It was way, way back in 1978 that Taito first introduced the budding new world of video games to the intergalactic attack of Space Invaders. In the three decades since, you'd have thought those pesky little buggers would've learned their lesson and high-tailed it at least a few light years away. Instead, those persistent pixelated pests are back for more in the latest from Taito and Square Enix, Space Invaders: Infinity Gene, available for download now on Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network.

As Space Invaders: Infinity Gene opens up, it looks like nothing has changed in the past 32 years. Once again, the aliens line up in formation and slowly make their way to the planet's surface in a conga line formation with the player frantically (or rather ploddingly) scooting his ship left and right to take 'em out of the sky. Before long, though, you're playing something that might look like the Space Invaders of arcade days long passed, but has evolved into a totally new experience.

The first thing that stands out in Space Invaders: Infinity Gene has got to be the game's visuals. Infinity Gene, while updating the franchise for a brand new generation of gamers, never strays far from its original Space Invaders roots. Using retro-styled vector graphics, still shots from the game look like they could have been pulled straight from the days of disco, but put those pixels in motion with a nice blend of techno music and iconic sound effects, and you end up with smooth and fascinating bit of eye candy that's as much a piece of art as it is a video game.

Infinity Gene starts off in the style of the original Space Invaders for the first stage. Playing through the game, though, unlocks new additions to standard gameplay, including giving the invaders the new ability break from the basic formation to attack from all sides of the screen. That's right ... for the first time in three decades you've got to watch your six. Plus, we finally get to see more of the invading armada, including some of the huge motherships the alien ships have apparently been streaming out of all these years. It's a fresh new take on the same ol' formula, yet nothing ever feels out of place.

As good as the nostalgic flavor of Space Invaders: Infinity Gene tastes, there are still a few bitter bites in this tasty gaming morsel. For starters, while the old school visuals are sure to tug at the heartstrings of those with fond memories of the original Space Invaders, many of the newer generation of gamers might find themselves turned off by Infinity Gene's classic coat of paint. Also, while it's fun to unlock many of the new upgrades to the planet's stalwart defender, other unlockables, like the audio tracks just feel a little ... underwhelming. And while the game's Music Mode claims to alter the gameplay based on the music stored on your hard drive, I never noticed any major differences over Normal mode. Maybe Taito expects me to be listening to a completely different type of music than I do, who knows?

In the pages on the video game history books, Space Invaders stands tall as one of the first major success stories and true icon of the industry. And when it comes to icons, you've got to treat them with the respect they've earned. Space Invaders: Infinity Gene does exactly that, injecting new life into the franchise without ever losing sight of its roots. Without question, Space Invaders: Infinity Gene is a solid example of the way a retro reimagining should be done.

Final Score: B+