Space Invaders facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
SpaceInvaders-Gameplay
The player-controlled laser cannon shoots the aliens as they descend to the bottom of the screen.

Space Invaders is a video game made by the Taito Corporation. Space Invaders is one of the most famous early video games. The game is about defending the Earth from Space Invaders (aliens) by shooting them down before they can land. There have been seven versions of Space Invaders made by the Taito Corporation. Space Invaders was designed by the Taito Corporations man in charge of the game making department, Toshihiro Nishikado.

Nishikado was inspired to make the game after watching Star Wars and War of the Worlds. At first Space Invaders was a coin-operated machine but has been made available for almost every games console and home computer. Before making Space Invaders, Nishikado worked on games called Soccer and Interceptor. He says the hardest part of making a video game is designing the computer inside it. Taito describes Space Invaders as "an international phenomenon".

Space Invaders versions

  • Space Invaders, 1978
  • Space Invaders Part 2, 1979
  • The Return of the Space Invaders, 1985
  • Space Invaders '91, 1991
  • Space Invaders DX, 1995
  • Space Invaders '95, 1995
  • Space Invaders 3D

Images for kids

  • Epoch-TV-Vader

    In Japan Epoch released a Space Invaders clone that could be played at home, the Epoch TV Vader, in 1980.

  • 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 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


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Space Invaders Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.