Retro Battle Royales like Tetris 99 proved to be a decent hit on the Nintendo Switch, and Space Invaders may be a great choice for the next one.

Games like Tetris 99 and Pac-Man 99 have brought classic arcade games to the battle royale genre, and it should not stop there. While Tetris and Pac-Man may be some of the most iconic retro titles, Space Invaders is still one of the biggest names in arcade gaming. Players have spent hours in the arcade shooting alien spaceships as they attempt to get the high score, and the thrill of its gameplay loop has made it one of the highest-grossing arcade video games of all time.

Space Invaders is fondly remembered as a part of the early golden age of arcade video games that shot arcade cabinets into popular culture and made them one of the primary channels for new titles. It has since been re-released multiple times across different platforms, and hundreds of Space Invaders clones have also hit store shelves. The pixelated aliens have become a major part of video game pop culture, and the game continues to be pretty popular with arcade players. It seems like a shoo-in to get the Tetris 99 treatment, and it could be another fun addition to the Nintendo Switch Online catalog.

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Tetris 99 was the first retro battle royale released on the Nintendo Switch, and it was included with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. 99 players compete against each other by playing their own games of Tetris. As players clear lines in their own game, they can send lines to an opponent which can be a bit of a nuisance. Players continue clearing their own Tetris while also trying to prevent their board from filling up with these new lines. It was a unique version of the classic game, and it provided a decent amount of fast-paced fun.

During the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., Nintendo added Super Mario Bros. 35 to the Nintendo Switch Online catalog. The game brought the retro battle royale style to the original Super Mario Bros. and had 35 players compete against each other across the original levels. In 2021, Nintendo added Pac-Man 99 to the catalog and further expanded the retro battle royale genre. Just like the two games before it, Pac-Man 99 had 99 players compete in simultaneous Pac-Man games until there was only one left playing. Both titles were refreshing takes on some of gaming's most iconic titles, and the series should not stop there.

While these retro battle royales have put fun spins on a couple of classics, one of the most popular arcade games has still not gotten this treatment. Space Invaders is a staple of arcade gaming, and its gameplay has been pulling players in for years. Having to fly across the screen shooting down aliens that are slowly descending upon the player is a lot of fun, and it can get pretty stressful as the difficulty ramps up. If a developer added 98 other players to the mix then it would become both more stressful and more fun.

Having 99 players play Space Invaders simultaneously seems like the next obvious step for the retro battle royale series. Each alien someone killed could be sent to an opposing player's game, and the slowest players would soon have an armada to deal with. It could very quickly get overwhelming with only the fastest players able to make it to the end. The developer could throw in some new enemy types and power-ups, and it could become one of the wildest retro battle royales to date.

Nintendo Switch Online has added a retro battle royale to its catalog every year since 2019, but there has not been one in 2022 yet. The end of 2022 is fast approaching and there has been no news of another title likeTetris 99, but it is a subgenre of battle royale that should be expanded upon with even more classic arcade games. If the concept can work for Pac-Man and Tetris then the possibles are almost endless, and Space Invaders could be the perfect next step.

MORE: Other Classic Games That Deserve the Tetris 99 Treatment

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