When Space Invaders was launched in 1978, it is fair to say that the world had never seen anything like it. It wasn’t just an arcade game but a collective experience. The first of its kind and one that permeated every stratum of society. Previous to this arcade games had been just that, something that was played by a distinct group of people in an arcade environment. Space Invaders smashed out of its physical constraints and was talked about across TV and radio by people who had previously no experience of arcade gaming. Its appeal was not restricted to gamers. Newspapers wrote stories about it, TV shows explained how it worked and merchandise was produced. It made its appearance at just the right moment, drawing on influences from highly successful films like Star Wars. It has been described as The Beatles of the video gaming industry – the breakthrough game with superstar status.
Not bad for a fixed shooter game where the player fires from a laser cannon at the bottom of the screen to take down ever-advancing aliens who appear overhead. The aim of the game is simple, to destroy all the aliens before they destroy you. You have three lives. The better you get, the faster the gameplay and the faster the music. Compared to today’s multi-player, multi-function narrative games it might sound a little well, two-dimensional. But back in its day, it was the talk of the town, the school, and the common room. It seemed like everyone wanted to play the game. Youth clubs had games tables installed so the kids could play. It spoke to a whole new generation of people who wanted to try and shoot the aliens down. When Atari got the license for the home console game in 1980 it quadrupled the system’s sales. It was the start of the video games at home boom.
Now with apps and online, cloud-based gaming, it seems funny to think that to play at home you had to buy a console just for one game. When you consider that technology was still years off even simple text messages or that phones were still connected to the wall with a curly wire, it makes more sense.
You can immerse yourself in the retro fun as there are various incarnations of the game available for smartphones, tablets, and PCs alike. It is its very simplicity that makes it so compelling to play. There is a browser version where you are defended by a Google shield, which is both a help and a hindrance as while you can hide behind the defenses you also have to shoot your way through them to blast the aliens out of the sky.
There are plenty of other versions available too. PlayStation has made a great bundle of Space Invaders games on a version called Space Invaders Forever. It supports up to 4 players and is licensed from the original Taito Corporation. This games collection was developed for the PlayStation 4, and it says you may need updated software for the PS5. There are 150 stages to play, and you can unlock 40 different characters as you progress through the game.
If you like the idea of playing Space Invaders but can’t be doing with all that aiming and shooting you might enjoy a slots version of it. 888 Casino slots have a great version that you can find in the best NJ online casinos collection. It’s an alternative way to beat the aliens and you might come away as a winner. There are ten pay-out lines and great bonus features.
There are various versions of Space Invaders that can be played on your phone or tablet. Whether you Apple or Android you can find lots of games to try at the App Store or Google Play store. Just type Space Invaders into your search bar and you will find plenty of versions to download and play.
Get your fixed shooters ready ……….
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