I don’t know about you, but I love cake and will pretty much do anything to have some. However, my adoration would cease to exist the moment violence was mentioned. You may think I’m weak, but I’m not risking my existence for some yummy treats. Cake Invaders is different! Its protagonists will risk life and limb for every morsel on offer.
Developed by ZOO Corporation and Eastasiasoft Limited and published by the latter, this is a casual arcade shooter. Its colourful aesthetic and odd theme are heavily influenced by Japanese culture and subsequently, it’s an eyebrow-raiser. Playing out from a fixed-screen perspective it is reminiscent of Space Invaders and is equally addictive.
Cake Invaders makes no sense.
I never worry whether a game makes sense or not, yet Cake Invaders is utterly absurd. Its loose story and repetitive action could turn off many gamers. However, I suggest you get accustomed to the madness. See, once you allow the stupidity to wash over you, you won’t want to put it down!
The story revolves around the famous German Baumkuchen cake and the Japanese people’s love of this Bavarian delicacy. Allegedly, they will stop at nothing to protect their treats, even if this involves killing invading aliens. A never-ending army of intergalactic warriors swarm you and you must shoot until they fall from the sky. As I said, it has a strange plot but its simplicity gets under your skin.
Arcade action at its best.
Normally I despise simple titles. A lack of complexity usually annoys me and I get bored easily. However, Cake Invaders is different. Its straightforward approach and hectic nature make it the perfect arcade title. Once you understand the fundamentals, you’ll nail your foes with a barrage of projectiles. From this moment, you’ll learn how to thwart your opponents while protecting your precious snacks.
You can select from only one game mode and this was slightly disappointing. The developers could have taken inspiration from Atari’s “Recharge” series and added some enjoyable challenges. However, this wasn’t to be and all the fun was experienced in one place.
The never-ending survival action asks you to defend the Baumkuchen cake from unrelenting invaders. Wave after wave will attack and you must use your minigun and power-ups to defend your land. As you progress, you’ll find new weapons, add defenders to your team, and face faster, stronger, and more aggressive aliens. It relies on some skill but mainly luck and consequently it’ll drive you mad.
Cake Invaders is gloriously retro.
I love garish and vivid arcade games as their retro ways are always charming. Luckily, Cake Invaders goes one step further with its ever-changing backdrops and glorious sprites. The pixelated imagery is a little rough, but this matter not as the fast-paced action is all a blur. Furthermore, the variety of weapons and enemies ensures that it doesn’t become tiresome.
Where I wasn’t so impressed was the audio. Its upbeat music and loud sound effects were serviceable, but they offered nothing new. It was very generic and could have been plucked from any other game. Subsequently, it lacks that memorable edge that most retro titles are famous for.
Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.
With no character movement and a fixed-screen perspective, this is easy to play. You simply stand proudly upon your cake while aiming your crosshairs. Ammo is easily selected with a push of a button and you focus on little else. Therefore, you’ll have this mastered in minutes thanks to its basic layout and responsive controls. The straightforward to understand approach goes a long way to help you top both the local and global leaderboard.
This is where the replay value is enhanced! Without the leaderboard, you may tire of the conceptually repetitive gameplay. Fortunately, your competitive juices will flow as you compete for the highest score. Moreover, this is a completionist’s dream, as it is completed in under 20 minutes.
Cake Invaders is so bizarre that it’s great.
I’ll admit that my opening moments with this were full of regret. I didn’t see the point in it as its bizarre, lacks direction, and I wanted to explore the surrounding world. But I’m glad I put my doubts to one side as this is a great arcade title. Yes, it lacks depth, it’s bizarre, and it’s repetitive, yet I loved it. It’s moreish, childish, but I didn’t care. If you want something easy, casual, and competitive, then I recommend you to buy it here! Aliens are welcome whenever they wish, but not if it’s for our cake. If they come for this, then it’s war!
