by Bruce Bostwick

Created on: February 24, 2009

Space Invaders was created for the Atari 2600 and had been so popular, it has been apart of some online flash games actually made. In fact, some games actually were inspired with a similar but with different objects. It is very historic in the sense that it was the game that really sold well on the system. It was created in 1980 based off the Arcade version and it really shows that it was pretty popular at that time.

Object: It is simple as all you have to do actually the aliens from reaching the ground. If you allow that to happen, you lose the game. As the more aliens get killed, it will eventually start to increase thus making it a bit more difficult to hit them. It will take plenty of patience to get the job done. Graphically, the game is what it would be and doesn't have anything overly complex about it. With the power of the 2600, graphics weren't really a focus and plus it was simply the beginning of how it works.

You can play up to two players as you can work together to get the job done. Just be careful not to hit your partner in the game as it can happen if both ships are near each other. The controls for the game are really easy since it has only has one button to use and just a joystick to move it to either the left or the right.

As you keep going through levels, the Space Invaders will get lower to a point where it will just stay there at the beginning of the stage. It would be best in those situations to take down the bottom pieces or if you can complete a row, keep them from getting even lower. Be sure to keep the shields so you don't have to worry about getting hit so easily.

Review: It is enjoyable and still is to this very day. It doesn't require an extensive story at all, just something simple and to the point. Remember the Atari 2600 games weren't about storytelling but like little games with simple objectives. Shooting aliens actually is fun and easy to work with. Finding the Atari 2600 game would be very hard and it would take an extreme level of luck to locate it and an Atari 2600 that works if you don't have one or the one you got doesn't work anymore. It is likely that it can be found as an online flash game to play.

The biggest positive about this game is that you can use it as something to take your mind off the world and just relax a bit. If however you insist on trying to find the game for your Atari 2600, good luck with EBay or Amazon as those maybe your best bets on finding it.

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