Space Invaders Extreme review (DS)

There's a lot more to this Space Invaders than the first, but it's not as complicated as it sounds. Yes, you can concentrate on chains, features, and breaks, but you can also have a lot of fun if you don't worry about any of that stuff. The game's five levels can be breezed through in less than an hour, but it'll take quite a bit longer if you don't use continues, or if you choose the harder option that's available for the last three levels.

Rest assured, you won't be done with the game once you've finished the Arcade mode, thanks to online leaderboards and an excellent multiplayer mode that lets two players go head-to-head whether they're sharing a cartridge, each have their own copy of the game, or are online anywhere in the world. The goal in multiplayer is to shoot invaders and be the last player to run out of lives. This is more difficult than in the single-player modes because both you and your opponent can attack one another, sending invaders to the other person's screen by snagging power-ups. Sending any unwanted foes your opponent's way is always a good thing, but given that the top screen displays what's happening on the other person's screen, you can time your attacks for maximum effectiveness. Thanks to a handicapping option and simple, easy-to-learn gameplay, multiplayer mode is a blast.

Extreme isn't a great-looking game, but it looks about as good as a Space Invaders game needs to. The invaders retain the simple, blocky look of the original game, and even the bosses employ the same style. In fact, the moving backgrounds--which are the one area where the developer tried to spice up the presentation--are the worst part. The moving, shifting blobs and shapes that make up the backgrounds just end up being distracting and only serve as a cheap way of making the game harder. Thankfully, there are options to turn down their brightness or stop them completely.

Space Invaders Extreme is a very good example of how to update a classic game. The gameplay has been improved, and multiplayer adds a whole new dynamic to the experience. At $20, the price is right for anyone who enjoys fast-paced, arcade-style shooters with a retro twist.