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By Anthony Swinnich on June 26th, 2008
It’s been 30 years since Space Invaders first stormed arcades, and it’s taken just about as long for another worthwhile installment in the series to come out. Space Invaders Extreme may be three decades the original game’s junior, but don’t let that fool you. This young upstart of a game adds a smattering of modern elements to the mix and finally updates the classic Invaders formula successfully. This is an anniversary party worth attending.
"... an anniversary party worth attending."
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It’s clear from the onset of the first level that the basics haven’t changed. You have a small ship that moves from left to right, and your task is blasting slowly descending waves of aliens out of the sky before they reach the ground you’re protecting. That’s been the basic Space Invaders formula since the Carter Administration; it worked then and it certainly isn’t broken now. But functional isn’t good enough in this day and age, so Taito wisely expanded the gameplay in creative but fitting ways. Space Invaders Extreme mixes elements in from modern shooters to create something addictive and engaging. The game sports a flashy presentation reminiscent of Rez, with swirling backgrounds and trippy colors. The aliens are all of a different hue -- kill four of the same color and a power-up drops onto the stage. This adds a surprisingly deep level of strategy when deciding how to dismantle a wave of enemies. Do you worry about that low riding red guy who’s a move or two away from the bottom, or do you chance getting that fourth blue guy for the laser and hope to get back in position in time? These minor strategic decisions are a welcome addition to the formerly mindless blastfest the series is known for.
"The new enemy types do a lot to diversify the gameplay..."
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The new enemy types do a lot to diversify the gameplay as well. Some of the enemies have shields, or are quarter-sized. Some are bigger and take more shots, or some take a bullet and start careening toward the bottom of the screen. UFOs still fly across the top of the screen, but hitting them sometimes initiates a bonus round or distributes a power-up. The boss fights that cap the levels off are fairly creative as well. One of the fights has you breaking through an enemy Arkanoid style to get to his weak points. Another fight places the boss below you, and you have to rebound your shots off the shielded enemies above you. Be sure to avoid your own bullets. The ability to upload your scores via the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection is a nice touch, but less competitive gamers will find solace in the game’s unlimited continues. The game’s addictive nature and smooth difficulty curve makes Space Invaders Extreme an incredibly accessible title, and the cheap-o price point means curiosity won’t cost a lot. If you’ve been hankering for an update to this classic series this is the one to check out.
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