| Pepsi Wins | |
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| Developers | Atari (original) vb master (hack) |
| Publishers | Atari (original) Freeware (hack) |
| System | Atari 2600 |
| Release Dates | 1983 (original) 2003 (hack) |
| Mode | Single player only |
| Media | ROM file |
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 was 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. Pepsi Wins is a hack of Pepsi Invaders.
Differences[]
Pepsi Invaders had the same basic gameplay as Space Invaders, although 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 10 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. 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. With Pepsi Wins, those words are displayed on the screen once the game ends.
Graphically, several sprites were changed, as the laser cannon is multi-colored, and the Command Alien Ship is made up of the Coca-Cola trademark colors from back then. The color of the Earth was changed as well, along with the majority of the invaders being made up of the letters "COKE" (plus the word "PEPSI" is at the top of the screen). What was originally the top row invader from the original game now appears at the furthest right vertical column, with another invader (which could be a glass of Coke) at the vertical column to the left of the invader. The original Atari 2600 invader from the original 2600 Space Invaders is also the only invader that moves, as the invaders that make up the letters COKE have no animated movement. The original invader's color was also changed to blue and the point value for the Command Alien Ship was also changed as well from the original.
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
- Coca-Cola ship–400 points
Trivia[]
- Further hacks of Pepsi Invaders include Ant Attack, Ed Invaders, and UFO #6.
Links[]
Pepsi Wins Atari Age page