Space Invaders

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Get to Know About Space Invaders

“Space Invaders” is a pioneering arcade game developed by Tomohiro Nishikado and released by Taito in 1978. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential video games of all time, helping to establish the shoot ’em up genre. In the game, players control a laser cannon that moves horizontally across the bottom of the screen, firing at rows of descending aliens. The objective is to eliminate all the aliens before they reach the bottom of the screen while avoiding their projectiles​.

The game’s development was a significant technical achievement. Nishikado had to design custom hardware to produce the game, including a microprocessor that could handle the game’s graphics and sound. The aliens’ increasing speed as their numbers decrease, a result of the hardware limitations, became a defining feature of the game. “Space Invaders” was an immediate commercial success, grossing billions and becoming a cultural phenomenon​.

“Space Invaders” has been ported to numerous platforms, including the Atari 2600, which significantly boosted the console’s sales. The game’s influence extends beyond gaming, with its pixelated alien becoming an iconic symbol in popular culture. Its success paved the way for the golden age of arcade games, inspiring many other video games and designers in the process​.

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