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Space Invaders Clones and Ports (Space Invader-likes)


Clones & Ports of Taito's Space Invaders



This article is concerned with computer-game clones and ports of Taito's Space Invaders (1978), Space Invaders Part II (1979) and Super Space Invaders (1991). Space Invader-likes are defined by me as fixed-screen shoot 'em ups that feature 2-way horizontal movement and 1-way vertical fire of a cannon that is confined to bottom-screen but is defended somewhat from top-screen alien-wave projectiles by progressively destructible permanent fixtures. The aliens move across the playfield in steps before stepping downward towards the cannon, increasing in speed as they do so.

The article is only concerned with Space Invaders clones and ports that appeared on Western computer game machines. The clones and ports are presented chronologically.

Space Invaders games are not the same as Galaga or Galaxian games.

Space Invaders Clones


Super Invader Apple 2 1979


M. Hata coded Super Invader for the Apple 2 in 1979. Super Invader and TRS-80 Alien Invasion (see below) are the earliest commerical home-computer clones of Taito's Space Invaders of 1978.

Super Invader is also known as Apple Invader and Cosmos Mission.


Alien Invasion TRS-80 1979


Roy Niederhoffer coded Alien Invasion in 1979 for the TRS-80. Alien Invasion is a clone of Space Invaders.

Alien Invasion features fancy screen-wipes and even an animated introduction, which furnishes an early example of computer-game cinematization.


Space Intruders TRS-80 1980


Doug Kennedy of Adventure International coded Space Intruders for the TRS-80 in 1980. Space Intruders is a clone of Taito's Space Invader's Part II of 1979.


Super Vaders TRS-80 1981


Larry Ashmun of Soft Sector Marketing Inc. coded Super Vaders for the TRS-80 in 1981. Super Vaders is a clone of Taito's Space Invaders of 1978, but Super Vaders gives you a stat-breakdown post-game (shots fired, missed shots).


Space Strike IBM PC 1982


Coded by Michael Abrash for IBM PC Booter in 1982, Space Strike is a clone of Space Invaders.


A polished and playable fixed-screen shoot 'em up that displays in 4-color CGA 320x200 and requires just 64 kbytes RAM, Space Strike supports joystick input and keyboard control.

Space Invaders IBM PC 1985


Invaders of 1985 is a 4-color CGA 320x200 i808x clone of Taito's 1978 coinop, Space Invaders. The graphics are clear, collision detection is accurate, and the waves move with precision, but the PC-speaker sounds consists of bleeps and blurps (naturally).

1985 Invaders supports joystick input or keyboard control (Shift keys for left and right and Spacebar for fire).


Starforce Commodore 64 1991


Joachim Fräder of X-Ample Architectures coded Starforce for the Commodore 64 in 1991, which is an excellent Space Invaders clone with added features.


Space Invaders Ports


Super Space Invaders IBM PC 1991


Taito's Super Space Invaders coinop of 1991 was ported to IBM PC MS-DOS in 1991. Even though it lacks the arcade's vertical screen resolution, the port is solid.


Space Invaders IBM PC 1995


Paul S. Read coded Space Invaders for IBM PC MS-DOS in 1995. A belated but solid conversion of the original Space Invaders, this version displays in 16-color EGA at 640x400 resolution.


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