I’ll admit it, I’m a child of the 80s when it comes to arcade games, especially when it comes to Space Invaders-type games. That’s why I jumped at the chance to review Drone Invaders.
Overview
Drone Invaders is a slide and shoot aliens attack game without the sliding. Invaders come flying into view from the top of the screen, and you tap on the screen to fire your missiles at them. While you have an unlimited amount of ammo to fire at the invaders, you do have to reload from time to time. Usually when things are getting really hectic.
In addition to the waves of aliens, you’ll be faced with a “boss” alien every 10 levels. The boss requires more shots to kill, and the whole time you’re shooting at him, he’s sending more waves of his minions at you, trying to take you out.
In some levels, moons, planets, and other celestial bodies will provide a hiding place for the attackers, making them just a bit tougher to kill. Don’t worry, you can use an atomic bomb power-up to blow the planets up. More about that below.
The invaders won’t shoot at you, your ship is off screen, and you never see it, but they are trying to reach the bottom of the screen, and if they do, it’s Game Over Man! Luckily, you can grab enhanced weapons, and take advantage of shields to protect yourself if the aliens do reach their target. Don’t get too comfortable though, as the shields only last just so long.
As you fight, random power-ups will float across the screen, shoot the power-ups to gain upgrades for your side. Completing missions helps you upgrade faster. The game offers daily challenges every 24 hours, and weekly challenges provide even great rewards. Along the way you can grab permanent weapon and shields upgrades that last from level to level. This allows playing in short bursts whenever you have time, and still being able to accomplish goals.
Verdict
I enjoyed playing Drone Invaders. The game brought back memories of playing Space Invaders, Galaxian, and Gorf in the arcades back in my younger days. The game is simple to play, yet can get quite involving, and offers a number of power-up to access when the going gets tough.
The game is a great one to sit and play for hours, or just the 10 minutes you’re waiting for your carryout order at your local sandwich shop. Some potential players might be turned off by the $1.99 price of admission, but at least this way, the developers aren’t nickel and diming you for extra ammo and power-ups while you’re playing.
Rating: 4.0/5.0[rating:4.0]
Price: $1.99 – Available for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in the App Store. (It’s a Universal app.) [GET IT HERE]
What I really liked:
- Great retro-style space shooter action
- Simple to learn, but keeps challenging you
- No in-app purchases
- If you liked Space Invaders or Galaxian, you’ll like this game
- Starts out slow, but soon becomes very challenging
*Note: The above review was commissioned by the developer in accordance with our app review policy, and has been written in an objective, unbiased fashion.
