Chicken Invaders

***Chicken Invaders*** is a series of shoot 'em up video games, developed by InterAction studios and released
for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, Windows Phone, and Android platforms. There are five games in the series.

The main theme of the game is a battle between a lone combat spacecraft and a technologically advanced race of space-faring chickens, who are intent on subjugating (and later destroying) Earth. The games make heavy use of humor, especially in the form of parodies of *Galaxian*, *Star Wars*, *Space Invaders* and *Star Trek*.

## *Chicken Invaders* (1997-1999)

***Chicken Invaders*** is the first game in the series. It is both a single player and two-player game. The player takes control of a lone spacecraft, and must protect Earth from swarms of invading chickens. The game features weapon power-ups that resemble gift boxes, and the player can use these to upgrade their weapons. Chickens drop eggs which must be avoided, otherwise the player will die if they collide with these projectiles. Chicken drumsticks fall from the chickens when they're killed, and if the player collects enough of these they earn a missile. These missiles can then be used to wipe out everything (except the player) on the screen. The game also features unlimited levels. In each level, there are 10 waves, and at the end of every level is a boss, which must be defeated in order to advance (or warp) to a new system. The gameplay is endless, so there is no ending to the game; it continues on and on, until the player has finally lost all of their lives and the game is over. The difficulty increases each time players advance to a new level; the enemies move or fall faster, and objects like asteroids move faster, too. There are no holiday editions of this game; this is the only game that has no Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving Editions made for it. This is also the only game in the series that hasn't been ported to other platforms. It is only for Microsoft Windows.[1]

## *Chicken Invaders: The Next Wave* (2002)

***Chicken Invaders: The Next Wave*** (or ***Chicken Invaders 2***) is the second game in the series. It can be played by one or two players. The player takes command of the same lone spacecraft of the previous and must eliminate the chicken infestation of the solar system. The game features eleven levels, moving inwards from Pluto, each of which consists of 10 waves of attacking hostiles. In all the waves, chickens attack by dropping eggs which have to be dodged. The player can collect different items that help them in the game. Primary weapons may be changed by collecting parcels. Power-ups may also be collected to upgrade the primary weapon. Weapons may be upgraded up to eleven levels. The eleventh level however, is only acquired by collecting ten power-ups. Player may collect and accumulate drumsticks to get missiles, powerful weapons that can wipe out an entire wave. In all levels, except in the asteroid belt level, the ninth wave has a bonus (usually a new weapon, or extra firepower) awarded for not using missiles throughout the level, while the last wave features a boss. The game also comes in a ***Christmas Edition***.[2]

## *Chicken Invaders: Revenge of the Yolk* (2006)

***Chicken Invaders: Revenge of the Yolk*** (or ***Chicken Invaders 3***) comprises the main game together with Easter and Christmas editions. It is similar to the second version (with up to 4 player cooperative play). It has 120 waves, in 10 levels across 12 systems in the galaxy. There are 30 bonuses. Weapons have 11 power levels, and a secret 12th level, which can only be reached by acquiring an additional 10 powerups after the 10th level powerup (the 20th). There are also eight unlockables which are unlocked after repeatedly completing the entire game. The game also comes in a ***Christmas Edition*** and an ***Easter Edition***.[3]

## *Chicken Invaders: Ultimate Omelette* (2010)

***Chicken Invaders: Ultimate Omelette*** (or ***Chicken Invaders 4***) is the fourth game in the series and is similar to *Revenge of the Yolk*. It has 120 waves across 12 or 13 levels. It includes weapons which can be upgraded through 20 power levels. The weapons from *Revenge of the Yolk* are available as 'unlockables'. *Ultimate Omelette* unlockables can be purchased individually by collecting keys, which are dropped from destroyed enemies during the course of the game. Key-dropping enemies develop a gold halo and must be killed quickly. A new feature in this game is the capability of the player's spaceship to face in any direction depending on the level (it was always facing 'up' in previous games), and the camera can also zoom in or out depending on the wave (boss fights typically have the camera zoomed out to contain all the action). The game also comes in a ***Christmas Edition***, an ***Easter Edition*** and a ***Thanksgiving Edition***.[4]

## *Chicken Invaders: Cluck of the Dark Side* (2014)

***Chicken Invaders: Cluck of the Dark Side*** (or ***Chicken Invaders 5***) is the fifth game and is very similar to the previous ones. On 26 July 2014, InterAction studios announced that the beta team for this game was opened, and that they were now accepting applications. This meant if anyone was interested, they could fill in and submit their applications to this company. In October of that year, InterAction reviewed the applications and selected participants. On 20 October 2014, InterAction announced that the first beta team would be finalized within a week. Four days later, the first beta team was finalized, and InterAction stated that the second and third (final) beta teams would be finalized. The beta version was only made for Microsoft Windows PCs, and not for Linux or OS X. On 22 November 2014, Chicken Invaders 5: Cluck of the Dark Side was released. The game is for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. The game also has a ***Halloween Edition*** and ***Christmas Edition***.[5]

## *Chicken Invaders Universe* (2018-TBA)

***Chicken Invaders Universe*** (or ***Chicken Invaders 6***) is the sixth game in the series, will be the next game in the *Chicken Invaders* franchise, and is currently planned to start with limited early access this summer if everything goes well. The game will be something along the lines of a collaborative multiplayer experience, and from what has been heard from InterAction studios, this game is going to be much more open than the previous entries. You'll still be able to play as a lone hero through the game if that's what you want, but you will also be able to do stuff like make your own squadrons, take part in daily challenges, compete with your friends, or hang out at the local Space Burgers. The game will also include a Heroes Academy, which will include stuff such as training courses, a Chicken bestiary and a library of spaceship specs. It also seems like this game will no longer follow the chapter-to-chapter formula the previous entries followed.