space invaders
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Space Invaders Encased
If there's one thing we love, it's DS games. Obviously.If there are several things we love, Space Invaders swag is somewhere on a list of those things, especially with Space Invaders Extreme so close, feeding our Invader mania. These keychains feature pink, blue, and yellow Invaders embedded in acrylic cubes like prehistoric flies in amber. Each order comes with three of them for $8.50.It's up to you whether the awesomeness of the Invaders is worth cramming a big plastic cube into your pocket. That's a personal decision. Alternately, you could get a bunch of them and stack them in the classic Space Invaders configuration. Inside the clear cubes, they'd look vaguely like they were suspended in midair!
Space Invaders Extreme and Arkanoid websites are polar opposites
Both the Arkanoid DS and Space Invaders Extreme websites went live yesterday, and they couldn't be more different. Going to the Arkanoid website is like going to a Saturday brunch with your mother, while going to the SIE site is like hitting up a night club twelve hours later, staying out until 5 AM, and puking up everything you've had to drink before bedtime (we mean that in the best of ways).If you want something more descriptive than a simile, the Arkanoid site is cleaner and more organized than its Invaders counterpart (and it's also silent), but we think that may be because there's no "Extreme" in its title to live up to. Those who prefer trippy visuals and loud music on their web browsers, though, should head on over to the SIE page (consider this a sound alert for those of you in "not safe for audio" workspaces). If you've visited the Japanese website for this title before, you'll know what to expect, as it's exactly the same.As it stands, there's not much to do on either site except read about the games. We were hoping that little demos or browser games would be present, but alas, our wants were denied. At least we'll see the real things in only two weeks.%Gallery-19376%%Gallery-14613%[Via press release]Source: Arkanoid DS official websiteSource: Space Invaders Extreme official website
Even the Space Invaders Extreme site is ... extreme
The official website of Taito's upcoming PSP Space Invaders Extreme has gone live, and it does justice to the game's namesake. The site proudly proclaims that "Space Invaders is cool again!" And if you've tried the demo, you'll understand that Extreme really does make this arcade classic rather hypnotically alluring. Check out the official site to get a feel for the game's new style, and check out the budget ($20) release when it launches in two weeks.
The Joystiq Memorial Day Weekend
Happy Memorial Day, US readers! (For the UK, happy bank holiday. For everyone else, fill in your own holiday!) So what games did you play to bide the time? (Image via Rakka on Flickr) Check out the highlights for today:JoystiqueryCounting Rupees: Digital Rights MadnessDS Fanboy's week of homebrewJapanese hardware sales, May 12 - May 18: Déjà vu editionThe Joystiq Free Game Club: The Several Journeys of ReemusWeekly Webcomic Wrapup is on the rain-free precipice of sunshine and rainbowsNewsNintendo ranks 4th on 'BusinessWeek InfoTech 100'Halcyon Company planning games based on Philip K Dick novelsRockers show off Guitar Hero's velocity-sensitive drum kitsAbertay University researchers create training game for Scotland copsFinal Fantasy IV trailer gets English subtitlesMötley Crüe single downloaded on Rock Band five times more than on iTunesGears of War 2 details emerge from X360 magazineGamestop sponsors driver in NASCAR Nationwide SeriesBushnell: New encryption chip to effectively end PC gaming piracyGamestop taking preorders for Gears of War re-release, launches June 24Dr. Mario prescribes Family Table Tennis for WiiWareNew games this week: Enemy Territory: Quake WarsRock Band Weekly: The Cars' self-titled debut albumDownload now, or forever hold your points: Potential delisted Xbox Live Arcade titlesMetal Slug makes City Connection on Virtual ConsoleAge of Conan celebrates 400,000 players'Defense is important' in Ninja Gaiden IIRace Driver: GRID demo races to a million downloadsRumors & SpeculationRumorang: Killer Instinct making a return?Gamestop prices Guitar Hero: World Tour bundle at $189Rumor: Street Fighter IV heading to PS3, Xbox 360, PC this winterCulture & CommunityMetal Gear Retrospective: Part Three explores the Big Shell incidentThe eleven-minute Automatic Mario masterpiece'One Man's Journey' tries and fails at Wii FitTo Hideo Kojima stalkers: He's in London next week
Space Invaders Extreme and Arkanoid DS in a color explosion
Taking a look at these new Space Invaders Extreme and Arkanoid DS screens, it's clear that the games are going to be nothing short of trippy. We can't wait. It's unfortunate that those of us outside of Japan will have to import the paddle controller, but that's just a small price to pay for such a tantalizing pair -- we're just grateful we don't have to import the software, too.Square Enix also announced the European release date for these titles, which is July 4th. Luckily (for this blogger), those of us in the U.S. and Canada won't have to wait as long to get these in our greedy little hands, as the North American date is June 17th.Browsing through our galleries will give you a taste of the craziness that is SIE, while the Arkanoid DS pictures will show you some of its cool-shaped levels. We're definitely more stoked for the former, but maybe that's just us. How about you? Which revamped Taito classic are you looking forward to more?%Gallery-14613%%Gallery-19376%[Via press release]
Space invaders hijack our gallery, PAL invasion set for July
Look out! There are more goofy looking aliens coming our way. In fact, they've invaded our image gallery and have holed up inside. So head on over there and have a look at these space visitors, study their formations, and then prepare for the real battle ahead.When will the invasion begin? Our intelligence bureau has pinpointed that the aliens will strike on June 17 in North America. A systematical follow-up attack will commence in Europe and other PAL territories on July 4. Space Invaders Extreme is going worldwide ... it'll be the end of us all.%Gallery-23333%
Video: SusiVaders makes us long for Microsoft's spherical Surface
Remember that rumor of a spherical Microsoft Surface bouncing around the labs of Redmond? At the time, we didn't get it. Now, imagine if you would the combination of a multi-touch sphere with these 360-degree games from SusiGames. Oh sure, the games have been kicking around art shows and design exhibitions for several months now, and rely upon a modified Wiimote and decidedly non-touch-sensitive SusiSphere for interactivity. Nevertheless, the union of the two concepts sure is tantalizing. Check the game play after the break.
Extreme trailer for Space Invaders Extreme
This trailer for the upcoming Space Invaders Extreme shows off all that re-invented gameplay and new visual style we've been touting about. The trailer music is also infectiously delightful, so make sure you check out the vid to witness the game's sights and sounds.Celebrating 30 years of invasion, Taito has really done quite well tweaking the classic without changing the original formula too much. This makes us extremely excited to shoot down some multi-colored aliens and defend the home planet. Luckily, we won't have to wait too long; the game will be out in just about a month's time: June 17.
Space Invaders get wooden
Deciding that a Triforce cutting board wasn't enough of an outlet for his talents, Etsy user 1337motif went ahead and made one with a Space Invaders theme, too. While $125 is way too much for any normal person to spend on a cutting board, we can't deny the fact that we want it.If you enjoy the wood-meets-Space Invaders style, though, 1337motif also has some nice, reasonably priced jewelry to offer. Oddly enough, his necklaces look like mini cutting boards. Still, they're cute, and even more importantly, they feature the alienoids from one of our most anticipated games.[Via Technabob]
Show and Tell: Pixelated
We love to show off your stuff in this space, from collections (or partial collections) to unusual DIY mods and decorating projects, to, well, whatever you can come up with! But if you present something in a creative manner, you're probably going to get our attention, and reader yanya did just that.Got something that makes you particularly proud? We like thingamabobs and doohickeys and swag of all sorts, as well as food and furniture and anything fun ... so long as it's related to Nintendo! Just take some pictures, tell us what's up, and send it all to showmeit [at] dsfanboy [dot] com. We'll take care of the rest.So, can you guess what yanya did with these games? Hint: it involves something we're hotly, heavily anticipating.
Scrubs tackles Space Invaders
June really can't come soon enough, since we're dying to get our hands on Square-Enix's Space Invaders Extreme. In the meantime, though, we might steal J.D. and Turk's idea and play some human Space Invaders. If you could get enough friends together, it might actually be a lot of fun ... wait a minute, are we really considering this?At any rate, Scrubs' return from the strike hiatus featured one of our favorite past times in a completely silly manner. It's not the first time we've seen human Space Invaders (or human Arkanoid, for that matter), but it's still funny and worth a look.[Via Gamertell]
NMS08: Square Enix talks Space Invaders Extreme
Gamespot got a chance to talk with Square Enix PR guy Klee Kuo about Space Invaders Extreme back at the Nintendo Media Summit, taking care to film the whole thing so that we may all watch. Included in the interview (if people talking isn't your sort of thing) is footage from both the DS and PSP versions of the game. We don't have to tell you all which one looks superior, of course.There's also a few other trailers up of just gameplay, which we've gone ahead and embedded past the break.%Gallery-14613%
Joystiq hands-on: Space Invaders Extreme (DS/PSP)
My surprise of the week: Space Invaders Extreme. I played a few rounds at the Nintendo Media Summit since there was no line for the lonely kiosk. (Its PR handlers had even abandoned it, working double-duty at the Crystal Chronicles station across the room.) But as soon as I began tapping the buttons, I was hooked; this update borrows the basic idea of Space Invaders and remixes it into a wild, fast-paced shooter. Like the classic, enemy ships make formations above you, raining shots down the screen. Otherwise, nearly everything else has been squeezed, twisted, and stretched into a modern game. The transition deserves comparison to our lauded Pac-Man Championship Edition, but I haven't yet decided if its as elegant an update. Regardless, an update is an update, and Space Invaders Extreme betters nearly every other current shooter. %Gallery-20559%
Space Invaders invade your fridge
You know that we love Space Invaders junk paraphernalia. If it were up to us (and not roommates, money, and social acceptance), everything we own would probably relate to the awesome alienoids in some way. Magnets are harmless enough, though, and we really want a pack of these to play around with.Since we're almost gnawing off our own fingers in anticipation for Space Invaders Extreme to mosey on over to North America, we could see ourselves sitting in front of the fridge until the early hours of the A.M., moving the magnets around to simulate playing the game. Fortunately for us and our dignity, we haven't found a place to import these magnets from yet, although they'll be available in Japan by April 22nd.
DS Fanboy poll: Our paddle predicament
So that's it: Taito's amazing paddle controller won't be leaving Japan. But really, if Square Enix thinks we're going to take this lying down, and be forced to play Space Invaders Extreme and Arkanoid sans paddle, then it can think again.We're over the initial shock now, beyond the tears and the tantrums punching walls in a really manly fashion, and we're thinking about the future with a clear head. At the next possible opportunity, we're importing a paddle controller. We've not even played Arkanoid or Space Invaders Extreme yet, but we're utterly convinced that these games need this peripheral. What about you lot?%Poll-12399%
Arkanoid DS headed up North American creek without a paddle
The thrill of pinching that tiny, twisty knob between your thumb and forefinger, guiding your sliver of a "space vessel" as you protect its only companion, a dot, capable of utmost destruction, but ultimately helpless, has been lost, abandoned. Taito will ship Arkanoid DS to North America on June 17 without its protruding peripheral, banking on a $19.99 budget price to sell the antiquated, breakout formula. True 'Noidians will have to double the investment and turn to import retailers to assemble the authentic experience -- currently, only available in pink.More promising is Taito's Space Invaders Extreme, a "re-imaged" version of the original, which reminds us a lot of last year's excellent Pac-Man CE for XBLA -- both touching up fundamental elements with a contemporary aesthetic. Space Invaders Extreme will be released alongside Arkanoid DS on June 17 for $19.99, and will be available for DS and PSP. Gallery: Arkanoid DS Gallery: Space Invaders Extreme
Space Invaders goes Extreme in June
Ever wonder how the classic Space Invaders could make a return? Make it faster, brighter, and add the word Extreme to it. Yep, Space Invaders Extreme is slated to hit the PSP on June 17, 2008. Taito has given us a list of features for the game, which should excite those who remember playing the original just to see how far it's evolved. The design is the same, but with revamped graphics and new background movies, while up-beat techno music plays in synch with the gameplay. In the middle of the normal game, mini-games might launch that allow you to rack up the points, though what sorts of mini-games are available aren't described. Also vaguely introduced are new "twists" that add to the new faster pace of play. A multi-player element is available as well. If you're into these old-school revivals, this one might be worth a look.
2008's April Fools' DS pranks
Oh man, is that Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime over there, bringing you a giant bag of popcorn? It must be your lucky day!Too bad it's April Fools' Day! You're not getting any popcorn at all! Nope, it's just another bag of the usual stuff -- disappointment, regret, and the simple pain of living.Rather than spend your day weeping over missed opportunities and movie snacks, why not peruse our collection of April Fools' Day DS pranks? We've gathered up all of this year's handheld shenanigans we could find around the internet, providing you a concentrated punch of lulz to counteract Reggie's kick to your head. Click Reggie for popcorn! ->
Celebrate 30 years of Space Invaders with snuggle pillows
Has it already been 30 years since Space Invaders first conquered the hearts of gamers everywhere? It seems like such a long time ago. We're happy though, make no mistake. We want to get in on the celebration, and one way that we can is with these Space Invader pillows. These little 45 cm pillows are priced at $29.90 each at NCSX. They should be available by mid-late July; that's probably right in line with Europe's summer release of Space Invaders Extreme. [Via DS Fanboy]
Sleep Invaders
Hey, more Space Invaders stuff! As long as those pixel Invaders continue to look cool (30 years and counting!), we'll still enjoy looking at stuff decorated with them. The latest item to be honored with the classic ship designs: these two pillows, which measure 45 cm across.Either design -- the two giant Invaders or the rows of mini-Invaders -- would look pretty dang cool adorning the top of a bed. We don't recommend them as pet pillows unless your pets are extremely short-haired (or have black fur), or your pillow, with its black fabric, would be invaded by visible pet hair.
