Space Invaders

Description

1 or 2 Players Vibration Function Compatible Rated "E" for Everyone Bonus: Classic Arcade Version in the GameAmazon.com It is hard to resist the retro charms of video games of the past, which is why a lot of these titles are coming back to life on modern platforms. Activision's revamp of Space Invaders treads lightly on the hallowed ground of the original point-and-shoot alien game. Even the pregame film clip pays homage to the simple 1978 version. While based heavily on a game that is over 20 years old, this newer version contains enough newer gaming elements to re-energize the classic into a contemporary contender. In particular, the addition of 3-D graphics brings new life to this well-traveled game, though it is odd to play without the now-infamous pixilated square enemies creeping toward the bottom of the screen. There are also a wider variety of enemy ships, guns, special powers, mother ships, and squadron formations to contend with. You can try your luck on your own, or get a second player to help you during combat, which is great for players with short attention spans. There are plenty of chances to gain extra lives, which helps those of us who lost more than a few quarters on this game at the arcade. Space Invaders is perfect if you don't want to play a game with a long, drawn-out plot. --Carrie BellPros:Beloved arcade hitUpdated graphics, speed, and joystick responseGood gift for all ages, but especially those who remember the originalCons:Simplistic gameplay, no plot--may not be complicated enough for gamers who don't remember the original Product description Attention all Earthlings! Relentless alien hordes have been identified near you. Prevent the dangerous Space Invaders from landing on your territory. Use your cannon to defend against waves of descending alien invaders. Don't let them hit the ground or it's all over for you and the Earth! Destroy them and score points! Review The year was 1978. A simple, black-and-white game came out that would set the standard for shooters for years to come. That game was Space Invaders. Not only did it spawn a few sequels of its own (including a pinball machine), but other game makers quickly cloned it and made improvements to its gameplay. Activision is continuing its big retro kick with an updated version of Taito's classic. But can a game as simple as this succeed in today's market? (Hint: The answer isn't yes.) This new version of Space Invaders follows the basic concept of the old versions: Rows of small alien ships move from side to side across the screen. The ships drop down a row every time they reach either edge of the screen. If they land, you die. If they shoot you, you die. While the original Space Invaders stuck to this one type of level, later games - like the arcade game Super Space Invaders '91 - added weapon power-ups, shields, different types of alien ships, bonus stages, and bosses into the mix. Activision's game follows SSI '91's lead very closely. It also tries to inject a bit more plot into the game via opening and closing cutscenes. Also, the game takes you from the outer outposts of Pluto all the way back to Earth. Each planet has ten levels, the last of which is a boss level. A new alien ship is introduced in each world. Some of them shoot diagonally, some of them you must hit twice to kill, and some dive at you after they've been hit. The power-up system works off these different aliens. To earn a special shot, you must hit four of the same aliens in a row. Each alien type delivers a different special shot. This gives the game an almost puzzle-game-type feel at times, since you'll want to earn a special shot, then use it to kill four more aliens, which will give you another special shot, and so on. The game's biggest problem is its lack of difficulty. Anyone with a bit of shooter skill should be able to whip through the entire game in less than 90 minutes. The bosses are occasionally difficult, but you'll have built up so many extra lives by that point that it won't really matter. Beating all of the game's 80 levels will, just as yo

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UPC Number: 04787510914

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