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DS Daily: Is Space Invaders extreme enough?
The new version of Space Invaders has new enemy designs, new music, strikingly new graphics, and some kind of bizarre music/gameplay integration. But it appears to still be your basic Space Invaders-- moving left and right, and shooting at enemies as they descend in formation. It's the same game, at heart, as has been around since 1978. Plenty of people still love Space Invaders today, and we count ourselves among that "number," though we haven't built a career in art out of it or anything. But we also know that we (I) can be a little more retro-oriented than most people. Which is why we're asking you: does Space Invaders Extreme have any chance of holding your interest based on what you've seen (which, at the moment, isn't too much)? Is the basic game too antique for you? What would have to change to suit your tastes?
Space Invaders Extreme gets a techno-fabulous makeover
What's the Extreme part of Space Invaders Extreme? We believe it's an extreme visual similarity to Q Entertainment's stylish puzzle games like Lumines, Every Extend Extra, and Gunpey. Or, to make a more direct connection between shooter and shooter, Space Invaders Extreme looks a lot like Rez. And you will never hear us say that's a bad thing.In fact, Extreme looks pretty cool, and not just in its presentation. The movement of the Invaders is now tied into the game soundtrack (another nod to Rez), adding a new element to the already-hypnotic Invaders experience. And, yes, the Arkanoid DS paddle controller works.
The Legend of Kage 2 details emerge from the shadows
Looks like The Legend of Kage 2 is going for just a little more depth than its predecessor. Not that that's hard, considering that The Legend of Kage had five (brutal) stages that repeated three times. We loved the game, however, and that's why we're as happy about this sequel as 22 of you are.The new game has 12 stages for Kage and 12 stages for his kunoichi counterpart, Chihiro. Though these stages will probably use the same environments, we are hoping for different enemy and item layouts, or Taito's cheating by calling them different stages.There will be over 30 equippable abilities, which are gained by picking up and equipping elemental spheres. According to the GAME Watch article, these abilities will allow players to customize their play style. The NES game only had one style that we were aware of: jam on the attack buttons while jumping randomly and hoping that you'll kill all the bad ninja before getting hit by an unavoidable shuriken.%Gallery-7439%
Rez, Ikaruga, Exit confirmed for Xbox Live Arcade
If you missed out on our liveblog of Microsoft's pre-TGS conference in Japan (it does, after all, require an excessive and strenuous amount of scrolling to access), you may appreciate and respond with delirious joy to some of the pertinent news to emerge from it. You should also appreciate the amount of effort that went into the preceding and vaguely professional sentence -- we really just wanted to blurt out that REZ ON XBLA YAY. Ahem. Microsoft confirmed that Tetsuya Mizuguchi's melodic shooter will soon make you hear everything you see and see everything you hear on Xbox Live Arcade. Other things you'll see are waves of hypnotic bullets (Ikaruga), saviors adorned with fine hats (EXIT), pulsating geometric shapes (Every Extend Extra Extreme), flying robots (Omega Five) and... er, some sort of Japanese car (Triggerheart Exelica)? No release dates have been announced for any of the games, though we suspect none of them are likely to come soon enough.
Taito goes DS-only at TGS
Taito knows where the money is in the Japanese video game market: the DS. Thus it seems that they've decided to concentrate their development efforts on games for the money-printing handheld. The company released the list of games they'll be displaying at this year's Tokyo Game Show, and every single one is a DS title. Most of the games are things that we already know (and have said "yay") about, but two games are new: the first is Space Invaders Extreme, which, we hope, is either more of an update than Space Invaders Revolution or includes Akkanvader. We also hope it works with the Arkanoid paddle controller. The other is Pet Shop Monogatari DS, which is an RPG about a pet shop. The lineup includes: Cooking Mama 2, Exit DS, Arkanoid DS (and its controller), The Legend of Kage 2, Pet Shop Monogatari DS, and Space Invaders Extreme. All games that we would totally play at TGS ... if we were going. Which we aren't.
Escape with these new Exit screens
Alright, we've seen scans and now we have a lush new gallery so we can ogle the slick art style of Exit DS, but what we really need is a little information on the control scheme for the port. After all, the PSP version debuted to mixed reviews; while many praised the art style (we can only agree), it was the pacing and control scheme that racked up frowns and the occasional head-shake. Per Jeux-France, this version is being (re)developed exclusively for the DS, so perhaps we can hope for more than just a rearranging of screens. The Japanese version isn't set until January of next year, but we'll keep an eye out for the news as it develops. %Gallery-6861%
Legend of the Shirtless Ninja
Kage, star of The Legend of Kage 2, seems to be carefully avoiding wearing a shirt. He's wearing shoulder armor, and even a scarf-- but we suspect that a shirt would do much more to protect him from the cold than that scarf. What is it with ninja and scarves, anyway? We suppose that if they're vain enough to swordfight without upper-body covering, they're vain enough to want all their jumping to be trailed by a pretty red ribbon. The new Kage game also stars a kunoichi named Chihiro, who carries a sickle with a long chain attached. Their game has them running and jumping (really, really high) in a very lushly colorful, detailed 2D environment. There's some kind of level indicator in the lifebar, which portends either RPG elements or multiple levels of upgradeable weapons. In any case, it's more depth than the arcade-style first game had. Just don't look directly at the guy with the head (you'll see which one) and you'll be every bit as enthused about the game as we are.
A sequel for Legend of Kage? Really?
Taito must be reading our diary! We thought nobody liked The Legend of Kage! Taito is working to singlehandedly replicate the fall of 1987 on the DS, as both Arkanoid and Kage were released on the NES in that period. We remember seeing the distinctive rainbow-colored boxes on the shelf and being excited about playing these games in the near future.Okay, so our love for Kage is probably the result of having been 7 and not knowing any better, combined with current nostalgia for that time. But whatever the reason, we still love it. And maybe Taito will make a better game this time that more people can enjoy! Unfortunately, we can't tell much from the blurry scan, except that it looks like a graphically updated version of the original game, and that it's due in February of next year. It's got a lifebar, which should prevent those instant, unavoidable kills caused by a ninja tossing a shuriken at you while you're in the midst of one of those sailing, uncontrollable jumps. By the way, the DS's aspect ratio is perfect for those jumps. The DS's size is also, unfortunately, perfect for throwing and smashing after all of the rage that makes up the average Kage gameplay experience.
Fresh hot Exit DS screens
Famitsu has posted some new screens for Exit DS, showing off some of the game's environments and different obstacles Mr. ESC will have to tackle. What's interesting about these screens is that they reveal the game's main screen for action will be that of the bottom screen. This leads us to believe that the title will feature touch-screen controls. While many have said that the control method on the PSP suited the game nicely, we're interested in seeing how the game will handle itself with touch controls.
Puzzle-adventure game Exit coming to DS
Taito's Exit, formerly on the PSP, is currently in development for the Nintendo DS, according to a recent issue of Famitsu Magazine. Players will once again be taking on the role of famed escapeologist Mr. ESC, as he runs, jumps, and climbs through structures to save disaster victims and find the, well, exit. According to the Famitsu article, the game is slated for a January 2008 release in Japan. No word yet of a North American release, but given the critical success of the PSP version, there's no reason not to expect some localization of the adaptation in the near future. [Via DS Fanboy]
Track your pain relative to others' in Arkanoid DS
Arkanoid is not especially well-suited to multiplayer. In fact, Breakout and its ilk serve as a single-player alternative to Pong: the sentient or AI antagonist is replaced by an immobile target set that requires as much precision and reflexes as the opposing paddle would (Of course, Arkanoid complicated things by adding enemies, but those are still more obstacles than opponents). When we first saw the news about Arkanoid DS, our thoughts did not go straight to the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. We never said that this game would be totally awesome if it were online.But it is awesome. And it is online. Sort of. Arkanoid DS will feature online rankings, which are perfect for a classic arcade game. We look forward to sharing our humiliatingly low scores with the gaming public. We also look forward to hearing the new music from Taito's house band, Zuntata. The original Arkanoid music was sparse, limited only to a short tune at the start of the game and cues at new levels and deaths, but it's all great.[Via GoNintendo]
Famitsu scans for Exit escape onto the net
Yesterday's news was quite welcome, in our eyes, as we'd always wanted to try Ubisoft's game Exit, however we didn't feel like having our hands melt off from touching a Sony product (we kid!). Luckily, we're getting a version of the game for our favorite handheld, so we won't have to bother with the PSP game. Now, courtesy of JeuxFrance, we've got some scans from that very issue of Famitsu to gawk at. You can catch them past the post break.
Latest issue of Famitsu confirms Exit coming to DS
According to a post over at GameFront, Ubisoft's Exit will be making its way to the DS. GameFront cites Japanese gaming mag Famitsu as the source of this delicious chunk of news. Originally a PSP title, players were charged with escaping structures within the designated time limit. Along the way, obstacles would hinder the player's progress. No news on the game's features in migrating to the DS. The new game will be developed by Taito Corporation, who also took over duties on the first PSP title. Aside from that, we only know of a release date: January 2008.
Three control schemes for Arkanoid DS, two are for crazy people
You aren't limited to the awesome spinner controller if you want to play Arkanoid DS. If, for some reason, you'd like to play with the stylus or the d-pad and shoulder buttons, you go right ahead. Taito has made those options available for fun-hating people like you.Or, you know, if you don't want to pony up the extra 1,050 yen ($9.15) for the package containing the white dial/spinner, or the 1,800 yen ($15.69) for a spinner in one of the alternate colors. We must admit we do understand financial concerns. However, most Japanese DS games cost as much as the bundle, and, to us, the spinner is an integral part of the experience.
Doh commands you to look at Arkanoid screens
Arkanoid DS is a game made by people who respect classic gameplay. Taito chose to make a block-breaking game on a system with a touch screen, but did they settle for stylus-based play? No! Arkanoid traditionally uses a dial controller to operate its paddle, and thus a new peripheral was born. Each copy of Arkanoid DS will include a white paddle controller; the black, pink, and silver controllers will be sold separately for 1800 yen ($15.29).Since the game is so traditional, we were initially slightly (only slightly) put off by the choice to make the blocks square instead of the Arkanoid-correct rectangles. We changed our minds when we saw the Space Invaders level made possible by square blocks. It's only one of the 140 Clear Game levels, in addition to the Quest Mode challenges. We still play a lot of NES Arkanoid, and we really want to see Taito succeed with this. We really want the DS to become the new NES.
Taito announces Arkanoid DS, special paddle included
Those boys over at Famitsu are at it again, breaking news that Taito Corporation will be bringing its much loved and often ported classic, Arkanoid, to the Nintendo DS. It's currently set for release in Japan on December 6th, and from what we can tell will also include multiple game modes like Quest Mode (which will presumably involve you heroically piloting your space paddle to save a princess from the evil clutches of Doh). But what really tricks out this otherwise mildly noteworthy release is that Taito will include a special controller reminiscent of classic arcade paddles. The paddle will plug into the GBA cartridge slot below the Nintendo DS and come in four DS Lite-friendly colors. Nostalgia Get! Hit up the break for the scan from this week's Famitsu, including shots of the paddle controllers and the long, dual screen Break Out action.
Majesco to localize quirky Wii game Furu Furu Park
Released in Japan in April, Furu Furu Park is a Wii-exclusive title that features over two dozen mini-games based on classic Taito franchises such as Araknoid and Bubble Bobble. Majesco recently announced the game will be localized for North American audiences, pulling out those squiggly Japanese lines and replacing them with the glorious Roman alphabet. In addition to its battery of "quirky stylized" arcade games, Furu Furu Park includes three multiplayer modes (including one where you compete to win "female affection") and a number of original games that, naturally, take advantage of the Wii remote's motion sensing, such as "Safe Cracker" and "Super Karate".
Furu Furu Park making a surprise trip to the US
Furu Furu Park, Taito's self-referential minigame collection, is coming to the US courtesy of Majesco. Normally, we're all GRR TOO MANY MINIGAMES. But this one's got Arkanoid bits in it, so it gets a pass.In other words, Taito has figured out the winning formula for making us care about a minigame collection: well-designed gameplay making it look like old games. It may even be fun, with games like Super Karate (in which you waggle karate moves), Safe Cracker (The Wiimote becomes your, uh, combination lock dial!) and Bubble Bobble (which is Bubble Bobble!) Man, that version of Bubble Bobble looks sharp.
Exit exits PSP and enters 360
IGN is reporting that Exit will be making the leap from small screen to big screen. No, it's not getting a movie made of it, but it is becoming an Xbox Live Arcade title. For those who haven't played Exit, it has you take control of Mr. ESC as he guides civilians from burning buildings, and other deadly situations. The Xbox 360 version will also feature new levels not found in the PSP title. There is no word on whether the XBLA Exit will be a port of the first game, it's sequel, or a mixture of both. For those interested, it will retail for $10, and be out in Japan this summer. Lumines previously made the jump from PSP to Xbox 360, so this move isn't unprecedented. This just goes to show that the PSP isn't the only system getting another console's ports. [Via Joystiq]
PSP puzzler Exit coming to XBLA
According to XBLArcade, Taito announced in the latest Famitsu that it plans to bring its PSP puzzle game, Exit, to Xbox Live Arcade. The object of the game, appropriately enough, is to guide yourself and others to the exit of each level. The game employs a heavily stylized cel-shaded look, and is perhaps best described as "quirky." The Xbox Live Arcade version will feature brand new levels not found in the PSP version. For the moment, only a Japanese release has been confirmed at a price of 800 points. Hopefully, the western world will get a taste of Exit as well. Hit the "read" link to see a trailer for the game.Alright Taito, how about some Bubble Bobble love on XBLA?
