[2 Minute Review] Space Invaders Extreme (PSP)

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Can a thirty year old game that uses old gameplay be updated for the sound bite generation?

The fine folks at Taito (now a Square Enix company) have taken a classic formula—and made it extreme—with a few surprises.

DO: Uh, it’s Space Invaders. Invaders have come from space in tight formations and your ship moves left and right and pew! pews! the enemy.

TYPE: Classic arcade (from the late 1970s). In this day it’s called casual.

PLATFORM: PSP (reviewed here) and DS

PRICE: $19.99

MEAT: Quite possibly, Space Invaders was the first videogame I ever played. I could not pass up nostalgia. Taito has taken the old formula and improved it quite a bit—while keeping that same, familiar 30-year-old play. What’s new? Shooting different colored invaders in chains can net you bonus weapons. (The laser is a nice touch.) The catch is that the bonus weapons have a time limit. However, you can “lock” them in place by holding down a shoulder button. Your ship then fires its normal bullets. Let go of the lock and it’s back to the bonus weapon. The game has various levels and some challenging bosses. Yes, bosses.

PERKS: refreshing update to old gameplay; trippy, Lumines-like visuals and music; strategic bosses; bonus weapons; bonus levels; ability to shoot the invaders missiles; DS version has wi-fi play and rankings

SCREAMS: to be on Xbox Live like Pacman C.E.; to have online leaderboards; Uh…PSP online play? WTH? It’s not that complex.

VERDICT: +. Own it on PSP for shiny visuals or the DS for bragging rights. Young gamers should give it a try.

June 30, 2008 | Nat | Filed Under 2 Minute Reviews, Casual Games, NDS, PSP 

Comments

8 Responses to “[2 Minute Review] Space Invaders Extreme (PSP)”

  1. Jeffool on July 1st, 2008 6:39 am

    You’re not the first to say this title is worthwhile… I think I”ll have to partake.

  2. Zack Hiwiller on July 1st, 2008 10:56 am

    Have it for DS. Beautifully simple. Was going to blog about it myself but got caught up in various things. Still may. Don’t use subjects in my sentences anymore.

  3. flamingsquirrel on July 1st, 2008 12:44 pm

    The music is freaking awesome, I could just sit on the “press start” menu and listen to it for a while.

  4. Tony on July 1st, 2008 10:17 pm

    I’ll play it just for the pew, pews.

    Nicely done, Nat.

  5. flamingsquirrel on July 2nd, 2008 10:24 am

    They are most excellent pew pews, Tony, most excellent.

  6. Boon on July 3rd, 2008 8:59 am

    I’ve been playing through the DS version accompanied by the DS Lite paddle, and it’s quiet exquisite.

    Great review, Nat!

  7. Tony on July 16th, 2008 12:36 am

    @Boon - where did you get the DS Lite paddle? Is that the one that comes with the Arkanoid import?

  8. First Impressions Galore : buttonmashing.com on August 18th, 2008 1:31 pm

    [...] reading Nat’s review, I had to give it a try. This game is a blast. The re-imagining of Space Invaders was done perfect. [...]

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