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Cosmo Police Galivan

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In Galivan the player takes the role of the last remaining member of the Cosmo Police. His comrades died while trying to free the planet Cynep from the evil roaming on it. Now the player is the last hope. This game is a mix between a shooter and a platformer: the player walks through the caves...

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Developer
Nichibutsu

Released on
1985

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Platform

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

In Galivan the player takes the role of the last remaining member of the Cosmo Police. His comrades died while trying to free the planet Cynep from the evil roaming on it. Now the player is the last hope.

This game is a mix between a shooter and a platformer: the player walks through the caves, jumps over obstacles and shoots everything in sight. Well, at least if he has a weapon: at the beginning he is unarmed and can only kick or punch. He has to find pyramids which were dropped by his dead colleagues (also sometimes from killed aliens): those grant an armor, more life energy and a weapon. When the player find even another pyramid, the weapon gets upgraded for a limited amount of time.

However, every hit decreases the life energy and if it goes down too far, the armor and weapon are lost. Reaching zero results in death. At the end of every level, the player has to defeat a big boss alien.

Cosmo Police Galivan

Overview & History

Released by Nihon Bussan (Nichibutsu) in 1985, Cosmo Police Galivan is a bizarre and ambitious sci-fi arcade platformer that predates cyber-punk milestones like Strider and Metal Storm. Set in a dystopian universe, players step into the armored boots of Galivan, a cybernetic law enforcer dedicated to overthrowing the evil criminal syndicate known as Shad. Unlike standard side-scrollers of the mid-80s, Galivan’s journey is a sprawling epic that seamlessly alternates between frantic vertical-scrolling shooter segments, towering platforming stages, and labyrinthine overhead mazes where players collect upgrade crystals to unlock the hero's ultimate transformation. Despite its distinct blending of genres, colorful sprite work, and a memorable electronic soundtrack, the game remains a cult classic due to its punishing difficulty curve and obscure upgrade paths that left many 80s arcade-goers baffled.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Galivan’s primary weapon is a laser sword used for close-range combat, but the game's depth lies in its unique transformation system. As players explore the stages and defeat enemies, they collect glowing energy orbs that gradually fill a transformation gauge. Once fully charged, Galivan morphs into his armored "Challenger" state, granting him invulnerability for a limited time, enhanced speed, and devastating ranged projectile attacks. The game forces players to master both standard platforming—timing leaps over bottomless pits and acid pools—and tactical combat against bizarre alien cyborgs. Furthermore, navigating the top-down maze sections requires mapping out routes to find hidden power-ups while evading relentless pursuit drones, making survival dependent on resource management and spatial awareness.