Space Invaders: Counter Attack Brings Back the Classic Shooter With a Big Twist

During JAEPO 2020, a strange new Space Invaders arcade game was shown off: Space Invaders: Counter Attack. The title moves away from the series’ hide-and-shoot gameplay, instead having players man the guns themselves to shoot at the screen. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

How it works is that you fire balls at the screen in order to defeat enemy waves in Space Invaders: Counter Attack, as you would do in regular Space Invaders. Up to two players can play at once. However, danger will literally creep closer to the player during boss fights, as now you need to fire at the physical aliens approaching from the back of the machine and heading toward the player. By shooting at them repeatedly, you’ll push them back and repel them.

There are five types of items that appear in Space Invaders: Counter Attack, such as Bombs that can blow away many Invaders at once, as well as Repair, which repairs your gun. Whoever shoots at the item first will get it and its effects.

Space Invaders: Counter Attack sports a design that is reminiscent of the original Space Invaders arcade cabinet.

Incidentally, the game seems to have the same idea as another Space Invaders arcade title, Space Invaders Frenzy. That particular title has players firing light guns, which are shown on screen as lasers firing towards your target reticle. With Space Invaders: Counter Attack, players have a target scope to aim better, but there is no target reticle, meaning it’s entirely up to the player’s own sense of accuracy.

Check out Space Invaders Frenzy below:

Currently, it’s unknown if Space Invaders: Counter Attack will launch in arcades. For now, it might just be a demonstration of new technology that combines video games and mechanical arcade games.