SPACE INVADERS: THE BOARD GAME Review with Tom Vasel

[@andyrausch3479]

Have you played Under Falling Skies? Now THAT is Space Invaders!

[@beekayboy]

yeah, and it's awesome

[@joeweber4563]

I have to agree. I backed this on Kickstarter and just got my copy. The game *looks* cool. They have all of the graphics and fonts to make it feel like the video game. But the game play is not that great. This will probably sit on my shelf as a decoration because the box is cool, but it is unlikely to hit the table again.

[@brianw3880]

Agreed. Pretty meh game. Functional and looks nice, but meh. Probably can't sell it so it will be just a cool box. Maybe I'll redesign it as a project and see if I can get it to work sometime

[@IronSalamander8]

I kickstarted this as I am of an age where this arcade game was an important part of my childhood. And later of course, on my Atari 2600, Commodore 64 and so on. It was very late, the box it came in was zero protection and while my copy of the game was in decent shape, I'm lucky apparently; on top of this, the rule book is very poorly written just as you say, and having to peel the stickers off the bunkers killed my thumb, it was highly annoying and some people are missing them. The cards are indeed a hot mess and I had to go through them methodically to make sure everything was ok. I backed this mostly for nostalgia, not going to pretend otherwise. I'm not happy with how they've handled the campaign and the game itself just doesn't inspire. A few years ago I KSed Starcade which is a little box of cards and tokens and cheaper and faster than this and I feel it's a better game too. I'm not pleased with what I got and I didn't even have any problems unlike a lot of the people on the Kickstarter. This is the worst campaign I've ever backed, which shows I'm pretty lucky as at least I got the game. Very disappointed in this game and I wonder if Taito is unhappy with their name being on this product. I want to reiterate that the rule book is horrible, it's that bad. Good review Tom, I would keep people from this one which is a sad thing, but needs to be said.

[@John-lo5mk]

I second this 100%

[@whatbrains]

The new studio looks great Tom!

[@vonwoolf9963]

Flipships is the Space Invader for my gaming group :-)

[@RPDekka]

So glad I tapped out of the Kickstarter.

[@IronSalamander8]

I stayed in because I loved this game as a kid but I don't blame you one bit.

[@nitorishogiplayer3465]

I was thinking maybe it would be a game where you get enemies slowly moving towards you so it was surprising they didn't include that, which felt like the biggest point of the video game. That's a shame.

[@mabos555]

Oooo 😱😱 Tom played solo again? I just too much happy for that

[@psyoptic]

If you want good board games that feel like Space Invaders, play Flipships or Under Falling Skies (1 player)

[@Calistake047]

So, Under Falling Skies did Space Invaders better than Space Invaders did 👍

[@nothing3376]

Cool studio! Can’t wait for a tour

[@kaneklenko]

Can’t say much yet, but something may be coming soon that you’ll enjoy more.

[@nickbutler7207]

From you, I hope it's real time. 😃

[@JT-mq6oc]

Ooooo.... Curious....

[@g.dot.infinitileone6213]

Que?

[@richardviguurs5488]

I'm sure you can make something better than this :-)

[@willburke2917]

I think this is a result of under fallen skies releasing and people saying "oh this is a board game version of space invaders." So the people with the property rights to space invaders went for a cash grab and obviously had played dominion.

[@TheClyd3Man]

UFS came in after this had already funded on Kickstarter. Also did a way better job and replicating the feel of Space Invaders.

[@RuNacken]

@@TheClyd3Man Although the 9-card contest where UFS debuted came before that I think. But even though there was some traction then, I doubt that was what triggered the license-holders.

[@PetrVojtech]

Interested in Space Invaders board game, have a look at Bossin' Space!

[@Bodyknock]

The Battle at Kemble's Cascade seems like a much better board game version of a Space Invaders style game. (It's actually more like Galaga than Space Invaders but close enough.) The board is made of rows that actually scroll down toward the bottom and you have a big boss ship that comes in at the end. Or there's Under Falling Skies which is Space Invader-ish, shooting aliens coming down toward your base using dice management. (Between these two games I'd say Under Falling Skies is the better one, but Battle at Kemble's Cascade is decent enough. 😄 )

[@Andural69]

Thank you Tom

[@ntmetroid]

Think I’ll stick with Under Falling skies. That is pretty much the perfect board game implementation of space invaders

[@gnobahdi]

Fortunately, I can count on one hand duds I've backed, including this one, but I really need to change the way I make my decisions to back a game. I should stop being lazy and read every rule book to get an idea of what I'm getting in to. I've only done that one or two times. Even when they offer to play it on Tabletopia, I never go to play it.

[@MichaelB-jw5po]

I'm not sure how you mess up a Space Invaders board game. It seems like it should be simple to convert the mechanics of the video game over to a nice, simple board game. Why does it have to have all of this competitive deck building nonsense?

[@soogymoogi]

I don't know who saw Space Invaders and thought the mechanics of Dominion would fit well on it... personally I see something like a flicking game or a co-op deckbuilder maybe, like an Aeon's End sort of thing but you're shooting up a wall of little guys instead of one big bad. Big miss here it sounds like.

[@richardviguurs5488]

If you want Space Invaders, better play Under Falling Skies. That's a great game!

[@Paul-ro6py]

Thanks for your honesty,. Agree with others here, Under Falling Skies is a great alternative

[@Feldingor]

Wait, wasn’t Space Invaders: The Board Game called Under Falling Skies? I’m confused…

[@Nayr090]

No, Under Falling Skies started out as a 9-card PnP contest entrant and winner that got fleshed out into a full board game by CGE.

[@sm5574]

I think Tom is wrong about the origin of this game. I think the company got the license and told the designer to do something with it. He decided to go the easy route and copy a popular game, just change the names. I agree that it isn't "just a cash grab", like some games are just slapped together with very little thought to them. But it certainly doesn't feel like anyone was trying to make a good Space Invaders game.

[@Lost13]

That's disappointing to hear. I backed this on kickstarter but haven't had a chance to play.

[@cronkitepercussion]

A Kickstarter????? 😲🤣🤣🤣

[@juancarloshernandez7052]

I don't want to be mean but the new studio feel more colder than the other one. I miss the warm feel (home like) of the old one.

[@sjbolton72]

Spot on analysis. I am from space invaders generation and this is NOT space invaders other than the name. Nothing nostalgic about the real game, does not bring back those nostalgic memories. Does not have the sense of urgency of the original as the game progressed. As a backer i want my money back and feel i’ve been lied to. nothing about this game will help to introduce people to the video game if they never played it. Great way to kill a great franchise.

[@jaimef5668]

I hope someone is able to take this board game make a better custom game out of it.

[@sys5907]

레트로 굿굿

[@ScytheNoire]

This made $123K on Kickstarter?!

[@fightingkitchen7960]

LOL he keeps saying Dominion.

[@yetcha]

You're right, the rules book is a mess. And I'm not a English mother language. Like the translation in French is horrorful. I don't understand a lots of things and that's a real big problem!!! So bad...

[@Super1eye]

Do you have a How to Play video? Bought the game as I am a huge fan of Space Invaders, but like you said, the rules lost me and still haven't played a game. Not impressed.

[@luminouslentil8510]

Yea, the instructions that come with it suck

[@69robtaylor]

I really wanted you to like this. Kinda expected it to be trash. Shame.