Why are some guys so much more popular with the ladies than others? They have the sense and money to wear righteous clothing, a luxury many of us simply can't be bothered with afford. Well, picking up this rad hoodie from Thrifty Beatnik's store is sure to attract plenty of people -- until they realize it's covered with Space Invaders.
Which is rad -- or at least, we think so. Are friends really your friends if they don't like Space Invaders? Maybe, but you'd better educate them in the ways of video gaming history quicksmart. In fact, start them off right here, then move along to the way of the future. That hoodie will cement your place in stardom for years to come -- until Space Invaders becomes uncool. Which is probably never going to happen.
Anticipating a game can be a very dangerous diversion. If you have high hopes for a title, it's easier to find yourself disappointed than satisfied. This is what I was afraid of with Space Invaders Extreme; after drooling over the renovated Taito classic for months on end, I was worried that my expectations would set the bar too high. Basically, if it didn't completely blow my mind, the game was going to be a letdown.
We're always on the hunt for Space Invaders gear, especially now that Space Invaders Extreme is out and it's awesome. We're so obsessed that if given the choice and proper funds, we might just have everything we own decked out in little alienoid designs.
Today, we bring you three steps closer to doing just that. First, you can get yourself a geektastic tie or boxer shorts, which come to $40 and $22 respectively. If those don't do anything for you, you can also check out the super slick Invaders headphones shown above. Aside from them just looking cool, they only cost $20 from NCSX.
We're most tempted by the headphones, but if the tie cost a little less, that would be one hot gift for yourself or the man geek in your life.
For us, the release of Space Invaders Extreme carries the same weight as a world-altering event. Mainly because our own world has been altered to include such an inspired recreation of the original Space Invaders, which we never could have imagined possible. It's like finding an extra $20 in that jacket you have in the back of the closet, only that bill somehow managed to reproduce asexually and gave way to a whole colony of legal tender. Oh, and the money also talks and calls you "God." That's how blessed we feel just knowing such a game exists.
How do the critics feel? Well, let's dive in, shall we?
1UP (A-) says "Space Invaders was never intended to be a graphical powerhouse, and with its solid, pick-up-and-play action and an easily digestible $20 price point, Extreme makes for a perfect summer gaming distraction."
IGN (90/100) found the DS game to be better than the PSP version: "Space Invaders Extreme is a certified hit and easily the company's best effort in contemporizing its classic property. The game's an absolute steal at 20 bucks on either the Nintendo DS or the PlayStation Portable, but if you want the definitive version of this fantastic classic revisit, the Nintendo DS version is it."
GamesRadar (80/100) thinks it's a solid title: "[...] for quick-to-play, compelling arcade action - complete with a two-player head to head mode - it's hard to imagine a better package. Don't miss this one."
Game Informer (83/100) said it's almost a stroke of genius: "It takes some clever thinking to take something this old and make it feel new again. Square Enix has done exactly that by maintaining the core "shoot the aliens" gameplay while dramatically expanding the strategy and skill required to succeed in the endeavor." [July 2008, p.95]
If there's one thing we love, it's DS games. Obviously.
If there are several things we love, SpaceInvadersswag 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!
Both the Arkanoid DS and Space Invaders Extremewebsites 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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
You knowthatweloveSpaceInvadersjunkparaphernalia. 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.
So that's it: Taito's amazingpaddle controllerwon'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?
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.
Hey, moreSpace Invadersstuff! 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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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