Geometry Wars Galaxies is a radical arcade shooter, but it's obscure control scheme may turn some off.
This is the best Geometry Wars game to date, for many reasons. Unlike the XBL Arcade game, Galaxies has much more depth, a better soundtrack, and more rewards to boot. Couple all of those with the option of local multiplayer, and you've got yourself a pretty good arcade shooter. However, it's not without its flaws. The largest flaw I noticed was the control scheme. In Galaxies you control your "ship" with the D-pad, while shooting and aiming with the stylus on the touch screen. To use your bombs, you press any button, but I preferred pressing the left shoulder button. Unfortunately, the slow pace and the control scheme combined can be painful and frustratingly awkward.
The visuals in Galaxies are…well, they're Geometry Wars alright. They stay true to the original Geometry Wars design all-while adding new shapes and new maps. These two things not only make Galaxies better, but more challenging and fun as well. The game has surprising depth, too.
What's good about Galaxies is that you can play while going on a long trip, or even if you're just going to the corner store. It's almost a tricky game to classify. It's got enough depth and fresh content to keep you playing for hours on end, but it's also shallow enough so you can just play for a few minutes and not feel dragged down by a 50 hour epic story. This is definitely a good thing.
Like I stated before, it's not without its flaws. No online multiplayer hurts big time. The game does have local multiplayer, however. It supports single-card play so if you've got a buddy with a DS, invite him/her over and enjoy. I think it's nice that they added the local multiplayer, but in the end, the lack of online multiplayer is quite disappointing.
Also, the game's slow pace really hurts it in my opinion. While it is forgiving if you're new to the obscure control scheme, it just doesn't feel quite like the hectic "omgwtf" Geometry Wars staple. I know some people that actually quite enjoy the slower pace, and that's fine, but it's not my cup of tea.
Overall, Geometry Wars Galaxies on the DS is a step in the right direction, nothing more and nothing less. It's the best Geometry Wars game to date with awesome depth and local multiplayer, but it's awkward control scheme and no online multiplayer bring it down the most, and for me, the slower pace of the game hurt my impression. If you're a fanatic forgiving of Galaxies obvious flaws, I recommend purchasing it. If you're new to the series, give it a rent.