| Space Invaders (infinite lives) | |
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| Developers | Atari (original) Nukey Shay (hack) |
| Publishers | Atari, Sears (original) Freeware (hack) |
| System | Atari 2600 |
| Release Dates | 1980 (original) 2009 (hack) |
| Modes | Single player Two players alternating Two players simultaneous |
| Media | Cartridge (original) ROM file (hack) |
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.
Space Invaders (infinite lives) is a hack of the game, as the player has unlimited lives, rather than just three. Other than that, the game plays exactly the same as the original version.
Game variations[]
- Moving Shields--Barriers move back and forth
- Zigzagging Laser Bombs--Invaders' shots zigzag back and forth towards the ground
- Fast Laser Bombs--Invaders Bombs drop quickly
- Invisible Invaders--Invaders are invisible unless one (or the Command Alien Ship) is shot, which they then briefly reappear
- Large Laser Cannon--flipping a difficulty switch on the 2600 console to the A position makes players' laser cannons larger
Game variations, player setup[]
There are two player alternating variations, along with variations to not only have both players onscreen at once, but there are also several competing variations as well, such as ones where if one player gets hit by Invader fire, the other player is awarded 200 points. Others include alternating shots where if one player takes too long to fire from their laser cannon then it will automatically shoot.
Other variations include ones where one player controls one laser cannon, along with one player can only move it to the right, while the other player can only move it to the left. Other variations allow one movement and one shot per player, then the other player gets to do the same, and others have one player move the laser cannon while the other player fires.
Scoring[]
- Row one Invader--5 points
- Row two Invader--10 points
- Row three Invader--15 points
- Row four Invader--20 points
- Row five Invader--25 points
- Row six Invader--30 points
- Command Alien Ship--200 points, or 100 points in certain game variations
- Other player's laser cannon hit--200 points awarded to other player on certain competitive game variations
Controls, in-game[]
- Move laser cannon--joystick left and right
- Fire--button
(Miscellaneous)[]
- Choose game--Game Select switch
- Start game--Game Reset switch
- Choose difficulty level--Difficulty Level switch
Trivia[]
- The original game came with several label variations, which are known as Picture, Text, Red, and Silver labels. This version comes as a ROM file only to be played on Atari emulators or flashcarts.
- Whenever the player loses a laser cannon, with every new cannon it will say onscreen that the player has three cannons left. The game will still end, however, if an "invasion" happens (i. e. when an Invader reaches the Earth).