Space Invaders Part II is a sequel to Space Invaders released in 1979, with minor gameplay tweaks and variations. It was likely named "Part II" rather than simply "II" due to either the lack of major gameplay changes or the naming schemes of movies at the time, like Back to the Future Part II. The game was designed by Tomohiro Nishikado for the purposes of clearing out arcade boards of the original game.
New Features[]
- The barriers now display the level number.
- The beginning of a level now has a cutscene showing the invaders descending from above.
- A new "blinking" UFO has been introduced, which rapidly changes between being invulnerable and normal. It rewards 500 points.
- UFOs after level 2 have the ability to deploy new Squid Invaders onto the top row. Hitting an alien while it's being deployed causes it to turn upside-down, then sideways, then become a part of the player's barriers. This is likely a glitch.
- After level 3, Crab Invaders have a chance to split into 2 Shapeshifting Invaders, which reward 30 points.
- After every level, the player will see a cutscene where the last invader killed flies away on an escape UFO, emitting an SOS signal. Occasionally, a variant of this cutscene plays, where the UFO encounters "engine trouble" and the invader flies away.
- While present in the original game as a glitch, the Rainbow feature, where a singular Octopus Invader creates a trail and can warp to the bottom of the stage, now rewards 500 points. If this Octopus came from the bottom left corner of the swarm, it will reward 1,000 points.
Legacy[]
While the game is nowhere near as popular or successful as the first game, it has still been remembered and referenced in later games in the series. In Space Invaders Revolution, the Shapeshifters reappear in some levels. After the credits of Space Invaders Infinity Gene, there's a chance a Blinking UFO will fly across the screen. In Space Invaders Extreme, the game can be played in the form of free DLC. The game also appears in the Space Invaders Invincible Collection.