Space Invaders Extreme

Game: Space Invaders Extreme (Nintendo DS) - By Tetsuo

In "fever" mode, your firepower is suped-up for a brief period.

I did a peculiar thing where I thought for some reason the abbreviated name for Space Invaders Extreme was SEX. Ha ha! I believed this was rather amusing, until I actually stopped to think about it for a moment and saw that I was substituting the titular E of Extreme for an X (the first mistake), so it would only really apply if Taito had gone for some kind of hip "street"/"urban" update of Space Invaders. So obviously that wasn't right for a kick off. Then it all fell apart when even more stupidly I realised I'd somehow imagined that "Invaders" began with an E. Ludicrous! So, let's casually brush aside possibly the must un-amusing introduction to a review ever, and instead quickly move on to the game before we completely forget what this is all about in the first place.

This revolutionary shooter needs no introduction really, does it (lack of a question mark indicates it probably does not). To mark the passing of the 30th anniversary of the ultimate grandfather video game, Taito has released yet another celebratory remake (there have been a handful before, for what seems like forever, dozens of ports across as many formats you care to mention), this time on the Nintendo DS and PSP. They usually sink without a trace however, (anyone remember Space Invaders for the Super Famicom?), but thankfully Extreme is one of the most enjoyable revisions of Space Invaders yet, and an excellent shooter in its own right that will for once get a bit of attention. Taking a leaf (though more like a branch, such is its thievery) from the likes of SEGA's Rez and Q's Lumines, this edition is radically transformed with neon colours, all-new gameplay modes and a sumptuous soundtrack.

The game structure and pace have been ripped apart and various elements from the aforementioned Rez, Ikaruga and even Made In Wario have been incorporated for good measure. So there are bonus mini-rounds during the game and various power-ups which now form the main focus of play in Extreme. Knowing which special weapon-type can destroy a swarm of aliens will buy you a lot of time (and lives) in preparation for the end of level boss battles. While all this stuff might sound misguided, the new additions combined with the tried-and-trusted Space Invaders gameplay still genuinely (and always has to my eye) engages, and the result is a rather pleasant one.

The boss stages make excellent use of both screens

Although the aliens still swarm the player from above, gradually inching earth-bound, there are lots of new attack-patterns to learn. The traditional waves are slightly different though, with each one offering a completely different set of invaders to shoot and various opportunities to power-up your ship into the invincible "fever" mode. This bit is excellent fun - removing, if only for a brief amount of time, that ever-present sense of fear found in your average Space Invaders game. What's most impressive about Extreme though, is the amount of detail which has gone into the scoring system. There are bonus points aplenty for all manner of tactics from shooting particular enemies to wiping out entire rows, and each encourages the player to attempt a variety of play styles. Even employing the infamous Nagoya technique garners extra points.

The music has to be given special credit - it's surprisingly enjoyable techno, and of course all of those iconic sound effects are present and correct. In addition to the 2-player battle modes and various routes through the main game, the player can also play online matches via wi-fi, and although there's usually the feeling that you're waiting for an opponent to screw up - rather than competing directly against her - it's certainly a welcome inclusion.

In fact, there's very little to criticise in SIE. The duel screen is used in inspired ways for some of the boss battles and only cements how suited it is to Nintendo's handheld. It's somewhat ironic to see Space Invaders borrowing ideas from other well-established series' though, but in the case of Extreme it works well, and gives life to one of (if not the most) enduring games there has ever been. That's why this deserves your attention.

Seven out of Ten