Our recent review of the DS version of
Geometry Wars Galaxies came down favorably with some caveats around staying power. Translation of
Geometry Wars to DS was faithful but flawed in that it couldn't capture the easy controls of the larger console and also ended up looking slightly flat compared to the big, bright, beautiful visuals on the console versions. The Wii not only provides superior graphics, but also superior gameplay and mechanics. The advice we gave on getting the DS and Wii together at least once to access locked features in
Geometry Wars Galaxies still holds; the difference is that if you can only afford to own one version, the Wii version is the keeper.
Geometry Wars Galaxies for Wii is identical to the DS version in that it allows you to work through a series of single-player stages. Each stage is a galaxy and contains several planets. A planet constitutes a level, but the game doesn't force you into a strictly linear progression. The way to unlock new stages and levels is to collect the remnants of enemy ships you've destroyed. This precious cargo known as a Geom only stays around for a little while, forcing you to scamper around the level, sometimes into some dangerous territory. The payoff is literally a payoff because you can spend Geoms in exchange for locked levels or new weapons. Each level is as much an opportunity to collect Geoms and upgrade your weapon as it is an obstacle to overcome. The levels feel fairly infinite in terms of how long you are faced with wave after wave of enemy menace. There are specific goals attached to earning points that translate to medals in each level. The medals or points don't necessarily matter as much as upgrading weapons and collecting the Geoms necessary to move further along in the game.
Multiplayer is a gas and allows any combination of two controllers so players can work together against enemy waves or compete. The competition is mostly about sticking it to your friend by destroying more enemies and waiting for him to run out of lives. Co-operative play includes shared resources so you may find yourself handicapped by a weaker player unless you partition off your resources. The additional competitive features in Geometry Wars Galaxies for Wii include a great online leaderboard that tracks progress through the version of the game included here faithfully from its original incarnation on the Xbox 360. Known as Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, this is the version that doesn't rely on any complicated mechanics for upgrading weapons, but just forces you to stay alive in a hail of enemy ships. The gamers that appreciated the original or those that like a more simple, retro feeling may gravitate toward this version. The new features and huge variation on enemies in the main mode are where most gamers will spend their time. Spend enough time and you may find your name creeping up on the leaderboard...
