Some entries were outsourced to other developers, such as Hasbro Interactive, Bandai and Paladin Studios.

The series first began in 1979 with the arcade game Galaxian, which was Namco's first major hit in the video game industry, seeing ports for multiple home consoles, handheld systems and mobile phones.

Entries in the franchise have been ported to several home consoles and included in many Namco video game compilations for multiple platforms.

Later entries in the series have been met with a more mixed reception — some, such as Galaga Legions and its DX update, have been praised for expanding upon the gameplay in earlier titles, while others, such as Galaga: Destination Earth, were criticized for being poor updates of the original.

The success of the series has lend itself to other forms of media, including soundtrack CDs, apparel, garage kits and literature.