Geometry Wars: Galaxies - Nintendo Wii

If you like games with impossible odds, are a fan of older "two-handed" arcade games like Berzerk, Robotron and Smash TV, this is right up your alley! If you like games with a long story or quest, then this isn't for you. The game itself is simple - geometric bad guys continually appear and chase you within a limited-area playfield. Each enemy has different characteristics and there's music and lots of explosions and stuff to distract you. Your ship can shoot independently of its heading, so can play with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, or with the Wii Classic Controller. I prefer the dual-sticks of the Wii Classic Controller as it reminds me of Robotron. Besides, as the game progresses there are so many explosions and stuff on the screen that you really can't see what you're aiming at anyway, so I find it easier to use the stick rather than the point-to-aim with the Wii Remote. It's a very pretty game with all the colors and space-warping and the soundtrack is decent. I'd like to have more music in it though. Think of it like Dance Dance Revolution, but instead of dancing, you're moving around and shooting at stuff. I find it surprisingly addictive, but it's definitely not for all types of gamers. It's definitely a very "flat" game though the options for your battle drone (collect items, attack, etc) do add a bit of variety to the levels. Try a demo or watch some videos online (there are many) to get a feel for the game before you make a decision.

The original game (included and portable to the DS) is called Retro Evolved for a good reason. This is classic arcade gaming (Retro) given the polish and sparkle of modern time (Evolved). The look of it is like Asteroids, but Asteroids was never this fast. You'll have an easy pace for the first couple of minutes in a level, but the pace increases quickly, and you'll find yourself swarmed by scores of enemies (which blow up in pretty, pretty showers of colorful bits) and firing like a mad person. Don't be surprised by a little madness though. Sometimes, a level will just feel punishingly difficult. Keep going though. There may not be a story to play though, but those high scores you rack up carry with them the satisfaction of the classic arcade shooters.

This is a remake of tempest and has some interesting ideas but the execution is not very good. As the levels increase you just end of firing in all directions with little strategy as the "monsters" come at you. I would recommend you do as I did and rent it, save your money for other games.