Geometry Wars: Galaxies is amazing.
Think of Geometry Wars Retro Evolved as a demo for Geometry Wars Galaxies. That kind of over simplifies it, but it is accurate. Retro Evolved even comes with Galaxies. So if you can handle the Wii's 480p mode (it is widescreen), Galaxies is the best way to go. And remember, this is an arena shooter - not a hori or a vert.MathU wrote:I want this but have no idea which version to get. What exactly are the differences between the two?
The nicest thing about Galaxies is the way you progress. You have to collect Geoms, which are left behind when you blow up a target. Those are needed to progress to a new level, add extra lives, add smart bombs, and to change weapons. And one of the coolest new weapons is your drone. It reminds me of the "options" in Gradius. It follows your ship around and you can program it to either attack, defend, collect (geoms), snipe, sweep (rotate around you), ram, turret, or as bait. And you have to select one of those options before you start a level. If you make a bad choice, it'll hurt.
Hey, they have a web site: http://www.geometrywarsgalaxies.com/ Cool.
Oh... Sorry. I got the Wii version so I could play it on my 26" widescreen LCD TV. So I don't really know what it would be. Other than you can use the classic controller on the Wii, and you can't on the DS. That dual analog SNES pad seems to be built just for that game.MathU wrote:Erm, I mean what are the differences between the Wii and DS versions?
While Retro Evolved gave you hell from the get go, Galaxies is level based, so it starts slow & builds up. The things are aware that you're there, but they act like they don't really care. But later on, you'll learn that its a good practice to save your smart bombs.shoe-sama wrote:Are there things that aren't homing missiles?
They could probably get away with using this as one of 'em minigames in Exzeal.
I read a review that put it best.
A 64 level minigame? Never seen that before either.Imagine that Robotron 2084 and Tempest had a child. Then imagine that child was adopted by Team Shanghai Alice (creators of the Touhou series of PC shmups). And then imagine that child married into the Cave family. That's Geometry Wars. Classic gameplay, accelerated to the point of sheer insanity. -Click me.
Last edited by Asherdude on Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:54 am, edited 3 times in total.
Forget Cave, even the Team Shanghai Alice games are more frantic than Geometry Wars: Galaxies.Imagine that Robotron 2084 and Tempest had a child. Then imagine that child was adopted by Team Shanghai Alice (creators of the Touhou series of PC shmups). And then imagine that child married into the Cave family. That's Geometry Wars. Classic gameplay, accelerated to the point of sheer insanity. -Click me.
I still enjoy GWG though =)
You are talking about the DS one, right? I read the DS one has less enemies on screen and more slowdown, so it's not as frantic as the 60 FPS Wii version. However, I still enjoy the DS one too.Arvandor wrote:Forget Cave, even the Team Shanghai Alice games are more frantic than Geometry Wars: Galaxies.Imagine that Robotron 2084 and Tempest had a child. Then imagine that child was adopted by Team Shanghai Alice (creators of the Touhou series of PC shmups). And then imagine that child married into the Cave family. That's Geometry Wars. Classic gameplay, accelerated to the point of sheer insanity. -Click me.
I still enjoy GWG though =)
I just got the DS version last night. It was quite fun, but I feel like I'm going to have a popeye arm from pushing too hard on the D-Pad for too long.
Here's a question: How do you hold the system?
Typically, I like to play stylus games on a table, but I can't do that if I want my hand to fit beneath the DS to use the D-pad. I tried lots of variations of putting the ds on a pillow on my lap, but it wasn't comfortable enough. What worked best for me was to put the DS on a table or stool so the left side was hanging over the edge allowing me to use the D-pad and also have a solid surface for stylus use. However, this tired my arms very quickly and I started numbly flying into things after a certain point.
Ergonomics aside, I like the game. I only played in the beginner galaxy so far, and I got a gold on the first stage my first time playing. On the second two planets in the first galaxy, I only managed about 5 million each which was good for a silver. (needed 6 mil for golds)
As with most shooters, I always died with bombs remaining, except for one game where I actually used them all.
I like how easy it is to max out the multiplier. It doesn't make dying feel so bad when you can get back up to 150x if you're careful.
Not yet sure what makes my weapon get stronger. I'll have to read the instructions someday. Worth the $30 though.
Here's a question: How do you hold the system?
Typically, I like to play stylus games on a table, but I can't do that if I want my hand to fit beneath the DS to use the D-pad. I tried lots of variations of putting the ds on a pillow on my lap, but it wasn't comfortable enough. What worked best for me was to put the DS on a table or stool so the left side was hanging over the edge allowing me to use the D-pad and also have a solid surface for stylus use. However, this tired my arms very quickly and I started numbly flying into things after a certain point.
Ergonomics aside, I like the game. I only played in the beginner galaxy so far, and I got a gold on the first stage my first time playing. On the second two planets in the first galaxy, I only managed about 5 million each which was good for a silver. (needed 6 mil for golds)
As with most shooters, I always died with bombs remaining, except for one game where I actually used them all.
I like how easy it is to max out the multiplier. It doesn't make dying feel so bad when you can get back up to 150x if you're careful.
Not yet sure what makes my weapon get stronger. I'll have to read the instructions someday. Worth the $30 though.
Lite. This is the first game I've played where I've had trouble finding a comfortable way to use it. Maybe I should look for a thumb stylus.cools wrote:That highlights the problems I had with the DS when it was first released. I sold it after a few hours play as it simply wasn't comfortable to use. The Lite is fine though.
Are you using a fat or a Lite?
I tried it once with the buttons, but I preferred the stylus controls. I'm planning to save button controls for locations where stylus use is too difficult. Skydiving, for example.
As for why handhelds are nice, they are portable and I don't find them to be "too small" though I did worry about that before getting my DS.
As for why handhelds are nice, they are portable and I don't find them to be "too small" though I did worry about that before getting my DS.
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Krooze L-Roy
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:51 am
My DS came with a little lanyard sort of thing that has a little thumb nub on the end. I use that, and hold the DS like a standard controller, but with my right thumb over the touch screen rather than the buttons. I guess you probably need fairly large hands to do this comfortably, but it feels just right for me.MR_Soren wrote: Here's a question: How do you hold the system?
Yeah, that would be the thumb stylus. They aren't included with systems anymore. Glad to hear it works well though. Gotta find one for myself now.Krooze L-Roy wrote:My DS came with a little lanyard sort of thing that has a little thumb nub on the end. I use that, and hold the DS like a standard controller, but with my right thumb over the touch screen rather than the buttons. I guess you probably need fairly large hands to do this comfortably, but it feels just right for me.MR_Soren wrote: Here's a question: How do you hold the system?
I personally thought the bit with the Geoms, for progression, coulda been a little better done.
It seemed really "throwaway", to me anyway.
Very very quickly got to the point where I didnt need to at all worry about how much currency I had to unlock things. Grabbed all the drones within like 20 minutes, and no worries about unlocking systems or planets, either. They seem to have set those limits for those of a lower skill level, is what it seems like to me.
Though the use of the Geoms IN each level is nicely done indeed.
It seemed really "throwaway", to me anyway.
Very very quickly got to the point where I didnt need to at all worry about how much currency I had to unlock things. Grabbed all the drones within like 20 minutes, and no worries about unlocking systems or planets, either. They seem to have set those limits for those of a lower skill level, is what it seems like to me.
Though the use of the Geoms IN each level is nicely done indeed.
Has anyone here ever gotten more than nine lives or bombs?
Playing this now, I keep hitting 9 of both (in one of the virus levels, holy HECK does that get nutty), but it doesnt seem to go past that?
Cant be entirely clear on it though.....
As it is, right now leaving the DS paused and plugged in (I think Im at about 250 mil with 9 lives / 8 bombs), cause I been goin at it too long and my arm hurts......
Playing this now, I keep hitting 9 of both (in one of the virus levels, holy HECK does that get nutty), but it doesnt seem to go past that?
Cant be entirely clear on it though.....
As it is, right now leaving the DS paused and plugged in (I think Im at about 250 mil with 9 lives / 8 bombs), cause I been goin at it too long and my arm hurts......
Just snapped it up for a reasonable price from HMV yesterday for DS. It's pretty amazing. Any worries I had about it not being frantic enough on DS were very much dispelled. Also I'm getting used to using ABXY buttons to shoot too, but I still suck, only have managed to rack up a 6**,*** score on Retro Evolved. This game was made for handhelds.
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ColecoVisionist
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 1:36 pm
I have the DS version and only play with the facebuttons, stylus play might sound like the more flexible solution but it makes my hands hurt and feels unreliable to me (mostly due to the obvious lack of tactile feedback).
I really enjoy the different levels. Never played any game in the series before, though, but it´s nice to have some solid score-based shooting on the DS for a change. It´s a bit exhausting after a while, especially with the stiff DS Lite buttons, but nice for a quick blast. Nothing I could play forever, though. And it´s a shame that after making proper levels they didn´t include bosses of some kind. And that the enemies basically just chase you all the time makes it a bit repetetive.
And I am actually glad the DS version doesn´t have all this irritating neon stuff all over it. The music was a pleasant surprise.
I really enjoy the different levels. Never played any game in the series before, though, but it´s nice to have some solid score-based shooting on the DS for a change. It´s a bit exhausting after a while, especially with the stiff DS Lite buttons, but nice for a quick blast. Nothing I could play forever, though. And it´s a shame that after making proper levels they didn´t include bosses of some kind. And that the enemies basically just chase you all the time makes it a bit repetetive.
And I am actually glad the DS version doesn´t have all this irritating neon stuff all over it. The music was a pleasant surprise.
It's just a bit of a laugh really. The whole 'endless' concept apeals to me in theory, but, as was just pointed out, the shape of the DS light makes marathon play sessions tough. I've no idea how good I am at it. I scored 1.8 million the other night on Retro Evolved, but I'm guessing this is small stuff compared to the GW high rollers.
My sisters family was over last weekend and, of course, they were hogging the TV. At first the kids wanted to watch cartoons and then my brother-in-law played my 360. And the whole time, I kept thinking of your argument. So, last tuesday, I went ahead and picked up a DS. And you guys are right: the things pretty awesome!sfried wrote:Consoles require dedication. Handhelds do not. You can boot 'em whenever/whereever you feel like playing.Asherdude wrote:I don't think that I'll ever understand the desire to play anything on a handheld. They're just too small. GWG with the Wii's classic controller feels perfect.
I haven't picked up Galaxies yet. Right now, I only have Final Fantasy III and Izuna. Got to wait till I get paid again before I get any more.
