Space Invaders

Space Invaders, arcade game created by Japanese engineer and game designer Nishikado Tomohiro in 1978 and produced by Japanese electronic game manufacturer Taito Corp. The objective of Space Invaders, which was one of the earliest video games released, is to pan across a screen and shoot descending swarms of aliens, preventing them from reaching the bottom of the screen. It is viewed as a pioneer of modern gaming.

Space Invaders is a very simple game by modern standards, but it was a technological marvel in its time. Typical levels consist of a player piloting a laser cannon to battle columns of descending aliens while using shields to block alien fire. The speed of the alien approach increases as the game progresses, adding to the tension. A bonus alien spaceship appears from time to time, which offers the player an opportunity to score additional points by blowing it up.

Space Invaders was a worldwide success and paved the way for a generation of shooting games that became extremely popular. In Japan demand for the arcade game was so great that it led to a coin shortage and prompted an increase in production of the 100-yen coin. In 1980 American game manufacturer Atari, Inc., adapted a version of the game for the Atari 2600 console, fueling the popularity of home gaming. Countless sequels, spin-offs, and releases of Space Invaders have been generated over the years, including Taito’s Space Raiders (2003). In 2008, in celebration of the game’s 30th anniversary, Nintendo released Space Invaders Get Even, an online game available in Japan for the company’s Wii console, in which players take control of the invading aliens rather than the defending laser cannon.