THE OLD SHMUP TESTAMENT (PART V: INVADER REINFORCEMENTS)
FOR THE LIST OF THE PREVIOUS "DANGER ZONE" REVIEWS, CHECK THE REVIEW OF SPACE INVADERS (Danger Zone - Part 101):
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SPACE INVADERS - THE INVASION SO FAR
Spoiler
I: INDIE INVADERS - (Super Destronaut DX-2)
II: ASSAULT FROM ANOTHER WORLD - (Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE)
III: THRICE UPON A TIME, THE INVADERS AND THE TRASH WILL COME TO US - (Space Invasion by Pix Arts)
IV: EXTREME MEASURES REQUIRED - (Space Invaders Extreme)
V: INVADED AND BLOCKED - (Arkanoid VS Space Invaders)
VI: INVASION OF STUPIDITY - (Soraja Invaders)
CI: THE OLD SHMUP TESTAMENT (PART IV: POINT OF ORIGIN) - (Arcade Archives: Space Invaders)
II: ASSAULT FROM ANOTHER WORLD - (Space Invaders Gigamax 4 SE)
III: THRICE UPON A TIME, THE INVADERS AND THE TRASH WILL COME TO US - (Space Invasion by Pix Arts)
IV: EXTREME MEASURES REQUIRED - (Space Invaders Extreme)
V: INVADED AND BLOCKED - (Arkanoid VS Space Invaders)
VI: INVASION OF STUPIDITY - (Soraja Invaders)
CI: THE OLD SHMUP TESTAMENT (PART IV: POINT OF ORIGIN) - (Arcade Archives: Space Invaders)
Shupper Zone (originally meant to be called "Danger Zone Phase 2"). Name (and numeral) change for my series of reviews, same in-depth, sometimes humorous analysis.
Continuing with the Space Invaders reviews, here's Arcade Archives: Space Invaders Part II.
Most Wanted.
This Space Invaders stuff seems to be on a roll because the Hamster-Taito team up brought us Space Invaders Part II, well it was part of Hamster's celebration of 500 titles which started with Space Invaders.
This game may look identical, but its not what it seems.
At first you might think this is pretty much the same as the "Color" version of Space Invaders. That's actually what the game wants to make you think. This false illusion of "It's the same thing" is obvious in the first three stages as the enemy formation and attack patterns are basically the same, as the original game, so maybe you're right about that... at least on the basic gameplay mechanic and audiovisual departments.
Looks like there's new things making their debut.
That UFO is one of them.
but that's only the first impression towards the new changes in the game. First off, you'll realize that the second UFO will be totally different as it blinks and has a different design. Welcome to the new features of Space Invaders Part II; the rules had just changed and you've better get used to them 'cos they will turn your mentality of Space Invaders upside-down. Now let's talk about the new UFO. Unlike the original one, this new flying saucer doesn't use the bullet fired changing score value. Instead it gives you 500 points, but here's the catch, it will be harder to shoot down as it blinks making it invincible during the invisibility frames, requiring even more precise timing.
Dance! Boogie Wonderland!
Hey, hey
Dance, BOOGIE WONDERLAAAAAAAAAAND!!
Remember the "Rainbow" stuff from the previous game? It is no longer a simple easter egg. If you kill the aftertrailing Octopus, you'll get a bonus screen featuring an animation of a "fountain effect". Another new rule is the "No Miss" shot. This means if you can take down all the Invaders without missing a single shot you will earn an extra life, a task easier to say than done due to the increasing Invader speed and the bullet collisions.
Breaking the (formation) habit.
That's one unexpected surprise.
Once you've got familiarized to these first new features, the game will change again as you make progress. Now, the Invader formation will vary, adding more originality to each stage and really, that was well appreciated since the game began to fell predictable, relying on faster firing rate to add difficulty.
Same familiar enemies, new splitted enemies.
Stage 3 onwards will make a full shift on difficulty beyond simple Invader formations. Now, the "Crab" Invader will split in two small Invaders after being shot and the UFO's will replenish the formation, undoing your efforts. But, here's the catch; if you shoot the dropping Invader, it will become a "Bunker", a small barrier for both Cannon and Invader shots.
Even more new secrets.
Something unexpected for a 1979 game.
Getting 1ups for perfect scores or turn enemies into bunkers are not all what you can find in this game. Did you ever, EVER imagined that the last Octopus can increase your score further depending on which one is the last to be killed? Well, that's what happens here! First off, it has to be the bottom row, that's the requirement number 1. Second, it has to be leftmost or the middle one, otherwise you'll get 500 points. Killing the middle one gives you 800 and the leftmost is the most valuable as it gives you 1,000 points. Talk about surprises.
Knocked TAITO out of the rank.
You earned this privilege.
When most games only kept track of the scores, Space Invaders Part II includes a new, more special feature: The "Name Entry". If you broke the default high score, you earned the honor to introduce your name and unlike most games where you are allowed to input three digits, you can input up to 10, making the Ranking more personal. Keep in mind, the ranking system only allowed a single place, so this was "First place: All or nothing" or to quote Viper from Top Gun: "No points for second place".
Immortalized until someone knocks you off the top.
It might be a simple feature, but back in 1979, it felt special because you could see how the game shows your full name written in the game's scoreboard as if it was an honor. A feeling that lost the charm nowadays since the ranking system became more and more common and wider with top 10's (or top 30's like in Blazing Star's case), reducing it to "I made it to the #6th in the 'boards".
Painful Perspective
In terms of homeporting, there wasn't too much ports of it. Being the dreaded Virtual Boy the first to have an arcade-accurate port as part of 1995's Space Invaders Virtual Collection which, despite the eye torture the Virtual Boy was, it had a 3D mode along with the traditional 2D. While the 2D's sprites are arcade perfect, it has wallpapers on the sides to fill the screen.
Surviving time itself.
As time passed, there was better and less eye-harmful ports. Being the PlayStation 2 to have the first arcade perfect port as part of Space Invaders Anniversary on 2004 which was also released on PC. The PS2 once again had another port, this time as part of the Japan excluse Taito Memories Gekan and for the third time in Taito Legends both compilations released in 2005. In 2007, it got two releases on PlayStation Portable as part of two compilatons: Taito Legends Power-Up and Space Invaders Pocket. It had an unexpected port on cellphones as one of the titles of Space Invaders Trilogy. The final homeport was on the Nintendo Switch as part of the mega compilation Space Invaders Invincible Collection. What it was surprising was that Taito decided to release it as part of Hamster's Arcade Archives/Arcade Archives 2 series, which added the new Time Attack mode if you have the XBOX, Switc 2 or PlayStation 5 version.
That "same old game" feeling.
Being visually identical to the color version of Space Invaders, thee's not too much to say on Part II's graphic aspects as the game focuses on score mechanics over visual aspects which weren't necessary back then since we're talking about the dawn of arcade and overall gaming.
The runaway Invader.
After clearing a stage, the game will introduce what we can call the "cartoons" between stages where the UFO will pick the last Invader and escape. It is worth to mention that the cartoon length varies depending on how close to the bottom the last Invader was before being shot dead and which Invader is the starring character is determined on who was the last one on screen.
That Invader is on its own now.
Sometimes it will stop mid-way due to an "Engine Trouble" and the Invader will go away by his own means. This cutscene feature predates Pac-Man so we can consider this game as the first to have cutscenes.
The sound department remains the same as the original game, so there's no need to go in-depth analysis on that aspect.
TRIVIA INVADERS - PART II
- This game is a first in these aspects
-- First game in the series to be protected by copyright laws.
-- First Space Invaders title to feature bonus conditions and hidden rewards.
-- First Space Invaders game to introduce a "Name Entry" feature.
-- First Space Invaders and even first game to feature "cartoon" cutscenes.
Space Invaders Part II proves that the game is more, much more than just shooting the Invaders until you're ultimately defeated. The new bonus conditions, formation changes and new enemy mechanics take an old classic and renew it with the sole focus on "Pro-players", becoming the "Expansion" everyone will want to give a try after mastering the original game.
Like the previous game, Space Invaders Part II deserves a 10/10 in the R-Scale.
Certified "Vintage Classic" by Eda.