Space Invaders

 Home > Browse Our Collection > Software > Atari 2600 Software > Space Invaders
 

Space Invaders for the Atari 2600 was the first ever arcade to home game license, becoming a huge best seller. 

Even though the basics of the original arcade game remained intact -- invaders would march from one side of the screen to the other, dropping down a notch at each edge, they would fire at the player, there were bunkers for the player's laser cannon to hide under, etc. -- there were quite a few differences with the basic setup, as well as with its many game variations.

This time around, this version had 36 onscreen invaders rather than 55 like on the arcade original. It also had six different kinds of invaders, rather than three, plus they are also worth different point values. There are also only three bunkers on this version (rather than four), but once the invaders started getting close to the Earth (another difference is that this version took place on Earth, rather than on the moon), instead of the invaders erasing them bit by bit as they plowed through the bunkers, the bunkers would just disappear altogether at once.





Platform : Atari 2600
Format : Cartridge
Publisher : Atari
Authors :
Date : 1st January 1980
Product Code : CX 2632

Other Software by Atari:

Item Manufacturer Platform Format Date
Atari PASCAL Language System Atari Atari 8 Bit 5.25 Floppy dsic Unknown
Atari 800 Macro Assembler and Program-text Editor Atari Atari 8 Bit 5.25 Floppy dsic Unknown
Atari 810 Master Diskette II - sealed Atari Atari 8 Bit 5.25 Floppy dsic Unknown
Computer Chess Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge Unknown
Street Racer Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge Unknown
Trivial Pursuit Unhinged Atari PlayStation 2 DVD Unknown
Missile Command Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge Unknown
Phantom Panzer Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge Unknown
Super Wipeout Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge Unknown
Knightmare Atari Atari ST 3.5" Floppy Disk Unknown
Tempest 2000 Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge Unknown
Eastern Front (1941) Atarisoft Atari 8 Bit Cassette Unknown
The Lone Raider Atarisoft Atari 8 Bit Cassette Unknown
Microsoft Write Atari Atari ST 3.5" floppy disk Unknown
Thrillville Atari Sony PSP UMD Unknown
1st Lektor (German) Atari Atari ST 3.5" Floppy Disk Unknown
Atari Writer (Romox Cartridge) Atari Atari 400/800 Cartridge Unknown
Ms Pac-Man Atarisoft ZX Spectrum Cassette Unknown
Atari Assembler Editor Atari Atari 400/800 Cartridge Unknown
Video Olympics Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge Sep 1977
Indy 500 (with controllers) Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1978
Football Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1978
Black Jack Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1978
Night Driver Atari Inc Atari 2600 Cartridge 1978
Combat Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1978
Outlaw Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1978
Breakout Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1978
Bowling Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1978
Air-Sea Battle Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1978
Jungle Hunt Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1978
Master Diskette II Atari PC 5.25 floppy disc 1979
Slot Racers Atari Atari VCS Cartridge 1979
Superman Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1979
Video Chess Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1979
Hangman Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1979
Championship Soccer Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1980
Sky Diver Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1980
Atari Pilot Language Atari Atari 400/800 Cartridge 1980
Touch Typing Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1980
Golf Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1980
Maze Craze Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1980
BASIC Computing Language (400/800) Atari Atari 400/800 Cartridge 1980
Video Checkers Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1980
Spider Fighter Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1980
Space Invaders Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1980
Circus Atari Atari Inc Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1980
Paddle Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1980
Adventure Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1980
Missile Command Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1981
Defender Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1981
Writing Programs One Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1981
Writing Programs Two Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1981
Dodge 'Em Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1981
Introduction to Graphics Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1981
WarLords Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1981
Pac-Man Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1981
Asteroids Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1981
Asteroids (Alamogordo Atari Dig) Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1981
Math Gran Prix Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
RealSports Baseball Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Star Raiders Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1982
Counter Measure Atari Games Atari 5200 Cartridge 1982
Missile Command Atari Atari 5200 Cartridge 1982
Galaxian Atari Atari 5200 Cartridge 1982
Yar's Revenge Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Basketball Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Berzerk Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Swordquest: Fireworld Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Time Wise Atari Atari 8 Bit 5.25 Disk 1982
Centipede Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Star Raiders Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Dig Dug (Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1982
Pac-Man (Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1982
Asteroids (Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1982
Action! (Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1982
Basketball (Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1982
Centipede (Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1982
Popeye (Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1982
Super Breakout Atari Games Atari 5200 Cartridge 1982
Star Raiders Atari Games Atari 5200 Cartridge 1982
Eastern Front (1941) (cartridge version) Atari Atari 400/800 Cartridge 1982
Star Raiders Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Millipede Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Timeslip Atari Atari 400/800 Cassette 1982
Swordquest: Earthworld Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Centipede (Alamogordo Atari Dig) Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1982
Centipede Atari Games Atari 5200 Cartridge 1982
Pac-Man Atari Games Atari 5200 Cartridge 1982
Space Invaders Atari Games Atari 5200 Cartridge 1982
Pole Position Atari Atari 5200 Cartridge 1982
Joust (1983 version) Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1982
Raiders Of The Lost Ark Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1982
Joust (Jr Version) Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1982
Vanguard Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1982
E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial (Alamogordo Atari Dig) Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1982
Haunted House Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge Feb 1982
E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge Dec 1982
Jungle Hunt Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
Kangaroo Sun Electronics, Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1983
Galaxian Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
Ms. Pac-Man Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
Gremlins Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
E.T. Phone Home! Atari Atari 400/800 Cartridge 1983
RealSports Tennis Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1983
Q*Bert Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1983
Popeye Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1983
Oink! Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1983
Jungle Hunt Atarisoft TI-99/4A Cartridge 1983
Atari Music 1 Atari Atari 8 Bit 5.25 Disk 1983
River Raid Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1983
Donkey Kong Atari TI-99/4A Cartridge 1983
Frogger (Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1983
Protector Atari TI-99/4A Cartridge 1983
Pole Position Atarisoft TI-99/4A Cartridge 1983
Pole Position Atari Atari 400/800 Catridge 1983
Centipede Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
Donkey Kong Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
Dig Dug Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
Pac-Man Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
Grid Runner ( Big Box) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1983
Stargate Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
Moon Patrol Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 1983
Battle Zone Atarisoft Apple II 5.25-inch disk 1983
Moon Patrol Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1983
Galaxian Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1983
Flight Simulator (XE Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1984
Pole Position Atari ZX Spectrum Cassette 1984
AtariLab Light Module Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1984
AtariLab Starter Set Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1984
Pole Position Atarisoft BBC Micro Cassette 1984
Robotron 2084 Atarisoft BBC Micro Cassette 1984
Multimixx 4 Atari Games Commodore 64 Cassette 1985
The Goonies Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1985
An Invitation To Programming Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1985
European Countries and Capitals Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1985
Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom Atari Games Amstrad CPC 464 Cassette 1985
Silent butler Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1985
1st Word Atari Atari ST 3.5" Floppy Disk 1985
Battlezone Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1985
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Atari Games ZX Spectrum Cassette 1985
Super Huey UH-IX Atari Atari 7800 Cartridge 1985
Gauntlet Atari MSX Cassette 1985
Robotron 2084 Atarisoft Apple II Disk 5.25 Jan 1985
Video Pinball Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1985
Atari User jan 1986 Cassette Atari user Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1986
Speed Hawk Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1986
Crystal Castles Atari Atari ST 3.5" Floppy Disk 1986
ST Star Raiders Atari Atari ST 3.5" floppy disk 1986
Xevious Atari Atari 7800 Cartridge 1986
Crystal Castles Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1986
RealSports Boxing Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1987
Bug Hunt (XE Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1987
Barnyard Blaster (XE Cartridge) Atari Atari 8 Bit Cartridge 1987
Fight Night (XE Version) Atari Atari 400/800 Cartridge 1987
ST Basic (Revised Edition) Atari Atari ST 3.5" Floppy Disk 1987
David's Midnight Magic Atari Atari XE Cartridge 1987
Crossbow Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1987
Stargate Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1987
Twilight World Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1987
Compilation C Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1987
Solaris Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1987
Crossbow (Loose) Atari SW120 Cartridge 1987
720 Atari Games Commodore 64 Cassette 1987
Compilation B Atari Atari 8 Bit Cassette 1987
Joust Atari Atari 7800 Cartridge 1987
Road Runner Atari Games Amstrad CPC464 3.0 Disk 1987
Hyperpaint Atari Atari ST 3.5 Disk 1988
Tandy Discovery Pack Plus Atari Atari ST 3.5 Disk 1988
Defender II Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1988
RealSports Volleyball (Sealed) Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1988
Pole Position II Atari Atari 7800 Cartridge 1988
32 In 1 Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1988
Jr Pac-Man Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1988
Sprint Master Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1988
Phoenix Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1988
RealSports Volleyball Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1988
Backgammon Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1988
Surround Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1988
Mario Bros.(Loose) Atari Atari 7800 Cartridge 1988
Pole Position 2 (Loose) Atari Atari 7800 Cartridge 1988
Crack'ed Atari Atari 7800 Video Game Cartridge 1988
Donkey Kong Junior Atari Atari 7800 Cartridge 1988
Dark Chambers Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1988
Gravitar Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1988
Super Football Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1988
Xenon Disk Monitor (German) Atari Atari ST 3.5" Floppy Disk 1989
Blue Lightning (Card Only) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1989
California Games Atari Atari Lynx Cartridge 1989
Jinks Atari Atari 7800 Video Game Cartridge 1989
Hyperdraw Atari Atari ST 3.5 Disk 1989
Borodino Atari Atari ST 3.5 Disk 1989
Blue Lightning Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1989
Gates of Zendocon Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1989
Ikari Warriors Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1989
Road Runner Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1989
War-Copter Atari Atari 400/800 Cassette 1989
Off The Wall Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 1 Jan 1989
COPY OF Speedball 2 Atari Atari ST 1990
Family Curriculum - Creative Computing Module Atari Atari ST 3.5 Floppy Disk 1990
Family Curriculum - Play and Learn Module Atari Atari ST 3.5 Floppy Disk 1990
Klax (Japanese) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Warbirds (Japanese) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Rygar (Japanese) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Todd's Adventures in Slime World (Japanese) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Block Out Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Xenophobe Atari Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Shanghai Atari Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Ishido The Way of the Stones Atari Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Zarlor Mercenary (Japanese) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
RoadBlasters (Card Only) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Hard Drivin' (Card Only) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Raiden - RTO Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1990
Rampage (Card Only) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
Fatal Run (loose) Atari Atari 7800 Cartridge 1990
Meltdown Atari Atari 7800 Video Game Cartridge 1990
Paperboy Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1990
ST Series Leisure Software Atari Atari ST 3.5 Disk 1990
Microsoft Write Atari Atari ST 3.5" floppy disk 1990
Atari 520STe Discovery Xtra Atari Corp. Atari ST 3.5" Disk 1991
Checkered Flag Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1991
Viking Child Atari Atari Lynx Cartridge 1991
Checkered Flag (Card Only) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1991
S.T.U.N. Runner Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1991
Batman Returns Atari Atari Lynx Cartridge 1992
Steel Talons (Card Only) Atari Games Atari Lynx Cartridge 1992
The Humans Atari PC DOS 3.5" Floppy Disk 1992
Dragon - The Bruce Lee Story Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1993
Cybermorph Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1993
Wolfenstein 3D Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1993
The Brundles Atari Atari 8 Bit 5.25 Disk 1993
Syndicate Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1993
Checkered Flag - RTO Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1994
Kasumi Ninja Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1994
Alien vs Predator Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1994
Evolution: Dino Dudes Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1994
Bubsy in: Fractured Furry Tales Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1994
Club Drive (Sealed) - RTO Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 28 Nov 1994
Doom Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 28 Nov 1994
Iron Soldier - RTO Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 22 Dec 1994
Super Burnout - RTO Atari, Virtual Xperience Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1995
Fever Pitch Soccer Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1995
Theme Park Atari Atari Jaguar Cartridge 1995
Tempest X3 Atari Sony Playstation 1 CD-ROM 1996
Centipede Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC CD-ROM 1998
Battlezone Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC CD ROM 1998
The Next Tetris Atari Sony Playstation CD-ROM 1999
Pong Atari Sony PlayStation CD-ROM 1999
Break Out Atari Sony PlayStation Compact Disc 13 Oct 2000
Splashdown Atari Sony PlayStation 2 DVD ROM 2001
Driver Parallel Lines Atari Microsoft Xbox DVD 2002
Stuntman Atari Sony Playstation 2 DVD 2002
Neverwinter Nights Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC CD-ROM 2002
Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes Atari Microsoft Xbox DVD 2002
Neverwinter Nights (Best of Atari) Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC CD-ROM 2002
RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 (Gold Edition) Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC CD-ROM 3 Oct 2002
Driver 2 Advance Atari Game Boy Advance Cartridge 4 Oct 2002
Unreal and Unreal Tournament 2003 Macsoft, Infogames, Atari Apple PowerBook PowerPC CD-ROM 31 Oct 2002
Mission: Impossible Operation Surma Atari Sony Playstation 2 DVD 2003
Terminator 3 The Redemption Atari Sony Playstation 2 DVD 2003
Terminator 3 Rise of the Machines Atari Sony Playstation 2 DVD 2003
Civilization III: Conquests Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC CD ROM 2003
Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide (Expansion) Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC CD-ROM 2003
Enter The Matrix Atari Windows CD ROM 2003
Enter the Matrix Atari Microsoft Xbox DVD 2003
Enter the Matrix Atari Sony Playstation 2 DVD May 2003
Sid Meier's Pirates! Atari PC Windows 32 Bit CD ROM 2004
GTR - FIA GT Racing Game Atari PC Windows CD-ROM 2004
Unreal Tournament 2004 (Original Release) Atari Windows CD ROM 2004
Unreal Tournament 2004 Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC DVD-ROM 2004
Trivial Pursuit Unhinged Atari Europe PC CD-ROM 2004
Atari Anthology Atari Microsoft Xbox DVD 2004
Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 Deluxe Edition (Games for Laptop) Atari PC Mini DVD 2004
Titeuf Méga Compet' Atari Sony Playstation 2 DVD 2004
DRIV3R [Driver 3] Atari Sony Playstation 2 DVD Jun 2004
The Matrix: Path of Neo Atari Microsoft Xbox DVD 2005
Atari Anniversary Edition Atari PC CD ROM 2005
Diplomacy Atari PC CD-ROM 2005
Monopoly, Boggle, Yahtzee, Battleship Atari Nintendo DS GameCard 2005
The Matrix: Path of Neo Atari Sony Playstation 2 DVD Nov 2005
GTR 2 - FIA GT Racing Game Atari PC Windows CD-ROM 2006
Neverwinter Nights 2 Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC DVD-ROM 2006
Alone in the Dark (french limited edition) Atari PC Windows 32 Bit PC DVD-ROM 2006
Hot Pixel Atari Sony PSP UMD 2006
Marc Ecko's Getting Up Atari Sony PlayStation 2 DVD ROM 24 Feb 2006
Tycoon City New York Atari PC CD ROM 24 Feb 2006
Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer Atari PC Windows 32-bit PC DVD-ROM 2007
Arthur and the Invisibles Atari PlayStation 2 DVD ROM 9 Jan 2007
Alone in the Dark Atari Xbox 360 DVD 2008
Jenga World Tour Atari Nintendo Wii DVD 22 Feb 2008
Defend Your Castle Mr Atari Atari 2600 Cartridge 24 Dec 2016
Tempest 4000 Atari Sony Playstation 4 Bluray 17 Jul 2018

Information About Atari:

Item Manufacturer Date
Atari 1972

 

 

 

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH329. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.
  Space Invaders Click on the Images
For Detail






Help support the museum by buying from the museum shop

View all items

Founding Sponsors
redgate Google ARM Real VNC Microsoft Research
Heritage Lottery Funded
Heritage Lottery Fund
Accredited Museum