Play Space Invaders - The Original Game Online

Those pixel aliens march down faster the closer they get—you’re sliding left and right, squeezing off shots while their lasers rain down. Clearing a wave still gives that same little rush.

Developer: Taito

Genre: Shoot 'em up

Released: 1997

File size: 257 bytes

Game Overview

Space Invaders on SNES is basically the arcade classic you remember, but with that sweet 16-bit polish. Those blocky aliens still creep down the screen in their weirdly hypnotic formation, but now they’ve got sharper edges and the explosions pop a little brighter. Same frantic back-and-forth—dodging their shots while picking them off one by one—but the controls feel just right on a Super Nintendo pad.

What surprised me was how tense it gets when they speed up near the bottom. You think you’ve got a rhythm going, then suddenly they’re practically on top of your cannon and you’re mashing the fire button like your life depends on it (which, in-game, it kinda does). That little victory jingle after clearing a wave? Still weirdly satisfying after all these years.

It’s not fancy, but that’s the point. You’ll either zone out for a quick round or get stubborn trying to beat your high score. Either way, those pew-pew laser sounds are permanently etched into my brain now.