There’s something oddly festive about this announcement, even if it arrives with a raised eyebrow. Space Invaders has finally landed on Arcade Archives, and the overriding feeling isn’t amazement — it’s “hang on, wasn’t this missing?”
Apparently, yes. Until now.
I’m very much not short on Space Invaders in my life. I own the full Space Invaders collection on Switch, and I’ve also spent more than I care to admit on modern Space Invaders arcade machines, which prove the concept still works when dressed up with contemporary spectacle. This release isn’t about discovery — it’s about closure.
The original, wrapped up neatly
This is TAITO’s 1978 original, presented in both black-and-white and colour versions, with audio reproduced to match the original arcade hardware as closely as possible. No embellishments, no reinterpretations — just the OG Space Invaders.
An oddly late Arcade Archives arrival
The record breaking Arcade Archives has spent years carefully curating arcade history, which makes Space Invaders’ absence until now feel like a missing ornament on the tree, so it’s nice to have it corrected for Christmas.
You still get the expected Arcade Archives features: configurable difficulty, authentic display options, and online leaderboards for anyone who wants to prove that decades of muscle memory still count.
Old enough to know better, good enough to keep playing
What’s interesting is how comfortably this sits alongside Space Invaders’ modern arcade incarnations. Those versions go big on sound and visuals, but the original remains sharper and more demanding. Less flash, more pressure.
This Arcade Archives release doesn’t try to compete with those modern takes — it simply preserves the source material, and finally gives it the slot it should have occupied all along.
Grab it today
As Christmas releases go, this is a quiet one. No fanfare, just a long-overdue classic turning up at last.
Not exactly a surprise under the tree, but still a welcome gift. The Arcade Archives release of Space Invaders is out today on Nintendo Switch/Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles today — head to the Arcade Archives website for store links.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
