Arcade flyer

This is the original cabinet. Note the game's logo without the "II".

Galaxy Force comes into the picture in 1988 as this sprite-scaling technology continued to evolve, just one year after AfterBurner. But to the surprise of fans of this series, Galaxy Force's incredibly evolved scaling routines and special effects made possible by its new hardware set it way ahead games like "Space Harrier" and "Hang-On". Almost as if Sega had jumped years ahead into its own future and brought back a title that fits better next to "Rad Mobile" and "G-Loc" rather than AfterBurner 2. Definitely ahead of its time.

Unlike its predecessors, Galaxy Force was not produced by Sega's genius Yu Suzuki, even though its incredible quality could perfectly foul you into thinking that.
The software runs on Sega's "Y Board", a triple CPU board that debuted in 1988 not only with this shooter, but also with the more popular racer "Power Drift". Other titles later housed by this board include the original but not too popular rail shooter "Rail Chase", and back then arcade hit "G-Loc".

Arcade flyer

These are the "Deluxe Type" and "Upright Type" cabinets later introduced. Note the "II" stamped next to their title.

Given the extremely low coverage this space shooter has around the internet, one issue will remain unanswered for now: the exact differences between Galaxy Force and Galaxy Force 2. Although clearly differently titled as two separate games, only the second one is to be found in the form of a ROM or rare review.
The original game was devised as a huge cabinet aptly named "Super Deluxe Type" that could rotate 335 degrees and tilt up to 15 to each side. As attractive as it was, mid-size arcade owners would think twice about ordering such an expensive and space-consuming cabinet. So, hindered by low profits, Sega had to come up with smaller, cost-effective and space-saving cabinets. These unimpressive versions were lazily stamped with a "II" next to their logo, probably to advertise them in a more attractive manner to arcade operators that already had decided to skip on the original cabinet.
Rumors that these "upgrades" might also contain slightly modified versions of the game (such as added/modified stages) exist, but as mentioned before, the original Galaxy Force ROM is nowhere to be found.

Amstrad CPC cover

In the vein of Sega's other scaling titles, Galaxy Force is very easy to pick up and barely has any plot. The game urges you to save the Junos galaxy from the invading "Fourth Empire" during 6 very different and beautifully designed levels. Each of these are comprised of outdoors sections (with lots of enemies) and indoors sections (caves and tunnels with less enemies but lots of maneuvering), multiple paths to take in the form of forked roads, and end-of-level stationary targets like command centers, alien bases, and giant computers that must be destroyed in a "Death Star"-like sequence.
You can also choose on which level to start, but the final one (a dark base at the end of an ominous wormhole) will remain locked until the end.

European Master System cover

Early conversions, including the home computer ports, didn't carry the "II" next to their title like the Genesis and Saturn ports did.

The ship is a joy to control. The flying stick and speed lever present in all 3 different types of cabinets makes dodging missiles and maneuvering tight corners a breeze once you figure out the main strategy: lower or raise the ship's speed depending on which area you currently find yourself in.
Don't expect varied weapons or screen-clearing bombs though. The flying stick comes with a trigger for the ship's only gun and a thumb button for its lock-on missiles (both unlimited), but aside from a time-based power upgrade the CPU automatically grants once or twice every level, the only thing left for your protection is the ship's weak energy shield. Take a couple of hits and it will be gone.

But don't despair. Locking-on and shooting down enemies with missiles is not only a lot of fun but also quite easy thanks to the very accessible difficulty level, though this lack of armament definitely wouldn't hold up to today's shooter standards.
Finally, the ship's energy/fuel system is a sutil way to implement the back then very standardized stage time limit. The counter acts as fuel, quickly counting down as you go thru a level. But once the ship's shield is depleted, it will also become your energy meter too, going down in chuncks everytime you hit a wall or an enemy missile finds you.

Japanese Saturn cover

Unexplicably, japanese covers for Saturn and Genesis consoles depict a sexy topless android piloting the ship. It surely makes no sense, but it does give the cover a more attractive heavy metal look.

I can't accurately describe how lighthearted and carefree the game still feels in spite of the swarms of enemies that sometimes surround you, narrow caves in which slowing down to maneuver is a must, and dense vegetation you have to avoid or quickly shoot down in order to continue. All of it scaling so fast, rotating so smoothly, and just looking so amazingly beautiful one has only but to marvel at how far Sega came just a year after 1987's AfterBurner. I mean, seriously, take a look:

AfterBurner (1987) vs. Galaxy Force (1988)

While AfterBurner's look is in the veins of its brothers "Hang-On", "OutRun" and "Space Harrier"...

...Sega's new Y Board clearly makes Galaxy Force look like a game way ahead of its time.

Even the view tilts to each side everytime you steer left or right, showing off the hardware's rotating capabilities and following your movements closely to add to the realism.
With this new Y Board, Sega now finally had the power to recreate a much real looking 3D environment than its previous games had. All still via scaling, but way before 3D polygons became the way to go.

Only one aspect of Galaxy Force doesn't hold up to the rest of the game's quality: its soundtrack. Composed by Sega's well-known "S.S.T." (a.k.a. Sega Sound Team), its jazzy and techno-rock tunes remain effective but unpretentious compared to masterpieces by Hiroshi Kawaguchi (of OutRun fame) or Yuzo Koshiro, which a production of this caliber would have benefited better from.

Original soundtrack cover

The soundtrack is nothing special, but that doesn't stop Sega from putting it out on CD.

Above all, I can't help but enjoy the ride. Surely the game can be as intense as AfterBurner sometimes, but the luscious stages, amazing scaling and rotation effects, and overall laid back gameplay make this title an eye-candy rollercoaster. Just hold on and enjoy the sights.

Galaxy Force spawned lots of ports for home computers of the time. A joke really, given the game's beautiful graphics and fancy next-gen scaling and rotation routines.

Japanese Megadrive cover

Yep, topless android on this one too. Click on the image for a nice close-up, if you know what I mean...

The Genesis version tries very hard, and its music turned out more enjoyable because the sound effects don't trample over it. But even if you try to ignore its toned-down visuals and still force yourself to play it, I'm sure you'll put it down once you see the silly shaded stripes that are used to represent the scaling cave's walls, roof and floor. Not to mention the "digitized" voices that warn you about upcoming turns.

Japanese PS2 cover

Sega Ages' exclusive "Special Extended Edition".

For almost 10 years since its release in 1998 the Saturn port was the closest to the original arcade we could ever get our hands on, but still reportedly suffers from bad frame rates and lower quality graphics.
In 2007, volume 30 of the PS2's Japan-only "Sega Ages" series finally delivers an arcade-perfect conversion of Galaxy Force entitled "Special Extended Edition" and available in three alternative packages: just the game, the game plus a nice key chain included in the "DX" box, and a "Super DX" package with everything mentioned plus a Galaxy Force / Thunderblade soundtrack CD.
This 30th entry of the Sega Ages collection contains both International and Japanese arcade versions, the Master System and Genesis ports, and a "Neo Classic Mode" with updated graphics (non-3D thankfully) and widescreen format. Definitely the one to get.