted, but it just seems a bit too much (yes, even at £25) for a retro-themed game I might only play for a few hours.

    Edit: Sorry, that sounded a bit miserable. I guess I'm just not a big fan of games that you play solely to get a high score unless the actual gameplay itself is really fun, like Excite Truck. Old school shooters just don't really do it for me any more. YMMV, of course.
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/08 @ 16:04

  • Lexx87 #3 4 years ago

    I like the DS versus idea of someone spawning the enemies...that would be so much fun

  • Dizzy #4 4 years ago

    Great game.. but this version looks like the XBox.. not the 360 version.

  • JonFE #5 4 years ago

    Better still, you can get this for £17.99 at Play...

  • jamie_fear #6 4 years ago

    I'd feel robbed if I bought a game for this much that's essentially a tech demo.

  • DonnieDarko333 #7 4 years ago

    It's £17.99 on some sites!

    I'm getting it for £19.99 (using points).

    Is there a DS DEMO which can be downloaded from the Wii version?

  • haowan #8 4 years ago

    can you explain why being left-handed disables you in this game, seeing as you could simply hold the wii remote in your left hand and nunchuk in the right?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #9 4 years ago

    I'd feel robbed if I bought a game for this much that's essentially a tech demo.

    Go away.

    Is there a DS DEMO which can be downloaded from the Wii version?

    There's no mention of it in the review (don't know why) but you can download Galaxy Wars: Retro Evolved to your DS when you have the Wii version. It's not just a demo, it's the same as the XBLA title.

    Speaking of the DS connectivity: Why isn't it mentioned at all in the review? After all it's the first game that really uses the Wii and DS connectivity.

  • mingster #10 4 years ago

    Der Toll Emile .... it is mentioned:...
    And if you've never played Geometry Wars before anyway, the inclusion of Retro Evolved - a bit easier thanks to the Classic Controller design, but no less brilliant on account of it - is a splendid extra.
    ok..

  • ghearoid #11 4 years ago

    bugger it, i'm left handed and i was looking forward to this. i would've thought that the freehand use of the wiimote and nunchuck would've done away with programmers favouring right handed control methods

    grrr

  • UncleLou #12 4 years ago

    I'd feel robbed if I bought a game for this much that's essentially a tech demo.

    What tech exactly is the game demoing?

  • Muddtallica #13 4 years ago

    Corny first line joke, Tom. Tsc. :p

    Sounds OK, this...lack of GC pad support's a bit of a kicker though. I have loads of those, just no Classic Controller...

  • smelly #14 4 years ago

    Should have been 10 quid wii ware game

  • smelly #15 4 years ago

    >but this version looks like the XBox.. not the 360 version.

    Erm, that's because the 360 is more powerful and in hi-def.

    You were expecting WHAT exactly?

    Dumb ass.

  • rudedudejude #16 4 years ago

    Awesome! And my classic controller will be worth using again!

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #17 4 years ago

    I'd feel robbed if I bought a game for this much that's essentially a tech demo.

    ---

    What tech exactly is the game demoing?

    The tech of fun gameness?

  • haowan #18 4 years ago

    well apparently they've managed to right-hand-bias the wii remote which i'd say is quite a technical feat seeing as it's not possible.

  • Waffleaber #19 4 years ago

    The banner advert for this on the right is giving me motion sickness.

    Or should that be motion sensor sickness?

    /dies

  • Der_tolle_Emil #20 4 years ago

    @mingster: It only says that the version is included, but there is no mention that you can transfer retro evolved from the Wii to the DS and play it on that.
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/08 @ 16:51

  • Batfink #21 4 years ago

    How on earth do you right-hand bias the wii remote??

    I'm baffled here. Could someone who's played this state exactly how the game is worse for lefties?

  • kentmonkey #22 4 years ago

    Try playing Wii Sports with your left hand without changing the in-game option to left hand...it doesn't like it very much and doesn't always do what you want it to do (ask my wife, she's a leftie).

  • GrandpaUlrira #23 4 years ago

    Maybe Tom was suggesting that lefties wouldn't be smart enough to swap the nunchuck and remote around.

  • Waldo #24 4 years ago

    Or you could buy Retro Evolved off Steam for $3 US. ;)

  • monkie_king #25 4 years ago

    kentmonkey, that's gesture-based though, this is just pointing at the screen.

    So, Tom "writes with his left hand and plays tennis, points and 'other's with the right". Is that all at the same time? If so, I'm both impressed and not a little disturbed.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #26 4 years ago

    haowan,

    "can you explain why being left-handed disables you in this game, seeing as you could simply hold the wii remote in your left hand and nunchuk in the right?"

    It's a subjective thing, I guess, but I am simply no good at directing anything around the screen with my right thumb. Others' mileage will vary. It depends how good your right thumb is at subtle manoeuvring.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #27 4 years ago

    Muddtalica,

    "Corny first line joke, Tom. Tsc."

    I'm ripping off Tommy Cooper, if I remember correctly. "Funnily enough," he'd slur, then turn to the audience and say "is it funny enough?" before continuing. This is a website though so obviously it's more rubbish.

  • oupe #28 4 years ago

    Must buy if it's anyting like the 360 version, even when it's 18 quid. But why has the feature poor 360 version a 9/10?

  • coach_mcguirk #29 4 years ago

    Unless you're a twisted mutant southpaw like me who writes with his left hand and plays tennis, points and 'other's with the right. Watch out for that.

    This is me, also.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #30 4 years ago

    "But why has the feature poor 360 version a 9/10?"

    A lot of it comes down to timing. That was a long while ago. If it had been released today, it probably wouldn't have gone as high. I certainly have a lot of affection for all three (not to mention Geometry Wars: Waves in PGR4, which is splendid).

  • Hughes. #31 4 years ago

    I keep seeing that "Read our scoring policy" link, and after all the recent reviews, I'm guessing it's "We're just giving everything an 8".

  • haowan #32 4 years ago

    Mugwum:

    I get it now, the left-handers are used to right-handed play so transferring movement OR pointing to the right hand is uncomfortable.

  • captainrentboy #33 4 years ago

    I'd say the 360 version is worth a 9/10 because it cost what? £3.50, and it has supplied me with hours and hours of game playing time. Still one of the best titles on XBLA, and one of the cheapest, it can't be faulted really.

  • Nikanoru #34 4 years ago

    I get it now, the left-handers are used to right-handed play so transferring movement OR pointing to the right hand is uncomfortable.


    Then why isn't this mentioned in every PC FPS review? Or console FPS's or the original GW, for that matter?

  • Syrette #35 4 years ago

    25 quid for this?

    Jesus wept.

  • murphy245 #36 4 years ago

    this should be a wiiware title its just not worth a retail release as with alot of wii games.

  • login_name #37 4 years ago

    Great game.. but this version looks like the XBox.. not the 360 version.

    You must be tired, normally you hide your fanboyish comments a bit better than that.

  • Eighthours #38 4 years ago

    Just arrived from Gameplay. Excellent!

  • MBar #39 4 years ago

    Unless you're a twisted mutant southpaw like me who writes with his left hand and plays tennis, points and 'other's with the right.

    I right with my right, but play guitar, pool and eat left-handed!

    I thought I was the only severely retarded one!

    /cry

  • Telepathic.Geometry #40 4 years ago

    Very late to the party here, but I have to say three things:

    1) The left-handers are not accommodated is kinda silly. I mean, left-handers will have the same problem with this game as they would with Zelda, Metroid and Mario. Why even bring it up here, and not in those reviews?

    2) Sorry Mugwum, but the criticism of the wiimote + nunchuk controls is just nonsense. You're clearly not skilled in the ways of Wii. I have played Retro Evolved and Galaxies with the Classic Controller, and neither have the accuracy that you get with GW: G and the wiimote + nunchuk. Instead of having 8 directions of fire, you have 360.

    Seriously, I don't wanna sound like a massive nerd here (/fails) but with a classic controller, I'd be forced to strafe when I had those Green square bastards penned into a corner. With the wiimote I can simply aim at them.

    3) Those complaining about the value for money make no sense to me. £3.50 versus £18, right? Jesus, the variety of the different galaxies makes it more than worth it. There's 65 galaxies to play, the different tactics that comes with choosing your drones effectively on each stage, the need to go and collect those geoms. Plus, Retro Evolved is in there too, but Christ it's not even one of the best levels.