XBLA is filled with retreads of arcane arcade classics, most of which have not aged well at all, so it wouldn't be surprising if your initial reaction was to ignore the release of Space Invaders Extreme completely. After all, there aren't many arcade games older than Space Invaders. However, Space Invaders Extreme is not your Father's Space Invaders (or the Space Invaders that you remember). Taito has taken the simple shooter and given it a makeover, perfectly striking the balance between updating the game's graphics and gameplay and preserving the elements that made it such an icon of gaming in the first place.