How to Play Space Invaders

Space Invaders is one of the all-time classic video games. Released to arcades in 1978, its straightforward premise of stopping wave after wave of alien attackers hooked teenagers and adults alike. Despite its simplicity, Space Invaders challenges the reflexes and rewards quick thinking and strategy.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Basic Procedures

1. Press the left or right buttons on your joystick or controller to move laterally.

2. Press the "fire" button on your joystick or controller to shoot a laser upward. Only one laser may occupy the screen at a time, so time your shots carefully.

3. Destroy all of the aliens before they reach the bottom, while avoiding their laser fire.

Strategy

4. Try to destroy entire vertical columns of aliens at a time. This will increase the amount of time it takes for the invaders to move across the screen, thus slowing their descent.

5. Stay near your shields, shooting at the aliens with part of your spaceship hidden behind cover if possible.

6. If the aliens are getting close to your shields, start destroying horizontal rows of aliens to delay their descent. This will be easier if you have already destroyed some vertical columns.

Tips & Warnings

• Occasionally, a flying saucer that is worth big points will hover across the top of the screen. Take one well-timed shot if you can, then return to the invaders. Don't waste precious time.
• If the aliens descend too far, you'll lose your shields for the rest of the game. Don't let this happen.

Resources

• Play a Space Invaders clone online