Space Invaders Extreme 2

While many rightfully credit Super Mario Bros. as the saviour of the games industry following the crash of ’83, Space Invaders influence on popular culture and on the modern shooter should not be forgotten.

So how does one keep Space Invaders relevant today in a world of HD this and 1080p that? Easy. Spruce it up with flashy, bright, neon, Lumines-inspired presentation. Add a pumping electronic soundtrack, make the gameplay faster than Speedy Gonzales on crack, throw in loads of power ups, and of course, add the word EXTREME to it.

Over the years, the invaders have learned a trick or two. They’ll swoop and scuttle across the screen, break off into separate formations to make it harder to shoot them, and turn on their sides to make themselves stick thin (literally), which in turn makes it harder to kill them. They’ve even evolved to the point where specific invaders can counter your power ups, power ups that can be collected by eliminating four of the same coloured invaders in a row.

Despite its unapologetic simplicity, such simplicity leads to an addictiveness and a “one more go” feeling that is as strong today as it was when the original caused a 100-Yen coin shortage.