Invaders 2002

## Background

   The original Space Invaders was a gigantic arcade hit, which still endures decades later, pitting players against formations of invaders that come closer and closer to players’ laser bases while dropping bombs. A high scoring U. F. O. also appears overheard several times during a wave.

**Invaders 2002**, an online game, is an update of Space Invaders, with in-game music, updated graphics, powerups, new invader types, and four modes to play a clone of the original game as well. It was developed by Jason Cirillo and published by Robotube Games in 2003.

## Invaders 2002/gameplay

As per usual with a Space Invaders clone, there is an overhead formation of invaders that move from side to side and drop down a notch closer to the player’s laser base each time they reach a side of the screen, dropping bombs all the while. Getting hit by a bomb will cause the player to lose a laser base and the game will end if there are no more bases left in reserve, along with if the player gets invaded by having an invader land on the ground. A UFO Mystery ship also flies overhead during a wave (known as "Missions"), although it drops one of several powerups once it is hit, along with an occasional piece of debris. There are also several different types of invaders and no bunkers for the player to take cover behind, unlike with the arcade original (which the invaders only had three standard forms/one form of attack and there were four bunkers).

### Invader types

* **Standard Invader**–this is a regular invader with no special attacks or abilities.
* **Expander Invader**–these have to be shot three times before they can be destroyed. They also expand in size every time they are shot, growing larger in size with each hit.
* **Splitter Invader**–these split into two invaders when shot.
* **Kamikaze Invader**–once shot, these will quickly plummet towards the bottom of the screen, although a second shot will destroy them.
* **Landmine Invader**–these also quickly plummet like the above, although if they make contact with the ground, the mine will sit for five seconds; if the player makes contact with the mine, it will explode and the player will lose a laser base. However, also like the above, a second shot will destroy it in mid-air.

### Powerups

* **One Shot Laser**–allows the player to fire one devastating shot that can take out an entire column of invaders.
* **Time Freeze**–freezes the invaders for several seconds.
* **Temporary Shield**–the player is invincible for five seconds.
* **Unnamed powerup**–this looks like a giant wheel that can be fired at the invader formation; the player cannot fire their regular shot for several seconds, but any invaders that come in contact with the powerup will be destroyed.

### Controls

* Move laser base–left/right arrow keys
* Fire–spacebar
* Pause–P key

## Invaders 1978 versions

These versions (which can be chosen at the title screen) look a lot like the arcade original, although there are several differences.

The invaders move a lot farther side to side than on the original, which also leads to the formation dropping down faster as well. The UFO Mystery moves a lot faster, as well as it comes out at different, random intervals, rather than being at set times. The player’s laser base starts at the bottom center, rather than the left, and when one is destroyed, a reserve base appears right by where the last one was hit, rather than at the left side of the screen. All bunkers disappear at once when the invaders get low enough as well, plus any invader can drop bombs, and not just the lowest ones in a vertical row like on the arcade original.

There are also four versions to play, being the upright cabinet (which has the moon backdrop appearing), cocktail black and white (without the moon background), cocktail cellophane color (horizontal bars of color fill the invaders area), and cocktail raster color (everything appears in individual colors without the bars).

## Trivia

* On Invaders 2002, the formations of invaders change with every screen. A moon is also seen in the above sky, perhaps an ode to the arcade original.
* The last remaining invader on both versions does not fire, but moves faster than the last invader on the arcade original.
* On the 2002 version, the UFO Mystery only comes from the right side of the screen and travels left (like with Daymare Invaders). On the 1978 versions, it always appears at the left and travels right.
* There is a second version of the 2002 game, having a different title screen, and on the last Mission (before it starts over), the invaders look like the ones from the arcade original, although they move down the screen at a faster rate.