Some games will forever be classics. Pac Man, Asteroids, and Space Invaders, just to name few. The game play of these games stands the test of time, but the graphics do feel dated. This is why so many companies remake them, or use them as the blue print for a new game. Josyan and Ratalaika Games have recently released Zeroptian Invasion – an updated take on Space Invaders.
The game plays very similar to the original title. You must destroy the evil invaders as they make their slow march to get you. They oscillate back and forth, shooting at you while you are trying to wipe them out. The more you take out, the quicker they come. What is different is that not all levels are the same. Enemies will change and so will their patterns. As you progress, some levels will have falling enemies like in Galaga, there are falling rocks, and every few levels you will have to face a boss.
You have 3 lives to try and clear as many levels as you can. There are UFO’s that skitter across the top of the screen, and when destroyed will drop power ups. While the movement and power increase drops seem to do little, the shield will actually protect you from one enemy attack. This makes getting through some of the later bosses a bit easier. Even if you lose all your lives, you can continue after the last boss you defeated. But without all of your power ups the difficulty rises.
The game screen tries to simulate and old arcade cabinet. When you 1st start it up, the game will display an initialization screen, as if it was booting up and old computer. Sprites for most of the enemies are very derivative of the original Space Invaders game. You can switch CRT mode off in the options if you are looking for slightly smoother graphics. The bosses are well defined, and distinct. The chip tune soundtrack gets repetitive, especially during long runs.
Zeroptian Invasion is out now on XB1, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Steam. With a price tag of around $5 you will get your moneys worth trying to clear all the bosses. It is a decent update and twist on the classic game, but not built for long play sessions.
