Space Invaders

An arcade name reaches the television

Taito’s arcade game first appeared in Japan in 1978; Atari’s licensed 2600 version followed in 1980. The Strong describes the home conversion as an important reason to buy the console. Its different formation and numerous variations deserve attention in their own right, rather than being treated as evidence that the two machines ran the same game program.

A formation that will not wait

The formation is both a target and a shrinking deadline. Removing aliens makes the remaining group faster, so an apparently successful wave can end with an awkward final chase. Shields provide breathing room until shots wear holes through them. The home version’s variations change those familiar relationships with moving shields, different bombs and two-player arrangements. They make a single cartridge useful for more than repeating one arcade rule set.

Begin with the ordinary one-player game and watch how clearing a column changes the threat. Try a two-player variation once the basic rhythm is familiar. The game-select and difficulty switches are part of the original interface; a compilation or emulator needs to expose them for those options to remain usable.