Gameosaurus Contributing nothing to the debate since 2009!

Console-Comparative/Informative Review: "Space Invaders Extreme"

I'm generally wary when developers remake a game, or add an entry to a game's series, by merely tacking on a buzz word like "Super" or "Extreme" and then running said franchise into the ground with lackluster improvements and game-breaking mistakes. It's happened many, many times. But for every bad Super/Extreme/Ultimate version of a game, there's a good one too. So you hedge your bets and give these things a try, hoping for the best.

Indeed, during the '80s and '90s, the original 1978 arcade hit SPACE INVADERS was ported and graphically enhanced for nearly a dozen different platforms. Despite making huge waves in the early world of arcade gaming, Taito allowed their classic arcade shooter to lie dormant for some time. But after Taito was bought out by Square Enix, the good folks at Square Enix did what they do best: milk all the possible potential out of a franchise. SPACE INVADERS EXTREME is an example of how you do the whole "remake" thing right, particularly for classic arcade titles.

Boss fight! (Stage 3 boss, hard version)

To mark the 30th anniversary of the classic game, Square Enix released two versions of their fully upgraded Space Invaders Extreme to the public in late 2008: one for the DS, and another for the PSP. Six months later, on Xbox Live Arcade, a third version of the game was released, featuring four-player online modes and optional expansions. The game was a big enough hit that Square Enix and Taito have already released a sequel, SPACE INVADERS EXTREME 2, exclusively for the DS (arguably the most interesting platform for the title, due to the two screens and the tall orientation).

The reason the remake is so successful? There is no one reason, but in my time playing the game, I've been able to observe a few reasons why the game is addictive enough for today's audience that you'd want to keep going back to it, the same way it was once such a wonderful novelty 30 years ago.

The basic gameplay is the same. You're a little space ship stuck to the bottom of the screen, only able to move left and right, and you shoot vertically at waves of alien ships, grouped in different formations. You shoot up, the enemy shoots down. You avoid their shots, and you hit them. That's the basis of Space Invaders.

DS version does boss fights and bonus rounds in double-screen, super-tall mode.

Extreme adds a whole bunch of fun stuff. For starters, there are the power-ups. The four basic power-ups are a bomb (area of effect explosions on contact), a broad shot (five vertical beams instead of one), a laser (persistent, death-dealing blue beam of awesomeness), and a shield. These four power-ups are generally obtained by killing four enemies of the same color in a row, with different colors corresponding to the power-ups. The three offensive power-ups also have "super" versions that can be obtained in bonus rounds: bigger bomb explosions, wider broad shots, and an undeflectable giant blue laser (this last power-up is undoubtedly the coolest thing in the game). Each power-up has an ideal situation for use between each wave of enemies, as the waves are scripted per stage and are in no way randomized.

(Also know that there are a few more special guns to obtain in bonus rounds; they're hard to describe, but generally, they're quite destructive.)

Then there are the boss fights. These are most fun (and most complicated) on the DS, because the action takes place across both screens. In one fight (stage 4 boss), you have to ricochet your bullets on regular enemies in front of you, have them bounce back, dodge the bullet, and have it hit the boss (who is behind you). It's the only time in the game that your ship is positioned on the top screen. Genius idea? Yes! But also a frustrating and difficult boss, to be sure.

The game's presentation is another strong point. Visually, the game retains its pixelated roots by intentionally designing everything in pixelated blocks. But the animation is incredibly smooth, and the graphical effects are fantastic. In the background of each level, a continually-looped movie plays. It's faded dark enough so that the action on the screen takes prominence, but this colorful addition to the game really helps to make it stand out.

The audio is also fantastic. The soundtrack is a great blend of electronica (with an emphasis on blending chiptunes and modern synth), but the real treat is that every single shot fired has a sound effect played in time with the music. Depending on which beat, or whether you're on the beat or hitting in-between beats, a different tone might play when you fire. If your bullet hits a shield, you hear a cymbal crash. And if the bullet is deflected, you'll hear a different sound. If your bullet hits an enemy's bullet instead of an enemy, that makes a unique sound as well. But no matter what, the sound effects are processed alongside the rhythm of the music playing. Whoever programmed this was a genius.

Never thought I'd associate high-end graphics with Space Invaders. But the XBLA version is stunning.

My two complaints about the game are as follows: the difficulty curve gets a little ridiculous, and the game could offer more content. There are only five stages in the game, but stage 3 has an "A" and "B" version, stage 4 has A B C, and stage 5 has A B C D. This branching path for stages can only be traveled based on high scores. If you stick to the "A" Path, the game is tremendously easy. But if you get a high enough score (and thus, rank) for the stage, you have the option to proceed down a harder path. And let me tell you, 5-D is just absurdly difficult. I've been playing the game for months and still cannot beat it. Even 5-C was a huge challenge that took me over a dozen attempts to complete.

But if I did beat 5-D, that would be the last thing I have to do. I've played the same stages over and over, in basically the same modes. The setup is great, but we need more content! The XBLA version of Space Invaders Extreme offers some remedy with the downloadable content and a great multiplayer mode, but even that isn't enough. Hopefully, SIE2 will save the day with all of its new modes and additional stages.

Taito and Square Enix set the framework for a great casual shooter. Now just tweak it, balance the difficulty, and throw tons of content in, and we'll have something that nears perfection. But Space Invaders Extreme, even with these complaints, is a super-fun game that utilizes a classic arcade title in the best of ways. So, whether it's the two-screen DS version, the wide-screen PSP version, or the extra-content XBLA version, you're in for a 4-out-of-5 experience.