Space Invaders DX | 1994 | Taito
Taito’s 1978 masterwork Space Invaders needs no introduction. Over the course of the arcade industry’s hey-day, Taito would release several versions of Space Invaders to satiate the appetite of gamers hungry for more alien shooting action. This DX variant for the F3 combined three variants into one package.
In 1968 designer Tomohiro Nishikado was hired by Pacific Industries LTD (a subsidiary of Taito Trading Company) to begin work on the then-popular electro-mechanical arcade amusement machines prior to the release of the now common digital video game. Some of his most well-known works between 1968 and 1978 were the Sky Fighter series, TV Basketball, Western Gun, and Interceptor.
When Space Invaders was released in 1978 it not only became Nishikado’s most popular and recognized work, but it was also the start of the STG or SHMUP genre. Space Invaders single handedly changed the face of the entire video game industry as we know it and we would not be where we are today without this master designer and his timeless classic.
Sales data of Space Invaders over the last 44 years is in the tens of millions across arcade machines, console ports, mobile spin-offs and more. The little pixel art creatures have become synonymous with video game culture, and the slow rhythm of the game’s limited sound still haunts the dreams of arcade goers who got to experience this classic when it was originally released.
So, what’s so special about this DX release on the F3 platform?
Space Invaders DX presents gamers with three different variants of Space Invaders:
The original 1978 release in its four different versions: Black and white, line by line color, table-top, and a later release with a full color background.
A VS style game with side-by-side competitive play
A special parody game mode that uses sprites and characters from other Taito releases (like The New Zealand Story).
Each game variant plays exactly the same – carefully line up your shots with the alien menace as they slowly make their way down to take over the world! The more aliens you shoot, the faster they move toward the bottom of the screen. Your only objective is to clear the screen of all aliens before they reach the bottom.
The graphics on display are from 1978, essentially, so don’t expect any new graphical effects or bells and whistles for this release. The parody version does use full-color sprites, but it’s still nothing too impressive. This is Space Invaders, and it has never needed a strong graphical hook to be addicting. Taito realized the game is fine as it is, and what is here is all you need to enjoy a classic game of Space Invaders in its original glory.
Space Invaders DX is just another release of the game for a new platform. This version of the game was also released on the Taito B system as well, so there are actually two different arcade versions of this game you could source. On the F3 it’s not too expensive these days. Otherwise, there are a bajillion other ways to play Space Invaders. There isn’t anything terribly unique about this version other than being available for the F3 platform if that is your Taito hardware of choice. There is another Space Invaders games on the F3 titled Space Invaders 95': Attack of the Lunar Loonies - but I'll cover this release in its own review as it is a substantial (and super-fun) upgrade to the formula.
Is Space Invaders a perfect game? Probably – the landscape of the entire video game industry would look very different if this game were never released. Because of its importance to the art form, I can only recommend you play it. You may not like it but knowing where your gaming roots came from is more than worth the price of admission even for just one single play. If you’ve never played Space Invaders before, there is no time like the present.