OSAKA -- "Space Invaders" was immensely popular upon its creation 40 years ago, and is often called the starting point of Japanese arcade games. Though no longer a smash hit, the company behind the game hopes to revive the boom by opening a pop-up store in Osaka featuring "Space Invaders."
The store, called the Space Invaders Room, will operate through Jan. 27, 2019, at the Yodobashi-Umeda in Kita Ward.
The original "Space Invaders" game was developed in 1978 by Taito Corp., which drew inspiration from the film "Star Wars." In the game, players are tasked with shooting alien invaders from onscreen gun batteries. Young people at the time were thrilled by the onslaught of invaders and accompanying sound effects, and felt a sense of fulfillment when they advanced to the next stage by destroying their enemies.
Cafes installed consoles for playing the game, and game parlors called "Invader Houses" emerged in many places. Shipments of the game peaked at an estimated 500,000 units, around the total number of arcade game machines that currently exist in Japan.
Passion for the game reached great heights. Some avid players at the time devised their own winning techniques, such as "Nagoya uchi" (Nagoya-style shooting) and "rainbow." According to Taito Chairman Koichi Ishii, there were reports of machines breaking down from players inserting too many 100 yen coins -- the typical cost to play one round -- and a shortage of 100 yen coins.
Though the boom subsided after about a year, the game inspired many video game developers, who later went on to work for such companies as Nintendo Co., Capcom Co. and Koei Tecmo Holdings Co.
"Space Invaders" also became the first computer program to win a copyright in Japan, which is said to have laid the foundation for the enforcement of software copyrights in the country.
Today, the game is mostly popular with those who enjoyed playing it in the past. In its heyday, players liked its simple operation of buttons and a lever to take down enemies. However, newer games emerged that more strongly emphasized display aesthetics and elaborate storylines. Some argue that games like "Space Invaders" cannot thrive in the modern Japanese gaming business.
"I hope to convey the attraction of 'Space Invaders' to the world, with Osaka as our base, because many inbound tourists come to the city," said Taito President Tetsu Yamada during a private preview of the new store on Aug. 8.
"This work was instrumental for nurturing the game-playing culture rooted in society, and for prompting society to acknowledge the gaming industry as a lucrative business," said gaming industry specialist Hirokazu Hamamura of Famitsu Group. "To maintain its popularity, it needs to evolve with time."
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