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Space Invaders Extreme Z invades Japan's DSiWare
by JC Fletcher 
{ Nov 4th 2009 at 11:45AM } 
Space Invaders Extreme Z is available on DSiWare now (in Japan only) for 500 DSi Points. It's the first DSiWare game from Taito, who has released several WiiWare titles including Space Invaders Get Even, Bubble Bobble Plus, Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! and Arkanoid Plus -- all of which were released in North America.
Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure ascends to XBLA next week
by JC Fletcher { Oct 23rd 2009 at 10:15AM }
A Japanese press release contained a single screen (pictured above), confirming that the game looks pretty much just like the WiiWare version with bigger UI elements -- it's still kind of a mess, visually, and it still features those weirdly human-sized characters; instead of the adorably round Bub and Bob we grew up with. Towering Adventure also differs from the arcade classic by making the ascent up the game's tower a continuous pursuit, even during boss battles.
[Thanks, sacra]
Source (PDF link)
Reminder: Space Invaders Extreme 2 out extremely soon
by JC Fletcher { Oct 16th 2009 at 12:15PM }
Click to invade our gallery
Space Invaders Extreme 2 hasn't managed to build up much hype; an unfortunate circumstance that can be attributed to Square Enix mentioning the North American release of the game once, in May, and then not again until just now. In fact, had it not been for Nintendo's release calendar, we wouldn't have been certain of the release date (October 20 -- a.k.a. next Tuesday) until today, when Taito's parent company, Square Enix, confirmed it. Is it too late to pre-order?
And so, we're only too happy to use this occasion to refresh your memory: Space Invaders Extreme 2 is out very soon! In fact, it's been out all month in Europe and has garnered positive reviews. Turn on a strobe light and have a look at the new screens to prepare yourself for the sequel to one of the best games of 2008.
Gallery: Space Invaders Extreme 2 (10/16/09)
Darius Burst trailer is explosive
by JC Fletcher { Oct 10th 2009 at 6:00AM }
The trailer for Darius Burst seems to hit the highlights of the Darius experience -- namely, spaceships and giant robot versions of aquatic creatures. And it looks hot. Hot enough to send us back through the series in anticipation of the December 24 Japanese release, and for us to send our sincerest wishes to Taito parent company Square Enix. Sell this to us!
This Wednesday: Military Madness and Football Genius Bust-a-Move onto XBLA
by Randy Nelson { Sep 28th 2009 at 3:21PM }
This week's Xbox Live Arcade lineup is Madness -- Madness, we tell you! Well, okay, so it includes Hudson's revival of the TurboGrafx-16 classic Military Madness, but also two other releases. Still: Madness!
Military Madness: Nectaris takes the hex-map strategy game into the era of polygons and -- better yet -- four-person online play. It's going to run 800
($10), which is considerably less than a used TG-16, a TurboChip (remember those? If so, you're old) and the original game will cost you on eBay.
Another classic strikes back in the form of Bust-A-Move Live, the latest retooling of the bubble-shooting puzzle game that's appeared on every system dating back to the abacus. Did you know it's a spin-off of Bubble Bobble Neo from two weeks back? Well, it is. It's also 800 ($10).
Rounding out the bunch -- and making us thankful that every XBLA game has a trial version -- is Football Genius, a football trivia game about that kinda football; otherwise known as "soccer" up in here. We'd give the 800 ($10) release a shot ... if our goal was to be bored. (We love you, soccer/footie fans, but c'mon, seriously?)
Military Madness: Nectaris takes the hex-map strategy game into the era of polygons and -- better yet -- four-person online play. It's going to run 800
($10), which is considerably less than a used TG-16, a TurboChip (remember those? If so, you're old) and the original game will cost you on eBay.Another classic strikes back in the form of Bust-A-Move Live, the latest retooling of the bubble-shooting puzzle game that's appeared on every system dating back to the abacus. Did you know it's a spin-off of Bubble Bobble Neo from two weeks back? Well, it is. It's also 800
($10).Rounding out the bunch -- and making us thankful that every XBLA game has a trial version -- is Football Genius, a football trivia game about that kinda football; otherwise known as "soccer" up in here. We'd give the 800
($10) release a shot ... if our goal was to be bored. (We love you, soccer/footie fans, but c'mon, seriously?)NintendoWare Weekly: Dragon Quest Wars, Arkanoid Plus, Altered Beast
by David Hinkle { Sep 28th 2009 at 11:21AM } 
If you fall into the latter group, we'd just like to thank you for waking up this early to check out what's available for download today on the Wii and DSi. It's nice of you to do so considering you don't have any obligation to be up before noon. Boy, that must be nice. So head past the break and see what's available already!
Hands-on: Music GunGun!
by Andrew Yoon { Sep 20th 2009 at 11:30AM } 
Wait, you need more than that? While not technically a new arcade game, this rhythm/light gun shooter was one of our favorite things from this year's Amusement Machine Show. (It was also conveniently located next to Elevator Action Death Parade.) Music GunGun! has you aiming at the screen with a colorful (but rather standard) plastic light gun. Instead of the usual shooter fare, your targets will be the most adorable, um, things ever. (They're not quite animals, fruits, nor vegetables.)
The basics of the game will be familiar to anyone who's played Ouendan or Elite Beat Agents on the DS. Circular targets will appear on the screen, and players will have to hit the targets in sync with the beat of the song. As in most other music games, players are judged on how closely they match the beat, and successive hits will increase the combo meter.
Hands-on: Elevator Action Death Parade
by Andrew Yoon { Sep 20th 2009 at 8:00AM }
Now, you might be thinking: "Elevator Action Death Parade? I'm already sold on that name alone!" But trust us, this Taito-developed arcade cabinet truly delivers on its namesake: elevator action and death parades. While the game may look like your an ordinary light gun game from afar, Elevator Action makes use of a unique cabinet that features closing elevator doors, up and down floor buttons and yes, even awkward moments of silence as you wait for the elevator to reach its next destination. Awesome!
Space Invaders Extreme 2 landing in Europe October 2
by JC Fletcher { Sep 10th 2009 at 2:46PM }
click to invade the gallery
While we wait for a firmer North American release date than "fall," we'll just enjoy these screenshots the company sent out with the PAL announcement. We're sure we'll be exploring the bingo system and falling into a techno-music-induced Nagoya-attacking trance soon enough.
Gallery: Space Invaders Extreme 2 (09/10/09)
Lost Magic sequel finds a home on cell phones
by JC Fletcher { Sep 9th 2009 at 3:30PM }
Taito's Lost Magic was an early standout on the DS, released in the Dark Ages before the system became ubiquitous. A Wii sequel of sorts was released in Japan this May, called Takt of Magic. Then, this summer, another Lost Magic-related trademark appeared for Lost Magic: Concerto of the Fallen. Taito has just revealed that game as a new Lost Magic for mobile phones. The good news: it's free! The bad news: Japanese mobile games are basically inaccessible unless Taito decides to pull a Square Enix (its parent company!) and port the thing to WiiWare or something.
In the absence of touch or motion controls, Concerto of the Fallen uses a new system for drawing runes, called "buttons."
Amazon pops Space Bust-a-Move's price
by JC Fletcher { Sep 7th 2009 at 12:30PM }
If you haven't picked up Space Bust-a-Move, Taito's DS bubble-buster with online play, you may want to rush toward this deal like a bubble launched by a dinosaur. For its Deal of the Day, Amazon has marked down Space Bust-a-Move to just $12.98, which seems ridiculously low for a game that just came out July 28.Sure, it'll be just like any other Bust-a-Move game, but this one's on the DS, a distinction shared only by, uh, two other games. Okay, let's try that again: Sure, it'll be just like any other Bust-a-Move game, but this one supports the Arkanoid paddle controller.
Gallery: Puzzle Bobble Galaxy (DS)
Puzzle Bobble Live busts a move onto XBLA in Japan
by JC Fletcher { Sep 3rd 2009 at 5:00PM }
Puzzle Bobble Live will be out September 30 in Japan for 800
. Taito had no comment about North American or European releases.Gallery: Puzzle Bobble Live (XBLA)
Space Invaders, Bust-a-Move headed to Blackberry
by Xav de Matos { Aug 30th 2009 at 1:30PM }
Famitsu reveals Darius Burst for PSP
by Xav de Matos { Aug 29th 2009 at 12:00PM }
Famitsu notes Darius Burst will feature 11 levels, with non-linear paths throughout the stages -- splitting each initial level into two paths for players to choose. If you love shmups like we love shmups then you should be giddy about Taito's decision and hopeful the title will see a North American release.
Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop your troubles away
by JC Fletcher { Aug 13th 2009 at 7:10PM }
The "Let's Shop" game, in which players dodge distractions to pick up ingredients at a grocery store, leads to the other new mode, "Combine and Create," which somehow allows players to invent their own recipes based on ingredients used in existing in-game recipes. It's an iterative upgrade, sure, but here's a secret: Cooking Mama continues to be fun even when it's just new recipes.
