Space Invaders: The Original Game

Space Invaders: The Original Game is a 1994 fixed shooter video game developed and published for the Super Famicom in Japan by Taito. Several ports were released for other platforms, including the Sega Saturn and PC Engine CD. The player assumes control of a laser base that must fend off waves of incoming enemies, who march down in formation towards the bottom of the screen. It is the fifth entry in the long-running Space Invaders series, and the second game to be produced for a home platform following the PC Engine remake Fukkatsu no Hi.

The Original Game serves as an updated version of Space Invaders DX, released a year prior for arcades, lacking the “Parody Mode” featured in the latter. The Sega Saturn and PlayStation versions add several new features, such as an arranged soundtrack and a new “Kawaii Mode” featuring more cutesy, cartoonish backdrops. It was produced by Keisuke Kasigawa and composed by Katsuhisa Ishikawa, with Space Invaders creator Tomohiro Nishikado being credited for the original versions. The Original Game was met with a mixed response from critics, most of which felt the game's price point was too high with its large lack of content. It was followed by Space Invaders ‘95 in 1995.

Space Invaders: The Original Game contains an updated version of the original Space Invaders alongside several other additional features. As in the original, the player controls a laser base situated at the bottom of the screen, who must destroy each formation of invaders before they successfully take over Earth. Formations march towards the bottom by moving to the side of the screen and then downward. The laser base can only fire one shot at a time, and must wait before it either collides with an enemy or goes off the screen. The invaders become faster as more are destroyed. Four shields are placed above the player, who can hide behind them for protection from enemy fire; however, the shields become damaged when inflicted with fire from either the invaders or the player. A UFO will occasionally appear towards the top of the screen, which can be shot down for bonus points.

Similar to its predecessor Space Invaders DX, The Original Game allows the player to select from one of four different game types; a black and white monitor, a color monitor, a version that places fake layers of cellophane across the screen to mimic color, and a “reflector” type that features a recreation of the backdrop found in upright Space Invaders machines. A two-player versus mode is also present, where two players compete against each other by destroying endless waves of invaders until the other side’s base is destroyed enough times. Shooting colored invaders causes various effects to occur, such as having the opponent’s invaders descend a level or add an extra row of invaders to their side. The Sega Saturn and PC Engine CD releases add a new mode called “Kawaii Mode”, which replaces the backdrops with cartoony, anime-style characters and an arranged soundtrack, while featuring the same Space Invaders gameplay.

Space Invaders: The Original Game was produced by Keisuke Kasigawa and composed by Katsuhisa Ishikawa, credited as “Babi” in-game. Space Invaders creator Tomohiro Nishikado is also credited for the port of the original. The game serves as an updated version of the previous Space Invaders title Space Invaders DX, originally released for arcades in Japan in 1993 to celebrate the game’s then-20th anniversary. The Super Famicom version of The Original Game is an unlockable extra in the Game Boy port of the original Space Invaders, accessible by inserting the cartridge into the Super Game Boy peripheral for the SNES. It was produced to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Taito.

The Original Game was first released for the Super Famicom in Japan on March 25, 1994. It was jointly ported to both the Sega Saturn and PC Engine CD in June 1995, the former of which was re-released two years later bundled with Puzzle Bobble 2X. The Super Famicom version is included as a bonus game in PD Ultraman Invaders, released for the PlayStation in late 1995 by Bandai. It was later ported to PlayStation and Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1997, both of which removed the Original Game subtitle - the PlayStation version was later published as a budget title by D3 Publisher in 1999 as part of their Simple series of budget games, renamed Simple 1500: THE Invader. The Super Famicom version was digitally re-released for the Wii Virtual Console on September 16, 2008 in Japan, November 17, 2008 in North America, and on November 28, 2008 in Europe.

Space Invaders: The Original Game was met with a polarizing reception at its release and retrospectively, with common complaints being towards its lack of content and any addition of a remade version of the game. Several liked the game's multiplayer mode and visual options, alongside for it being a good version of the game overall.

German publication Mega Play unfavorably compared the PC Engine CD version to Galaga '88 and the previously released Space Invaders: Fukkatsu no Hi, critical of its gameplay and lack of features. Mega Play did applaud the multiplayer mode and quality of the conversion, highly recommending it to fans of the series. Nintendo Power felt relatively the same, claiming fans of the original would appreciate the quality of the package itself and its multiplayer features, while also saying those who didn't have much experience with the series would dislike its overall repetitive gameplay and lack of content. Famitsu magazine disliked the Sega Saturn version for lacking any updated version of the original aside from its multiplayer and "Kawaii" modes, both of which they liked for their uniqueness. Allgame said that Space Invaders is "inherently fun in all its incarnations", liking its multiplayer mode and overall quality of the package. They added that Taito should have also included Space Invaders Part II, and felt lukewarm towards the lack of a remade version with updated visuals and sounds. Retro Gamer magazine greatly applauded the PlayStation version's multiplayer mode, finding it superior to those in other versions of the games.

The Wii Virtual Console port was often criticized for its high price point, with several outlets saying it made the game difficult tor recommend. Nintendo Life was the most critical, saying that its price of 800 Wii Points and "dated" gameplay made Space Invaders: The Original Game a disappointment. They also added that the game was somewhat dated and that the multiplayer mode was not well made nor fun to play. Eurogamer and IGN felt differently about the gameplay itself, both finding it to be an excellent version of the arcade original and for the multiplayer mode being enjoyable. IGN also liked the different visual options and for the game still holding up years after its release.