Space Invaders (1978) is a pioneering fixed shooter arcade game developed by Tomohiro Nishikado. Players control a laser cannon, moving horizontally at the screen’s bottom, to fend off waves of descending aliens. The game’s difficulty intensifies as the alien horde accelerates when their numbers dwindle. Nishikado drew inspiration from sources like the novel “The War of the Worlds” and the game “Breakout,” designing custom hardware to overcome technological limitations of the era. Upon its release, Space Invaders achieved monumental success, with Taito reportedly earning $500 million in revenue by 2007. Its popularity was so immense in Japan that it allegedly led to a shortage of 100-yen coins. The game’s impact on popular culture is profound, influencing countless titles and leading to numerous sequels and adaptations across various platforms. Notably, its 1980 release on the Atari 2600 quadrupled the console’s sales, marking it as the first “killer app” in video game history. Today, Space Invaders remains a seminal work, symbolizing the early days of video gaming and its cultural ascent.