Game: Space Invaders Extreme 2
Platform: Nintendo DS
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Taito
ESRB: E
Genre: Retro Shooter
Players: 1-2
What's Hot: Addictive, classic gameplay, awesome 80s aesthetic
What's Not: Too similar to the first “Extreme”
Review by: Danielle Riendeau
You’d be forgiven for thinking that a title like “Space Invaders Extreme 2” sounds like either a particularly naughty piece of sci-fi fanfiction or a terrible re-tread of a musty old arcade game. Thankfully, the name is the only goofy element in this follow-up/sequel to last year’s surprisingly excellent handheld (and eventually XBLA) shooter. It’s essentially a retro-fantastic take on the coin-up classic, complete with new power-ups, score multipliers, boss battles and a trance-ready light and music show that flows with the gameplay.
If you were at the arcades in 1977 (or if you’ve ever played any permutation of Space Invaders) you’ll know the basics. You play as a little cannon on the bottom of a 2D screen. Little bug-looking dudes lined up top slowly descend towards you, and your job is to blast the crap out of them.
Like last year’s game, there are a number of modern enhancements that go well beyond the trippy visuals and electronic beat. The types of invaders vary wildly – some little guys have shields (requiring several shots to fell them), some split into several new enemies when shot, others go kamikaze and zigzag about the screen. They also come in a variety of shapes and sizes – and killing four red, green or blue baddies in a row earns you a powered-up shot. Blues give you a badass laser, reds drop a bomb, and greens offer up a spread shot.
Also on your radar are UFOs of varying colors that fly by the top of the screen, offering power-ups and engaging “fever time” – a sort of hyped-up version of the regular game in which you have to shoot at baddies on both screens, earning massive bonus points as you go. Finally, there are boss battles at the end of each stage, requiring a mix of tactics and twitch reflexes to best.
New for 2009 are branching paths (based on difficulty) in the main “score attack” mode and a variety of other accessibility options. You can tune your experience, choosing features like how many stock cannons (lives) that you have. There’s also a “bingo” mechanic that acts as a score multiplier and uses the top screen as a giant, fluorescent grid.
Aside from these additions and a heavier emphasis on multiplier-enhanced scoring, this essentially offers the same experience as the first game, which is to say that it’s fast, fun and almost perfect in bite-sized chunks. It’s a nigh-ideal handheld experience, with a Zen-like balance between twitch gameplay and mild strategy, and a nice flow between the stages and boss attacks.
It’s insanely colorful and audio-visually over stimulating, which may turn off some purists. For those who are into the 1980s-made-new aesthetic, it’s a blissful bit of chaos made even better by the fact that every shot of your cannon and interaction onscreen contributes to the musical score.
The only misleading factor is the “2” in the title. This is much more of a “1.5” or a “director’s cut”, since the basic game mechanics are essentially the same. It’s a better package overall, but so similar to the original offering that all both the most hardened Extreme fans could easily confuse the two.
If you missed out on the last game, or if you are a big old Space Invaders fan, you can’t go wrong with this puppy. It’s worth getting your hands on either way, especially if you dig the retro-futuristic vibe and the $19.99 MSRP.
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