Development began in August 2007, headed by director Tadashi Iguchi, with the goal being to iron out many of the flaws present in the original Galaga while offering a brand new gameplay experience.

The twin-stick gameplay was added to both show off technical capabilities of the next-generation platforms it ran upon, as well as to keep the fundamentals of the original Galaga.

Upon release, Galaga Legions was met with a favorable reception from critics, often being compared to Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved.

Reviewers applauded the game's visuals, strategic gameplay and addictive nature, although would heave criticism for its high price point and little resemblance to the original.

The player assumes control of a star ship, the AEf-7 "Blowneedle", as it must vanquish the Galaga forces before they destroy the human race.

[1][5] Iguchi, who previously worked on Pac-Man Championship Edition, was interested in creating a new game in the series due to the original's massive popularity and recognition.

[1] The goal of the project was to iron out the flaws in the original Galaga arcade game, while still offering an exciting gameplay experience new to consoles.

[1] Iguchi used this idea to help break the mold of the original, and to be a surprise for players familiar with the enemy movements established in the first game.

[1] Gaplus also inspired the eight-directional movement for the player's ship, as well as the enemy-capturing black hole bomb, which also paid homage to the tractor beam idea from Galaga.

[1] The enemy-indication neon lines were added to keep the game fair for newer players, helping to prevent them from colliding with off-screen enemies.

[5] Once the basic mechanics of the original were reworked into the project, Iguchi stated that the game should strengthen the strategic element of Galaga and implement new and interesting ideas.

[9] Galaga Legions received a favorable response from critics, with praise given to its visuals, addictive gameplay and usage of puzzle-solving.