This cartridge is often credited with saving the Atari 2600. In 1980 Atari licensed Taito's arcade hit, the first time an arcade game had been officially brought to a home console, and Rick Maurer's conversion helped sales of the console multiply as people bought the system just to play it at home.
The essentials are all here: rows of aliens march side to side and step downward, you slide a laser cannon along the bottom and hide behind shields, and a mystery ship occasionally crosses the top for bonus points. Atari packed in 112 game variations by mixing options such as moving shields, zigzagging bombs, faster bombs and invisible invaders that only appear when hit. Several modes let two players share the screen simultaneously, either alternating turns or competing at once. The aliens are fewer than in the arcade and the shields look different, but the speed-up as the formation shrinks still creates the tension that made the original so addictive.
Tips for Space Invaders
Clear invaders from the outer columns first; it slows how quickly the formation reaches the sides and drops.
Shields are destroyed by your own shots too, so step out from behind them before firing.
Time a shot for the mystery ship when it appears at the top; it is worth more than ordinary invaders.
How to Play Space Invaders
Click Play Now to launch Space Invaders directly in your browser — no downloads or plugins needed. Left and Right move the laser cannon and Z fires. Shift chooses among the 112 game variations and Enter starts or resets. You can also connect a USB or Bluetooth gamepad for a more authentic feel.
Save states let you save your progress at any point. Create a free account to sync saves across devices. Press F11 for fullscreen mode.
To play Space Invaders, simply hit the "Play Now" button on this page. The game loads instantly in your browser using an embedded emulator — no plugins, downloads, or setup required.
Is Space Invaders free to play?
Absolutely! Space Invaders is 100% free on RetroVault.GG. No subscriptions, no hidden fees — just open the page and play.
What console is Space Invaders for?
Space Invaders was originally released for the Atari 2600. On RetroVault.GG, you can play it online in your browser without needing the original console.
What genre is Space Invaders?
Space Invaders is a shooter game. It was made for the Atari 2600.
Can I play Space Invaders on my phone?
Space Invaders is fully playable on mobile devices. Open this page in your phone's browser and tap Play Now — touch controls appear automatically.