
It’s probably a contentious thought, but does Space Invaders really need to keep coming back? We get it, the game was important. Is it fun to play Space Invaders in the year of our lord 2020? God, no. Not in the slightest. The game, in anything close to its original form, simply doesn’t hold up. But taking a 1978 game to task for being dated is just daft. Taking a compilation of Space Invaders-adjacent games to task for being utterly redundant, though? That’s our pleasure and privilege.
See, this is like the kid brother of expansive compilation Space Invaders: The Invincible Collection, packing a mere three games to the full set’s nine. A third of the games. To give Space Invaders Forever due credit, they probably chose the most interesting titles for this digest, but unfortunately that isn’t saying much given what’s on offer. As we said, Space Invaders simply isn’t that interesting of a game, and it’s only really been overhauled into something interesting a handful of times. Space Invader ’95: Attack of the Lunar Loonies springs to mind, uncollected since Taito Legends 2 and sorely absent both here and in the Invincible Collection. So what do we have here?

Not a whole lot, as it turns out. Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE is a multiplayer take on the game that offers, quite simply, a much wider playing field, but is otherwise as dull as the original offering. Unfortunately, zero entertainment value multiplied by any number of players still equals zero. The sheer width of the thing does, we suppose, make for a brief initial burst of novelty value. There are a couple of further rounds that seem like they're going to be more interesting, but then you and your friends will realise you’re all going to be playing the slow, laborious Space Invaders anyway, and it’s immediately swept aside in favour of crushing ennui. Get Cake Bash back on, will you, mate?
You’ve also got the somewhat superior Arkanoid vs Space Invaders on offer here, and it does deliver at least a frisson of excitement. Turning the Switch on its side, you use your finger to play, not unlike a comical giant portable telephone from the 1980s. And, indeed, it’s a port of a phone game, but crucially not one that rinses your wallet. The mash-up of classic bat n’ ball-‘em-up Arkanoid with the titular Invaders is a pretty shrewd move, as bouncing the enemies’ shots back at them is a lot more fun than painstakingly pew-pewing them with your peashooter. A host of classic Taito cameos gives it a broad appeal for aficionados, and the game’s general breeziness keeps things moving. That said, while the touch input is perfectly functional, we do wish the game had been adapted for Switch in a less awkward manner. Or, more pruriently, it could have been replaced with, say a different Space Invaders title? For example, Space Invaders ’95: Attack of the Lunar Loonies? Because it rules? Hmm? No?

Saving the best for last, Forever brings out the big guns – figuratively and literally – with Space Invaders Extreme, the absolutely beloved Q Entertainment-esque revitalising of a game almost defined by its staid, formative gameplay. Here, it’s the contrast between the reality of the original Space Invaders with Extreme’s flashy, over-the-top clubland take on things; the central gameplay is fundamentally pretty much identical, but with the addition of game-changing power-ups, limited-time challenge screens, inventive enemy waves and the thumping, throbbing, pulsing soundtrack that seems to sync to your actions, it’s all several million steps up from its source material, evoking a genuinely intoxicating Rez-like trance state at its best. The mark of a great score attack game is that it’s fun to play even if you’re not going for the high combos, as Extreme assuredly is. It’s brilliant, and comes close to justifying the entire package.
Still, though, the asking price feels high for one great game, one okay game and one complete write-off. There are no extras to speak of, either, which raises the question of exactly who this release is for. Major Space Invaders fans will want to own the full Invincible Collection, not this half-measure (sorry, one-third-measure). That leaves people who just want Space Invaders Extreme on their Switch, we suppose, but is that really worth the outlay?
Maybe when the game is on sale, sure. Even besides this, it's bizarre that Arkanoid vs Space Invaders is listed as a separate title altogether in your Switch menu, so if you want to hop into a quick game from playing, say, Gigamax, you'll have to quit out of the app and launch it, rather than just jumping to the main menu. Really rather odd.
Conclusion
Space Invaders Extreme is awesome, but even in the guise of a cut-down compilation, Space Invaders Forever is lacking as a package. Better titles could have been chosen, and the way the apps are laid out is strange and disconnected. When it drops in price, this will be essential for Extreme alone. If you want Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders, that's available on your phone for a fair price, and better suited to that format in general. A disappointing and confusing package, but one that we strongly recommend at a discount just to get Space Invaders Extreme. It's that good. All six of these points are for it, and it alone.
Comments 44
Space Invaders '91 on the 16-bit SEGA Genesis is pretty much the only Space Invaders game you need.
Glad I ordered a physical copy of the Invincible Collection . Shame that Forever comes as a disappointment
Hard pass on this. Give us an Extreme 1+2 combo pack instead.
Extreme alone is worth it in a sale. If it had extreme 2 too it would’ve been worth the price without a sale or price drop.
Sadly there's an issue where not all players got access to the Arkanoid vs Space Invaders (which is a separate download on Switch for some reason). They told they fixed it, but I haven't been able to download it at all.
That said, Extreme is fantastic game even on its own. Didn't really care about Gigamax.
I wish Nintendo would re-release the Space Invaders Get Even Wiiware game where we get to play as the Invaders themselves. That game was fun in its own unique way.
Bought this for invaders extreme. Just love space invaders anyway.
It’s not like they can save Space Invaders ‘95 for a Volume 2, so you gotta wonder why generational collections like this leave off very polished entries while mediocre ones are sure to make for filler.
I’d pay ten bucks for extreme so when the game gets to that price I’ll buy it.
@Jimmy_G_Buckets this would've made more sense
I think the reviewer really likes Space Invaders ’95: Attack of the Lunar Loonies. Just a hunch
I want that Invincible Collection but the price is a little on the high end. I can't spend that much. Guess i will never see those games.
I dunno, you'd think that along with all the extra bells and whistles attached to all of these remixed versions that they'd have included the original game in a compilation titled "Space Invaders Forever". Can you imagine the disappointment of anyone who picks this up thinking it's included in the package (as it ought to be)? I mean, along with Pac-Man it's only one of the most iconic coin-ops of all time, and one that helped start it all: the entire gaming hobby as we know it.
Space Invaders Extreme 1&2 would have been brilliant
@NinChocolate Agreed; look at what the Namco collection on Switch left off. Just a few examples: Pole Position, Pole Position II, Ms. Pac-Man, Xevious...there are far fewer titles included than we got two console generations ago with XBox 360's Namco Museum Remixed or XBox/PS2/GameCube's Namco 50th Anniversary Museum.
There's no question that some publishers have gotten MUCH stingier with the selection of titles included in their generational compilations. It's not good when gamers have to dust off an older console to be able to play a game that's been left off of current-gen collections (and of course, many amazing coin-ops have yet to be represented on console at all; I'm especially looking at you, Sega).
I believe it is a poor compilation but to be so negative on Space Invaders from the beginning, words like dull and uninteresting makes me believe someone else should have reviewed it.
This package would’ve been an instabuy if it included Space Invaders Infinity Gene.
I personally would recommend getting the Invincible Collection from Strictly Limited Games over this.
I'll probably get it on a deep discount or something.
I only want to play the original. Not interested in any new versions, just like I'm not interested in Pac-Man Championship Edition etc. Why not include the original Space Invaders in these packages?
3 games is a bit of a sad collection, even the larger Infinity Collection is only 9, and missing some games that should be included.
Return of the Invaders, Attack of the Lunar Loonies, Space Invaders PS1, Extreme 2, Get Even, the absolutely incredible Infinity Gene, and most importantly - the actual original game. Why not include any of these ones?
One magical day in the distant future, we'll learn how to talk about old videogames without falling into the binary traps of our nostalgia for the past and our infatuation with the present.
In the meantime, we'll keep asking questions like, "Should we keep bringing back one of the most important videogames of all time?"
Haven't played Extreme, so might get this.
They (inin) can only publish what Taito gives them, Extreme 2 is still only available for Nintendo DS. I am satisfied with this release, due to Extreme 1 alone and do not need the other 6 versions of the game.
I have to get it just because of Extreme alone! I ordered the invincible bundle from Strictly Limited but yes I agree 3 titles is really skimping out! At LEAST throw in the various classic iterations??
I think Arkanoid vs Space Invaders is separate because technically it is a Square-Enix game while the other two are Taito games.
I got a little more interested when I heard about Arkanoid vs Space Invaders but I think I'll pass on the whole thing for now. I got so much better to choose from currently.
@Bermanator In what way is it crappy?
I'm glad I imported the Invincible Collection. Majestic 12 aka Super Space Invaders '91 is good stuff. I like how it has classic SI as well, though it's too bad the overlays are missing.
I do sort of agree. It's been done far too many times. I did enjoy "super destronaut", it had some unknown variable that made it seem enjoyable but was really just normal space invaders with powerups and enemies that shoot back. Those old OLD games like space invaders are difficult to remake in a modern or fresh way. It's a basic design that has been built upon for so long and evolved into the side scrolling shooters like gradius ECT that it never really left us. So it just almost always seems lame unfortunately.
I don't recall the title atm, but there's a game on the 3ds eShop that tried to modernize "Pac-Man" and even gave it a HORROR theme. You rub thru maze in first person view grabbing pages of ancient text or something and the scary "ghosts" chase you around. Imo it's a very clever effort, but it still just doesn't give such an old design enough of a makeover to be viable by today's standards. And with space invaders they didn't even go ALL out with the effort to try and make it relevant. How about NO more space invaders remakes for 10 years? By then maybe it'll have been long enough for us to MISS it and relish it's return
I'll get this on sale at 75% off. No more.
I want a collection that includes the original, Extreme 1 & 2 and Infinity Gene. That would be perfection! Still, I bought this and the basic version of the Japanese collection. I love Space Invaders. I grew up playing the Atari 2600 port on family night and it was so fun.
Is there anything Space Invaders Forever has that Invincible Collection doesn't?
I just think it's utterly unforgivable that this doesn't include OG Space Invaders. I'll grant you it's probably not a super exciting game for people raised on modern games, and I'm not about to spend dozens of hours playing it again, but really, a Space Invaders collection that doesn't have Space Invaders in it? What happened, you couldn't spare one megabyte on the card to include the most influential video game of all time?
I'm a big fan of SI Extreme. It's one of the great DS games. I might buy this at $10 just for Extreme on the Switch. But like the headline says, one great game does not make a great collection, and including OG Invaders would have helped quite a bit with that problem.
This is a terrible package, solely because Invincible Collection exists and the fact that they removed eight titles from that to make this while simultaneously printing an expensive limited run physical cart of the full collection feels like a giant middle finger to fans in the West.
That being said, maybe Nintendo Life should've gotten someone who doesn't hate the original Space Invaders to write this review. There's an awful lot of words up there dedicated to crapping on a game that's not even in the collection (to the dismay of the people who would actually buy this.)
@CrazyOtto No, it's literally Invincible Collection but pared down to 3 games.
Peer Schneider disagrees
On NVC he said "actually a really lovingly crafted update" (539 47:14)
But hay what does he know
Looks like Space Invaders Invincible Collection is now on sale on the Japan eshop for €22.50, until January 11th, which makes it a much better buy than this release.
Ok just bought Space Invaders Invincible Collection from Japan eshop, was €26.71 for 3000 yen card and cost 2860 yen.
Why don't they just make Extreme 3 instead of multiple, useless collections?
I'd even settle for a port of 2 honestly.
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
WHERE’S MY INVINCIBLE COLLECTION?
@Bermanator OK! Thanks! Might get a copy of the DS version instead.
Picked up a physical copy from a local game store yesterday. Enjoying Space Invaders Extreme a lot and I would say, as new fan of shmups, its worth it since I dont think I will be playing all the older games in the invincible collection. New found appreciation for shmups and I willing to pay full price. These games dont get old and i can see myself playing these games for many years to come.
@BooJoh @Bermanator Thank you
@NinChocolate They do have enough games to put together a volume 2 with:
Space Invaders (Upright)
Space Invaders (Cellophane)
Return of the Invaders
Akkanvader (Japanese version of Space Invaders 95)
Space Invaders '95: The Attack of the Lunar Loonies
Space Invaders Get Even
Space Invaders Infinity Gene
Space Invaders Extreme 2
Space Chaser
Phoenix
Space Invaders: The Original Game (PC Engine CD version)
Space Invaders: Fukkatsu no Hi
Was able to play some games of Gigamax. I think the appeal to the game is of course its novelty, but what was not pointed out by anyone is, the sound track of Gigamax is arguably the best among the 3 games. I can see it as a fun party game , "hangout and get wrecked" session while sound tripping to the Zuntata music while speed killing cosmic beings in space. The music is epic i would say even more so than SI Extreme.
Also, its not just a mere multiplayer version of the original SI, it transitions to different alien patterns and mid boss ( ufo) and major bosses with ginormous HP to fight.
So add those all up, I would say Gigamax is good (but not as a solo game because the bosses are hard to kill alone due to high HP).
P.S.: hook up the switch/ TV to a decent sound system like a soundbar with subwoofer( and not just the crappy switch speakers or flat screen Tv)to feel the epicness of the music and sound. Just want to emphasize The "Gigamax" here is the music and it really makes up for the simple graphics. And I have been learning music is a super important part of the shmup experience.
Edit: check out some clips of solo gameplay if anyone wants to hear the sound and music:https://twitter.com/Ishmokin/status/1344559210181234688?s=20
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