Space Invaders Get Even
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is a
video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
by
Taito is a Japanese company that specializes in video games, toys, arcade cabinets and game centers, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The company was founded by Michael Kogan in 1953 as the importing vodka, vending machines and jukeboxes into Japan. It b ...
for the
Wii The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
. Originally intended as a retail release, the game was released as a downloadable
WiiWare WiiWare was a service that allowed Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications could only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii S ...
game instead. It was released in Japan on August 26, 2008, in Europe on November 7, 2008, and in North America on December 1, 2008. Outside Japan the game is published by
Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...
. The game costs 500
Nintendo Points The Wii Shop Channel is a former digital distribution service for the Wii video game console. The service allowed users to purchase and play additional software for the Wii (called Channels), including exclusive games (branded WiiWare), and gam ...
. However, only one stage (consisting of two levels and a
boss battle In video games, a boss is a significant computer-controlled opponent. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight. Bosses are generally far stronger than other opponents the player has faced up to that ...
), dubbed the "Starter Pack" is initially available. The game's six additional stages must be purchased separately as three
downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
packs, also priced at 500 Points each. As a result, the complete game costs a total of 2000 Nintendo Points.


Gameplay

The origins of the game lie with the original classic arcade game ''
Space Invaders is a 1978 shoot 'em up arcade game developed by Tomohiro Nishikado. It was manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and licensed to the Midway division of Bally for overseas distribution. ''Space Invaders'' was the first fixed shooter and set ...
''. However, ''Space Invaders Get Even'' puts a twist on the formula by letting the player control the space invaders themselves. Breaking away from the gameplay of the original game and its spin-offs, ''Space Invaders Get Even'' sees players piloting the invader's
UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are id ...
across a landscape rendered in
3D graphics 3D computer graphics, or “3D graphics,” sometimes called CGI, 3D-CGI or three-dimensional computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data (often Cartesian) that is stored in the computer for the ...
, which encompasses areas such as cities, deserts, forests, oceans and military bases. By downloading the extra stages, players are also given the option to swap out the UFO in the game with ships from the '' Darius'' and ''
RayForce is a vertically scrolling shooter by Taito for the Taito F3 arcade hardware and released in 1994. It was ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995, Microsoft Windows in 1997, then rereleased for iOS in 2012 and Android in 2017. Due to trademark probl ...
'' series of Taito
shoot 'em up Shoot 'em ups (also known as shmups or STGs ) are a sub-genre of action games. There is no consensus as to which design elements compose a shoot 'em up; some restrict the definition to games featuring spacecraft and certain types of chara ...
s, as well as a polygonal version of the "classic" UFO from ''Space Invaders''. Players move the UFO with the analog stick of the Nunchuk, and then use the pointer function of the
Wii Remote The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with ...
to direct a swarm of up to 100 invaders in blowing up buildings and destroying the defending forces of Earth, with continuing destruction increasing the time available to the player. The invaders, which are rendered as flat, glowing two dimensional sprites which resemble the invaders in the original game, can utilize a number of attack formations to dispatch enemies, including forming a drill-like formation to bore into them or crushing them by bouncing on top of them from above. Over time, human forces will shoot down the player's invader troops, which the player replenishes by shaking the Wiimote. Upon eliminating all opposition in the stage, which includes fighter jets, helicopter gunships and gunboats, the player must then take on a large boss, which include a giant tank,
mecha In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines controlled by people, typically depicted as humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the mean ...
and a huge battleship. The final battle of the game is against the original UFO that crashed on Earth 30 years ago during the first invasion, upgraded and modified by the earthlings. The game also features online leaderboards.


Reception

''
Wired ''Wired'' (stylized as ''WIRED'') is a monthly American magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered in San Fra ...
''
Chris Kohler Chris is a short form of various names including Christopher, Christian (given name), Christian, Christina (given name), Christina, Christine (name), Christine, and Christos (given name), Christos. Chris is also used as a name in its own right, ...
found the gameplay in the Starter Pack to be "addictive and well-balanced", yet lamented that making the rest of the stages available only as paid downloadable content was like "the modern-day equivalent of Insert Coin To Continue". ''
Nintendo Life Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and other ...
'', which gave it an 8/10, called it "a wonderful new take on the franchise", though they also believed that players may be put off by both having to purchase the additional stages and needing to free up the amount of internal memory (approximately 700 blocks) required for the game and its additional content. These sentiments were also echoed by ''
1UP.com ''1Up.com'' was an American entertainment website that focused on video games. Launched in 2003, ''1Up.com'' provided its own original features, news stories, game reviews, and video interviews, and also featured comprehensive PC-focused conten ...
'', who gave the game a B− grade and called the gameplay a "high concentration of amusing (and plain ol' fun)" action. ''
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' gave it a 5.9/10, praising the gameplay and the game's humor, but could not justify the cost of purchasing the whole package.


References


External links


Taito ''Space Invaders Get Even'' Japanese site
{{Space Invaders 2008 video games Cattle Call (company) games Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection games Single-player video games Space Invaders Taito games Video games developed in Japan Video games scored by Atsuhiro Motoyama Wii Wi-Fi games Wii-only games WiiWare games