Villordsutch reviews Invasive Species on ZX Spectrum…
In today’s Homebrew Reviews on the ZX Spectrum you become one of the most vile creatures on the planet – a summer destroying wasp – as you attempt to keep the garden in which you live clean of all things not you.
Loading Invasive Species from Sludge and with the cracking title music from Yerzmyey, I was initially met with a screen in which I didn’t know a) who was my character nor b) what I was supposed to be doing. On the pleasant looking box art, all that’s revealed is that you’re Willy the Wasp and numerous insects have descended upon the gardens of Blighty. Other than that there is no mention of keys or a clear instruction.
After a browse on the web, it soon became clear that a colour marker in the bottom left indicates what large creature needs to be stung to make your way towards the end of the level, and this changes after each creature is removed. Whilst you’re in the process of Wasp-like extermination, you’re being swarmed by numerous smaller insects that you can also dispose of; however doing this brings in vicious blue ladybirds who cannot be killed, which slowly follow you around the screen. Add to this a plant that grows tall midway through the level that if you don’t dispose of can half your play area instantly!
Once you’ve got the basics of Invasive Species under your belt, this game with its rather colourful Pssst-like sprites and frantic gameplay becomes both addictive and extremely fun to play. There is a lot going on within just one screen and it takes some quick thinking to control the play; once you see the exit appear you let out a breath of relief then you realise you need to get past a horde of blue ladybirds.
Invasive Species is available for all ZX Spectrums (except 16K) and runs on all emulators. It can be downloaded here for free.
Originally published June 18, 2016. Updated June 30, 2023.
