2-4-1 Galaxian & Galaga

The prospect of a 2-4-1 offer is often a very tempting one, even if the original product isn't all that desirable. We've all been there – pushing trolleys down supermarket aisles only to be hypnotised by the bright red and yellow signs that read, 'Blunt knives! Buy one get one free!'

You just can't help yourself, can you?

Thankfully, this double offering of Galaxian and Galaga is a lot sharper. Old they may be, but these retro shooters still pack a mean planetary punch.

First released in the arcades in 1979, Galaxian is an evolution of the formula created by Space Invaders, whereby you take control of a ship and blast apart an ever-nearing barrage of baddies.

Besides having flashier visuals (the scrolling star field was a BIG deal back then) and a theme tune so cool that I use it as a ring tone, Galaxian adds an element of danger by having the enemy aliens dive-bomb towards your ship - kamikaze style. It certainly makes for a fast and frenetic gameplay experience.

And it's an experience that lends itself very well to the mobile format. There's no tiresome plot, no clunky control system; it's a simple case of pressing start and firing away to your heart's content. Perfect pick-up-and-play stuff for when you're on the move, but with enough challenge to keep you coming back for more.

Shooting down aliens whilst they swarm down towards you yields more points, as does destroying three of the critters in one fell swoop. High scores mean extra lives, so you'll want to take advantage of these situations. There's no abundance of green 1-up mushrooms here; Galaxian is unforgiving and requires serious concentration if you're to reach later levels.

Galaga improves on the original by adding bonus stages, more intricate enemy formations and the ability to fire two shots in quick succession. It also keeps track of your 'hit-miss ratio' so there's further scrutiny to your aiming accuracy.

But perhaps the most noticeable element is the enemy's ability to capture your Fighter. Boss Galagas (green and yellow aliens that require two shots to be defeated) will occasionally use a tractor beam to try and take over your ship. If successful, your captured Fighter will act as an escort to the enemy, flying directly behind the Boss Galaga at all times.

It's not all bad though. If your aim is good enough and you manage to take down the Boss Galaga mid-flight, your captured Fighter will return to the side of your other ship, essentially providing you with double the firepower. A risky strategy maybe, but it's not such a bad idea to let your ship be taken over in the early stages of the battle.

Almost thirty years on and seven generations of consoles later, both games remain addictive and challenging; though some might argue that after playing the much-improved sequel there's no reason to go back to Galaxian. Still, as far as nostalgic shoot 'em ups go, this is classic stuff and well worth the price of a premium pint.