SPACE INVADERS ARCADE MACHINE

Space Invaders is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado in 1978. It was originally manufactured by Taito and licensed for production in the U.S. by the Midway division of Bally. Initially released in its native Japan in 1978, it ranks as one of the most influential video games ever created. Though simplistic by today's standards, it was one of the forerunners of modern video gaming. In this video game version of the game, the player controlled the motions of a movable laser cannon that moved back and forth across the bottom of the video screen. Rows and rows of video aliens marched back and forth across the screen, slowly advancing down from the top to the bottom of the screen. If any of the aliens successfully landed on the bottom of the screen, the game would end. Although the player's laser cannon had an unlimited supply of ammunition, it could only fire one shot at a time. Meanwhile, the aliens would shoot back at the player, raining deadly rays and bombs that the player would have to dodge lest the cannon be destroyed. Players could also move the laser cannon under one of the shelter blocks, so that they could absorb the enemy shots until they are worn through. The player's cannon could be destroyed up to three times (the player had three lives), and the game would end after the player's last life was lost. Occasionally a bonus spaceship would fly across the top of the screen which the player could shoot for extra points. As the player destroyed an increasing number of aliens, the aliens would begin marching faster and faster, with the lone remaining alien zooming rapidly across the screen. The player's cannon cannot be harmed by an invader firing a missile from the lowest line on the screen before the invader lands. Shooting the last alien in the formation rewarded the player with a new screen of aliens, which began their march one row lower than the previous round.

YouTube | May 11, 2008

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