Space Invaders Extreme

Overview

In 1978, Tomohiro Nishikado created Space Invaders. Thirty years later Taito have made a remake of the game with updated gameplay, cutting-edge visuals and a heavy techno soundtrack. The game was so successful among fans and critics that a sequel has been released in Japan.

Gameplay/Features

Power-ups

Space Invaders Extreme features a variety of power-ups; four of them can be earned by destroying four of the same colored invaders in sequence. Once you get a power-up, a timer on the right side of the screen begins depleting.  You can pause the timer by holding a button, but the power-up is not usable during this time.  Once the timer depletes, the power-up is over.

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  Laser: The laser power-up can be earned by destroying four blue invaders. The laser can evaporate a bunch of small invaders by one touch of the laser. As for the larger invaders, it takes a couple of seconds to destroy them. It is not affective against reflector enemies.
• Bomb: The bomb power-up can be earned by destroying four red invaders. The bomb blows up if it hits an invader, destroying surrounding invaders. Larger invaders still take a few shots, though much fewer than the default weapon.
  
• Broad Shot: The broad shot can be earned by destroying four green invaders. The broad shot shoots out five bullets, making it ideal for taking out multiple enemies at once.
• Shield: The shield can be earned by destroying four black invaders. The shield can protect the player from any projectile.

Fever Mode

After completing a bonus round (a challenge triggered by hitting a Round or Flashing UFO), the player will go into "Fever Mode," giving the player an ultra-powered version of one of the power-ups for a short amount of time.

Leveling Up

During play, players can increase their "level" by doing well in the game. When leveled up, the bullets of the player's ship will increase in size and rate of fire.

The maximum level is up to ten, but when shot down, the levels that the player has earned will drop by two.

Invader types

Space Invader Extreme features a variety of brand new invaders.

• Normal invaders: The classic invaders that appear in the 1978 original.
• Bomb invaders: One shot at this invaders will cause it to explode.The impact of the bomb's explosion can take out anything that's near it, it can also be hazard to the player if near the impact.
• Armor Invaders: These invaders take a couple shots to take down.
• Roll Invaders: The Roll invaders roll on their side to make them appear thin and to make them a difficult target to shoot at.
• Burst Invaders: The Burst Invader shoots out shrapnel in three directions when destroyed.
• Reflect Invaders: These invaders are equipped with reflectors that deflect any projectile (excluding the bomb power-up but including the laser, which, upon hitting the reflector, turns into a large purple bolt). The only way to take it down is wait for the invader to open its shield to shoot out a projectile.
  
• Split Invaders: Invaders that split into three when shot once.
• Assault Invaders: When shot once, it immediately tries to land. It takes a second shot take it down.
• Medium-size Invaders: Some are just like the Normal Invaders, shoot out regular projectiles, and others shoot out other types of projectiles.

UFO Type

The UFOs that float from the right or left on the top of the screen.Space Invaders Extreme features a variety of them.

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  Normal UFO: The Normal UFOs that appear in the 1978 original. Shoot one down and the player will accumulate a good amount of points.
• Laser UFO: A UFO that appears and stop and shoots out a laser for a couple of seconds.
• Supporter UFO: This UFO appears and sends out more Normal Invaders.
• Roulette UFO: When shot at, it will send you to a bonus round where the player plays a game of roulette.
• Flashing UFO: When shot at, the player will get sent to a bonus game.
  
• Round UFO: When shot at, the game immediately begins a round. It could be either a bonus game or the next section of the level--it is random.

Differences Between Versions

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  The XBLA version has High Definition Graphics and can be played with up to four players in multiplayer and co-op modes.
• The PSP version is similar to the XBLA release, but lacks online functionality and multiplayer modes. Unlike the DS version, it has animated FMV backgrounds.
  
• The DS version utilizes two screens (boss fights, for example, span across both screens), has local single/double-card multiplayer and online multiplayer/leaderboards with up to two people. There is also a paddle accessory available for import.
  

All versions have been praised for their innovations to the series and a great audio/visual presentation, and critics universally recommended fans of the series to buy any version they could get their hands on.
 

Paddle Control

The Nintendo DS version of Space Invaders Extreme is compatible with Taito's "Paddle Controller DS" peripheral. The paddle fits into slot 2 (the Game Boy Advance slot) and allows players to control their ship by spinning a plastic wheel. This adds a greater amount of precision to controlling the ship, and therefore it cannot be used in online rankings and versus modes.

The paddle is exclusively available in Japan and is not compatible with the DSi, but can be imported and used with any original DS or DSLite. It also comes in pink!
 

Sales

In January 2009, the NPD revealed the sales numbers of the DS and PSP versions of Space Invaders Extreme have sold 58k and 34k respectively since their release in June of 2008.