Space Invaders Extreme - Nintendo DS Review

As a preface to this review, I did have a series of images and movies that I wanted to post alongside it that I personally captured, but I was overall dissatisfied with the quality via my digital camera and camcorder. If anyone has any suggestions at the best way to capture screenshots and videos of DS games in action, I would love to hear it for future reviews.

Space Invaders Extreme - Nintendo DS, 2008

The synthesizing of music and in game effects is no longer a wholly novel concept. While the most famous example that is always cited in regards to this design has been Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Rez, it is by no means the first. Over the last few decades several games have used these tools to create subtleties that are not always fully appreciated with a casual viewing (or listening). What makes Space Invaders Extreme different, is not necessarily the use of Rez-like qualities of bullets and invaders creating different sounds that 'beat' alongside the music, but rather the history the franchise has had previously in using its soundtrack to elicit feelings in a player.

The first Space Invaders is one of the earliest examples that I know of where sound didn't play a solely ambient role. The 'bleeps' of the invaders as they began their downward descent that increased in rate and voracity as they moved closer to the bottom of the screen was done for several reasons. Not only did it create a basic anxiety within the player, but it also inspired the player to move and play more frantically as the impression of the board seemed to narrow through the affects the sound had on the game and on the player's psychological state. It was a fairly simple use at the time, but one that has since been copied over from everything from Super Mario Brothers to Tetris. The effectiveness of the original Space Invaders can still remind gamers today (who played the original) of the feelings it inspired in arcades.

Space Invaders Extreme touches base with its origins and once again looks to the use of sound and music to elicit reactions from the player. While nothing within Space Invaders Extreme is as memorable as the original invaders 'theme', there are quite a few moments in the game where the shift from the cathartic pace of an old school shooter is altered with a hurried frenzy that forces players to react quickly so as not to be seemingly overwhelmed by the music. It's an odd reaction that I have with the game, but despite my best efforts to the contrary, I can't help but have my playing style changed by the beats created by destroying the invaders and the ship's shots.

Unfortunately, for fans of Zuntata, due to the nature of Space Invaders Extreme, the actual soundtrack itself may end up being a bit disappointing. While strengthening the ties of game and music in a lot of ways improves the overall aesthetics of the sound, the traditional background music is lost a bit as gamers are given more apparent control over what they are hearing. This may be part of the genius of Zuntata though, as they have created a series of tracks and sound effects that can flow so well together that none seem out of place through out the course of the game. Like other games that use similar concepts, the original work is only one part of a greater picture. There are some individual pieces that are fairly strong (which can be sampled from Zuntata's official website), but overall there isn't any specifics that stand out in the way the Darius theme does for example.

The DS's sound quality is obviously a step below the PSP's. With the focus of Space Invaders Extreme so dependent on the use of sound to enhance the experience, I wish I could give a full statement on which of the two games is better due to this issue. However, since my only play time with the PSP version has been with a demo that was released, the best I can state is that between the demo of the PSP and of the full game of the DS, while the sound is noticeably cleaner in the PSP version, the DS version is competent enough so long as you are playing the game through a set of headphones. The music in the two games however are not the same tracks, which leads me to believe that both versions had their music built from the ground up and designed for the platform rather than trying to force the PSP's sound into the DS.

The basic system behind Space Invaders Extreme is instantly familiar. Left and right on the d-pad moves the ship left and right on a single plane (no backwards or forwards movement) and the A and the B button fires. It is also possible to cancel enemy bullets with shots if the ship is lined up correctly. If 4 invaders of the same color other than white are shot in a row, the player is rewarded with a special item that is put on a timer for use. These include multiple shot upgrades, laser upgrades, shield upgrades, and explosive upgrades that will clear a small section of invaders with a single shot. When the item upgrade's timer reaches zero, it causes the current upgrade to drop off and reset to the normal one shot laser. It is possible however that by holding down the left or right shoulder buttons the current weapon strength can be held. While holding the shoulder buttons down, the player's weapon resets to the normal shot until the button is released. When the button is released whatever weapon the player was using once again becomes active and the timer resumes.

The beauty of the game comes in with its unique scoring system that offers several avenues of approach for optimal scoring. While the root of the game for most people will simply boil down to shoot the invaders before you get shot, the elimination of cities to hide behind and the introduction of this scoring system creates a tribute to the first game that reminds me of Pac-Man Championship Edition and its revitalization of the Pac-Man formula for a new generation. Yes, it's still Space Invaders at its core, but Taito has done everything it can to provide the best game for the series' 30th anniversary.

There are two goals that should be kept in mind in Space Invaders Extreme – unlock the hidden scoring mechanics and maximize the level chain. Like a lot of modern shooters that most fans of the genre will recognize (such as Dodonpachi), Space Invaders Extreme has a front end chain system that is solely time based. When an invader or UFO is destroyed, a chain countdown begins. If a second enemy or invader is destroyed before the countdown expires, the chain level will go up and the countdown will reset again until the player lets the countdown finish or hits a new target. At the end of the level, the player is rewarded points based on the max chain (the highest level the chain hit) throughout the course of the stage.

The Rate meter in the game acts as the score multiplier. When the Rate meter hits 5x, a Break bonus is rewarded and the multiplier jumps to 10x for a short period of time. Being able to extend a Break bonus with the 10x multiplier is the best chance for drastically increasing the score in a short amount of time. The level system in the game is the determining factor for the ship's weapon strength. As your score increases in a level, the more powerful the basic weapons and items become. Both rate and level reset when a player's ship is destroyed.

The second goal in Space Invaders Extreme should be focused on unlocking the hidden scoring mechanics. Most of these mechanics are based around the Feature meter. The feature meter is broken into two halves which can be filled by destroying invaders in a certain order. To maximize the meter, a player can do a multitude of things – either focus on destroying invaders of specific colors or destroying invaders of specific types. By destroying 4 invaders of one color in a row and then 4 invaders of another color in a row, the meter fills to the top and unlocks a special Rainbow UFO (more on that in a moment). With the second option (2 groups of 4 invaders of specific types in a row), the reward will switch all of the invaders to one color providing bonuses for then destroying multiple invaders of the same color. There is also an award for destroying 8 invaders all of the same type in a row, which will switch the playfield to all UFOs (and will provide the player with additional item drops).

This sort of methodical shooting through the waves of invaders forces a play style similar to Ikaruga. All shots and waves and invaders need to be analyzed to not only maximize the level chain, but also to build up the Feature meter throughout the game. If an invader is hit that won't continue the Feature meter in any of these manners, the meter resets back with the last shot enemy. As an interesting note, white invaders do not reset the Feature meter nor do they build it up. Only red, black, green, and blue invaders have the ability to build or reset the meter.

From the plays I have went through so far with Space Invaders Extreme, my experience dictates that the primary efforts should be unlocking the Rainbow UFO. Once the Rainbow UFO is unlocked and sent across the screen, if it is then destroyed, the game unlocks a bonus round (dependant on the colors used to build up the meter) that tasks the player with a specific objective. These objectives may vary between destroying a certain number of UFOs, breaking up a series of invader formations, or simply destroying a certain number of invaders. If these are able to be successfully met before the bonus round timer ends, the game unlocks Fever time that offers higher bonus potential through Jackpot and Super Jackpot UFOs. There is also a huge stage end bonus if the player is able to complete the last wave of a level while still in Fever time.

There are a few other scoring objectives in place that will reward gamers with gold UFOs (which opens a special roulette game that will reward bonus points or extra lives) and colored UFOs. Players will be rewarded in the game for shooting invaders in a column or row (so long as they are 4 deep or 4 wide) that can be multiplied be repeating the same task for a higher point value. A perfect shot scoring bonus is rewarded by not having a single missed shot against any given invader wave. An end stage bonus is also rewarded for not losing a ship through the course of an entire level.

Overall, the sheer amount of scoring options in Space Invaders Extreme may be a bit overwhelming to some at first. Considering that nearly every time I've picked up the game I've uncovered a new 'option' means that despite playing the game pretty religiously this past weekend, I'm still learning more and more about the game's system. Furthermore, all of the scoring options stack, meaning that even if its possible to find the best path through the level to maximize the score through Fever time, it may then be possible to further maximize it by adding in some of the other chaining options to increase the scoring potential. The depth to the game from an analytical point of view is pretty amazing and I believe that while a 'perfect' path through every wave and every level is possible, it will take a lot of practice and memorization to find it.

Graphically speaking Space Invaders Extreme on the DS is acceptable but by no means the highlight to the game. The backgrounds are more muted compared to its PSP brethren, but otherwise, the two games are almost identical in detail (based once again on the PSP demo). The biggest difference between the two titles is the use of the dual screen on the DS vs. the single screen on the PSP. While I would normally rate the DS version a little lower due to how unnatural the break feels, Taito has offered a solution for gamers who may be put off trying to track “hidden” bullets. In the option menu, it is possible to adjust the distance between the virtual field between the two screens until an acceptable solution is found that works for the gamer.

It isn't perfect, but its well appreciated, especially since a lot of DS games do not offers such an option even if they are using both screens in an action setting. I will be picking up the PSP version if it comes stateside (as has been rumored from Gamestop), so I'll have to wait to make those full comparisons graphically then.

All of the iconic invaders are back in Space Invaders Extreme with their simple designs maintained with a few new twists. Some invaders will suicide with an attack that will destroy the player's ship no matter where the ship is at on the screen, some invaders will shoot large lasers (or even a trifecta of lasers), some will have shields, while others still will warp and twist and move in ways that are tied to the music of the game. With the popularity of the invaders for marketing purposes, this is probably a wise idea keeping everything simple. The number of times I've seen Space Invaders related merchandise on clothes, towels, and accessories are far too many to name...

There are quite a few extra modes in Space Invaders Extreme for the Nintendo DS. There is an off-line ranking mode that puts a gamer up against his or her personal high scores on a single credit (2 lives). There is a online ranking mode via WiFi and a head to head vs. mode (both ad hoc wireless and WiFi). The VS mode also allows for a practice round without an actual opponent (something more multiplayer games should have on the DS). While this is a poor substitute for a human player, it does at least provide an option to test out the multiplayer without having to go online. The normal arcade mode offers a series of branching levels so even the game's basic 5 stages (yes sorry Space Invaders fans, this game technically ends) can be extended a little further based on a gamer's skill set. Not to spoil anything, but there are a few unlockables that are found through the single player game encouraging more than one playthrough of the arcade mode for those who aren't as score obsessed as myself.

The paddle controller that was packed in with Arkanoid DS is usable with Space Invaders Extreme. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this set up though, as I found that personally the paddle seemed rather awkward compared to the “tighter” feel that it had with Arkanoid DS. I feel that the d-pad offers the idea set up for the game, but this may be a results may vary sort of thing. Based on the floaty nature the paddle provides with Space Invaders Extreme, I found myself having to over compensate when using it in the game. I would not suggest picking it up only for for Space Invaders Extreme, but if it's purchased alongside Arkanoid DS (the only other game that currently supports it), gamers may find more value in it than I did.


30 years later, Taito has washed away a lot of bad memories of Space Invaders games over the last few decades with Space Invaders Extreme. There were a few gems here and there in the franchise, but overall, most of the titles all suffered from an uninspired sequel-itis that Space Invaders Extreme strives to separate itself from. There are a few quirks to the game and the rather methodical scoring system may turn off some gamers who wish to have more traditional scoring requirements that are not as strict nor based on pattern or wave recognition, but for anyone looking for a capable and enjoyable re-invisioning of the Space Invaders franchise, they should be satisfied with either the PSP or DS version of the game.

Space Invaders Extreme may not be filled with entirely novel concepts with Everyday Shooter, Audiosurf, and Rez fresh on everyone's minds, but fortunately for Taito, this is not something they have attempted to gloss over. Instead, Taito has created a game with a solid backing that provides enough of a punch in a little package to surprise even me, a rather jaded shooting fan. It may not seem original in the grand scheme of things, but it's the little things that Space Invaders Extreme does right and does so well. This is one of the best games I have played on the DS in recent years, and while I would've loved to see a 30th anniversary Space Invaders arcade release, Space Invaders Extreme really is nearly perfect as an alternative.

Score: - 4/5

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