Space Invaders is a arcade game classic developed by Taito and published by Midway in 1978.

Space invaders was one of the first very successful video arcade games. After the first year of release it had generated revenue ranging into the millions of dollars. Space invaders was such a big hit that it has been echoed in culture all over the place. Television shows, music and even street art have made reference to the game.

The objective of space invaders is to defend the earth from invading aliens. The player controls a mobile cannon turret that is capable of firing into space. Row upon row of alien invaders slowly march left and right across the screen slowly descending towards the earth each time they reach the side and change direction.

There are several bunkers set up that the player can shelter under when the aliens open fire with their laser blasts and bombs. The bunkers can only take so much punishment and slowly disintegrate under fire. The player can also shoot holes through the protective bunkers.

As the player shoots down the incoming space invaders the remaining aliens will speed up making the game harder as the game progresses.

Every now and then an alien flying saucer will fly across the top of the screen. Shooting down this flying saucer will result in bonus points being awarded.

The game is won when all the space invaders have been shot down and the game starts again with the space invaders starting out closer to the earth. The game is lost when the aliens either destroy all of the players mobile gun turrets or they land on the surface of the planet.