Its plot involves the launch of a starship named the Blast Fighter[1] to destroy the hostile Galaga forces and their home planet.

Its gameplay is similar to its predecessors; as the Blast Fighter, the player must shoot each of the Galaga aliens, who fly into formation from the top and sides of the playfield.

Kawada expressed his admiration for its gameplay, and wanted the music and sound effects to convey a sense of entertainment instead of stoicism.

For the Galactic Dancin stages, he created music that tapped into a wide variety of genres, like orchestra, tango, salsa, and big band jazz.

When they were all combined and their distinctive colors were used to the fullest, it was possible to create a wealth of musical variety to complement the classic traditional sounds of the Galaga series.

"[6] A prototype of Galaga '88 was demonstrated at the Japan Amusement Machine (JAMMA) trade show in October 1987, presented alongside Pac-Mania, Bravoman, and Assault.

[8] In Europe, the game made its debut at London's Amusement Trades Exhibition International (ATEI) in January 1988.

The 2011 iOS compilation Galaga 30th Collection includes remakes of '88 and its three arcade predecessors, utilizing enhanced visuals and audio, achievements, and support for Game Center.

It was largely unsuccessful in North America by comparison,[22] with Atari having only sold a combined 986 arcade units and boards by the end of the year.

[30] Advanced Computer Entertainment was more negative towards the game for being "nothing more than a prettified version of the original", although they praised its colorful, detailed visuals and soundtrack.

[26] In a 1998 retrospective review, Allgame was positive towards the game's graphics, branching level paths and overall improvements made over its predecessor.

[23] Reviewing the Wii Virtual Console digital re-release of the TurboGrafx port, Eurogamer found it to be a "pitch perfect dose of frenetic arcade blasting" for its triple fighter mechanic and branching stages, saying that it sets a good example for how to successfully remake a classic arcade game.