Even when I was a kid and Space Invaders was new, I knew that it was kind of cool, but also extremely plain. While it must have seemed totally revelatory when it first came out, I probably didn’t encounter it until well after more complicated and more colorful games, like Defender, were already out there. But I always found myself totally drawn to the actual design of the invaders themselves. They had a cool look to them that really stuck with me over the years, so much so that when it came time to start designing custom cars for Forza 2, one of the first things I did was study the pixels that made up the bottom row invaders so I could slap it onto a car.
Why am I telling you this? I don’t know, it seemed relevant at the time. But I really wanted to post about Space Invaders Extreme, a new PSP/DS release that’s currently out in Japan and will be heading to the US in June courtesy of Square Enix. I went ahead and got my hands on the PSP version and have been enjoying it a great deal… which is kind of weird, because for the most part, it’s, ya know, Space Invaders?
But it’s also pretty different than Space Invaders. It’s the sort of Space Invaders game that could only come out in a post-Lumines and post-WarioWare world. While it isn’t especially rhythm-heavy on the gameplay side, the game features a good soundtrack that properly pulsates with the action. And like WarioWare, it’s sort of crazy, occasionally whisking you away to different battles for a few seconds before tossing you right back into the main action. It also plays around with the conventions of Space Invaders a bit by occasionally tossing in shielded invaders that take more shots to kill, giant invaders that shoot huge lasers, and so on. The game also colors the invaders, and if you hit four invaders of the same color you get a bonus and a weapon power-up drops, giving you bomb shots with a wide radius on impact, a laser beam that devastates anything in your way, and more. The game keeps throwing racks of invaders at you until the level ends, at which point you fight a boss and move on to another area.
In addition to the single-player, you can also face off against another player or practice the two-player mode against an AI-based opponent. The multiplayer takes the Tetris approach, with each player having his own screen. If you do well, it sends more invaders over to the other player.
It’s not complicated, but so far, I’m really enjoying Space Invaders Extreme. It sticks to the Space Invaders basics while being just weird enough to keep me going. It’s mostly English, so you could import it now without missing out, but the domestic version is hitting in June for $19.99, which is around half as much as you’d pay to import it. Do your wallet a favor and wait.
Oh, and here’s a ten-minute video of the PSP version.
64 Comments
Looks pretty good. I hope it’s not more than $20 though. It should be on XBLA too.
Amazing how these classics can get re-imagined.
I enjoy the demo quite a bit as well and I still go back and play it occasionally, glad to see you’re enjoying the full game. It’s definitely on my pick-up list for June but I’m pretty sure it hits the same day as MGS4 which is a bummer
I played the DS Japanese version, it is soooo much fun.
I played Space Invader in the past and found it very plain, but I totally agree with Jeff that how the music and minigame and combo really make this game stylish and addictive. It feels like playing Lumines but with action.
The DS version has online Wifi (which the PSP version lacks), but I couldn’t find anyone to play with in random battles… I guess not many people are playing it?
i wonder if they’re doing anything crazy with the DS its 2 screens
wow just watched the video…. yet again one of those great games that just ask for alcohol to play them
Ooooh, pretty.
That looks nice. Kind of addicting too.
It would be nice to see an Xbox Live version.
wow . that looks friggin crazy .
This begs for an XBLA release a la Puzzle Quest.
I have played the PSP demo quite a bit even though it is only one stage and really like the strategy needed to get a high score. It is a lot of fun and I plan on picking it up.
It looks fun!
I love that game, but, i still dont understand how people can imagine such things as entire cities, stories, and lots of designs for games, and they dont re-design Space Invaders.
Todays tom sawyer,
He gets high on you,
And the space he invades
He gets by on you.
yh hope its XBLA
Well I never was a Space Invaders fan..But with all the little tweaks and the $20 tag…I might pick this up.
Looks really sharp. I doubt It´ll work as well on the DS tho. I´m getting the feeling you really want the higher res backgrounds and better colordepth and so forth here.
Ooh, it’s like Space Invaders but with a pretty background! I’ll buy it.
Looks like a cool little reimagining. I’ll be looking for it when it’s released.
this is all said and good but where is our how to build a bomb episode 4
Game looks like fun I might go check it out.
Play the PSP JAP version, addictive as hell. Could sit and play for hours, reminds me of the first encounters with Lumines. Ahh, happy times.
still no psp tab after this news. Psp owned
I think I’d pay like 15 bucks for this
how to build a bomb episode 4
That game looks surprisingly GREAT. It’s awesome to see a pseudo-sequel to an old classic that actually looks cool.
For $19.99 it’s a must-have.
I remember hitting up this shitty mall here when I was a kid and seeing Space Invaders on the Atari and thinking that it was the greatest thing I ever saw.
Then the other day I was playing The Simpsons game and there’s a level that is a throwback to Space Invaders and thought of how cool it would be to get a new sexy remake.
Then I come here today and see this. I’ll be buying this when it comes out for sure.
$20, I don’t know if I can pull the trigger on that. Maybe I’ll see something that changes my mind later but to me $20 and Space Invaders still doesn’t sound like a great deal. It still looks like just Space Invaders.
Where is “How to build a bomb” episode 4? You guys are really good at making random posts instead of the posts we came here to see
This game looks so awesome, I kinda wish that the beats made from your ship firing and all would be different from level to leve, but still, so psyched for this. The Japanese demo was not enough. I need moar D:
What about the DS version? Is it any good?
more stories more stories!
Put it on XBLA and i’l buy it.
Ahh, 1979…Although Sea Wolf was my introduction to the arcade game, the game right next to it was Space Invaders, and it was the first game I called my favorite for a long, long time. You can only blow up so many PT boats before you get bored.
WHERE IS HOW TO BUILD A BOMB did the flea bomb destroyed your office space
Where is the Xbox live arcade version to go with pacman CE?
How to build a bomb NAO!
I want to see your podcast space!
ha im rallying up my army of bloggers to ask u when is how to build a bomb episode 4
I wants how to build a bomb…NOWWWWWWWW
I just want to say that I wrote this up before you Jeff! lol!
http://www.thatvideogameblog.com/2008/03/28/rain-space-invaders-invading-the-ds-and-psp/
Seems like something awesome, but boss fights? Really?
how to build a bomb episode 4 space invaders edition
found it like a combination of space invaders and rez.
That looks really sharp, i’ll admit. Makes me wish I hadn’t sold off my DS onyx so soon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-1D_MJzsNU
Talking about mountain dew baby!
This game may be the first DS release I pick up in awhile. While I’m at it, I guess I should probably go and pick up Professor Layton as well as I’m constantly hearing good things about that game.
I like the new look of the game. They changed it just enough so that its different visually but… immediately recognizable as Space Invaders. The video reminds me of playing the game on a Space Invaders machine in a pizza shop nearby.
im from the 90’s and i hated the damm game. this version looks tight and worth playing.
Sounds pretty cool. Is anyone else having problems with the video?
I almost wish I went with the PSP rather than the DS.
Looks cool, I thought about importing this a while back, but was iffy about it. Thanks for the writeup!
p.s. can you do us all a solid, and get rid of the white text on black background when you launch the site. I’m seeing stripes!
Wow Looks cool, I will get it for my DS
Does anyone hate when the load up google reader and see Giant Bomb has no new posts…
The demo on PSP was great, it’ll be well worth the $20.
It’s only $20? The demo was awesome, I’ll bite.
The new spin on the game has convinced me to decide whether or not I will think about pondering on buying the game. Maybe.
I was getting extreme deja vu from the game soundtrack while watch the video.
Does anyone remember the Aerobicise VHS videos circa 1985, where the camera would circle the chicks and a voice would be going “bend”, “stretch”, etc., instead of “level up”, the similarity is astonishing.
Hey everyone.
You can download a demo of the Japanese PSP version at http://www.pspfanboy.com/2008/02/18/space-invaders-extreme-downloadable-demo/
Check it out!
Who’d thunk that space invaders could be made fun again? This looks really cool!
Wow Space invaders with distracting backgrounds with flashing aliens and “UPGRADES”.
Any word on a possible XBLA release?
That looks great. I want it.
I loved the original and this one definitely is different but I still want it.
Chocobo Blitzer: I nominate you for best comment on Giantbomb.com 08.
Jimmy Nyman: That’s the first thing I thought, then I just searched YouTube for “Space Invaders Extreme DS” and saw some footage. It’s not as seizure-pretty, but it does some cool stuff with the two screens. I only have a DS right now, and I’ll be more than happy to fork over a 20 for this version.
Andy Wu: MOUNTAIN DEWS BABY
Like others have said the PSP jpn demo is definitely worth checking out.
My point of view may differ from the other’s, but anyway I have may things to say on this subject. First, everything here is true. Second, check the information first, then comment it
I still love Space Invaders. I made a clone of it as my final project for my DarkBASIC class last semester.
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