Geometry Wars: Galaxies

When you try to stretch out a simple formula into something more, you run the risk of alienating the fans of the franchise, as well as any newcomers who may be fooled into thinking that it's a good product in itself. Bubsy 3-D comes to mind. Hey, Bubs did just fine as a 2-D platformer, but then someone decided to make a really lame 3-D one. Thanks, development a-holes. Anyway, Geometry Wars: Galaxies takes a much different, more successful route. Sierra and Kuju Entertainment take the simple yet satisfying Xbox Live Arcade shoot-em-up and expands it in just the right way. As a result, these Galaxies deserve scavenging.

The real big additions, however, are the Geoms and the drones. The Geoms are collectible credits that are usable for unlocking new levels throughout the galaxy. It's pretty easy to collect them and spend them, but the real trick is building the multiplier. With each Geom you pick up, the multiplier increases, up to 150 times. As a result, your score can climb into the billions -- a huge plus for the online-accessible leaderboards. As for the drones, they're helpful little bots that serve individual purposes, and they can be upgraded. The sniper bot is ideal for firing off precise, quick shots, while the turret bot stops on occasion and shoots everything around it. Others play defensively and even collect Geoms for you, so they're all worth trying out.

Along with several levels scattered throughout Galaxies, you'll also find a few extra treats here. Multiplayer is hugely supported. Not only can you hook up with a fellow player in co-op or versus action with another cart, but you have Game Sharing options to share the Geometry Wars love. You can also log onto the Wi-Fi Connection and share your high scores with others. A version of the game that started it all, Retro Evolved from Xbox Live, is present and accounted for. Best of all, if you have both the Wii and DS versions of Galaxies, you can hook them up together and unlock a whole new galaxy with very little trouble. Yes, we love that.

In all, Geometry Wars: Galaxies is an expansion done right. It's a completely separate entity that works on nearly every accord, aside from a little bit of slowdown and the quirky (yet maintainable) control method. If you even REMOTELY like the XBLA game or hunker for a little bit of retro loving, you'd be doing yourself a favor engulfing yourself in these Galaxies. Hey, what else are you going to play, Bubsy? (For the love of God, say no.)