Space Invaders Invincible Collection Review
by Amr (@siegarettes)
- Space Invaders Invincible Collection
- Developer: Taito
- Publisher: ININ Games
- Switch, PS4
When Space Invaders Forever released here, I lamented the fact that we were getting a cut down version of an already lacking collection. Apparently, the sentiment was heard, because almost a year later, Space Invaders Invincible Collection, the previously Japan-only Switch collection, is finally here. Invincible Collection is an improvement on the previous bare bones collection, but as the basis for Forever, it shares plenty of the same strange problems and has plenty of shortcomings of its own.
Invincible Collection boasts the inclusion of “11 masterpieces”, but on closer inspection the claim immediately breaks down. Two slots are taken up by the original Space Invaders and its color version–which has no other major differences. Notably, both games are also included as part of Space Invaders DX, which goes one further and includes an emulation of the cellophane variant. Majestic Twelve and Space Invaders ‘91 are also slightly different regional releases of the same game.
So already that’s really 9 games, with slight variation. As for Gigamax and Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders, they’re both sub par experiences, as discussed in my previous review for Space Invaders Forever. Gigamax just doesn’t work outside its original gallery format, and Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders has the same problem of being a standalone download with no concessions to the console format, only playable in limited, specific ways. So what about the remaining 7 games? Are they worth the full retail price?
Lunar Rescue and Space Cyclone are mostly historical curiosities. Lunar Rescue is, well Lunar Lander mashed up with Space Invaders. You’re still gunning down aliens, but this time with a greater range of movement, and the added wrinkle of fuel management. Space Cyclone is another early Space Invaders remix, but with much more elaborate enemy designs and movement patterns. Both lack the simple appeal of the original game, and neither made a lasting impression, but I appreciated them as archival works, especially since Space Cyclone had not been previously ported.
That leaves Space Invaders DX, ‘91, and Extreme to cover.
Like previously mentioned, Space Invaders DX is an enhanced version of the original. In addition to the 3 variants of the original, it also includes a 2-player versus game, as well as a new parody mode. The parody mode is basically the same gameplay-wise, but mixes it up visually by replacing the classic designs with sprites referencing other Taito games. And the 2-player mode allows two players to compete to see who can destroy and survive more waves of enemies. It basically does what it says on the tin, and is enjoyable, if not remarkable.
What it does unfortunately do well, is draw attention to the exclusion of Space Invaders ‘95: Invasion of the Lunar Loonies, a Parodius style reinvention of Space Invaders that takes the parody mode concept much further. Lunar Loonies not only has cute and silly new aesthetics, but brand new mechanics, playable characters, and stage layouts. It’s one of the highlights of the entire series, and its exclusion is bewildering, especially considering it was previously packaged as part of other Taito collections.
Space Invaders ‘91, or Majestic Twelve, fares a little better than DX then. While it originally gives off the vibe of a slightly enhanced port of the original, it quickly branches out, with new mechanics, enemy behaviors, weapons, and a bizarre bonus stage that involves cow abduction. Majestic Twelve is more in the mold of Galaga ‘88, or other Galaga arrangements, and has a lot of atmosphere, and its own unique soundtrack. It works well as a standalone game, and easily earns its place in the collection.
Space Invaders Extreme is still the excellent game included in Space Invaders Forever, and previously available on other systems. A fantastic modern revival of the series, it’s got a feverish club aesthetic, and adds tons of new scoring mechanics, branching paths, and a combo system that earns you powerups, allowing you to constantly optimize your route through the game on each playthrough. It’s once again the centerpiece of the collection.
Of course, Extreme’s inclusion does make me wonder why Extreme 2 didn’t see a port, especially given how popular tate mode shooters have become on Switch. Likewise, Space Invaders Infinity Gene is a conspicuous absence, given its place as another well liked modern take on the formula, one that’s explicitly built around the evolution of the series.
Alongside the absence of Space Invaders ‘95, the lack of Extreme 2 and Infinity Gene leave serious holes in the Invincible Collection. It doesn’t work as a survey of gameplay styles across the series, it’s not complete enough or given enough care to work as a historical archive, and it certainly doesn’t feel celebratory either. Space Invaders Invincible Collection is anything but–it’s full of holes and barely holding apart. It’s a worse collection than previous budget Tatito releases, and it doesn’t even attempt the exhaustive detail of the Darius collections.
It’s just this lackluster budget set of games that hopes its presentation can make it feel more premium, but without any serious attention lavished on that presentation. There’s undoubtedly some great titles here, but two or three barebones ports of excellent games can’t exactly hold the rest of it together. If Invincible Collection is all we got, then I guess we’ll wait on whatever the next attempt at a collection is.