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Return of the Space Invaders

Posted by michael on from the recycling dept.

pashdown writes "Get your two-liter bottles of Shasta and your all-Rush mixtapes ready! In honor of the 25th Anniversary of Space Invaders, Taito has commissioned Namco to remake the classic arcade game. The only thing not nostalgic is the price, increased from one quarter to two." We had a sneak peek of this cabinet as a Slashdot Games story a couple of weeks back.

9 of 238 comments (clear)

  1. space invader history by wo1verin3 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Great history of Space Invaders.

  2. realism by Ass,+Ltd.+Ho! · · Score: 5, Insightful

    be realistic, people. This game is 25 years old. You can play it on one of those joysticks you plug directly into your TV that costs $20. Who the HELL is going to pay 50 cents to play this thing. I haven't been in an arcade in a couple years. Does EVERYTHING cost 50 cents? Are there just no quarter games left? Is nostalgia really that powerful? I wasn't old enough to have any quarters the first time around. This is space invaders 25th anniversary and i just had my 24th. Maybe I'm young and dumb. Come on. 50 cents? Anyone?

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    HO
    1. Re:realism by gunfinger · · Score: 5, Insightful

      nostalgia is one of the stronger powers, actually. stronger than that, tho, is the dissapointment that comes from attempting to regain that same all-encompassing ball of senses (rush tapes and shasta included) that you had when you first played that classic game (ANY game you consider classic).

      that said tho, the new galaga versions kick ass, faster play, faster shooting, tasty graphics while maintaining the flat-down perspective. of course there's hope and love for games, just don't go looking to be a 10 year old again.

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      ### http://www.gunfinger.com ### greed / tec
    2. Re:realism by Lumpy · · Score: 5, Interesting

      yes there are LOTS of quarter games left. Many good arcades (the ones that are left) have entire rows for $0.25 a play.

      Hell Just last month 3 friends and I scared the hell out of a bunch of kids at the arcade near me as we hogged the Gauntlet machine for 3 hours.

      nothing like freaking out teens by seeing 4 35-37 years olds in their arcade screaming and yelling at each other playing a video-game.

      only the asshat operators are charging more per play for the classic games.

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      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    3. Re:realism by squidfood · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Who the HELL is going to pay 50 cents to play this thing.

      True story: So I wandered into Gameworks (Seattle) a few months back. Among the multi-player driving games and VR stuff, at the back in a corner was a row of classics.

      There was a 13-year old shooting away on Galaga. I watched him for a moment, and in a pause he noticed me and said "Man, this is the most awesome game ever!"

      Man did that restore faith in the youth of today.

  3. what? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    two-liter bottles of Shasta and your all-Rush mixtapes

    wow, and back then I though I was a loser...

  4. just realized how pricey... by wo1verin3 · · Score: 5, Informative

    From article:
    Taito aims to sell 10,000 of the standalone game machines at $2,772 a unit.

    That is a bit expensive if all you're looking for is nostalgia since you can buy the original for $1295 or maybe off e-bay for $369 (current bid at time of comment).

  5. Fifty Cents is the DEFAULT option. by RyuuzakiTetsuya · · Score: 5, Informative

    Not the actual price depending on your location. Most modern(post 1990?) coin op games have some sort of pricing setting in the service menu and can be set as high as 8 coins, whatever coin you may use. Whether it be a quarter, nickel, or loonie.

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    Non impediti ratione cogitationus.
  6. God How I Loved That Game by tealover · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Space Invaders reminds me of a time, a time that seems perfect to me.

    For me, I was a youngster in NYC in late 70's thru early 80's. Penn Station was my playground. They had all the videogames you could think of down there. They even had those old football games with the rollers that you had to smack at with the palm of your hand, which would inevitably get pinched by rolling too far and falling into the small crevice next to the ball.

    All games were 25 cents. All of them.

    The Penn Station arcades are no longer there. It doesn't seem the same to me.

    A NYC slice of pizza and a water down soda, invariably from one of the 50 "Original Rays" would sustain me for hours of game playing. The grease would run down your arm...but you didn't care. It was all about the game. Even now, the smell of a NYC slice takes me back to that time.

    Most pizzerias back then had a couple of game machines. Most do not these days.

    I remember a small videogame place named Simon's on 8th avenue between 17th and 18th st., if I remember correctly. I'd walk there from JHS 70 and play pacman and asteroids and missile command for hours. I'll never forget the time this guy was playing and left 50 cents in the game for me to play as he left. He was my hero that evening.

    It's no longer there. Some hip new eatery has long ago replaced it.

    But Space Invaders was my firs love. How I loved that game. Beautiful in its simplicity. When I run into a machine, I have to play at least one game. No matter where I am. It brings me back to fun days. Days not longed by worries about job and mortgages and terrorism. Kids need those days.

    I hope this release of a classic will give kids of today memories like I have.

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    -- You see, there would be these conclusions that you could jump to