Geometry Wars: Galaxies Review for the Nintendo Wii

Circle versus Square

The advent of the casual gamers has proven that games don’t have to be flashy, graphical masterpieces or have deep, philosophical stories to be considered one of the greats. A lot of gamers prefer a round of Mrs. Pac-Man to some of the higher scored games that require an immense time investment. Geometry Wars is a perfect example of a simple concept that has created one of the most beloved titles of this gaming generation. Geometry Wars began as a simple easter egg hidden in the garage of Project Gotham Racing 2, but it proved so popular that it wound up as a standalone title leading the Xbox Live Arcade charge.

Its simple concept of geometrical shapes battling for the universe was robust enough to make it one of the most popular Xbox Live Arcade titles, and the game’s unprecedented and unpredictable popularity has given it to opportunity to make its debut as an actual retail title on the Wii. However, popularity alone doesn’t always merit a game’s creation. Will Geometry Wars’ simple gameplay be enough to fill a disc, or should it have stayed as a downloadable Arcade game? The verdict is in, and Wii owners that enjoyed or missed out on either version of Geometry Wars, whether as a full game or an Easter egg, won’t be disappointed at all with their retail version.

Don’t look for any story in Geometry Wars. The game is as pure a shooter as any gamer could hope for. No clunky backstory dilutes the experience, attempting to clumsily set the stage for the gameplay. The only thing that you need to know is that you are a 2-dimensional object that is able to fire pellets at invading geometrical shapes. It’s a deceptively simple concept that houses incredible gameplay, especially for fans of the old school or gamers that look for the next challenge to their reflexes.

The little additions to the gameplay aren’t completely apparent when you begin the Galaxies mode. While the original Geometry Wars placed you in a single stage where you had to survive against waves of enemies, Galaxies actually has different stages with different themes. You notice the changes as you trek from planet to planet combating wire frame enemies, with each stage encasing you in a particular shape. Initially you’ll find yourself in a rectangle, beating back the enemies that invade from the edges of the screen, but as you progress, you’ll find different challenges, such as moving barriers and maze shaped stages. The variety of stages keeps the gameplay fresh and frenetic, never allowing you to grow complacent in your strategies. Some stages even appear to be tributes to classic titles, with areas reminiscent of Pac-Man, Asteroids, and Space Invaders.

Another addition to the game is the inclusion of a helper drone which can be leveled up. Initially, the drone simply fires nearly ineffectual bullets to aid you in survival, but as you collect Geoms from destroyed enemies, you can level your helper up, making him more effective in battle, ordering it to a position as a turret of sorts, or even as a defensive shield that circles your ship to ward off divebombing foes. Geoms are also used as combo multipliers, a fact that may irritate purists and the gaming elite, since the plentiful Geoms make it a little too easy to rack up incredible scores.

Visually, Geometry Wars maintains the same level of graphical appeal as the Xbox Live Arcade version. While there isn’t much to ogle, the game multicolored geometrical enemy swarms and explosive effects are all intact, all while maintaining the same level of speed that veterans are used to. While some of the more eagle eyed gamers may notice a color dulling due to the lack of HD luster, it seems a small tradeoff considering the new content.

One of the biggest concerns about Geometry Wars’ translation to the Wii was how the controls would hold up. The Wii only has a single analog stick, so there is no way to completely translate the original scheme, which maps movement to one analog stick and firing to another. To compensate, the Wii has implemented an imaginative but flawed control scheme. The Nunchuk analog stick controls your character, while you have to aim onscreen using the Wii-mote. The position of your reticule relative to your character determines which direction you fire. You have the option of an onscreen reticule in different forms as well as a laser sight that shows which direction your fire is currently aimed.

Geometry Wars veterans will find this control scheme takes a long time to get used to, and they may discover that this system will never allow them the comfort of the original setup. Using an onscreen reticule isn’t nearly as intuitive as the original setup and can feel downright clumsy at times. Geometry Wars is a game that requires constant vigilance and swift reflexes, and the characteristic chaos that the game is famous for is conducive to losing track of your reticule, which is an instant recipe for disaster. An odd choice that the developers made for one of the reticules is a circle shape, which, while a little lighter than the infamous circle enemies, can still easily be confused for one. When using this curious choice of a reticule, I actually found myself attempting to fire at my own laser sight at times. Even despite the confusing reticules, the firing system can become confusing. It isn’t impossible to adapt to this control scheme, but it just doesn’t compare to the original scheme. Fortunately, you can use the classic controller with Geometry Wars, which is a much better fit.

In addition to the Galaxies mode, there are a number of other extras. You can challenge a friend to a versus game or play alongside a buddy in cooperative mode. You can link up with the DS to unlock another Galaxy to play in. You can also use the Wi-fi connection to check your score against the leaderboards. Lastly, in an expected but extraordinarily welcome addition, the complete Xbox Live Arcade original game is available to play as well, giving veterans their favorite game with Wii-mote controls, although, again, you may want to use the classic controller.

Geometry Wars: Galaxies is a game for the old school hardcore gamer that loves to push himself to the limits. It is a game that is best served in short doses, but each dosage is an incredible experience of psychedelic gameplay that is both frenetic and engaging. The concept is simple, but the developers have crammed a lot of gaming into such a straightforward idea. While the easily frustrated need not apply, anyone who enjoyed the original Geometry Wars or is looking for an old school challenge will find a little slice of heaven in the heavens of Geometry Wars: Galaxies.

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