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{{nihongo title|Space Invaders|スペースインベーダー|Supēsu Inbēdā}} is an [[Arcade game|arcade]] [[video game]] designed by [[Tomohiro Nishikado]], and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by [[Taito Corporation|Taito]] in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the [[Midway Games|Midway]] division of [[Bally Technologies|Bally]]. ''Space Invaders'' is one of the earliest [[Shoot 'em up|shooting games]] and the aim is to defeat waves of aliens with a laser cannon to earn as many points as possible. In designing the game, Nishikado drew inspiration from popular media: ''[[Breakout (arcade game)|Breakout]]'', ''[[The War of the Worlds]]'', and ''[[Star Wars]]''. To complete it, he had to design custom hardware and development tools.
{{nihongo title|Space Invaders|スペースインベーダー|Supēsu Inbēdā}} is an [[Arcade game|arcade]] [[video game]] designed by [[Tomohiro Nishikado]], and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by [[Taito Corporation|Taito]] in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the [[Midway Games|Midway]] division of [[Bally Technologies|Bally]]. ''Space Invaders'' is one of the earliest [[Shoot 'em up|shooting games]] and the aim is to defeat waves of aliens with a laser cannon to earn as many points as possible. In designing the game, Nishikado drew inspiration from popular media: ''[[Breakout (arcade game)|Breakout]]'', ''[[The War of the Worlds]]'', and ''[[Star Wars]]''. To complete it, he had to design custom hardware and development tools.


It was one of the forerunners of modern video gaming and helped expand the video game industry from a novelty to a global industry. When first released, ''Space Invaders'' was very successful and popular. Following its release, the game caused a temporary shortage of 100-[[Japanese yen|yen]] coins in Japan, and by 2007 had earned Taito [[United States dollar|US$]]500 million in revenue. ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' ranks it the top arcade game.
It was one of the forerunners of modern video gaming and helped expand the video game industry from a novelty to a global industry. When first released, ''Space Invaders'' was very successful and popular. Following its release, the game caused a temporary shortage of 100-[[Japanese yen|yen]] coins in Japan, grossed [[United States dollar|US$]]2 billion in [[Quarter (United States coin)|quarters]] by 1982, and by 2007 had earned Taito over $500 million in profits. ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' ranks it the top arcade game.


The game has been the inspiration for other video games, re-released on numerous platforms, and led to several sequels. The 1980 [[Atari 2600]] version quadrupled the system's sales and became the first "[[killer app]]" for [[video game consoles]]. ''Space Invaders'' has been referenced and parodied in multiple television shows, and been a part of several video game and cultural exhibitions. The [[Pixelation|pixelated]] enemy alien has become a [[pop culture]] icon, often used as a [[synecdoche]] representing video games as a whole.
The game has been the inspiration for other video games, re-released on numerous platforms, and led to several sequels. The 1980 [[Atari 2600]] version quadrupled the system's sales and became the first "[[killer app]]" for [[video game consoles]]. ''Space Invaders'' has been referenced and parodied in multiple television shows, and been a part of several video game and cultural exhibitions. The [[Pixelation|pixelated]] enemy alien has become a [[pop culture]] icon, often used as a [[synecdoche]] representing video games as a whole.
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==Impact and legacy==
==Impact and legacy==
After the first few months following its release in Japan, the game became very popular.<ref name="1UP-10things"/> Specialty [[Video arcade|arcades]] opened with nothing but ''Space Invaders'' cabinets, and Taito produced 100,000 arcade machines for the Japanese market over the next few years.<ref name="GI-177"/><ref name="1UP-10things"/> In total, over 300,000 ''Space Invaders'' arcade cabinets have been sold in Japan,<ref>{{citation|title=Asia Pacific perspectives, Japan|volume=1|author=Jiji Gaho Sha, inc.|year=2003|publisher=[[University of Virginia]]|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CTRWAAAAYAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-09|page=57|quote=At that time, a game for use in entertainment arcades was considered a hit if it sold 1000 units; sales of Space Invaders topped 300,000 units in Japan and 60,000 units overseas.}}</ref> while another 60,000 machines were sold in the United States.<ref name="PriceGuide">{{cite book| title = Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games| first = David| last = Ellis| chapter = Arcade Classics| page = 345| publisher = [[Random House]]| isbn = 0375720383| year = 2004}}</ref> The arcade cabinets have since become collector's items with the cocktail and [[Arcade cabinet#Mini cabinets|cabaret]] versions being the rarest.<ref name="PriceGuide2">{{cite book| title = Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games| first = David| last = Ellis| chapter = Arcade Classics| pages = 411–412| publisher = [[Random House]]| isbn = 0375720383| year = 2004}}</ref> A shortage of 100-[[Japanese yen|yen]] coins—and subsequent production increase—in Japan is attributed to the game.<ref name="GI-177"/><ref name="GWR08-2">{{cite book| editor= Craig Glenday| title= Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008| series= [[Guinness World Records]]| date= 2008-03-11| publisher= Guinness| isbn= 978-1-904994-21-3| pages= 106–107| chapter= Record Breaking Games: Shooting Games Roundup}}</ref><ref name="guardian">{{cite web| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2005/jul/24/games.shopping| title=A life through video games| publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]]| work=[[The Observer]]| author=Richards, Giles |date=2005-07-24| accessdate=2008-05-22}}</ref> By 1981, more than four billion [[Quarter (United States coin)|quarters]] ($1&nbsp;billion) had been grossed from ''Space Invaders'' machines,<ref>{{citation|title=Visual Programming Environments: Applications and Issues|first=Ephraim P.|last=Glinert|publisher=[[IEEE Computer Society Press]]|year=1990|isbn=0818689749|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=NMtWAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-10|page=321|quote=As of mid-1981, according to Steve Bloom, author of ''Video Invaders'', more than four billion quarters had been dropped into Space Invaders games around the world}}</ref> equivalent to $2.5&nbsp;billion in 2011.<ref name="Inflation">{{cite web|title=CPI Inflation Calculator|publisher=[[Bureau of Labor Statistics]]|url=http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm|accessdate=2011-03-22}}</ref> By 2007, it had generated almost $.5&nbsp;billion in revenue for Taito.<ref name="GI-177"/> The 1980 [[Atari 2600]] version was the first official [[License|licensing]] of an arcade game and became the first "[[killer app]]" for video game consoles by quadrupling the system's sales,<ref name="RG-41"/><ref name="Ultimate">{{cite book| title = Ultimate History of Video Games| first = Steven| last = Kent| page = 190| publisher = [[Three Rivers Press]]| isbn = 0761536434| year = 2001}}</ref> with the game selling over a million units on the console.<ref name="atari30year">{{cite news|url=|title=A 30-year Odyssey for Home Video Games|publisher=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=2003-02-16|accessdate= 2008-01-01}}</ref>
After the first few months following its release in Japan, the game became very popular.<ref name="1UP-10things"/> Specialty [[Video arcade|arcades]] opened with nothing but ''Space Invaders'' cabinets,<ref name="GI-177"/><ref name="1UP-10things"/> and within two years by 1980,<ref name="Peterson-175">{{citation|title=Genesis II, creation and recreation with computers|author=[[Dale Peterson]]|publisher=[[Prentice Hall|Reston Publishing]]|year=1983|isbn=0835924343|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DL1YAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=2011-05-01|page=175|quote=By 1980, some 300,000 Space Invader video arcade games were in use in Japan, and an additional 60,000 in the United States.}}</ref> Taito had sold over 300,000 ''Space Invaders'' arcade machines in Japan<ref>{{citation|title=Asia Pacific perspectives, Japan|volume=1|author=Jiji Gaho Sha, inc.|year=2003|publisher=[[University of Virginia]]|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CTRWAAAAYAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-09|page=57|quote=At that time, a game for use in entertainment arcades was considered a hit if it sold 1000 units; sales of Space Invaders topped 300,000 units in Japan and 60,000 units overseas.}}</ref> and 60,000 machines in the United States,<ref name="Peterson-175"/><ref name="PriceGuide">{{cite book| title = Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games| first = David| last = Ellis| chapter = Arcade Classics| page = 345| publisher = [[Random House]]| isbn = 0375720383| year = 2004}}</ref> where prices ranged from $2000 to $3000 for each machine.<ref>{{citation|title=Video arcades rival Broadway theatre and girlie shows in NY|work=[[InfoWorld]]|date=12 April 1982|volume=4|issue=14|issn=0199-6649|page=15|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=YjAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA15|accessdate=2011-05-01}}</ref> The arcade cabinets have since become collector's items with the cocktail and [[Arcade cabinet#Mini cabinets|cabaret]] versions being the rarest.<ref name="PriceGuide2">{{cite book| title = Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games| first = David| last = Ellis| chapter = Arcade Classics| pages = 411–412| publisher = [[Random House]]| isbn = 0375720383| year = 2004}}</ref> A shortage of 100-[[Japanese yen|yen]] coins—and subsequent production increase—in Japan is attributed to the game.<ref name="GI-177"/><ref name="GWR08-2">{{cite book| editor= Craig Glenday| title= Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008| series= [[Guinness World Records]]| date= 2008-03-11| publisher= Guinness| isbn= 978-1-904994-21-3| pages= 106–107| chapter= Record Breaking Games: Shooting Games Roundup}}</ref><ref name="guardian">{{cite web| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2005/jul/24/games.shopping| title=A life through video games| publisher=[[Guardian Media Group]]| work=[[The Observer]]| author=Richards, Giles |date=2005-07-24| accessdate=2008-05-22}}</ref> By mid-1981, more than four billion [[Quarter (United States coin)|quarters]], or $1&nbsp;billion, had been grossed from ''Space Invaders'' machines,<ref>{{citation|title=Visual Programming Environments: Applications and Issues|first=Ephraim P.|last=Glinert|publisher=[[IEEE Computer Society Press]]|year=1990|isbn=0818689749|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=NMtWAAAAMAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-10|page=321|quote=As of mid-1981, according to Steve Bloom, author of ''Video Invaders'', more than four billion quarters had been dropped into Space Invaders games around the world}}</ref> and it would continue to gross an average of $600 million a year<ref>{{citation|title=Video Warriors on the Screen|work=[[New Scientist]]|date=5 August 1982|volume=95|issue=1317|issn=0262-4079|page=377|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MdyCKvgw4ksC&pg=PA377|accessdate=2011-05-01|quote=But this is 1982, and the game ''Space Invaders'' — as the Disney handout enviously reminds us — grosses over $600 million a year.}}</ref> through to 1982, by which time it had grossed $2&nbsp;billion in quarters<ref name="CBC-1982">{{cite web|title=Making millions, 25 cents at a time|work=[[The Fifth Estate]]|publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]|date=November 23, 1982|url=http://archives.cbc.ca/arts_entertainment/media/clips/15869/|accessdate=2011-04-30}}</ref><ref name="Executive">{{citation|title=Space Invaders vs. Star Wars|work=Executive|volume=24|publisher=Southam Business Publications|year=1982|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-KwTAQAAMAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-30|page=9|quote=According to TEC, Atari's arcade game Space Invaders has taken in $2&nbsp;billion, with net recipts of $450 million.}}</ref> (equivalent to $4.6&nbsp;billion in 2011),<ref name="Inflation">{{cite web|title=CPI Inflation Calculator|publisher=[[Bureau of Labor Statistics]]|url=http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm|accessdate=2011-03-22}}</ref> with a [[net profit]] of $450&nbsp;million<ref name="Executive"/> (equivalent to $1&nbsp;billion in 2011).<ref name="Inflation"/> This made it the [[List of best-selling video games|best-selling video game]] and highest-grossing entertainment product of its time,<ref name="CBC-1982"/> with comparisons made to the then [[List of highest-grossing films|highest-grossing film]] ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope|Star Wars]]'',<ref name="CBC-1982"/><ref name="Executive-SW"/> which had grossed $486&nbsp;million<ref name="Executive-SW"/> in [[Ticket (admission)|movie tickets]] (costing $2.25 each on average)<ref name="CBC-1982"/> with a net profit of $175&nbsp;million.<ref name="Executive-SW">{{citation|title=Space Invaders vs. Star Wars|work=Executive|volume=24|publisher=Southam Business Publications|year=1982|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-KwTAQAAMAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-30|page=9|quote=They compare this to the box office movie top blockbuster Star Wars, which has taken in only $486 million, for a net of $175 million.}}</ref> By 2007,<ref name="GI-177"/> ''Space Invaders'' had earned Taito profits of over $.5&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Gamespy Hall of Fame: Space Invaders|work=[[GameSpy]]|author=Kevin Bowen|url=http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/spaceinvaders.shtm|accessdate=2011-04-30}}</ref> The 1980 [[Atari 2600]] version was the first official [[License|licensing]] of an arcade game and became the first "[[killer app]]" for video game consoles by quadrupling the system's sales,<ref name="RG-41"/><ref name="Ultimate">{{cite book| title = Ultimate History of Video Games| first = Steven| last = Kent| page = 190| publisher = [[Three Rivers Press]]| isbn = 0761536434| year = 2001}}</ref> with the game selling over a million units on the console.<ref name="atari30year">{{cite news|url=|title=A 30-year Odyssey for Home Video Games|publisher=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=2003-02-16|accessdate= 2008-01-01}}</ref>


Game designer [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] considered ''Space Invaders'' a game that revolutionized the [[video game industry]]; he was never interested in video games before seeing it.<ref name="Shigeru">{{cite web| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1645158,00.html| publisher=''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''| title=10 Questions for Shigeru Miyamoto| date=2007-07-19| author=Sayre, Carolyn| accessdate=2007-09-04}}</ref> Several publications ascribed the expansion of the video game industry from a novelty into a global industry to the success of the game. [[Edge (magazine)|''Edge'' magazine]] attributed the shift of video games from bars and arcades to more mainstream locations like restaurants and department stores to ''Space Invaders''.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-30-defining-moments-in-gaming| title = The 30 Defining Moments in Gaming| publisher = [[Future plc]]| work = [[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]| author= Edge Staff| date = 2007-08-13| accessdate = 2008-09-18}}</ref> Technology journalist Jason Whittaker credited the game's success to ending the [[video game crash of 1977]], which had earlier been caused by ''[[Pong]]'' clones flooding the market, and beginning the [[golden age of video arcade games]].<ref name="Whittaker-122">{{cite book|title=The Cyberspace Handbook|first=Jason|last=Whittaker|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2004|isbn=041516835X|page=122}}</ref> According to ''[[The Observer]]'', the home console versions were popular and encouraged users to learn programming; many who later became industry leaders.<ref name="guardian"/> [[1UP.com]] stated that ''Space Invaders'' showed that video games could compete against the major entertainment media at the time: movies, music, and television.<ref name="1UP-10things"/> [[IGN]] attributed the launch of the arcade phenomenon in North America in part to ''Space Invaders''.<ref name="10ShootEmUp">{{cite web| url = http://retro.ign.com/articles/865/865346p1.html| title = Top 10 Classic Shoot 'Em Ups| author = Buchanan, Levi| date = 2008-04-08| publisher = [[IGN]]| accessdate = 2008-09-07}}</ref> ''[[Game Informer]]'' considered it, along with ''[[Pac-Man]]'', one of the most popular arcade games that tapped into popular culture and generated excitement during the golden age of arcades.<ref name="GI-178">{{Cite journal| month= February | year= 2008| title= Classic GI: King of the Hill| journal= [[Game Informer]]| publisher= Cathy Preston|issue= 178| page= 108}}</ref> IGN listed it as one of the "Top 10 Most Influential Games" in 2007, citing the source of inspiration to video game designers and the impact it had on the shooting genre.<ref name="IGN-10"/> In 2008, [[Guinness World Records]] listed it as the top-rated arcade game in technical, creative, and cultural impact.<ref name="GWR08-3"/>
Game designer [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] considered ''Space Invaders'' a game that revolutionized the [[video game industry]]; he was never interested in video games before seeing it.<ref name="Shigeru">{{cite web| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1645158,00.html| publisher=''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''| title=10 Questions for Shigeru Miyamoto| date=2007-07-19| author=Sayre, Carolyn| accessdate=2007-09-04}}</ref> Several publications ascribed the expansion of the video game industry from a novelty into a global industry to the success of the game. [[Edge (magazine)|''Edge'' magazine]] attributed the shift of video games from bars and arcades to more mainstream locations like restaurants and department stores to ''Space Invaders''.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-30-defining-moments-in-gaming| title = The 30 Defining Moments in Gaming| publisher = [[Future plc]]| work = [[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]| author= Edge Staff| date = 2007-08-13| accessdate = 2008-09-18}}</ref> Technology journalist Jason Whittaker credited the game's success to ending the [[video game crash of 1977]], which had earlier been caused by ''[[Pong]]'' clones flooding the market, and beginning the [[golden age of video arcade games]].<ref name="Whittaker-122">{{cite book|title=The Cyberspace Handbook|first=Jason|last=Whittaker|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2004|isbn=041516835X|page=122}}</ref> According to ''[[The Observer]]'', the home console versions were popular and encouraged users to learn programming; many who later became industry leaders.<ref name="guardian"/> [[1UP.com]] stated that ''Space Invaders'' showed that video games could compete against the major entertainment media at the time: movies, music, and television.<ref name="1UP-10things"/> [[IGN]] attributed the launch of the arcade phenomenon in North America in part to ''Space Invaders''.<ref name="10ShootEmUp">{{cite web| url = http://retro.ign.com/articles/865/865346p1.html| title = Top 10 Classic Shoot 'Em Ups| author = Buchanan, Levi| date = 2008-04-08| publisher = [[IGN]]| accessdate = 2008-09-07}}</ref> ''[[Game Informer]]'' considered it, along with ''[[Pac-Man]]'', one of the most popular arcade games that tapped into popular culture and generated excitement during the golden age of arcades.<ref name="GI-178">{{Cite journal| month= February | year= 2008| title= Classic GI: King of the Hill| journal= [[Game Informer]]| publisher= Cathy Preston|issue= 178| page= 108}}</ref> IGN listed it as one of the "Top 10 Most Influential Games" in 2007, citing the source of inspiration to video game designers and the impact it had on the shooting genre.<ref name="IGN-10"/> In 2008, [[Guinness World Records]] listed it as the top-rated arcade game in technical, creative, and cultural impact.<ref name="GWR08-3"/>


As one of the earliest shooting games, it set precedents and helped pave the way for future titles and for the shooting genre.<ref name="IGN-10">{{cite web| url = http://games.ign.com/articles/840/840621p1.html| title = IGN's Top 10 Most Influential Games| publisher = [[IGN]]| author = Geddes, Ryan| coauthors = Hatfield, Daemon| date = 2007-12-10| accessdate = 2008-07-11}}</ref><ref name="GWR08-1">{{cite book| editor= Craig Glenday| title= Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008| series= [[Guinness World Records]]| date= 2008-03-11| publisher= Guinness| isbn= 978-1-904994-21-3| page= 88| chapter= Record Breaking Games: Shooting Games}}</ref> ''Space Invaders'' popularized a more interactive style of gameplay with the enemies responding to the player controlled cannon's movement,<ref name="RG-3"/> and was the first video game to popularize the concept of achieving a [[Score (game)|high score]],<ref name="GS-SI-Hall">{{cite web| url=http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/spaceinvaders.shtm| title=The Gamespy Hall of Fame: Space Invaders| publisher=[[GameSpy]]| author=Kevin Bowen| accessdate=2010-01-27}}</ref><ref name="GWR08-2"/><ref name="IGN-10"/> being the first to [[Saved game|save]] the player's score.<ref name="IGN-10"/> It was also the first game where players had to repel hordes of creatures,<ref name="1UP-10things"/> [[Cover system|take cover]] from enemy fire, and use [[Destructible environment|destructible]] barriers,<ref>{{cite web|author=Brian Ashcraft|url=http://kotaku.com/5452654/how-cover-shaped-gamings-last-decade|title=How Cover Shaped Gaming's Last Decade|publisher=[[Kotaku]]|date=January 20, 2010|accessdate=2011-03-26}}</ref> in addition to being the first game to use a continuous [[Video game music|background soundtrack]], with four simple [[Diatonic and chromatic|chromatic]] descending [[bass note]]s repeating in a loop, though it was dynamic and changed pace during stages.<ref>{{Cite book|title=From Pac-Man to pop music: interactive audio in games and new media|author=Karen Collins|publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing|Ashgate]]|year=2008|isbn=0754662004|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lFEYAQAAIAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-08|page=2}}</ref> It also moved the gaming industry away from ''Pong''-inspired [[sports game]]s grounded in real-world situations towards [[action game]]s involving fantastical situations.<ref name="1UP-50">{{cite web|title=Essential 50: Space Invaders|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|url=http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-space-invaders|accessdate=2011-03-26}}</ref> Whittaker commented that ''Space Invaders'' helped action games become the most dominant [[Video game genres|genre]] on both arcades and consoles, through to contemporary times.<ref>{{cite book|title=The cyberspace handbook|first=Jason|last=Whittaker|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2004|isbn=041516835X|page=129}}</ref> ''Guinness World Records'' considered ''Space Invaders'' one of the most successful arcade shooting games by 2008.<ref name="GWR08-2"/> In describing it as a "seminal arcade classic", IGN listed it as the number eight "classic shoot 'em up".<ref name="10ShootEmUp"/> ''Space Invaders'' set the template for the shoot 'em up genre,<ref name="1UP-50"/> inspiring the development of arcade games, such as [[Williams Electronics]]' ''[[Defender (video game)|Defender]]'' and [[Namco]]'s ''[[Galaxian]]'' and ''[[Galaga]]'', which were modeled after ''Space Invaders''{{'}}s gameplay and design,<ref name="GS-GG-Hall">{{cite web| url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/493/493431p1.html| title=Hall of Fame: Galaxian and Galaga| author=Osborne, Scott| publisher=[[GameSpy]]| date=2001-06-01| accessdate=2008-04-30}}</ref><ref name="RG-55">{{cite journal| journal = [[Retro Gamer]]| publisher = [[Imagine Publishing]]| title = The Making of Defender| issue = 55| pages = 34–39| month = October| year = 2008}}</ref> an influence that extends to most shooting games released to the present day,<ref name="1UP-10things"/> including [[first-person shooter]]s such as ''[[Wolfenstein (series)|Wolfenstein]]'',<ref>{{cite book|title=Growing Ip Postmodern: Neoliberalism and the War on the Young|first=Ronald|last=Strickland|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=2002|isbn=0742516512|pages=112-3|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oxsj7-aTN9IC&pg=PA112|accessdate=2011-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy|first=James Paul|last=Gee|publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]]|year=2004|isbn=1403965382|page=47|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=BZIY7TGKySsC&pg=PA47|accessdate=2011-04-10}}</ref> ''[[Doom (series)|Doom]]'',<ref>{{cite book|title=An Introduction to Games Studies: Games in Culture|first=Frans|last=Mäyrä|publisher=[[SAGE Publications|SAGE]]|year=2008|isbn=1412934451|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iI0kAQAAIAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-10|page=104|quote=The gameplay of ''Doom'' is at its core familiar from the early classics like ''Space Invaders'' ... it presents the player with the clear and simple challenge of surviving while shooting everything that moves.}}</ref> ''[[Halo (series)|Halo]]''<ref>{{cite book|title=The Meaning of Video Games: Gaming and Textual Studies|first=Steven Edward|last=Jones|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]|year=2008|isbn=041596055X|pages=84-5|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=N7ACHel_UxcC&pg=PA84|accessdate=2011-04-10|quote=The developers of ''Halo'' are aware of their own place in gaming history, and one of them once joked that their game could be seen as “''Space Invaders'' in a tube.” The joke contains a double-edged insight: on the one hand, Halo is first and finally about shooting aliens; on the other hand, even the 1978 2-D arcade shooter, Space Invaders, designed by Tomohiro Nishikado for the company Taito, is more interesting than that would suggest.}}</ref> and ''[[Call of Duty]]''.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=GameSetWatch|date=November 16, 2010|title=No More Russian - Infinity Ward's ''Modern Warfare 2'', One Year On|author=Simon Carles|url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/11/no_more_russian_infinity_wards.php|accessdate=2011-04-09}}</ref> In 2002, Taito released ''[[Space Raiders (video game)|Space Raiders]]'', a [[third-person shooter]] reminiscent of ''Space Invaders''.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/action/spaceraiders/similar.html?mode=versions| title=Space Raiders: Release Summary| publisher=[[GameSpot]]| accessdate=2008-04-30}}</ref><ref name="JapaneseGameGraphics">{{cite book| editor = ed. Rico Komanoya| title = Japanese Game Graphics: Behind the Scenes of Your Favorite Games| year = 2004| publisher = Harper Design International| location = New York, NY| isbn = 0-06-056772-4| pages = 116–121| chapter = [[Space Raiders (video game)|Space Raiders]]}}</ref>
As one of the earliest shooting games, it set precedents and helped pave the way for future titles and for the shooting genre.<ref name="IGN-10">{{cite web| url = http://games.ign.com/articles/840/840621p1.html| title = IGN's Top 10 Most Influential Games| publisher = [[IGN]]| author = Geddes, Ryan| coauthors = Hatfield, Daemon| date = 2007-12-10| accessdate = 2008-07-11}}</ref><ref name="GWR08-1">{{cite book| editor= Craig Glenday| title= Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008| series= [[Guinness World Records]]| date= 2008-03-11| publisher= Guinness| isbn= 978-1-904994-21-3| page= 88| chapter= Record Breaking Games: Shooting Games}}</ref> ''Space Invaders'' popularized a more interactive style of gameplay with the enemies responding to the player controlled cannon's movement,<ref name="RG-3"/> and was the first video game to popularize the concept of achieving a [[Score (game)|high score]],<ref name="GS-SI-Hall">{{cite web| url=http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/halloffame/spaceinvaders.shtm| title=The Gamespy Hall of Fame: Space Invaders| publisher=[[GameSpy]]| author=Kevin Bowen| accessdate=2010-01-27}}</ref><ref name="GWR08-2"/><ref name="IGN-10"/> being the first to [[Saved game|save]] the player's score.<ref name="IGN-10"/> It was also the first game where players were given multiple [[Health (gaming)|lives]],<ref>{{citation|title=Arcade Mania: The Turbo-charged World of Japan's Game Centers|author=Brian Ashcraft & Jean Snow|publisher=[[Kodansha International]]|year=2008|isbn=4770030789|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wX8kAQAAIAAJ|accessdate=2011-05-01|quote=''Space Invaders'' offered a novelty: players had three lives. Those who got good at the game could play for as long as they could keep from being blown to bits.}}</ref> had to repel hordes of enemies,<ref name="1UP-10things"/> could [[Cover system|take cover]] from enemy fire, and use [[Destructible environment|destructible]] barriers,<ref>{{cite web|author=Brian Ashcraft|url=http://kotaku.com/5452654/how-cover-shaped-gamings-last-decade|title=How Cover Shaped Gaming's Last Decade|publisher=[[Kotaku]]|date=January 20, 2010|accessdate=2011-03-26}}</ref> in addition to being the first game to use a continuous [[Video game music|background soundtrack]], with four simple [[Diatonic and chromatic|chromatic]] descending [[bass note]]s repeating in a loop, which was dynamic and changed pace during stages,<ref>{{Cite book|title=From Pac-Man to pop music: interactive audio in games and new media|author=Karen Collins|publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing|Ashgate]]|year=2008|isbn=0754662004|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lFEYAQAAIAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-08|page=2}}</ref> like a heartbeat sound that increases pace as enemies approached.<ref name="Barton-232"/> It also moved the gaming industry away from ''Pong''-inspired [[sports game]]s grounded in real-world situations towards [[action game]]s involving fantastical situations.<ref name="1UP-50">{{cite web|title=Essential 50: Space Invaders|publisher=[[1UP.com]]|url=http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-space-invaders|accessdate=2011-03-26}}</ref> Whittaker commented that ''Space Invaders'' helped action games become the most dominant [[Video game genres|genre]] on both arcades and consoles, through to contemporary times.<ref>{{cite book|title=The cyberspace handbook|first=Jason|last=Whittaker|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2004|isbn=041516835X|page=129}}</ref> ''Guinness World Records'' considered ''Space Invaders'' one of the most successful arcade shooting games by 2008.<ref name="GWR08-2"/> In describing it as a "seminal arcade classic", IGN listed it as the number eight "classic shoot 'em up".<ref name="10ShootEmUp"/> ''Space Invaders'' set the template for the shoot 'em up genre,<ref name="1UP-50"/> inspiring the development of arcade games, such as [[Williams Electronics]]' ''[[Defender (video game)|Defender]]'' and [[Namco]]'s ''[[Galaxian]]'' and ''[[Galaga]]'', which were modeled after ''Space Invaders''{{'}}s gameplay and design,<ref name="GS-GG-Hall">{{cite web| url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/493/493431p1.html| title=Hall of Fame: Galaxian and Galaga| author=Osborne, Scott| publisher=[[GameSpy]]| date=2001-06-01| accessdate=2008-04-30}}</ref><ref name="RG-55">{{cite journal| journal = [[Retro Gamer]]| publisher = [[Imagine Publishing]]| title = The Making of Defender| issue = 55| pages = 34–39| month = October| year = 2008}}</ref> an influence that extends to most shooting games released to the present day,<ref name="1UP-10things"/> including [[first-person shooter]]s such as ''[[Wolfenstein (series)|Wolfenstein]]'',<ref>{{cite book|title=Growing Ip Postmodern: Neoliberalism and the War on the Young|first=Ronald|last=Strickland|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=2002|isbn=0742516512|pages=112-3|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oxsj7-aTN9IC&pg=PA112|accessdate=2011-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy|first=James Paul|last=Gee|publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]]|year=2004|isbn=1403965382|page=47|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=BZIY7TGKySsC&pg=PA47|accessdate=2011-04-10}}</ref> ''[[Doom (series)|Doom]]'',<ref>{{cite book|title=An Introduction to Games Studies: Games in Culture|first=Frans|last=Mäyrä|publisher=[[SAGE Publications|SAGE]]|year=2008|isbn=1412934451|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iI0kAQAAIAAJ|accessdate=2011-04-10|page=104|quote=The gameplay of ''Doom'' is at its core familiar from the early classics like ''Space Invaders'' ... it presents the player with the clear and simple challenge of surviving while shooting everything that moves.}}</ref> ''[[Halo (series)|Halo]]''<ref>{{cite book|title=The Meaning of Video Games: Gaming and Textual Studies|first=Steven Edward|last=Jones|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]|year=2008|isbn=041596055X|pages=84-5|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=N7ACHel_UxcC&pg=PA84|accessdate=2011-04-10|quote=The developers of ''Halo'' are aware of their own place in gaming history, and one of them once joked that their game could be seen as “''Space Invaders'' in a tube.” The joke contains a double-edged insight: on the one hand, Halo is first and finally about shooting aliens; on the other hand, even the 1978 2-D arcade shooter, Space Invaders, designed by Tomohiro Nishikado for the company Taito, is more interesting than that would suggest.}}</ref> and ''[[Call of Duty]]''.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=GameSetWatch|date=November 16, 2010|title=No More Russian - Infinity Ward's ''Modern Warfare 2'', One Year On|author=Simon Carles|url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/11/no_more_russian_infinity_wards.php|accessdate=2011-04-09}}</ref> ''Space Invaders'' also had an influence on early computer [[dungeon crawl]] games such as ''[[Dungeons of Daggorath]]'', which used similar heartbeat sounds to indicate player [[Health (gaming)|health]].<ref name="Barton-232">{{citation|title=Vintage games: an insider look at the history of Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario, and the most influential games of all time|author=Bill Loguidice & Matt Barton|publisher=[[Focal Press]]|year=2009|isbn=0240811461|page=232|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=M_bFdsP9L7oC&pg=PA232|accessdate=2011-05-01}}</ref>


===Remakes and sequels===
===Remakes and sequels===
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''Space Invaders'' has been remade on numerous platforms and spawned many sequels. Re-releases include [[Porting|ported]] and updated versions of the original arcade game. Ported versions generally feature different graphics and additional gameplay options—for example, moving defense bunkers, zigzag shots, invisible aliens, and two-player cooperative gameplay.<ref name="RG-41"/> Ports on earlier systems like the Atari home consoles featured simplified graphics, while later systems such as the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] and [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] featured updated graphics. Later titles include several modes of gameplay and integrate new elements into the original design. For example, ''[[Space Invaders Extreme]]'', released on the [[Nintendo DS]] and [[PlayStation Portable]], integrated musical elements into the standard gameplay.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://psp.ign.com/articles/863/863894p1.html| title = Space Invaders Extreme Set for US| publisher = [[IGN]]| author = Hatfield, Daemon| date = 2008-04-02| accessdate = 2008-06-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal| month= May | year= 2008| journal = [[Official Nintendo Magazine]]| title = Space Invaders| issue= 29| page= 46}}</ref> A spin-off for [[WiiWare]], ''[[Space Invaders Get Even]]'', allows players to control the aliens instead of the laser cannon.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://wii.ign.com/articles/882/882265p1.html| title = Space Invaders Set for WiiWare| publisher = [[IGN]]| author = IGN Staff| date = 2008-06-17| accessdate = 2008-08-19}}</ref> In 1980, Bally Midway released a pinball version of the game. However, few elements from the original game are included, and the aliens instead resemble the [[Alien (Alien franchise)|xenomorphs]] from the film ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]''; Bally Midway was later sued over the game's resemblance to designs by [[H. R. Giger]].<ref name="RG-45Pinball">{{Cite journal| date= January 2008| title= A Whole Different Ball Game| journal= [[Retro Gamer]]| publisher= [[Imagine Publishing]]|issue= 45| page= 47}}</ref> Different ports have been met with mixed receptions; the Atari 2600 version was very successful while the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] version was poorly received.<ref name="RG-41"/>
''Space Invaders'' has been remade on numerous platforms and spawned many sequels. Re-releases include [[Porting|ported]] and updated versions of the original arcade game. Ported versions generally feature different graphics and additional gameplay options—for example, moving defense bunkers, zigzag shots, invisible aliens, and two-player cooperative gameplay.<ref name="RG-41"/> Ports on earlier systems like the Atari home consoles featured simplified graphics, while later systems such as the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] and [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] featured updated graphics. Later titles include several modes of gameplay and integrate new elements into the original design. For example, ''[[Space Invaders Extreme]]'', released on the [[Nintendo DS]] and [[PlayStation Portable]], integrated musical elements into the standard gameplay.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://psp.ign.com/articles/863/863894p1.html| title = Space Invaders Extreme Set for US| publisher = [[IGN]]| author = Hatfield, Daemon| date = 2008-04-02| accessdate = 2008-06-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal| month= May | year= 2008| journal = [[Official Nintendo Magazine]]| title = Space Invaders| issue= 29| page= 46}}</ref> A spin-off for [[WiiWare]], ''[[Space Invaders Get Even]]'', allows players to control the aliens instead of the laser cannon.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://wii.ign.com/articles/882/882265p1.html| title = Space Invaders Set for WiiWare| publisher = [[IGN]]| author = IGN Staff| date = 2008-06-17| accessdate = 2008-08-19}}</ref> In 1980, Bally Midway released a pinball version of the game. However, few elements from the original game are included, and the aliens instead resemble the [[Alien (Alien franchise)|xenomorphs]] from the film ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]''; Bally Midway was later sued over the game's resemblance to designs by [[H. R. Giger]].<ref name="RG-45Pinball">{{Cite journal| date= January 2008| title= A Whole Different Ball Game| journal= [[Retro Gamer]]| publisher= [[Imagine Publishing]]|issue= 45| page= 47}}</ref> Different ports have been met with mixed receptions; the Atari 2600 version was very successful while the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] version was poorly received.<ref name="RG-41"/>


Taito has released several arcade sequels that built upon the basic design of the original. The first was ''Space Invaders Part II'' in 1980; it featured color graphics and new gameplay elements, and added an [[Cut scene|intermission between gameplay]]. According to the ''[[Killer List of Video Games]]'', this was the first video game to include an [[intermission]].<ref>[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=12743 Space Invaders Deluxe], klov.com. Accessed on line March 28, 2011.</ref><ref name=GWR08-2 /> This version was released in the United States as ''Deluxe Space Invaders'' (also known as ''Space Invaders Deluxe''), but featured a different graphical color scheme and a lunar-city background. Another arcade sequel, titled ''Space Invaders II'', was released exclusively in the United States. It was in a cocktail-table format and featured a competitive two-player mode. During the summer of 1985, ''Return of the Invaders'' was released with updated color graphics, and more complex movements and attack patterns for the aliens.<ref name="RG-41"/> Subsequent arcade sequels included ''Super Space Invaders '91'', ''Space Invaders DX'', and ''Space Invaders {{'}}95''. Each game introduced minor gameplay additions to the original design. Like the original game, several of the arcade sequels have become collector's items, though some are considered rarer.<ref name="PriceGuide2"/>
Taito has released several arcade sequels that built upon the basic design of the original. The first was ''Space Invaders Part II'' in 1980; it featured color graphics and new gameplay elements, and added an [[Cut scene|intermission between gameplay]]. According to the ''[[Killer List of Video Games]]'', this was the first video game to include an [[intermission]].<ref>[http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=12743 Space Invaders Deluxe], klov.com. Accessed on line March 28, 2011.</ref><ref name=GWR08-2 /> This version was released in the United States as ''Deluxe Space Invaders'' (also known as ''Space Invaders Deluxe''), but featured a different graphical color scheme and a lunar-city background. Another arcade sequel, titled ''Space Invaders II'', was released exclusively in the United States. It was in a cocktail-table format and featured a competitive two-player mode. During the summer of 1985, ''Return of the Invaders'' was released with updated color graphics, and more complex movements and attack patterns for the aliens.<ref name="RG-41"/> Subsequent arcade sequels included ''Super Space Invaders '91'', ''Space Invaders DX'', and ''Space Invaders {{'}}95''. Each game introduced minor gameplay additions to the original design. Like the original game, several of the arcade sequels have become collector's items, though some are considered rarer.<ref name="PriceGuide2"/> In 2002, Taito released ''[[Space Raiders (video game)|Space Raiders]]'', a [[third-person shooter]] reminiscent of ''Space Invaders''.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/action/spaceraiders/similar.html?mode=versions| title=Space Raiders: Release Summary| publisher=[[GameSpot]]| accessdate=2008-04-30}}</ref><ref name="JapaneseGameGraphics">{{cite book| editor = ed. Rico Komanoya| title = Japanese Game Graphics: Behind the Scenes of Your Favorite Games| year = 2004| publisher = Harper Design International| location = New York, NY| isbn = 0-06-056772-4| pages = 116–121| chapter = [[Space Raiders (video game)|Space Raiders]]}}</ref>


The game and its related games have been included in video game compilation titles. ''Space Invaders Anniversary'' was released in 2003 for the [[PlayStation 2]] and included nine ''Space Invader'' variants.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/spaceinvadersanniversary/news.html?sid=6086826| title = Empire signs Space Invaders titles| author = Calvert, Justin| publisher = [[GameSpot]]| date = 2004-01-22| accessdate = 2008-05-10}}</ref> A similar title for the PlayStation Portable, ''Space Invaders Pocket'', was released in 2005.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://psp.ign.com/articles/613/613267p1.html| title = Boot to the Head for Bootleggers| publisher = [[IGN]]| author = Nix| date = 2005-05-12| accessdate = 2008-06-07}}</ref> ''Space Invaders'', ''Space Invaders Part II'' and ''Return of the Invaders'' are included in ''[[Taito Legends]]'', a compilation of Taito's classic arcade games released in 2005 on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.<ref name="TaitoLegends">{{cite web| url = http://www.2sega.com/corporate/corporate.php?item=pr_20051025c| title = Sega and Empire Interactive Launch Taito Legends for PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC| publisher = [[Sega]]| date = 2005-10-25| accessdate = 2008-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/taitolegends/news.html?sid=6133138| title = Sega goes old school with Taito| author = Surette, Tim| publisher = [[GameSpot]]| date = 2005-08-13| accessdate = 2008-05-10}}</ref> ''Super Space Invaders '91'', ''Space Invaders DX'' and ''Space Invaders {{'}}95'' were included in ''[[Taito Legends 2]]'', a sequel compilation released in 2006.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gamespot.com/news/6168839.html| title = More Taito Legends headed to US| author = Sinclair, Brendan| publisher = [[GameSpot]]| date = 2007-04-10| accessdate = 2008-05-10}}</ref>
The game and its related games have been included in video game compilation titles. ''Space Invaders Anniversary'' was released in 2003 for the [[PlayStation 2]] and included nine ''Space Invader'' variants.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/spaceinvadersanniversary/news.html?sid=6086826| title = Empire signs Space Invaders titles| author = Calvert, Justin| publisher = [[GameSpot]]| date = 2004-01-22| accessdate = 2008-05-10}}</ref> A similar title for the PlayStation Portable, ''Space Invaders Pocket'', was released in 2005.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://psp.ign.com/articles/613/613267p1.html| title = Boot to the Head for Bootleggers| publisher = [[IGN]]| author = Nix| date = 2005-05-12| accessdate = 2008-06-07}}</ref> ''Space Invaders'', ''Space Invaders Part II'' and ''Return of the Invaders'' are included in ''[[Taito Legends]]'', a compilation of Taito's classic arcade games released in 2005 on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.<ref name="TaitoLegends">{{cite web| url = http://www.2sega.com/corporate/corporate.php?item=pr_20051025c| title = Sega and Empire Interactive Launch Taito Legends for PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC| publisher = [[Sega]]| date = 2005-10-25| accessdate = 2008-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/taitolegends/news.html?sid=6133138| title = Sega goes old school with Taito| author = Surette, Tim| publisher = [[GameSpot]]| date = 2005-08-13| accessdate = 2008-05-10}}</ref> ''Super Space Invaders '91'', ''Space Invaders DX'' and ''Space Invaders {{'}}95'' were included in ''[[Taito Legends 2]]'', a sequel compilation released in 2006.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.gamespot.com/news/6168839.html| title = More Taito Legends headed to US| author = Sinclair, Brendan| publisher = [[GameSpot]]| date = 2007-04-10| accessdate = 2008-05-10}}</ref>

Revision as of 18:25, 1 May 2011

For other uses, see Space Invaders (disambiguation).
Space Invaders
A blue arcade cabinet with a screen surrounded by decals. The game controls sit below the screen, while the phrase "Space Invaders" is above the screen.
Japanese version of the Space Invaders arcade cabinet
Developer(s)Taito Corporation
Publisher(s)Midway
Designer(s)Tomohiro Nishikado
Platform(s)Arcade
ReleaseJune 1978[1]
Genre(s)Fixed shooter
Mode(s)Single-player

Template:Nihongo title is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to defeat waves of aliens with a laser cannon to earn as many points as possible. In designing the game, Nishikado drew inspiration from popular media: Breakout, The War of the Worlds, and Star Wars. To complete it, he had to design custom hardware and development tools.

It was one of the forerunners of modern video gaming and helped expand the video game industry from a novelty to a global industry. When first released, Space Invaders was very successful and popular. Following its release, the game caused a temporary shortage of 100-yen coins in Japan, grossed US$2 billion in quarters by 1982, and by 2007 had earned Taito over $500 million in profits. Guinness World Records ranks it the top arcade game.

The game has been the inspiration for other video games, re-released on numerous platforms, and led to several sequels. The 1980 Atari 2600 version quadrupled the system's sales and became the first "killer app" for video game consoles. Space Invaders has been referenced and parodied in multiple television shows, and been a part of several video game and cultural exhibitions. The pixelated enemy alien has become a pop culture icon, often used as a synecdoche representing video games as a whole.

Gameplay

A vertical rectangular video game screenshot that is a digital representation of a battle between aliens and a laser cannon. The white aliens hover above four green, inverted U-shaped blocks. Below the blocks is a smaller horizontal block with a triangle on its top.
The player-controlled laser cannon shoots the aliens as they descend to the bottom of the screen.

Space Invaders is a two-dimensional fixed shooter game in which the player controls a laser cannon by moving it horizontally across the bottom of the screen and firing at descending aliens. The aim is to defeat five rows of eleven aliens—some versions feature different numbers—that move horizontally back and forth across the screen as they advance towards the bottom of the screen. The player defeats an alien, and earns points, by shooting it with the laser cannon. As more aliens are defeated, the aliens' movement and the game's music both speed up. Defeating the aliens brings another wave that is more difficult, a loop which can continue indefinitely.[1][2][3][4]

The aliens attempt to destroy the cannon by firing at it while they approach the bottom of the screen. If they reach the bottom, the alien invasion is successful and the game ends. A special "mystery ship" will occasionally move across the top of the screen and award bonus points if destroyed. The laser cannon is partially protected by several stationary defense bunkers—the number varies by version—that are gradually destroyed by projectiles from the aliens and player.[1][2][3][4]

Development

Space Invaders was created by Tomohiro Nishikado, who spent a year designing the game and developing the necessary hardware to produce it.[5] The game's inspiration is reported to have come from varying sources, including an adaptation of the mechanical game Space Monsters released by Taito in 1972, and a dream about Japanese school children who are waiting for Santa Claus and are attacked by invading aliens.[1][6] However, Nishikado has cited Atari's arcade game Breakout as his inspiration. He aimed to create a shooting game that featured the same sense of achievement from completing stages and destroying targets, but with more complex graphics.[5][7] Nishikado used a similar layout to that of Breakout, but altered the game mechanics. Rather than bounce a ball to attack static objects, players are given the ability to fire projectiles at their own discretion to attack moving enemies.[8]

Early enemy designs included tanks, combat planes, and battleships.[5] Nishikado, however, was not satisfied with the enemy movements; technical limitations made it difficult to simulate flying.[5][9] Humans would have been easier to simulate, but Nishikado considered shooting them immoral.[9][10] After seeing a magazine feature about Star Wars, he thought of using a space theme.[5][7] Nishikado drew inspiration for the aliens from H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds—he had watched a film adaptation as a child—and created initial bitmap images after the octopus-like aliens.[5][7][9] Other alien designs were modeled after squids and crabs.[5][9] The game was originally titled Space Monsters, inspired by a popular song in Japan at the time ("Monster"), but was changed to Space Invaders by Nishikado's superiors.[5][7]

Hardware

Because microcomputers in Japan were not powerful enough at the time to perform the complex tasks involved in designing and programming Space Invaders, Nishikado had to design his own custom hardware and development tools for the game.[5][9] He created the arcade board using new microprocessors from the United States.[7] The game uses an Intel 8080 central processing unit, and features raster graphics on a CRT monitor and monaural sound generated by analogue circuitry.[10][11][12] Despite the specially developed hardware, Nishikado was unable to program the game as he wanted—the Control Program board was not powerful enough to display the graphics in color or move the enemies faster—and he considered the development of the hardware the most difficult part of the whole process.[5][9] While programming the game, Nishikado discovered that the processor was able to render the alien graphics faster the fewer were on screen. Rather than design the game to compensate for the speed increase, he decided to keep it as a challenging gameplay mechanic.[7][13]

A photograph of a close-up of an arcade screen. A video monitor rests at the bottom of the image, and the monitor's displayed graphics are reflected onto artwork of a grey moon surrounded by yellow and green colors. The reflected graphics display the phrase "Space Invaders".
Mirrored display and cardboard background of a Midway Space Invaders Deluxe arcade cabinet

Space Invaders was first released in a cocktail-table format with black and white graphics, while the Western release by Midway was in an upright cabinet format. The upright cabinet uses strips of orange and green cellophane over the screen to simulate color graphics. The graphics are reflected onto a painted backdrop of a moon against a space background. Later Japanese releases also used colored cellophane.[3] The cabinet artwork features large, humanoid monsters not present in the game. Nishikado attributes this to the artist basing the designs on the original title, Space Monsters, rather than referring to the in-game graphics.[5]

Impact and legacy

After the first few months following its release in Japan, the game became very popular.[10] Specialty arcades opened with nothing but Space Invaders cabinets,[5][10] and within two years by 1980,[14] Taito had sold over 300,000 Space Invaders arcade machines in Japan[15] and 60,000 machines in the United States,[14][16] where prices ranged from $2000 to $3000 for each machine.[17] The arcade cabinets have since become collector's items with the cocktail and cabaret versions being the rarest.[18] A shortage of 100-yen coins—and subsequent production increase—in Japan is attributed to the game.[5][19][20] By mid-1981, more than four billion quarters, or $1 billion, had been grossed from Space Invaders machines,[21] and it would continue to gross an average of $600 million a year[22] through to 1982, by which time it had grossed $2 billion in quarters[23][24] (equivalent to $4.6 billion in 2011),[25] with a net profit of $450 million[24] (equivalent to $1 billion in 2011).[25] This made it the best-selling video game and highest-grossing entertainment product of its time,[23] with comparisons made to the then highest-grossing film Star Wars,[23][26] which had grossed $486 million[26] in movie tickets (costing $2.25 each on average)[23] with a net profit of $175 million.[26] By 2007,[5] Space Invaders had earned Taito profits of over $.5 billion.[27] The 1980 Atari 2600 version was the first official licensing of an arcade game and became the first "killer app" for video game consoles by quadrupling the system's sales,[3][28] with the game selling over a million units on the console.[29]

Game designer Shigeru Miyamoto considered Space Invaders a game that revolutionized the video game industry; he was never interested in video games before seeing it.[30] Several publications ascribed the expansion of the video game industry from a novelty into a global industry to the success of the game. Edge magazine attributed the shift of video games from bars and arcades to more mainstream locations like restaurants and department stores to Space Invaders.[31] Technology journalist Jason Whittaker credited the game's success to ending the video game crash of 1977, which had earlier been caused by Pong clones flooding the market, and beginning the golden age of video arcade games.[32] According to The Observer, the home console versions were popular and encouraged users to learn programming; many who later became industry leaders.[20] 1UP.com stated that Space Invaders showed that video games could compete against the major entertainment media at the time: movies, music, and television.[10] IGN attributed the launch of the arcade phenomenon in North America in part to Space Invaders.[33] Game Informer considered it, along with Pac-Man, one of the most popular arcade games that tapped into popular culture and generated excitement during the golden age of arcades.[34] IGN listed it as one of the "Top 10 Most Influential Games" in 2007, citing the source of inspiration to video game designers and the impact it had on the shooting genre.[35] In 2008, Guinness World Records listed it as the top-rated arcade game in technical, creative, and cultural impact.[2]

As one of the earliest shooting games, it set precedents and helped pave the way for future titles and for the shooting genre.[35][36] Space Invaders popularized a more interactive style of gameplay with the enemies responding to the player controlled cannon's movement,[7] and was the first video game to popularize the concept of achieving a high score,[1][19][35] being the first to save the player's score.[35] It was also the first game where players were given multiple lives,[37] had to repel hordes of enemies,[10] could take cover from enemy fire, and use destructible barriers,[38] in addition to being the first game to use a continuous background soundtrack, with four simple chromatic descending bass notes repeating in a loop, which was dynamic and changed pace during stages,[39] like a heartbeat sound that increases pace as enemies approached.[40] It also moved the gaming industry away from Pong-inspired sports games grounded in real-world situations towards action games involving fantastical situations.[41] Whittaker commented that Space Invaders helped action games become the most dominant genre on both arcades and consoles, through to contemporary times.[42] Guinness World Records considered Space Invaders one of the most successful arcade shooting games by 2008.[19] In describing it as a "seminal arcade classic", IGN listed it as the number eight "classic shoot 'em up".[33] Space Invaders set the template for the shoot 'em up genre,[41] inspiring the development of arcade games, such as Williams Electronics' Defender and Namco's Galaxian and Galaga, which were modeled after Space Invaders's gameplay and design,[43][44] an influence that extends to most shooting games released to the present day,[10] including first-person shooters such as Wolfenstein,[45][46] Doom,[47] Halo[48] and Call of Duty.[49] Space Invaders also had an influence on early computer dungeon crawl games such as Dungeons of Daggorath, which used similar heartbeat sounds to indicate player health.[40]

Remakes and sequels

Main article: List of Space Invaders video games

Space Invaders has been remade on numerous platforms and spawned many sequels. Re-releases include ported and updated versions of the original arcade game. Ported versions generally feature different graphics and additional gameplay options—for example, moving defense bunkers, zigzag shots, invisible aliens, and two-player cooperative gameplay.[3] Ports on earlier systems like the Atari home consoles featured simplified graphics, while later systems such as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and PlayStation featured updated graphics. Later titles include several modes of gameplay and integrate new elements into the original design. For example, Space Invaders Extreme, released on the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable, integrated musical elements into the standard gameplay.[50][51] A spin-off for WiiWare, Space Invaders Get Even, allows players to control the aliens instead of the laser cannon.[52] In 1980, Bally Midway released a pinball version of the game. However, few elements from the original game are included, and the aliens instead resemble the xenomorphs from the film Alien; Bally Midway was later sued over the game's resemblance to designs by H. R. Giger.[53] Different ports have been met with mixed receptions; the Atari 2600 version was very successful while the Nintendo Entertainment System version was poorly received.[3]

Taito has released several arcade sequels that built upon the basic design of the original. The first was Space Invaders Part II in 1980; it featured color graphics and new gameplay elements, and added an intermission between gameplay. According to the Killer List of Video Games, this was the first video game to include an intermission.[54][19] This version was released in the United States as Deluxe Space Invaders (also known as Space Invaders Deluxe), but featured a different graphical color scheme and a lunar-city background. Another arcade sequel, titled Space Invaders II, was released exclusively in the United States. It was in a cocktail-table format and featured a competitive two-player mode. During the summer of 1985, Return of the Invaders was released with updated color graphics, and more complex movements and attack patterns for the aliens.[3] Subsequent arcade sequels included Super Space Invaders '91, Space Invaders DX, and Space Invaders '95. Each game introduced minor gameplay additions to the original design. Like the original game, several of the arcade sequels have become collector's items, though some are considered rarer.[18] In 2002, Taito released Space Raiders, a third-person shooter reminiscent of Space Invaders.[55][56]

The game and its related games have been included in video game compilation titles. Space Invaders Anniversary was released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2 and included nine Space Invader variants.[57] A similar title for the PlayStation Portable, Space Invaders Pocket, was released in 2005.[58] Space Invaders, Space Invaders Part II and Return of the Invaders are included in Taito Legends, a compilation of Taito's classic arcade games released in 2005 on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.[59][60] Super Space Invaders '91, Space Invaders DX and Space Invaders '95 were included in Taito Legends 2, a sequel compilation released in 2006.[61]

A photograph of an orchestra on a dimly lit stage. Above the group is a projection screen with a black, white, and green image of pixel art. The pixel art is of an oval object wearing headphones with eyes and four tentacles. Below the pixel art is the phrase "Video Games Live".
A pixelated alien graphic used at the concert event Video Games Live

The game—and references to it—has appeared in numerous facets of popular culture. Multiple television series have aired episodes that either reference or parody the game and its elements; for example, Danger Mouse,[62] That '70s Show,[63] Scrubs,[64], Chuck,[65][66] and Robot Chicken.[67] Elements are prominently featured in the "Raiders of the Lost Arcade" segment of "Anthology of Interest II", an episode of Futurama.[68] Many publications and websites use the pixelated alien graphic as an icon for video games in general, including video game magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly, technology website Ars Technica, and concert event Video Games Live.[10] Video Games Live also performed audio from Space Invaders as part of a special retro "Classic Arcade Medley".[69] In honor of the game's 30th anniversary, Taito produced an album titled Space Invaders 2008. The album is published by Avex Trax and features music inspired by the game.[70] Taito's store Taito Station also unveiled a Space Invaders themed music video.[71]

In 2006, the game was one of several video game related media selected to represent Japan as part of a project compiled by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs.[72][73] In the same year, Space Invaders was included in the London Science Museum's Game On exhibition meant to showcase the various aspects of video game history, development, and culture.[74] The game is also a part of the Barbican Centre's traveling Game On exhibition.[75] At the Belluard Bollwerk International 2006 festival in Fribourg, Switzerland, Guillaume Reymond created a three minute video recreation of a game of Space Invaders as part of the "Gameover" project using humans as pixels.[76] The GH ART exhibit at the 2008 Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, included an art game, Invaders!, based on Space Invaders's gameplay. The creator later asked for the game to be removed from the exhibit following criticism of elements based on the September 11, 2001 attacks.[77] A French street artist known as Invader made a name for himself by creating mosaic artwork of Space Invader aliens around the world.[10][78]

See also

References

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  2. ^ a b c Craig Glenday, ed. (2008-03-11). "Top 100 Arcade Games: Top 5". Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008. Guinness World Records. Guinness. p. 237. ISBN 978-1-904994-21-3.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "The Definitive Space Invaders". Retro Gamer (41). Imagine Publishing: 24–33. 2007. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b Seabrook, Andrea (2008-04-12). "Replay: the Evolution of Video Game Music". All Things Considered. National Public Radio. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Classic GI: Space Invaders". Game Informer (177). Cathy Preston: 108–109. 2008. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
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  8. ^ Loguidice, Bill (2009-01-09). "The History of Pong: Avoid Missing Game to Start Industry". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2009-01-10. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b c d e f Kiphshidze, N; Zubiashvili, T; Chagunava, K (2005). "The Creation of Space Invaders". Edge (154). Future plc: 7–13. ISSN 1512-0112. PMID 18323584. Retrieved 2008-05-05. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i Edwards, Benj. "Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Space Invaders". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  11. ^ "Space Invaders Videogame by Bally Midway (1978)". Killer List of Videogames. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  12. ^ Morris, Dave (2004). The Art of Game Worlds. HarperCollins. p. 166. ISBN 0060724307.
  13. ^ Glenday, Craig, ed. (2009). "Record-Breaking Games/Space Games". Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition. Guinness World Records. p. 98. ISBN 978-1-904994-45-9.
  14. ^ a b Dale Peterson (1983), Genesis II, creation and recreation with computers, Reston Publishing, p. 175, ISBN 0835924343, retrieved 2011-05-01, By 1980, some 300,000 Space Invader video arcade games were in use in Japan, and an additional 60,000 in the United States.
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  16. ^ Ellis, David (2004). "Arcade Classics". Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games. Random House. p. 345. ISBN 0375720383.
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  21. ^ Glinert, Ephraim P. (1990), Visual Programming Environments: Applications and Issues, IEEE Computer Society Press, p. 321, ISBN 0818689749, retrieved 2011-04-10, As of mid-1981, according to Steve Bloom, author of Video Invaders, more than four billion quarters had been dropped into Space Invaders games around the world
  22. ^ "Video Warriors on the Screen", New Scientist, vol. 95, no. 1317, p. 377, 5 August 1982, ISSN 0262-4079, retrieved 2011-05-01, But this is 1982, and the game Space Invaders — as the Disney handout enviously reminds us — grosses over $600 million a year.
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  25. ^ a b "CPI Inflation Calculator". Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
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  28. ^ Kent, Steven (2001). Ultimate History of Video Games. Three Rivers Press. p. 190. ISBN 0761536434.
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