Galacticon Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

by Jim Smale · January 16, 2023

For our Galacticon Review, Humans are tiny creatures of an outer belt planet that thanks to their biomechanical monstrosities have invaded, exploited, and enslaved most species in the galaxy.
The interstellar council has met for the first time in eons and has determined that there is only one option left to exterminate this plague… an option that has always been feared because it could be as powerful as dangerous: Invoke the Galacticon, a deadly legendary creature -half God, half machine- and pray everything goes well…

Galacticon Review Pros:

Beautiful 16-bit graphics.
80.9MB download size.
Three control schemes.
Scan lines – on/off.
Arcade shooter gameplay.
2D perspective.
Classic arcade cabinet presentation.
Tutorial/how to play screen pops up when you leave the main menu idling.
Leaderboards with the classic three-letter name input.
Catchy Chiptune soundtrack.
Simple controls.
Easy to learn.
The game’s goal is to rescue people and drop them off at the ships at the bottom of the level.
There are a handful of different species of people to rescue and grouping them together in the ships at the bottom gives bonus scores.
Power-ups can drop from enemies or randomly spawn.
Gems are collected for the score.
You can only shoot left or right as standard.
After filling all the ships you have a genre Switch up to get back to your ship, avoid asteroids and collect gems, The style, and layout change every time.
Arcade screen Hud showing score, top score, etc.
Scan QR codes to upload your score to the online leaderboards website and get bonus rewards and extras.
Highly addictive.
A full-level breakdown showing bonuses etc.
Very repayable.
Levels are timed.
Shoot off the screen and your shots show on the opposite side.
Earn extra lives.
You can carry multiple characters at once, getting hit kills one of them.

Galacticon Review Cons:

Online leaderboards are not baked into the game.
Doesn’t offer any real game options.
No playable tutorial or way to bring up the instructions.
Takes a few games to work it all out.
Only one game type until you figure out the secret areas stuff.

Galacticon:

Official website.

Developer: Radin Games

Publisher: Flynn’s Arcade

Store Links –

Nintendo

8/10
Graphics - 8/10
8/10
Sound - 8/10
7/10
Accessibility - 7/10
8/10
Length - 8/10
9/10
Fun Factor - 9/10

8/10

Summary

Pure arcade addiction! Galacticon is the game I never knew I wanted, it has so many layers even on the scale of a novice player. Before you even begin to think of secrets or additional modes the main actual game is so dammed tasty. Shoot aliens, rescue people, and get them to your ship. Simple but then add in scoring, carrying a group of people at once increases the risk but gives you massive combo bonuses, use the many power-ups, it’s a game that just keeps getting better and with one of the best arcade cabinet presentations I have seen in a long time, Galacticon scratches the retro game itch but keeps it modern. It’s a small tight package (oo-er) and offers so much Replayability. A superb arcade experience that you owe yourself to check out, be prepared to get addicted!