Space Invaders is a legendary series and the progenitor of the shmup genre. When Taito announce the Space Invaders Forever collection, many were confused why it had only a few of the games from the Space Invaders invincible collection, but the games chosen are some of the more unique entries in the series. Space Invaders Extreme, Space Invaders Gigamax 4SE and Arkanoid vs Space Invaders. Each of these three represents some of the unique creativity from the franchise, and something that allows them to stand above other shmups.
Space Invaders Extreme is a rather unique reimagining of the series with HD visuals (this is based on the Steam version) and some interesting power up effects and game mechanics. You will need to chain your attacks by hitting multiple enemies in a row, while also receiving powerups along the way. These powerups are limited in their use, and the game has a meter present to let you know how much longer you have it for. The game has some very strong visual effects, and comes with a warning, so people with photosensitivity issues should not be playing this game due to how intense it can be. I played in handheld mode to minimize the risk and was able to get though.
As you play, you will encounter numerous change ups, like roulette rounds, where your shot determines what effect will occur in the game, and special missions such as eliminating certain invaders in a set amount of time under certain conditions. The game starts out easy enough, but soon raises the intensity and this is matched in the boss fights. The first few boss fights will ease you into the swing of things, but soon you will face a real challenge. Boss fights are a bit of a puzzle based fight and you will need to time your shots right and work to uncover the weak points.
I will be brief about Space Invaders Gigamax 4SE as it is m a multiplayer focused game. You and three others can team up to take on a massive hoard of invaders and the premise is solid. Unfortunately for me, I did not have others available to test the game, and while it can be played in single player mode, it is not recommended. After current events end, I intend to play this game more thoroughly with some friends and truly appreciate what it has going on.
Lastly we have Arkanoid vs Space Invaders, which is a separate app from the main Space Invaders Forever game. This game plays rather differently as well, as it was originally a mobile title, albeit one without any microtransactions. This game is played in handheld mode only on the Switch and is played in TATE (moving the Switch vertically) and uses only the touch screen for controls. On PS4, the touchpad is used to control the game and it can be played on the TV there. This is one of the most unique games I have ever played, and perfectly blends two different franchises together. You will have to reflect the attacks from the invaders back at them, whereupon they become balls like in Arkanoid, and there are a variety of challenges along the way. Each world contains a number of levels to clear, followed by a boss fight, and hard mode is unlocked for a world once that world is cleared.
This is far from a simple game, and numerous twists are thrown at you the further you go in the game, with the nice bonus of multiple unlockable characters along the way. Characters from other Taito franchises such as Bubble Bobble can be unlocked, and each has their own unique skill that can be used during the game. There is also a story to the game and boss battles, making this one of the most realized takes on the Space Invaders formula yet. This is the standout of the collection by far, and a game I would recommend anyone play, even if they are not a fan of Space Invaders.
Space Invaders Forever chose three unique games that show off the inventiveness of the Space Invaders formula, and I hope more games in the series become available as DLC. This is a great collection, and I hope more check this out, especially the amazingness that is Arkanoid vs Space Invaders. I highly recommend this. My only real complaint though, is that the price for what is available is too high, and should have been smaller. The content is great, but I do not think there is enough to warrant the price being asked.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
Space Invaders Forever is Available on Nintendo Switch and PS4.
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch.
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