Galaxy Force

From Sega Retro

n/a

  • Y Board
  • Master System

GalaxyForce title.png

GalaxyForce SMS Title.png

Galaxy Force
System(s): Sega Y Board, Sega Master System
Publisher:
Arcade (Y Board)
Sega
Sega Master System
Activision (US)
Sega Master System
Sega (Europe)
Sega Master System
Tec Toy (Brazil)
Developer:
Distributor:
Sega Master System
Ecofilmes (PT),
Sega Master System
Tec Toy (BR)
Peripherals supported:
Sega Master System
FM Sound Unit
Genre: Arcade[1]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Arcade (Y Board)
JP		 ¥? ?
Arcade (Y Board)
US		 $? ?
Arcade (Y Board)
UK		 £? ?


























Sega Master System
US 		QC-004
Sega Master System
EU 		29001
Sega Master System
PT
Sega Master System
UK 		£27.9527.95[7] 29001
Sega Master System
AU 		$69.9569.95[8]
Sega Master System
BR

Galaxy Force (ギャラクシーフォース) is a 1988 arcade game developed by Sega AM2 for Sega Y Board hardware. It is similar to other games released by the company at around this time (After Burner, Thunder Blade), being a third-person on-the-rails shooter reliant on sprite scaling effects.

As explained below, Galaxy Force is extraordinarily rare: the only known sightings of the game period are from 1988 video captures for its promotional videos later used for Sega Taikan Special, and a MAMEWorld thread from 2014 detailing the only known surviving board known to exist.

Gameplay

In its original form, Galaxy Force is a four-level rail shooter in which you fly across various planets shooting enemies. Roughly two months after release, however, it was updated in the form of Galaxy Force II - a bug-fixed version of the game with extra levels. The vast majority of Galaxy Force cabinets were upgraded, and Galaxy Force II is often seen as the "definitive" version of the game. Finding the original Galaxy Force in the wild is virtually impossible. For nearly four decades, only one known Galaxy Force board has been reported to exist. No copies of the ROMs have been dumped. It is also very rarely mentioned by Sega - Galaxy Force II almost always gets priority, or is treated as the same game.

History

Upon release in Japan, Galaxy Force was earning 10,000 yen per day at test locations.[9]

Versions

Galaxy Force II has been brought to several systems, but the original Galaxy Force was only ported to the Sega Master System, where it arrived in 1989. Though built by Sega, Activision handled distribution in the US, and though not released in Japan, it has an FM sound track intended for use with the Japanese-only FM Sound Unit.

The Master System Galaxy Force makes a number of significant cutbacks, including the scrapping of an entire stage and the energy meter, which in turn removes the time limit. Rotational effects have been removed entirely, and scaling is simplified, with much of the scenery removed in favour of waves of enemies. The net result is a game that plays more like the earlier Space Harrier, though is significantly shorter.

The United States release of the Sega Master System version's packaging infamously features the tagline "GRAPHICS THAT WILL KILL YOU".

Production credits

Main article: Galaxy Force/Production credits.

Digital manuals

  • Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name manual

Magazine articles

Main article: Galaxy Force/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Sega Y Board version

GalaxyForce Arcade US Flyer.pdf

PDF
US flyer
GalaxyForce Arcade US Flyer.pdf

GalaxyForce Arcade JP Flyer.pdf

PDF
JP flyer
GalaxyForce Arcade JP Flyer.pdf

Master System version

Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) #11: "December 1989" (1989-1x-xx)
Logo-pdf.svg
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Computer & Video Games (UK) #97: "December 1989" (1989-11-16)
also published in:
Logo-pdf.svg

Photo gallery

  • Cabinet

Physical scans

Sega Y Board version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
Commodore User (UK)
80
[3]
Sinclair User (UK)
100
[11]
Arcade (Y Board)
 90
Based on
2 reviews

Galaxy Force

Y Board, US
GalaxyForce YBoard US Manual.pdf
Manual
Y Board, JP

Master System version

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
ACE (UK)
82
[12]
Aktueller Software Markt (DE)
30
[13]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
91
[14]
Complete Guide to Consoles (UK)
91
[15]
The Complete Guide to Sega (UK) PAL
91
[16]
Consoles + (FR)
85
[17]
Console XS (UK) PAL
86
[18]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
90
[19]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
58
[20]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
85
[21]
Game Mania (UK)
85
[22]
The Games Machine (UK)
60
[23]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
75
[24]
Joystick (FR)
28
[25]
Mean Machines (UK)
85
[26]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
85
[27]
Megazone (AU) PAL
60
[8]
Power Play (DE)
32
[28]
S: The Sega Magazine (UK)
87
[29]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
75
[30]
Sega Pro (UK)
89
[31]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
86
[32]
Tilt (FR)
60
[33]
Sega Master System
 74
Based on
23 reviews

Galaxy Force

Master System, US
GalaxyForce SMS US Box.jpg
Cover
GalaxyForce SMS US Cart.jpg
Cart
Galaxyforce sms us manual.pdf
Manual
Master System, EU
GalaxyForce SMS EU Box.jpg
Cover
Master System, EU (Sega®)
GalaxyForce SMS EU R cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, BX†
GalaxyForce SMS BX Box.jpg
Cover
Master System, PT
GalaxyForce SMS PT cover.jpg
Cover
Master System, BR
GalaxyForce SMS BR Box.jpg
Cover
GalaxyForce SMS BR Cart.jpg
Cart
GalaxyForceSMSBrManual.pdf
Manual

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Master System
 ?
CRC32 a4ac35d8
MD5 96042c7a53dc6f9de13b7a32fa3e4035
SHA-1 54fe2f686fb9ec3e34b41d58778118b11f920440
512kB Cartridge (EU)
Sega Master System
 ?
CRC32 6c827520
MD5 dbaac7c72eb3e0bf9e6d70b799d62799
SHA-1 874289a1e8110312db48c5111fbf8e70b2426b5f
512kB Cartridge (US)

References

  1. ↑ File:GalaxyForce SMS EU Box.jpg
  2. ↑ Mega Drive Fan, "June 1992" (JP; 1992-05-08), page 75
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Commodore User, "August 1988" (UK; 1988-07-18), page 93
  4. ↑ Computer Entertainer, "November 1989" (US; 1989-11-20), page 14
  5. ↑ File:BristolEveningPost UK 1989-12-21 Page 39.jpg
  6. ↑ File:BristolEveningPost UK 1990-01-04 Page 67.jpg
  7. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "December 1989" (UK; 1989-11-16), page 36
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Megazone, "June 1990" (AU; 1990-0x-xx), page 49
  9. ↑ File:GameMachine JP 332.pdf, page 12
  10. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "January 1990" (UK; 1989-12-16), page 115
  11. ↑ Sinclair User, "September 1988" (UK; 1988-08-18), page 74
  12. ↑ ACE, "July 1989" (UK; 1989-06-01), page 57
  13. ↑ Aktueller Software Markt, "Oktober 1989" (DE; 1989-08-28), page 61
  14. ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "" (UK; 1989-10-16), page 56
  15. ↑ Complete Guide to Consoles, "Volume IV" (UK; 1990-11-xx), page 96
  16. ↑ The Complete Guide to Sega, "" (UK; 1991-05-xx), page 56
  17. ↑ Consoles +, "Tilt Hors-Serie" (FR; 1991-07-xx), page 58
  18. ↑ Console XS, "June/July 1992" (UK; 1992-04-23), page 140
  19. ↑ Computer & Video Games, "June 1989" (UK; 1989-05-16), page 92
  20. ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly, "July/August 1989" (US; 1989-04-22), page 14
  21. ↑ Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 136
  22. ↑ Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 81
  23. ↑ The Games Machine, "September 1989" (UK; 1989-08-18), page 97
  24. ↑ Hobby Consolas, "Noviembre 1991" (ES; 1991-1x-xx), page 69
  25. ↑ Joystick, "Février 1990" (FR; 1990-xx-xx), page 39
  26. ↑ Mean Machines, "May 1991" (UK; 1991-05-01), page 72
  27. ↑ Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 133
  28. ↑ Power Play, "7/89" (DE; 1989-06-12), page 53
  29. ↑ S: The Sega Magazine, "February 1990" (UK; 1990-01-04), page 12
  30. ↑ Sega Power, "October 1991" (UK; 1991-09-05), page 56
  31. ↑ Sega Pro, "Christmas 1991" (UK; 1991-12-12), page 18
  32. ↑ Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 71
  33. ↑ Tilt, "Juin 1989" (FR; 1989-xx-xx), page 60


Galaxy Force

GalaxyForce title.png

Main page | Comparisons | Credits | Hidden content | Magazine articles | Reception


Music: Galaxy Force (1988)
Videos: Galaxy Force (1988)

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Games in the Galaxy Force Series
Galaxy Force (1988) | Galaxy Force II (1988) | Sega Ages Galaxy Force II (1998) | Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 30: Galaxy Force II: Special Extended Edition (2007) | 3D Galaxy Force II (2013)
Galaxy Force related media
Music
 Galaxy Force (1988) | Galaxy Force II & Thunder Blade Original Sound Track (2007) | Galaxy Force II & Thunder Blade (2017)
Film
 Galaxy Force (1988)
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