Space Invaders
Seminal ARCADE SHOOTER — Tomohiro Nishikado, Taito 1978. Player controls LASER CANNON at bottom defending Earth from advancing 55-alien grid. First mainstream video game shooter; ONE OF FIRST 'KILLER APP' arcade games. Massive Japanese success (100 YEN COIN SHORTAGE in Japan 1978-79 from Space Invaders play). Launched video game industry as mass phenomenon.
What is Space Invaders?
Space Invaders is SEMINAL ARCADE SHOOTER — created by TOMOHIRO NISHIKADO for TAITO CORPORATION, released JULY 1978 in JAPAN. FIRST MAINSTREAM VIDEO GAME SHOOTER; ONE OF FIRST 'KILLER APP' arcade games. GAMEPLAY: player controls LASER CANNON at bottom of screen defending EARTH from ADVANCING 55-ALIEN GRID (5 rows × 11 columns). Aliens march SIDE TO SIDE, shift down 1 row when reaching edges, get FASTER as they're eliminated (due to CPU processing fewer sprites — accidental design feature that became iconic). Player must SHOOT ALIENS before they reach bottom. 4 DEFENSIVE BUNKERS provide partial cover but degrade with alien + player fire. BONUS UFO occasionally flies across top (50-300 pts). CRITICAL DESIGN CHOICE: the SPEED-UP due to fewer aliens was ACCIDENT — Nishikado's hardware got faster as it drew fewer objects — but it created dramatic tension as game progressed. MASSIVE JAPANESE SUCCESS: Space Invaders caused reported 100 YEN COIN SHORTAGE in Japan 1978-79. American release 1978 by Midway = similar success. Grossed $500M+ (equivalent $2B+ today). SPARKED VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY as MASS PHENOMENON — before Space Invaders, arcades were niche; after, they became ubiquitous. Direct sequels: SPACE INVADERS PART II 1980, SPACE INVADERS: THE ORIGINAL GAME (multiple platforms), SPACE INVADERS EXTREME 2008, INFINITY GENE 2008. CULTURAL IMPACT: inspired generations of shooters (GALAGA 1981, GALAXIAN 1979, etc.). Iconic imagery — 8-bit alien sprites — ubiquitous in pop culture.
Quick facts
Category
Video Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–2
Duration
~5 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
arcade cabinet or emulator
Country of origin
🇯🇵 Japan
Estimated origin
July 1978 (Japan release); American release later 1978 by Midway; Nishikado designed based on comparing 'aliens' vs battleship targets
Olympic
No
Popularity
global
How it works
Objective
Shoot all aliens before they reach bottom; maximize score across waves.
Rules
Basic rules
Move LASER CANNON left/right at bottom
Shoot upward at aliens.
55 ALIENS in 5 rows × 11 columns
Bottom row = 10 pts, middle rows = 20 pts, top row = 30 pts per kill.
Aliens march side-to-side; drop down 1 row at edges
Advance toward bottom of screen.
Fewer aliens = FASTER movement (accidental design)
Creates tension as game progresses.
4 DEFENSIVE BUNKERS provide partial cover but degrade
Both player + enemy fire damage them.
BONUS UFO flies across top occasionally (50-300 pts)
Speed of movement + shooting timing determines points.
GAME OVER if aliens reach bottom OR all 3 lives lost
New wave starts if all aliens eliminated.
Scoring
Kill aliens for points; clear waves for progression.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Bottom row alien | 10 pts |
| Middle row aliens | 20 pts |
| Top row alien | 30 pts |
| UFO (bonus) | 50-300 pts (variable) |
| Wave clearance | Move to next wave, faster + more aggressive aliens |
| Extra life at 1500 pts (in some versions) | Bonus life |
Win condition · No natural end — maximize score before losing all lives.
Playing area
Called
arcade cabinet or emulator
Dimensions
1 screen; 5-row × 11-column alien grid + player cannon + bunkers
Single fixed screen with vertical progression as aliens advance.
Equipment
Original arcade cabinet (collectible: $1000-8000)
Historic hardware; auction rare.
Home port versions (Atari 2600 1980, home consoles, mobile)
€0-30 various platforms; Atari 2600 version massive hit (first popular home port)
Emulators (MAME) for modern PC play
Free
Strategies
Prioritize eliminating COLUMNS from sides
Reduces alien advance speed rate + narrows their attack pattern.
Save UFO shots for HIGH-VALUE opportunities (300 pt UFO)
Specific shot count triggers 300 pt UFO.
Manage bunker health — don't over-rely on cover
Bunkers degrade quickly.
Speed adaptation — game accelerates as aliens die
Reflex management critical late-wave.
Terminology
- Invaders
- The 55 aliens marching downward.
- Laser cannon
- Player's controllable bottom-screen ship.
- UFO
- Bonus flying saucer across top (50-300 pts).
- Bunker
- Defensive cover (4 total).
- Kill screen
- Unlike Pac-Man, Space Invaders' kill screen at wave ~30 due to game bugs.
Major competitions
1980 Space Invaders Championship (Atari-sponsored, USA)
one-time historical · USA — first major video game competition, 10,000 players · since 1980
Twin Galaxies-verified world record submissions
ongoing · worldwide · since 1981
Various vintage arcade tournaments
annual · worldwide · since 2000
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Twin Galaxies (video game record verification)
Founded 1981 · USA
Official site ↗Guinness World Records (video game categories)
Founded 1955 · UK
Taito (game publisher)
Founded 1953 · Japan
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Bill Heineman (US) — 1980 Space Invaders Championship winner
- Rebecca Heineman (US, same person, later transitioned) — historic first video game champion
- Tomohiro Nishikado (Japan) — Original designer
- Various Japanese + American vintage arcade champions
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Play Space Invaders on any platform — arcade emulator, mobile app, home console
Easily accessible; 45+ years of ports.
- 2
Learn wave progression + speed adaptation
Basic survival.
intermediate
- 1
Study UFO shot patterns
Timing determines UFO points.
- 2
Practice consistent 10,000+ pt games
Solid intermediate performance.
advanced
- 1
Attempt long endurance runs
Speed becomes brutal after wave 20.
- 2
Submit verified performance to Twin Galaxies
Official world record ratification.
Frequently asked
What is Space Invaders?+
SEMINAL ARCADE SHOOTER — Tomohiro Nishikado, TAITO 1978. Player controls LASER CANNON at bottom of screen defending Earth from ADVANCING 55-ALIEN GRID. Aliens march side-to-side + drop down as they reach edges; FASTER movement as fewer aliens remain (accidental design turned iconic). 4 defensive bunkers provide partial cover. FIRST MAINSTREAM video game shooter; caused reported 100 YEN COIN SHORTAGE in Japan 1978-79. Launched VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY as MASS PHENOMENON. Iconic 8-bit alien sprites ubiquitous in pop culture.
How is Space Invaders different from Pac-Man?+
SPACE INVADERS (1978) is FIXED SHOOTER — vertical laser cannon at bottom, aliens march down; SHOOTING focus. PAC-MAN (1980) is MAZE game — Pac-Man navigates maze eating dots, avoiding ghosts; MOVEMENT + strategy focus. Both ARCADE CLASSICS from 1970s-80s Japan. Space Invaders 2 YEARS OLDER + launched industry mass appeal; Pac-Man broader cultural icon + more approachable (family-friendly). Both continue in various modern versions + still played competitively.
Why was Space Invaders so revolutionary?+
(1) FIRST CONSISTENT MASS APPEAL for arcade video games — before Space Invaders, arcades were niche + focused on skill/pinball. Space Invaders got REGULAR PEOPLE playing. (2) SIMPLE + COMPELLING core loop with tension curve (aliens speeding up as game progressed). (3) HIGH SCORE ATTRACTION — first game with LOCAL LEADERBOARD (initial 3-character names). (4) COMMERCIAL DOMINANCE — 100 YEN COIN SHORTAGE in Japan reportedly forced Bank of Japan to increase coin production. (5) TAITO'S first international mega-hit. (6) CULTURAL TOUCHSTONE — 'Space Invaders' became metaphor for video games overall. Directly influenced GALAXIAN, GALAGA, all subsequent shooters.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Space Invaders— Wikipedia
- Taito (developer)— Taito