Computer Space facts for kids

Computer Space is a very old and important video game that came out in November 1971. It was one of the first arcade games ever made! A company called Nutting Associates released it. Two clever people, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, created this game. They later started a super famous company called Atari.

What is Computer Space?

Computer Space is a shooting game where you control a small rocket spaceship. Your goal is to shoot down two flying saucers that are trying to get you. It's a bit like a space battle! The game screen shows your rocket in the middle, and the saucers fly around. You have to aim carefully and shoot.

How Do You Play?

Playing Computer Space is simple but challenging. You use buttons to move your rocket left or right. You also have buttons to make your rocket go forward and to fire your missiles. The saucers move on their own, making it tricky to hit them. The game keeps track of your score and the computer's score. It also shows how much time is left in the game.

Who Made This Game?

Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney were the main creators of Computer Space. They had a big idea to make a game that people could play in arcades. They worked hard to design the game and build the special machines for it. After Computer Space, they went on to create Atari, which made many other famous video games like Pong.

Why is Computer Space Important?

Computer Space is a very important part of video game history. It was the first arcade video game that was sold to the public. Before this, video games were mostly played in labs or universities. Computer Space helped show that people would enjoy playing games in arcades. It opened the door for all the amazing arcade games that came after it. Even though it wasn't a huge hit at first, it proved that video games could be a fun new form of entertainment.

Images for kids

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  Single-player Computer Space gameplay; the player's rocket is in the center, with the flying saucers on the right above and below the player score, computer score, and time remaining.

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  Computer Space control panel

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  A friendly robot.