Take a Trip Back In Time – “Space Raiders” Revives the Classic Gameplay of Space Invaders

by Louis Bedigian

“The change is mostly in the visuals. The look is totally new, but the gameplay is very close to the addictive original.” 

Where would the world be without alien invasions?  Safer and more peaceful, you say.  Yes, peace is nice, but just think of all the fun we’d be missing out on.  After all, in what other point during our lifetime do we get the chance to kick alien butt?

Back when game graphics were flat objects and gameplay was two-dimensional, Space Invaders helped to build the foundation for the great games we have today.  It sparked people’s interest, got them into arcades, and turned average Joes into hardcore gamers.  Suddenly the quarter had so much more meaning than merely being a piece of change.  Suddenly it felt like more than 1/4 of a dollar.  A quarter became a gateway into another world, a key to a door that would take us to a place that was entirely unlike our own.

Five minutes later the game kindly asks for the player to drop another key into the machine.  Costly yes, but well worth it!

More than two decades later and – surprise, surprise – they finally decided to revive the Space Invaders series.  There have been a few upgrades here and there, but you can forget about those.  This is the real deal, the true sequel to Space Invaders.

To prove his point, game planner Kojiro Modeki shared some comments about the game, its evolution, and the direction taken with its development.
 
The original Space Invaders is more than 20 years old.  Why do you think it has taken so long for the series to be given the 3D treatment?  What made Mastiff decide to return to the series now?

Kojiro Modeki: One could perhaps say that all shooting games are evolved forms of Space Invaders. Think Daraius, Ray Storm… In that regard, Space Invaders has been evolving all this time. It is such a simple idea, gameplay and design, that even a minor change can feel to the game-player like a totally different title.

This treatment of the game brings us back to its roots. It sheds the overly complicated game system off to return to what made the original game so great.

For Space Raiders, classic gameplay comes first.

What is the biggest change for the series now that it has entered the third dimension?

KM: The change is mostly in the visuals. The look is totally new, but the gameplay is very close to the addictive original. Once you play it, you will know immediately that it is Space Invaders.

How have the controls evolved from 2D gameplay to 3D gameplay?

KM: The controls mostly remain close to the original game. We did think about making it possible to move around freely, jumping up and down, but decided that those additions weren’t what we want. We wanted this game to play like the original.

One thing we did though was change the player character to a person, not a cannon. This way we get to use more expressive actions.  Damages will hurt the character, we can use the analog stick to differentiate running and walking, we can also roll sideways to do near-range attacks or to avoid them.

You couldn’t see graphics like this 20 years ago.

Is the series being given a story this time around?

KM: It’s the same story we know from the original game. Invaders from space are attacking, we don’t know who they are, earthlings fight back. However, there is a little more detail and character development.

Are players given infinite or a limited number of continues?  Is there a save feature?

KM: In the Story mode, the player gets infinite continues. Survival mode is different, it doesn’t have continues.

And by the way, high scores can be saved, too.

…Or graphics like this.

How much freedom do players have within each level?  Can you choose different paths or backtrack at all?

KM: Basically, there’s only one path the game-player can take. There are no adventure game elements in this title. It’s close to its roots!!

Can you re-play a particular level at any time, or must you start from the beginning just like in the original?

KM: Just like the original game, one would have to start from the beginning.

Are there multiple game modes in Space Raiders?  If so, what are they?

KM: Story mode has 6 stages.

Survival mode is mainly for players who want to go for higher and higher scores. This mode doesn’t have continues, but has an unlimited number of stages. In short, the game doesn’t end until the player character dies. This mode also has 2 player mode, where friends can fight against the invaders together.

This wasn’t possible either.

Thank goodness for new game consoles!

Musically, Space Invaders was limited to the basic technology that was available at the time.  Does Space Raiders feature the series' classic sound, or are you going for something different?

KM: We designed a totally new soundtrack for this title. So, just by looking at the game screen and listening to the soundtrack one would never know that this is a Space Invader remake. Once you enter the game space and start interacting, it should be very clear.

A lot of classic games that receive the next-gen treatment include the original title as a bonus...

KM: We didn’t think it was appropriate [to include the original Space Invaders with this game].

Thank you for your time.