Written By: Daniel Scott

Taito invades the iPhone with its original arcade hit.

Space Invaders ($4.99)

It was in the 70′s when Space Invaders came over from Japan through Midway (BTW Midway filed chapter 11 last month).  I have fond memories of a pizza restaurant with an upright Space Invaders game, firing away at the incoming alien invasion, and drowning out the dinner chatter.  Since those days, the game has been ported to several platforms.  All of which never met up to the arcade standards that I was hypnotized by in my youth.  Each time SI is ported to a new platform, I hope for a better look and feel of the original, only to fall short.  I am finally pleased with this rendition.

Presentation

If it says “retro” it doesn’t mean it will be a no-brainer of a buy.  My theory on buying retro games: they must stay within their original form.  If for some reason it’s updated to today’s standards, that’s fine, but there should be an option to switch back to classic mode.

Game Play

Even though there are better shooters available, this one is the original and my personal favorite.   Through the entire app, the game has been preserved from exact game play to the sounds I remember as a kid.  What makes this game work is the many options available to customize your gaming experience to push it beyond a classic space shooter.

Controls

The controls have three options: On Screen Controls (tap left and right), Touch and Drag (swipe left and right), and my favorite Accelerometer (tilt left and right).   At least there is a choice for the purist, and the new methods the iPhone has to offer. The tilt method has the best response plus it adds some more value to the left and right redundancy.

Screen Modes

Thankfully, there are several options for the screen: Color, Toggle Background, Cellophane Overlay (I owned a Vectrex, I’m partial to that one), and Monochrome.   Besides the screen modes there is an additional option to increase the screen size up to 140% from the original.  I HATE small screens, so I’m fixed right at 140%.

Additional Features

There’s the usual found in most games; how to play, credits, high score, etc.  I do encourage devs to include tips and techniques as this one has.  As a kid, I only knew to aim and shoot.  Taito gives up a technique called the “Nagoya Attack” where the shooter wipes out one row, one at a time, left to right.

Also the Secret Files sections shows some cool art from Japan, programming schematics, one picture looks like a thumbnail of a new website brainstorm session.  It’s a nice addition to spike up more interest.

The Cons

I speak very highly of Taito who after thirty years, still brings the goods.  I’m still a huge fan on many of their games since I was young.  I speak of these areas as room for improvement I’d like to see added to the game in the future.

First of all, since the game is designed for endless gaming (until you die or give up), let’s have an online high scoreboard.  There are a few games out there that break the scores down by the hour, day, week, month and all-time.  Nothing wrong with some good ol global competition and bragging rights to post at our favorite forums.

Secondly, add some unlockable content.   I’ve played the sequel, Deluxe Space Invaders (Midway’s rename of Taito’s Space Invaders II).  That might be worth the time spent to get a hold of this gem. Possibly some more art, links to interviews, extra content exclusive to this game.

Finally, a way to close out the app and get back in where you left off. I love this feature in a few games I own.  It comes in handy for those on the fly or don’t have to time to sit and play for hours.

Conclusion

I’d stick to the original if you can find one and have $400-$600 in mint condition or know how to fix one up. But the iPhone version is good for on the go, despite a few areas overlooked to make it a better app. I would wait for a sale, $4.99 seems a tad steep or at least a major update to the title.