I've had troubles bringing myself to write this review. Space Invaders is one of the classic video gaming titles that will live on forever and always be looked back upon fondly. Roughly three decades of gaming have passed since Space Invaders helped to popularize the industry, and now it's stepping back into the ring on the Nintendo DS.
Space Invaders Revolution isn't the "revolutionary" title you would expect to see released on a platform like the DS. It's basically the arcade game with powerups and a few added mission types. Those additions could have made the game new and exciting all over again, but unfortunately they're a little too bland to keep you interested for very long.
The game has two modes, one being the original arcade game we know and love, and the other is the game with the new updates. The old version is definitely what they did right. It is an accurate recreation of 1978 Space Invaders. The nostalgic pixel art graphics, the plain black background, and the simple game design, it's like carrying around a huge arcade machine in your pocket. In my opinion, no “Space Invaders” game ever released should be without this mode as a salute to its roots.
Unfortunately, you will quickly notice that the 'new' part of the game isn't too far removed from the old one. The enemies look the same, but the backgrounds are nice looking. To 'revolutionize' gameplay, there are powerups and minor tweaks to the gameplay. Some challenges will play with the board, making the borders closer, giving you less room to work. Other challenges will make the enemies phase in and out, or make them shrink, which greatly increases the amount of enemies you are facing. There are also "boss fights" which are basically one huge invader that's made up of other normal size enemies. The big bad doesn't die until you kill all his parts. It's definitely Space Invaders 1978 taken to a new level, but the level isn't quite high enough in my opinion.
Being from the "old school," what hurts me the most is applying modern game design standards to an incarnation of this old classic. Ultimately, Space Invaders is not a good game. The gameplay is repetitive, the action isn't engaging, and there's really no big payoff. The "Revolution" title is misleading... the original game wasn't really "changed." This game is more of an expansion pack that's arrived 27 years too late.
If you're bored and just looking for a nice trip to nostalgia corner, Space Invaders Revolution is as fine a title as any other. I admit that I enjoyed playing it as much as I enjoy playing any of the old games, just don't expect to experience the same sense of wonder you did when you dropped your first coin into the arcade machine so many years ago.
