Title: Space Invaders: MSX2 edition
Genre: Arcade
Author(s): Edd Biddulph
Medium: ROM 224KB
Hardware requirements: MSX2
Here’s an absolute classic: one of the very first space shooters in history, created by Taito called Space Invaders. Yes, that one! And here’s the ode to that legendary and influential mother-game, done for the MSX2 system.
Space Invaders, released in 1978 by Taito for arcades, is a classic shoot ’em up that pioneered endless gameplay and introduced the fixed shooter genre. Game developer Edd Biddulph, known as “cave_fish” in the MSX community, adapted Juan Jose Ponteprino’s ZX Spectrum port of Space Invaders for the MSX2.
In Space Invaders, you control a laser cannon that moves side to side, blasting waves of aliens as they descend. The aim is to wipe out all the invaders and rack up points along the way. No matter how many lives you have left, the game’s over if the aliens make it to the bottom of the screen.
While this is based on a ZX Spectrum port, all the screen 8 graphics where redrawn, sound effects re-created, and gameplay code rewritten to try to better match the original arcade version. Now, insert COIN and start blasting them invaders.
The package includes the ASCI16 ROM and a short manual. It might be wise to read that before you start, or you’ll be staring at the screen whilst shouting “but, I pressed space!”
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