Space Invaders Invincible Collection Switch Review

Last year, I reviewed Space Invaders Forever on the Nintendo Switch, so when Space Invaders Invincible Collection came our way, it only seemed fitting for me to follow up on the extreme arcade experience I had last year and compare it to the even bigger collection here. To cut to the chase, this is everything from Space Invaders Forever plus just about every Space Invaders game from its decades of history. This is truly the ultimate collection, and if you are a Space Invaders fan, why are you even reading this review? Go get it.

But for those interested in the value and playability of this giant arcade collection, let’s get into why this is one of the best old school collections on the Switch today.

As soon as you start the game, you will recognize instantly the electronic dance music that has now become part of the Space Invaders franchise, and you will be met with a long list of titles on the left side of the screen. But before I continue, we have the same issue this time around that we had with Space Invaders Forever, and that is the inclusion of Arkanoid vs Space Invaders, a mobile game that can only be played in portable mode. This title needs to be downloaded outside of the regular game collection, and it only available in portable mode, since it needs to be played vertically. I honestly still cannot understand why they didn’t adapt this to work on TVs as well, since most Switch owners play in docked mode. Oh, well. Arkanoid vs Space Invaders is still great, but it is just marred by this problem.

New this time around are the EIGHT titles that did not exist in the Forever collection, which was only three games. In Space Invaders Invincible Collection, we have the following:

• Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – Black and white version
• Space Invaders (1978, Arcade) – Color version
• Space Invaders Part II (1979, Arcade)
• Majestic Twelve: The Space Invaders Part IV (1990, Arcade)
• Super Space Invaders ’91 (1990, Arcade)
• Space Invaders Extreme (2008)
• Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE (2018)
• Space Invaders DX (1994, Arcade)
• Space Cyclone (1980, Arcade)
• Lunar Rescue (1979, Arcade)
• Arkanoid vs Space Invaders (2016) (Separate download)

This is an impressive collection of titles, and it is the first time all of these have come together in one convenient package. If you are a hardcore Space Invaders fan, this is an absolutely must-buy, as it spans the history of the series and shows from top to bottom how things have evolved.

Instead of going down each individual game, I am simply going to review the quality of the ports, the value of the collection, and any other important points I think need to be shared. Since this is technically 11 games in one, and a collection of literal classics, I do not think it is my roll to tell you if the original Space Invaders is a good game or not. However, I will tell you how well things work on the Switch.

All of the old arcade classics are back and just as fun and enjoyable as you may remember. Each port is a fantastic representation of its original form, and one of the best options in this collection is that all of these older titles can be flipped vertically if you so choose (Again, why not the same treatment for Arkanoid vs Space Invaders?). This allows you to enjoy each of these games in native aspect if you so please, and if you happen to have a Flip Grip, this makes the portable option even better.

A handful of the games are making their way to western consoles for the first time, but among the collection, Space Cyclone is making its first appearance ever on home consoles, which is a great add for anyone’s gaming collection.

Going through the list of different titles here is a wonderful throwback to bygone times when the arcade was the place to hang out and watch the masters of gaming at work, and seeing so easily how the Space Invaders franchise grew over the years is an excellent trip in-and-of-itself. Each title provides so much play value, and the more you enjoy the genre, the more you are going to get out of this.

A sad thing to point out that was talked about heavily in my Space Invaders Forever review is the lack of multiplayer in Space Invaders Extreme. It was disappointing last year when it was not included in that collection, but it is even more disappointing this time around that they are just lazily throwing the lesser port of Extreme into the mix instead of the superior version that includes up to 4-player multiplayer. The fact that Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE has local multiplayer and Extreme doesn’t is even more bothersome, especially since we know Extreme has multiplayer in previous iterations.

This is unfortunate, because these major complaints are exclusive to the previous collection of games. When it comes to all of the new entries in Space Invaders Invincible Collection, we have a near-flawless celebration of a long-running and brilliant franchise, but when we include the problems that existed last time around, those stains unfortunately dirty up the entire collection this time, too. Mind you, it is not a huge problem, especially when you consider all that is included here, but it is disappointing nonetheless.

This is still an awesome anthology of Space Invaders from beginning to now. It still controls just as crisp as it did decades ago, and having all 11 of these games in one crazy collection is a dream come true. It is sad that the only smears on this collection existed in the previous package, and although Space Invaders Invincible Collection is double the price of Forever, you are technically getting way more bang for your buck considering the load of great arcade titles you get here.

If you need to read more as to why Space Invaders Forever dropped the ball in a couple areas, head on over to my review and read why. If you are interested in this collection moreso for the original arcade titles, then I say go all-out. This is a fan’s dream collection, and it is perfectly at home on the Switch thanks to its ability to dock and play portably, including flipping the console side ways for an even better experience.

Space Invaders Invincible Collection Review provided by Nintendo Link
Publisher: ININ Games, TAITO
Release Date: August 17, 2020
Price: $59.99, £54.99, €59.99
Game Size: 1.1 GB (Plus Arkanoid vs Space Invaders)