Space Invaders
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Developer: Taito
Platforms: Atari 2600
Release Date: 1980
Why this game mattered: While technically released first in 1977, the Atari 2600 release of Space Invaders in 1980 was the most significant licensing deal of its age. Space Invaders coming to this new platform was a huge deal. It told gamers of the age that arcade classics really could be enjoyed at home, and it opened the door for similar licensing deals in the industry.
Fun fact: Space Invaders was one of the first games to experiment with changing the song tempo as you progressed in a level, setting the stage for a whole new way to immerse players in games.
Future games influenced by this title: Everything? Yeah, basically everything.
Where you can play it today: Battle aliens and play many other classic Atari titles on the Atari Flashback.
