Mr SQL Posted March 13, 2023 Report Posted March 13, 2023 There are so many fantastic Space invaders ports for the Atari 2600. Here is a list of SI ports in the Space Invaders folder on my Flashcart: SpaceInvaders Threshold Communist Muants from Space Gyrus Condor Attack Galaxian INV21 INV60904 Megamania Pigs in Space SIA V0.1 Spider Fighter SuperCharger SpaceInvaders for Girls Laser Blast Moon Patrol I like playing them back to back to enjoy the nuances between them. What are your favorite ports in your Space Invaders folder and cart collection? DegasElite, RickR and socrates63 3 Quote ATARI FLASHBACK BASIC! Make games for the AFP with awesome graphics, animation and a built in tracker/sequencer! Compatible with all Atari consoles! The IDE is already installed on your PC! Atari Flashback BASIC is cross compatible with the SuperCharger too! AFB games can be recompiled with no changes using the SuperCharger BASIC compiler, available at Relationalframework.com/vwBASIC
RickR Posted March 13, 2023 Report Posted March 13, 2023 Don't forget about "Gorf", which has a Space Invaders level first thing. DegasElite, socrates63 and Mr SQL 3 Quote
RickR Posted March 13, 2023 Report Posted March 13, 2023 And the hacks, like "Pepsi Invaders". socrates63, Mr SQL and DegasElite 3 Quote
Mr SQL Posted March 13, 2023 Author Report Posted March 13, 2023 1 hour ago, RickR said: Don't forget about "Gorf", which has a Space Invaders level first thing. 1 hour ago, RickR said: And the hacks, like "Pepsi Invaders". Two more awesome ports! I'm adding both to the genre folder. DegasElite 1 Quote ATARI FLASHBACK BASIC! Make games for the AFP with awesome graphics, animation and a built in tracker/sequencer! Compatible with all Atari consoles! The IDE is already installed on your PC! Atari Flashback BASIC is cross compatible with the SuperCharger too! AFB games can be recompiled with no changes using the SuperCharger BASIC compiler, available at Relationalframework.com/vwBASIC
Mr SQL Posted March 15, 2023 Author Report Posted March 15, 2023 Found a few more Space Invaders! Pleiades proto which has a space invaders first stage. Pheonix and another paddle game Guardian, and Encounter at L5. Also found a very close space invaders port with a scrolling large planet in the background with continents visible. I can't remember the name and can't seem to find it again the sea of ROM's I found it in. socrates63 1 Quote ATARI FLASHBACK BASIC! Make games for the AFP with awesome graphics, animation and a built in tracker/sequencer! Compatible with all Atari consoles! The IDE is already installed on your PC! Atari Flashback BASIC is cross compatible with the SuperCharger too! AFB games can be recompiled with no changes using the SuperCharger BASIC compiler, available at Relationalframework.com/vwBASIC
RickR Posted March 15, 2023 Report Posted March 15, 2023 If you count Galaxian on your list, then also add Demon Attack and Phoenix, which are both a lot of fun. Mr SQL and socrates63 2 Quote
Mr SQL Posted March 15, 2023 Author Report Posted March 15, 2023 Alright the updated list is now: SpaceInvaders Threshold Communist Mutants from Space Gyrus Condor Attack Galaxian INV21 INV60904 Megamania Pigs in Space SIA V0.1 Spider Fighter SuperCharger SpaceInvaders for Girls Laser Blast Moon Patrol Gorf Pepsi Invaders Pleiades proto Guardian Encounter at L5 Demon Attack Pheonix Space Instigators And this classic port I can't remember the name of but found a screenshot here: RickR and socrates63 2 Quote ATARI FLASHBACK BASIC! Make games for the AFP with awesome graphics, animation and a built in tracker/sequencer! Compatible with all Atari consoles! The IDE is already installed on your PC! Atari Flashback BASIC is cross compatible with the SuperCharger too! AFB games can be recompiled with no changes using the SuperCharger BASIC compiler, available at Relationalframework.com/vwBASIC
Scott Stilphen Posted March 18, 2023 Report Posted March 18, 2023 (edited) That's Spacechase. There's dozens of derivative Space Invaders ports for just the VCS alone (Deadly Duck, Beamrider, Juno First are a few others). SwordQuest FireWorld (the Fire-Breathing Dragons mini-game) and the 2nd screen in Gremlins are 2 more. Same in the arcade - countless knockoffs and variations of that same theme. Any game that restricts the player to movement in only one axis while shooting at enemies/targets covers a lot of games, such as Carnival, Shooting Gallery, Space Jockey, Wabbit, etc. Galaxian (and it's sequel Galaga) was a variation of Space Invaders and basically could be considered a separate category, where the 'invaders' would split off from the main formation and drop down to attack you, which of course spawned its own knockoffs (Condor Attack, Demon Attack, etc). Centipede and Millipede are essentially Space Invaders and Galaxian, that allow for a little movement beyond simply one axis (Spacechase and Time Warp are 2 more). Moon Patrol is another sub-genre that offers shooting in 2 different directions, and includes games like James Bond 007, Mission Survive, Space Cavern, etc. Games like Scramble (and its sequel, Super Cobra) are an 'evolution' of that same premise and allowed the player to move anywhere on the screen while shooting AND bombing enemies, so with those you get variations like Fantastic Voyage, Name This Game, Xevious, etc. Vanguard came out later in the same year as Scramble allowed for shooting in 4 directions, and Space Tunnel (re-released as Cosmic Corridor) is a very basic version of that. As you can see, there's a LOT of games that sprung from Space Invaders 🙂 So, if you're looking to make a list of all the Space Invaders-type games, you need to specify to which degree as to which games are included. Edited March 25, 2023 by Scott Stilphen socrates63 and Mr SQL 1 1 Quote
Mr SQL Posted March 20, 2023 Author Report Posted March 20, 2023 On 3/18/2023 at 10:41 AM, Scott Stilphen said: That's Spacechase. There's dozens of derivative Space Invaders ports for just the VCS alone (Deadly Duck, Beamrider, Juno First are a few others). SwordQuest FireWorld (the Fire-Breathing Dragons mini-game) and the 2nd screen in Gremlins are 2 more. Same in the arcade - countless knockoffs and variations of that same theme. Any game that restricts the player to movement in only one axis while shooting at enemies/targets covers a lot of games, such as Carnival, Shooting Gallery, Space Jockey, Wabbit, etc. Galaxian (and it's sequel Galaga) was a variation of Space Invaders and basically could be considered a separate category, where the 'invaders' would split off from the main formation and drop down to attack you, which of course spawned its own knockoffs (Condor Attack, Demon Attack, etc). Centipede and Millipede are essentially Space Invaders and Galaxian, that allow for a little movement beyond simply one axis (Spacechase and Time Warp are 2 more). Moon Patrol is another sub-genre that offers shooting in 2 different directions, and includes games like Gas Hog, James Bond 007, Mission Survive, Space Cavern, etc. Games like Scramble (and its sequel, Super Cobra) are an 'evolution' of that same premise and allowed the player to move anywhere on the screen while shooting AND bombing enemies, so with those you get variations like Fantastic Voyage, Name This Game, Xevious, etc. Vanguard came out later in the same year as Scramble allowed for shooting in 4 directions, and Space Tunnel (re-released as Cosmic Corridor) is a very basic version of that. As you can see, there's a LOT of games that sprung from Space Invaders 🙂 So, if you're looking to make a list of all the Space Invaders-type games, you need to specify to which degree as to which games are included. Thank you Scott! 🙂 I tried a few rounds last night Spacechase is excellent! I never thought of Millipede or Centipede as an SI port but you are right, they really take the genre to the next level like Arkanoid with Breakout. I think to qualify for an SI port the player must be able to shoot incoming Invaders. I tried Space Cavern too, another interesting SI port. Also tried Mission Survive but only have the PAL version, it looks very cool I will try to find it for NTSC. Agree on 007 but not Gas Hog because you cannot shoot the invaders (or I don't know how, it does look like you have a Turret on top of the Car). I think sideways Space Invaders like SpaceWar also qualify for being similar to Astroblast. In Fantastic Voyage, Zevious, Super Cobra and Vanguard you are the Invader so I don't think these qualify or could be reverse SI ports. Quote ATARI FLASHBACK BASIC! Make games for the AFP with awesome graphics, animation and a built in tracker/sequencer! Compatible with all Atari consoles! The IDE is already installed on your PC! Atari Flashback BASIC is cross compatible with the SuperCharger too! AFB games can be recompiled with no changes using the SuperCharger BASIC compiler, available at Relationalframework.com/vwBASIC
Scott Stilphen Posted March 21, 2023 Report Posted March 21, 2023 The manual for Gas Hog is on my site: https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/manuals/vcs/vcs_manuals.html You can only shoot left or right, not up. Mr SQL and RickR 2 Quote
Mr SQL Posted March 22, 2023 Author Report Posted March 22, 2023 On 3/21/2023 at 5:37 AM, Scott Stilphen said: The manual for Gas Hog is on my site: https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/manuals/vcs/vcs_manuals.html You can only shoot left or right, not up. Thanks I read the Gas Hog manual, interesting the screenshot within is sepia monotone making it look like a ZX-80 game instead of the colorful Atari 2600. Awesome Atari resource site btw, I have bookmarked it! Quote ATARI FLASHBACK BASIC! Make games for the AFP with awesome graphics, animation and a built in tracker/sequencer! Compatible with all Atari consoles! The IDE is already installed on your PC! Atari Flashback BASIC is cross compatible with the SuperCharger too! AFB games can be recompiled with no changes using the SuperCharger BASIC compiler, available at Relationalframework.com/vwBASIC
Scott Stilphen Posted March 25, 2023 Report Posted March 25, 2023 You're right, Gas Hog doesn't belong in that sub-list. I forgot you couldn't shoot up (and I even have the WR for the game :/) Mr SQL 1 Quote
Mr SQL Posted March 26, 2023 Author Report Posted March 26, 2023 19 hours ago, Scott Stilphen said: You're right, Gas Hog doesn't belong in that sub-list. I forgot you couldn't shoot up (and I even have the WR for the game :/) Scott I've been reading an incredibly good Atari book I found on your site, the ABC to the Atari VCS: book_abc_to_the_vcs.pdf (ataricompendium.com) The author has logically divided the book into genre categories and makes a good argument for listing by genre over going alphabetically. This book was written in the 80's and is fantastic. I found more Space Invaders there to add to the list, he also describes reverse Space Invaders in some instances. This is a great read! 🙂 Quote ATARI FLASHBACK BASIC! Make games for the AFP with awesome graphics, animation and a built in tracker/sequencer! Compatible with all Atari consoles! The IDE is already installed on your PC! Atari Flashback BASIC is cross compatible with the SuperCharger too! AFB games can be recompiled with no changes using the SuperCharger BASIC compiler, available at Relationalframework.com/vwBASIC
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