Cosmo Gang the Video
A 1992 fixed shooter based on the Galaxian series.
Cosmo Gang the Video is a 1992 fixed shooter video game developed and published by Namco for arcades. It was designed by Kohji Kenjoh and composed by Yoshie Arakawa, running on the Namco System 2 arcade board. The game was widely successful in arcades and later ported to the Super Famicom, with digital re-releases on the Wii Virtual Console and as part of the Arcade Archives series.
- Developer
- Namco
- Publisher
- Namco
- Release Year
- 1992
- Platform
- Arcade (Namco System 2), Super Famicom, Wii Virtual Console, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
- Genre
- Fixed shooter
- Designer
- Kohji Kenjoh
- Composer
- Yoshie Arakawa
Lore & Background
Cosmo Gang the Video features characters and ideas from Cosmo Gangs, a 1990 Namco redemption game exported outside Japan by Data East. The game is heavily based on Namco's own Galaxian series, with early versions shown at tradeshows titled Cosmo Galaxian. Players control the Hyper Beat starship to rid the galaxy of the Cosmo Gang, a race of aliens causing mischief across Earth. Gameplay involves shooting enemies and avoiding projectiles, with power-up items granting additional abilities. The game spans 32 stages, including bonus rounds recreating the original redemption game, and ends with a fight against the final boss Don Cosmo.
Reader's Guide
Cosmo Gang the Video was widely successful in Japan, praised for its graphics, gameplay, and music. Game Machine listed it as the sixth most successful table arcade game of April 1992. Gamest awarded it 8th Best Shooting and 17th Annual Hit Game awards. The Super Famicom version received mixed reviews, with criticism for simplistic gameplay and lack of replay value, though Famitsu praised it as a faithful conversion. The arcade version was digitally re-released for the Japanese Wii Virtual Console in 2009 and by Hamster Corporation for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in 2023. Elements from the game appear in Dig Dug Arrangement and as DLC in Pac-Man 99.
Did You Know?
- The game was originally shown at the 1991 Amusement Machine Show under the working title Cosmo Galaxian.
- One of the game's music tracks is a parody of the opening song for the Japanese cooking show Kyōnoryōri.
- The Super Famicom version was released on October 29, 1993, and later made available on the Nintendo Power flash cart service on August 1, 1998.
- The arcade version was re-released by Hamster Corporation for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on April 20, 2023 in Japan, and on April 27, 2023 in North America.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cosmo Gang the Video?
It is a 1992 fixed shooter arcade game made by Namco in which you pilot a small craft at the bottom of the screen, blasting waves of descending enemies. The title serves as a spiritual successor to the classic Galaxian series, updating that formula for the early-'90s arcade scene.
How does Cosmo Gang the Video differ from the original Galaxian?
While it keeps the core layout of a single ship facing enemy formations, the game introduces updated visuals, new enemy patterns, and a more modern arcade presentation. It was designed by Kohji Kenjoh and scored by Yoshie Arakawa, giving it a distinct feel compared to the 1979 original.
What arcade hardware powered the original Cosmo Gang the Video cabinet?
The game ran on Namco's System 2 arcade board, the same platform that hosted several of their other early-'90s titles. It was developed and published entirely in-house by Namco.
Where can I play Cosmo Gang the Video today?
The title received a Super Famicom port in the early '90s and has since been re-released digitally on Wii Virtual Console, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 as part of the Arcade Archives series. This makes it one of the more accessible Namco arcade shooters for modern players.
Why is Cosmo Gang the Video notable in Namco's arcade history?
It acted as a bridge between Namco's 1970s–80s shooter legacy and their more modern early-'90s arcade output, proving the fixed-shooter format still had commercial life. Its strong arcade performance helped keep the genre in rotation during a period when it was gradually losing ground to other styles.
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