Publisher(s) Philips Release December 31, 1980 Mode(s) Single player | Platform(s) Odyssey²/Videopac Genre(s) Scrolling shooter | |
Space Monster (known as Alien Invaders - Plus! in North America) is one of the games for the Philips Magnavox Odyssey², a console released in the 1970s as part of second-generation video game consoles. The object of the game is to destroy all invading aliens while also avoiding fire. Space Monster is similar to Space Invaders.
Contents
Gameplay
The player controls a robot inside of the mobile laser cannon which is used to attack the enemy robots. The Merciless Monstroth (an eye shaped enemy that constantly moves back and forth across the top of the screen) leads the invasion force of 8 robots. Each robot has a cannon and is protected by an indestructible green shield. The shields constantly move back and forth giving both the player and the enemy the opportunity to fire. If the player's laser cannon is struck, they will be defenseless unless they retreat to under one of the three large black shields. Once the player fires, the shield will disappear and the laser cannon will reappear. If all three shields are lost, the Merciless Monstroth will engage the player until either all enemies are destroyed or the player is destroyed. First to win ten games wins the match.
Differences from Space Invaders
Unlike Space Invaders, the enemies will never advance meaning the player could hide under the shield for long periods of time. In Space Invaders, the enemy and player could shoot through the shields protecting the player; however the shields in Space Monster serve as a safe zone which also house extra lives. Another difference is the inclusion of the green shields protecting the enemy robots which are absent in Space Invaders. Also, in Space Invaders the object of the player is to achieve a high score while in Space Monster it is to win 10 games before the enemy can.
Reception
Space Monster was reviewed by Video magazine in its "Arcade Alley" column where it was described as "a surprisingly innovative switcheroo on good old Space Invaders". Despite noting that the game has only eight attackers, the reviewers argued that the game "is no pushover", and suggested that it is a "unique and interesting S-F videogame" and that it "makes a nice change of pace from the usual run of space-invasion games because it is less derivative by far than most of them".