It’s safe to say that anyone with an interest in videogames has played some incarnation of Space Invaders. The simple formula of shooting at a slowly descending formation of aliens, which moves faster with every alien you shoot, is as challenging and compelling today as it ever was. When this classic game reached its 30th anniversary, Taito thought it was time to do something really special for those Space Invaders fans. Re-releasing the game would be useless, but how about remaking it? Can the words ‘Space Invaders’ and ‘remake’ even be uttered in the same sentence without gamers flipping out and crying sacrilege? Turns out that they can, because not only have Taito remade the game in a very exciting way, they have inadvertently created something that is a great game in its own right.
Where did they get these weapons from???
Essentially, Space Invaders Extreme (SIE) is a game that updates the core Space Invaders formula with some modern features and ideas, doing for Space Invaders what Pac-Man: Championship Edition did for Pac-Man. Haven’t played Pac-Man: CE? Okay then, imagine Space Invaders if it was made by Q Entertainment. Never played a Q Entertainment game? Then read on for a more detailed explanation! (Oh, and make a mental note to buy some games in the near future)
As it always was and always will be, SIE sees you controlling a ship and shooting aliens for high scores. The first major difference is that the destructible shields have been removed, immediately changing the conservative, defensive game into a more wide-open attacking one. The invaders still move back and forth and inch closer to the bottom, but there are some small changes. Firstly, some waves behave differently- some see the invaders disappearing on one side of the screen to re-appear on the other, instead of hitting a wall when they reach the edge. Others see the invaders eschewing horizontal movement and simply moving towards the bottom of the screen. Secondly, the attributes of the invaders will vary. Some waves contain giant invaders that take multiple hits to defeat, while others have tiny invaders that are harder to hit. Some carry shields that require multiple hits to take out, others have reflective shields, and some require two hits to defeat but will move quickly to the bottom of the screen if hit once. There are many others, but it would take too long to explain every single one. Suffice to say, the invaders have learned plenty of tricks in the past 30 years and you need to stay on your toes to counter them all.
'SPLOSION!
The biggest change to the invaders is that they come in different colours. Shooting four of the same colour (except white) will give you a weapon upgrade, or in the case of black ones, a temporary shield. Shooting consecutive invaders of the same colour or shape will net more points and activate certain features (ie. eight of the same shape makes all the invaders the same colour), as will eliminating rows and columns of similar invaders. UFOs are present in this game, but certain UFOs (that only appear after certain colour combinations have been achieved) will lead to a mini-game if they are destroyed, and these mini-games take up both screens. Even the bog-standard UFOs have been given an upgrade, with different colours providing different functions (the green one, for example, deploys more invaders!). Also, each stage ends with a boss battle that takes up two screens.
Despite all of these gameplay tweaks, the most immediately apparent change to the game lies with the presentation. The graphics are bright and colourful, with various flashing lights and special effects adding to the fun. The sound is an example of music being incorporated directly into the gameplay (which some have dubbed ‘synaesthesia’). This was sort of present in the original game- after all, the only music was the sound the invaders made as they moved, hence the music got faster as you killed more of them- but SIE takes it to a whole other level. Every shot fired, every exploding invader, every shot that hits an enemy shield, and every shot that hits an enemy shot, creates a certain sound effect/musical note that differs depending on the stage. The whole thing has a Q Entertainment feel (Lumines being the most obvious example) and works surprisingly well, adding interest and excitement to the game while also adding to the atmosphere.
The major selling point for this game is that it is compatible with the amazing, brilliant, totally awesome DS Paddle Controller! Unlike Arkanoid DS, SIE is still a solid game if you decide to use the D-Pad, but the Paddle adds so much more to the game that you’re really missing out if you don’t use it. The full analogue control it provides allows for amazing accuracy (which, in a game where you can get points for accuracy, is important), making it easier to pinpoint certain colours and shapes or even shoot between columns of invaders to hit other invaders. It also means that, instead of moving at a fixed speed as you do with the D-Pad, the ship will move as fast (or as slow) as you can turn the wheel, allowing you to move quicker and get out of trouble easier. On top of all this, the mini-games, which I found practically unplayable with the D-Pad, are much more beatable and enjoyable with the Paddle Controller. If you’re thinking that the game sounds too easy when using the Paddle, don’t. It still gets very intense and challenging, it’s just that when the invaders’ shots start falling like rain and you’re trying desperately to match colours to get more powerful weapons, you’ll be thankful for that extra precision.
When space invaders take steroids
The last thing to mention is that the game contains Wi-Fi support. This allows you to play multiplayer over the Internet or upload high scores to global leaderboards. As far as multiplayer goes, it is a unique gameplay mode where every invader you kill is stored, and shooting a UFO causes all of your stored invaders to appear on your opponent’s screen. Shooting the same colour consecutively will not give you weapon upgrades, but shooting certain colours will decide what sort of invaders are unleashed on your opponent when you hit the UFO. It’s a cool mode and it even has a VS CPU practice mode, but you cannot use the Paddle Controller while playing it. Apparently, Taito thought Paddle users would have an unfair advantage so they simply prohibited it’s use in Wi-Fi matches, and uploaded high scores that were achieved with the Paddle Controller will even have a ‘P’ next to them to let other people know which control method was used.
Overall, SIE is an excellent update to a much-loved classic, and a great game in its own right. The only complaint I can really think of is that the game does not include the original Space Invaders, a game which I still waste heaps of coins on whenever I can. Aside from that, SIE is fun and challenging, with a surprising amount of depth and complexity as you aim for the biggest combos and highest scores. It’s a great game that suits the DS perfectly, and comes highly recommended to any fan of shooting or puzzle games!
By Mr_M
Graphics: A-
Excellent 2D sprites, rich colours and a smooth frame rate.
Sound: A+
The entire soundtrack is brilliantly executed and ties directly into the gameplay. Don’t mute this one!
Gameplay: A+
The synaesthesia update works extremely well, particularly on the DS. Fast, frantic, and fun, with online support, bosses and minigames that use both screens, and the amazing Paddle Controller!
Overall: A-
Whether you have a Paddle Controller or not, this is a great game that should be checked out!
