Space Invaders Extreme (DS)

Alright, I know it’s not a real retro game, but it’s very retro inspired.  There hasn’t been much activity around here lately because I’ve been playing a lot of newer games on my DS and Wii.  Space Invaders Extreme is one of those games, and definitely deserves a shout-out for other retro game fans.

For the uninitiated, Space Invaders Extreme is a modern take on the classic Space Invaders formula, developed by Taito and published by Square Enix as a celebration of the original’s 30th anniversary.  It’s got souped up gameplay, graphics, and a really slick soundtrack where each shot you take adds to the rhythm of the music.  You can play several single-player modes like Arcade Mode (play through up to 5 stages on several branching paths, depending on how well you play), Ranking Mode (get the highest score you can to upload to the online leaderboards) and Stage Mode (play a single stage you’ve completed in Arcade Mode for the highest score).  There’s also multiplayer where you try to outlast your opponent while sending extra invaders their way.

There’s a lot of added strategy to this game beyond the original.  The enemies are color coded and destroying different colors in different orders will give you powerups and access to bonus rounds.  Destroy them in different patterns (like individual columns or rows at a time) for bonus points.  Do well in the bonus rounds and start a “Fever” mode where you can earn major bonus points.  All the possible ways to score make this a surprisingly deep shooter with lots of strategy.

On top of all this, the DS version even has online play!  You really can’t go wrong with this game.  So for anyone that may stumble upon my humble little retro game site, I’m going to recommend you go out and play a modern title, too.  Especially at $20, you just can’t go wrong.