Space Invaders Get Even
Encyclopedia
is a video game by Taito
for the Wii
. Originally intended as a retail release, the game was released as a downloadable WiiWare
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
.
The game costs 500 Nintendo Points. However, only one stage (consisting of two levels and a boss battle
), dubbed the "Starter Pack" is initially available. The game's six additional stages must be purchased separately as three downloadable content
packs, also priced at 500 Points each. As a result, the complete game costs a total of 2000 Nintendo Points.
. 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
across a landscape rendered in 3D graphics
, 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
series of Taito shoot 'em up
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
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
and a huge battleship.
The game also features online leaderboards.
's Chris Kohler 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, 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
, who gave the game a B- grade and called the gameplay a "high concentration of amusing (and plain ol' fun)" action. IGN
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.
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. Originally intended as a retail release, the game was released as a downloadable WiiWare
WiiWare
WiiWare is a service that allows Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications can only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel under the WiiWare section...
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
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
.
The game costs 500 Nintendo Points. However, only one stage (consisting of two levels and a boss battle
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
), dubbed the "Starter Pack" is initially available. The game's six additional stages must be purchased separately as three downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
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 InvadersSpace Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
. 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
Unidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
across a landscape rendered in 3D graphics
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
, 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
RayForce
RayForce is a vertical space shooter style game by Taito released for the Taito F3 arcade hardware in 1993 and later ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995....
series of Taito shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up
Shoot 'em up is a subgenre of shooter video games. In a shoot 'em up, the player controls a lone character, often in a spacecraft or aircraft, shooting large numbers of enemies while dodging their attacks. The genre in turn encompasses various types or subgenres and critics differ on exactly what...
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
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
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
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
and a huge battleship.
The game also features online leaderboards.
Reception
WiredWired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
's Chris Kohler 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, 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
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
, who gave the game a B- grade and called the gameplay a "high concentration of amusing (and plain ol' fun)" action. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
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.