Game Reviews

Galaxy Dash: Race to the Outer Run

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Galaxy Dash: Race to the Outer Run

The Jetsons offered a glimpse at a wildly optimistic possible future of flying cars, model families, and benign capitalism.

Galaxy Dash has a similarly vibrant cartoon-sci-fi setting to the Hanna-Barbera classic, and offers a bright glimpse at a potential future where endless runners aren't boring, repetitive, cynical IAP-harvesting machines.

It's not an entirely clear vision, but we appreciate the effort all the same.

Dashing

The first thing that will grab you about SuperMoon's game is the visuals. The universe you'll find yourself flying through is gorgeously rendered, with an exaggerated 3D comic book style.

From squat ships to looming asteroids and beautifully animated explosions, it all feels like the work of an accomplished animator.

The other thing you'll note from the off is Galaxy Dash's pace. It's disconcertingly slow, with early progress ludicrously easy as you slide between its three space lanes with left and right swipes.

Blast it

Part of the reason for that is because Galaxy Dash gives you so much more to do than your average endless runner. Besides dodging asteroids and collecting crystals (of course), there's also an offensive element.

Tap the screen and your ship will fire its lasers. These will quickly run down your laser battery until left to recharge, and they only fire straight ahead, making targeting anything not aligned with your ship very tricky indeed.

You'll need to skilfully wield you weapons to mine for additional loot, clear out destructive mines, and take down rival smugglers attempting to scarper with your cargo.

Ah yes, cargo. Carry these glowing boxes to the appropriate waypoints, and you'll get yourself a nice bonus.

Universe of possibilities

Galaxy Dash also has a customisation system that enables you to improve your ship's systems, recruit new crew members with special powers, and purchase new, more powerful craft.

Of course, this being a free to play game, you'll still be induced to spend real money before too long. The game's premium currency is required if you want to continue when you die - and you will die.

The game's opening level really doesn't do a good job of preparing you for the onslaught of asteroids and annoying mines that comes your way from level two.

This jump hasn't been very well judged - or perhaps it's been judged perfectly, with the specific goal of extracting pennies from you. Either way, it's a rare misstep.

Galaxy Dash: Race to the Outer Run doesn't reinvent the endless runner, and those left unmoved by previous examples will find little to like here.

But it does assemble some very familiar components in a fresh and attractive way, which is a considerable achievement in itself.

Galaxy Dash: Race to the Outer Run

A gorgeous, varied endless runner that makes a good fist of refreshing a well worn genre, but for a slightly cynical difficulty spike
Score
Jon Mundy
Jon Mundy
Jon is a consummate expert in adventure, action, and sports games. Which is just as well, as in real life he's timid, lazy, and unfit. It's amazing how these things even themselves out.