| Ed Invaders | |
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| Developers | Atari (original) Anonymous (hack) |
| Publishers | Atari (original) Freeware (hack) |
| System | Atari 2600 |
| Release Date | 1983 (original) 2000 (hack) |
| Mode | Single player only |
| Media | Cartridge (original) ROM file (hack) |
Background/gameplay[]
Space Invaders for the Atari 2600 was the first ever arcade to home game license, becoming a huge best seller, which it included 112 games with multiple playing variables. In the game, a group of invaders marched from one side of the screen to the other, dropping down a notch closer to the player’s laser cannon whenever they reached a screen edge, firing at the player’s cannon all the while. The player had three bunkers to take cover under, although they would become damaged with the player’s and invaders’ laser fire, then disappear altogether if the invaders came down too close, and if the invaders made it down to the very bottom of the screen, the player was "invaded" and the game would end (along with if the player lost all three of their laser cannons due to being shot by invaders would also end a game). A high-scoring Command Alien Ship would also fly overhead several times during a wave as well.
Pepsi Invaders is a hack of Space Invaders, with several changes made to the gameplay, along with it being for only one player and there only being one game. Ed Invaders, in turn, is a hack of Pepsi Invaders, changing the graphics, some wording (there is an "I" or some sort of placeholder graphic at left, rather than saying "COKE", although it still reads "WINS" at the right), and although it is changed graphically, the Command Alien Ship still retains the Pepsi colors.
Differences[]
Even though Pepsi Invaders has the same basic gameplay as Space Invaders, several changes were made, most notably in that the only game included ran on a time limit of three minutes; once those three minutes were up, the game would end. The player is allowed unlimited lives though, unlike with only three in the original. Once a game has gone down to the last nine remaining seconds, the time (at the bottom of the screen) and laser cannon position indicators would flash, and the words "COKE WINS!" appears onscreen once time runs out. With this hack, though, it just reads "WINS" once the game ends. There is also no way to be invaded, as the invaders will travel to the row right above the player’s laser cannon, but not come down any closer.
Graphically with this hack, nearly all sprites were changed, as the invaders make up the letters of "EDDIE", which, like with Pepsi Invaders, do not turn when they move, they just bob up and down. The furthest right vertical column has an invader that looks like the top horizontal row invader from Space Invaders, which is the only one that actually has a frame of movement, plus it has somewhat of a "vector" look to it (i. e. just an outline graphic, without hardly any pixels/colors filling in). All death animations of the invaders, Command Alien Ship (which retains the Pepsi colors, although that now appears to be an "M") and the player's laser base were removed, as everything just disappears when shot. The bunkers also have a different shape to them, as well as having the letter "E" inside of them.
Controls[]
- Move laser cannon–joystick left and right
- Fire–button
- Start game–game reset switch or joystick button
Scoring[]
- Bottom row invader–5 points
- Row two invader (from bottom)–10 points
- Row three invader–15 points
- Row four invader–20 points
- Row five invader–25 points
- Row six invader–30 points
- Command ship–400 points
Trivia[]
Additional hacks of Pepsi Invaders include Pepsi Wins, Ant Attack and UFO #6.
Links[]
Ed Invaders Atari Age page