Galaga Legions DX transforms the measured enemy lines of the 1981 arcade shoot-’em-up into a psychedelic swirl of alien ships, mini-bosses, and chain-reaction explosions. Neon-blue lines swoop across the screen to announce incoming swarms, and Galaga Traps let you occasionally commandeer a small crowd of enemies to back your rapid-fire assault. Purists may cry foul, but this hyperactive retread is many times more exciting than its quartergobbling ancestor.

Fans of Galaga Legions will miss the ability to root their satellite sidearms in place. However, now you get to switch between uni-directional and spread-shot firing modes, and you can direct your shots with the right thumbstick. You get only nine five-stage areas to conquer in ordinary combat or time trials, but six distinct visual styles keep any one set of graphics from wearing out its welcome.

Only the most obsessive players will get sucked into memorizing every attack pattern and maximizing their score. But even if you just want an occasional hectic diversion, Galaga Legions DX is an absorbing enough reinvention of the coin-op classic

On Xbox Live Arcade

+ Plentiful enemies and lots of varied attack patterns; flexible controls.

+ Bright galactic battlefields and copious special effects rendered in six snazzy styles.

- Only nine areas to clear; no multiplayer; rewards rote memorization over twitch skill.

? Why don’t the aliens use their tractor beam anymore?

7.5