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Posts with tag paddle

Space Invaders Extreme: DS vs. PSP


Space Invaders Extreme has been out in the U.S. and Europe for about a month now, so if you haven't bought this gem yet (and according to certain chartz, most of you haven't), we can only assume it's because you're still deciding which version to pick up.

As you probably know, the game released for both the DS and the PSP. One of the reasons that certain bloggers (namely, this one) were so excited for the U.S. release of Space Invaders Extreme in the first place was because its downloadable demo for the PSP was nothing short of awesome. You can imagine, then, how torn we were when it came to choosing between the DS and PSP versions of the game. We only figured that some of our readers were going through the same dilemma, and thus we ended up trying out both just so that you don't have to.

If you want to see how Space Invaders Extreme DS and PSP stack up against each other, just click on past the break for a pretty chart and in-depth category breakdowns.

Continue reading Space Invaders Extreme: DS vs. PSP

Fanswag Reminder: Taito/SE gear to fill your hours


We're bursting with opportunities for free stuff right now! Not only can those of you in the Santa Monica area swing by the Joystiq Network End-of-E3 meetup next week, everyone else (in the U.S. or most of Canada) can enter right now to win Space Invaders Extreme, Arkanoid DS, and an import paddle controller (in white). See, we kinda like you. Do you like us: Y/N? Oh, just go enter the contest already.

DS Fanswag: Space Invaders Extreme, Arkanoid, and a paddle to play 'em with


We've got an ultimate game pack up for grabs with this latest DS Fanswag! One lucky reader is going to walk away with Space Invaders Extreme ($19.99), Arkanoid DS ($19.99), and an import paddle controller (in white; $29.99), and all for the low, low price of a comment.

What do you need to do to win? Well, since it's almost time for E3, tell us what you hope will be announced at the show! You may enter once per day and the contest will run through Sunday, July 13th; that night, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, entries will close, and we'll choose one winner in a random drawing. To enter, you must be 18 or older, and a current legal resident of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec). Have questions? Check the official rules.

DS Fanboy Review: Space Invaders Extreme


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.

Consider my mind blown.

Continue reading DS Fanboy Review: Space Invaders Extreme

DS Fanboy Review: Arkanoid DS


I love Arkanoid. I purchased the NES game, with its included paddle controller, as soon as it came out in 1987. I still play it. It's still really hard, and I still think level 3 -- level 3! -- is one of the most devious and challenging video game levels ever devised. When Taito revealed that they were updating Arkanoid for the DS, I was beyond thrilled. I have been waiting for the American release of this game since last year. While I thought Space Invaders Extreme looked like a more creative update of its source material, Arkanoid DS had Arkanoid as its source material.

It's pretty good. It fails to hold up perfectly to the original, but it's pretty good.

Continue reading DS Fanboy Review: Arkanoid DS

WRUP: Paddle-tastic edition

This weekend, the DS Fanboy staff will likely be knee-deep in conflict. Whether it's against invaders from space or gigantic blocks, we'll be armed with one weapon that will aid us in defeating these threats: Taito's paddle controller. Seriously, it's all Arkanoid DS and Space Invaders Extreme for us this weekend.

What about you all? Going to be playing the same games as us? Playing something else? What will you be playing?

Metareview: Arkanoid DS

We've already seen critics rave over Space Invaders Extreme, but how about Taito's other redone classic, Arkanoid DS? Well, not so much. Reviews on this game range from good, to bad, to mediocre:

IGN (45/100) felt that the developers took everything that was great about Arkanoid and flushed it down the toilet: "But once you played the game it's easy to see just how bad of an 'Arkanoid' game it is. The Paddle peripheral is absolutely fantastic: the knob has great weight and interfaces with the system and game extremely well. But the gameplay is so far away from the original Arkanoid. The sound effects and power-ups may have matched the arcade game but the same action is nowhere near the original."

Gamespot (80/100) was on the other side of the spectrum, and thought the game had a lot to offer: "There's more than enough fun to be had with Arkanoid DS to justify its budget price tag, and the multiplayer content and online leaderboards that compare your performances in the single-player Clear mode ensure that there's no shortage of replay value if you're the competitive type. Arkanoid was a great game in 1986 and it's still a great game in 2008. Arkanoid DS is even better."

Nintendo Power
(65/100) found the game to be fun, but not on par with Space Invaders Extreme: "Though not as glossy as Space Invaders Extreme (another Taito update from Square Enix), brick-breaker Arkanoid DS takes advantage of the DS hardware more than its classic-reborn cousin by offering a vertical playing field and a touch-control option." [July 2008, p.89]

Gallery: Arkanoid DS

Metareview: Space Invaders Extreme


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]

Essential Extras: Taito's paddle controller

Let's just get this out of the way first thing: the import paddle controller works on the U.S. versions of Arkanoid and Space Invaders Extreme in both the DS Lite and Phat. But with that answered at last, the question that remains is: should you go to the trouble of importing the Japan-exclusive peripheral?

We've been test-driving both titles, with the paddle and without, and it definitely adds to the experience. Arkanoid without the paddle is fun, but not terribly engaging, and seems like the kind of game that would work only as a temporary diversion. For a budget title, that's fine! But with the addition of the paddle -- which turns the purchase into something decidedly not budget -- Arkanoid really comes to life as an exciting way to spend some time with your DS.

Continue reading Essential Extras: Taito's paddle controller

Ponder the paddle as you watch Space Invaders Extreme videos


Space Invaders Extreme is out next week, at which point we'll be able to put paddle speculation to rest. The Arkanoid DS demo found on the Nintendo Channel doesn't support Taito's paddle controller, but, it turns out, neither did the Japanese demo. That means it's still possible for the retail Arkanoid and its contemporary to include paddle support -- don't offload your paddles on eBay just yet. Besides, Square Enix told Game|Life in April that the U.S. games would still support the paddle, though of course that could have changed!

We can confirm that these two Space Invaders Extreme videos are awesome. We have proof: the awesome videos. Two minutes of single-player gameplay are in the video above; a multiplayer video, featuring a different musical track, follows after the post break.

Continue reading Ponder the paddle as you watch Space Invaders Extreme videos

Everything you wanted to know about Space Invaders Extreme but were afraid to ask


With the release of one of our most-anticipated summer games next week, along with partner-in-crime Arkanoid, DS Fanboy has lovingly prepared a recap of our most important (and silly) coverage of Space Invaders Extreme. We've got video, screenshots, and more importantly, alien undies -- everything you need to get ready for the shooter's release. All that's missing is your copy of the game.

Oh, and that paddle controller. Sigh. Go check out all the shooty goodness anyway.

DS Daily: Does the lack of paddle support make you rethink your purchase?

For us, the lack of paddle support in the demo for Arkanoid DS has us rethinking whether or not we're going to pick up the game, as a lot of the appeal for us was being able to play with the awesome paddle. Now, we're kind of forced to wait and see.

What about you all? Feel the same way? Are you already settled, either way, on what you're going to do?

This just in: We might have imported a paddle controller for nothing


Grab a box of Kleenex or, if that's not an option, your shirt's sleeve. You see, we just went to check out the new DS demos available for download on the Nintendo Channel and found only one: Arkanoid DS. No, no, that's not the sad part at all. The sad part is what happened when we downloaded the demo.

Upon getting it onto our DS and booting the demo up, we prepared for a wonderful time with our imported paddle controller, as it's been sitting on our work space's desk for a couple weeks now while we anticipated the release of Arkanoid DS and Space Invaders Extreme. But, after booting up the demo, we found the title only supports two control schemes: stylus and d-pad. Talk about d'oh!

What will this mean for the final build of the game? Will it also not include support for the paddle controller? It looks like that will be the case, but what about Space Invaders Extreme? Should we expect the same fate for that title?

Gallery: Arkanoid DS


DS Daily: Peripheral party

The DS might not be a system that can immediately benefit from peripherals, what with it being a portable games machine and all, but that hasn't stopped some from coming up with cool stuff to attach to your beloved. Whether it's something as simple as a stand or a wicked awesome controller, there's been some advancements in the field.

So, we figured we'd ask you what you were all rocking. Whether it's just a simple case that protects your DS, or something home-made, let us know what kind of fun stuff you have for your DS. If we covered it on the site, link it in the comments!

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.

Continue reading NMS08: Square Enix talks Space Invaders Extreme

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