Nostalgia just ain’t what it used to be
SPACE INVADERS FOREVER (PEGI 3) PS4, Switch
SAY ‘video game’ to anyone and I can almost guarantee the first two things that will spring to their mind will be Pac-man, and Space Invaders. Released in 1978, Space Invaders not only set the template for the shoot ‘em up genre, but is credited with helping move the video game industry from a novelty into a global industry.
Thanks to its simple yet highly addictive gameplay, it captured the imagination of players around the world – inspiring future game designers to create some of the best games available today.
It’s been ported and re-released onto just about every console you can think of, with dozens of different takes on the game issued in an attempt to ‘freshen’ it up for different generations.
It’s so well known, it’s transcended the world of gamers to be embraced as a ‘pop icon’ – the pixelated ‘invaders’ often used as a symbol to sum up the industry as a whole.
It may be gaming royalty, but can it possibly have anything new to offer players in 2021?
The answer is, yes.
Space Invaders Forever gathers together a collection of three variants of the game – Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders, Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE, and Space Invaders Extreme.
Let’s start with the best – Space Invaders Extreme.
Originally released to mark the game’s 30th anniversary in 2008, this is the revamped version issued on Steam in 2018.
This game adds another frantic layer onto the action. Not only do the invaders behave differently, some of them also have abilities now – such as shielding which reflects shots back at you, or some which divide when you hit them.
Different enemies now also drop selected power ups, like bombs, and chain – which alters how your cannon fires.
And those chain power ups come in very handy for the boss battles, which require timing and precision to win.
Add to this the souped up music and graphics and it feels like a solid, arcade experience – one that builds up your stress level as you fight not to get wiped out.
Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders was released on mobiles in 2017, and fused together elements from classic block-breaking game Arkanoid, with the fixed shooter fun of Space Invaders.
Bouncing the little platform up and down across the screen, you collect and rebound enemy fire to clear the Invaders from the top of the screen.
It’s quick-paced and quite challenging, that fusion of titles doubling the addictive nature of the gameplay.
The game which held the most charm, but didn’t quite deliver on the adrenalin stakes, is Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE.
It’s quite a grand title for what is essentially the original game, with an elongated arena to allow four players to team up at once.
Unlike the original there are boss battles to take on, and to do this you can combine your cannons – like a really basic Voltron.
The problem with this game is that it’s virtually impossible to play alone.
The playing area is just too vast for you to clear on your tod, and so you just end up getting killed over and over.
As wonderful a collection as this is, for the price tag it feels a little thin. While gamers of a certain age will revel in the chance to jump into some re-imagined old school action, younger gamers will very quickly find this to be quite dated, and that’s a real shame.
Buy it: £24.99 from store. playstation.com/