3D Space Invaders Preview

Space Invaders is one game that everyone has heard of. Not everyone may have played it, but if you’re a gamer you most certainly are aware of its existence. 

Square Enix will be bringing the classic shooter back with a three-dimensional iteration titled Space Invaders 3D. This pint-sized adventure turns the flat, plainly detailed images of the original into solid shapes using basic 3D models.  

The result is a prettier version of one of the world’s most popular space shooters. Destruction effects are pretty basic, with little tiny pieces of the aliens withering away. Over 30 aliens can be crammed onto the screen at one time – an impressive feat for such a small screen, especially when you consider the fact that mobile phones are nowhere near as powerful the Game Boy Advance, let alone the PSP or Nintendo DS. 

Current score and overall high score are listed at the top of the screen, complete with the retro, pixelated video game font introduced in arcade games back in the late 70s. Three ships will be given to players at the start of every game – whether or not you will have the opportunity to earn more has yet to be determined. 

It is also not yet known how many stages there will be, if you’ll have the option to continue from any point in the game, or if you’ll be able to score a power-up. These were aspects addressed in various Space Invaders titles developed for past console generations. It’ll be interesting to see if the mobile version will follow suit and become the best Space Invaders yet.