Video Game Review: Space Invaders Invincible Collection

Developer: Taito Corporation

Publisher: Taito Corporation

Genre: Shoot ‘Em Up

Nintendo Switch

Space Invaders has a special place in the shoot ’em up genre. As one of the original games in the genre, it’s influence on the iconic games that followed it is undeniable. At the same time, it’s a series that has mostly fallen out of relevancy since later games have taken the formula and significantly improved it. Still, there is always room for a classic, and Space Invaders: Invincible Collection sure does have a few classics in it.

Just about anyone who is familiar with video games is aware of the original Space Invaders. As remarkable and iconic as the original game is, its sequels have had little to no fanfare. While Space Invaders: Invincible Collection doesn’t have all of the sequels, it is packaged with 11 Space Invader titles of varying quality. Some of the games were only Japanese releases prior to this collection, giving Western players access to a few “new” titles to enjoy.

While there are a lot of games in this package, the Space Invaders series doesn’t really have a lot going for it in terms of variety. Some of the titles are more or less the same game with different packaging. For example, both the original and color versions of Space Invaders are packaged as separate games. Space Invaders II plays a lot like the original with just a few tweaks here and there. Majestic Twelve: The Space Invaders Part IV and Super Space Invaders ’91 are also aggressively similar. The end result is a package that comes with plenty of value but is a bit deceptive in just how much value there is.

All of the games are solid for what they are, but most won’t have much appeal to casual fans. As mentioned earlier, most of these games are completely outclassed by not only their own sequels, but by most other franchises in the genre. The package feels more like a novelty experience than an actual must-buy for those who aren’t die hard fans. Still, there are certainly a few gems in Space Invaders: Invincible Collection that make this package worth it for the right player.

The standouts here are the original classics, Space Invaders Extreme, and the neat multiplayer Space Invaders DX and Space Invaders GIGAMAX 4 SE. Arkanoid vs Space Invaders would be one of the better games in the bundle but it actually doesn’t run well on the Switch. Hopefully some patches are on the way because these four games alone can make Space Invaders: Invincible Collection worth the price of admission.

As a celebration of the Space Invaders franchise, Space Invaders: Invincible Collection comes with nice presentation to do the series justice. A blend of retro and modern visuals throughout the titles gives the collection quite a bit of broad appeal. All of the iconic sound effects fill the ears of the players as they navigate the menus and play the games. It would be nice if there were some more extras in the form of videos and art, but this is still a solid package.

It’s not a complete collection but Space Invaders: Invincible Collection is a welcome addition to the Switch’s already strong Shoot ‘Em Up library. Fans of the franchise will want to pick this one up, while casual fans might still get their money’s worth out of Space Invaders Extreme.