Cake Invaders | PS4 Review

Do you fancy a Space Invaders fix, but want something that takes that oldschool arcade formula to the next level? Dare I say it, but I think EastAsiaSoft, and ZOO Games have just the game for you. At a budget price, no less. Complete with competitive value, and online leaderboards to conquer. The game in question is none other than "Cake Invaders". As the title suggests it's all about cakes, and invaders that want to devour said cakes. As an army of female space cadets sporting gatling guns you are tasked with defending the Baumkuchen cakes underneath your feet. The catch is that you face neverending waves of hungry invaders hellbent on suicide bombing, and shooting your Baumkuchen into oblivion. To counter the threat you have three types of ammo. One being infinite in supply, and the other two refillable through power-ups. That, and randomized perks that add such things as the aid of assisting space cadets, faster bullet fire, and protective shields for your Baumkuchen cakes.

Gameplay is simple in 'Cake Invaders' as described in the paragraph above, and it follows closely the Space Invaders inspiration, if ever so slightly. The biggest difference being the power-up, and perk mechanics which enhance the defensive formula setup by it's inspiration. You start off controlling one female space cadet, and use Left Thumbstick to aim a crosshair and your gatling gun towards descending, and passing invaders. As you kill off the limited number of invaders per wave, and attempt to defend all five Baumkuchen you will earn points, and the opportunity to nab more ammo types as well as perks that enhance your chances at defense. The fight comes in waves, and waves are endless. Offering up the finest of leaderboard opportunities for a game like this. At the end of each given wave a tally of points is added up and rewarded for a perfect clear, hit bonus, clear bonus, and skill/perk collecting. 

As far as enemies go there's a small variety of different types that each attack in different patterns. Some fly horizontally across the screen while others descend in different ways towards your Baumkuchen. Others still fire projectiles that will take layers off of your Baumkuchen if they hit. In general anything that hits your Baumkuchen cakes, and gets past your defenses is bad. That being said once a Baumkuchen cake is obliterated there's really no need to focus on defending that area as enemies landing there will not hurt your cadet friends or other Baumkuchen. In fact you can still get a perfect clear bonus if you miss invader targets that hit where Baumkuchen used to be.

In the end each playthrough's success relies mostly upon the skills/perks you get, and whether or not other space cadets join in via those skills/perks. It's kind of roguelike in that sense, and offers different scoring opportunities with each playthrough. It should be noted that in the options menu there is a slider for thumbstick aiming speed, and this feature alone holds significant sway on success. I strongly suggest sliding it's slider all the way to the right for max effect.

The Verdict ...

This is the type of game hi-score hounds dream of. It offers infinite replay value, and an easy platinum trophy for those of you looking to up your platinum trophy count. While the game does lack enemy variety, and the roguelike elements muddy the competition a bit by changing the possible success of each playthrough with randomized elements it is still a worthy addition to any shmup lover's library. Just keep in mind your playthroughs will vary. That you'll have some playthroughs cut short quickly, and others that take you hundreds of waves in.