Space Stranger title/score table screenshot.
Background[]
Reportedly a bootleg of Space Invaders, Space Stranger keeps the gameplay of Space Invaders intact for the most part, except for having the bonus U. F. O.s appear much more frequently and they can behave erratically, reversing directions at times. The graphics were also changed as well.
The game was released in 1978 in the arcades by an unknown distributor.
Gameplay[]
As with Space Invaders, players control a laser cannon at the bottom of the screen while a formation of invaders overhead marches from side to side and dropping bombs all the while. Once they reach a screen edge, the formation drops a notch closer to the player. With the more invaders that are cleared out, the faster the formation will move. If the player’s base gets hit by a bomb, it will be destroyed, and the game will end when there are no more bases left in reserve or if the player gets “invaded” (i. e. if one or more invaders reaches the bottom of the screen). However, players have four bunkers to take shelter behind, although fire from the invaders and the player will damage them. The bunkers are refreshed with each new wave, however.
Also during a wave, a bonus U. F. O. will appear at the top of the screen and is worth a lot of points. It appears much more frequently than it does with Space Invaders, plus it can suddenly reverse direction as well.
Fun facts[]
- A free game was awarded if players could score 3000 or more points, although the setting could have depended on the machine.
- There are two instances of incorrect grammar during the attract mode: one on the title/scoring table screen, telling of how much "point" everything is worth, along with instructing players to "press __ (number) play button" once one or more credits was/were inserted into the machine.
- Each time a bunker is shot, 10 points were deducted from the player's score, with up to 50 points total deducted.
- On the original Space Invaders, the U. F. O. will not come out when there are less than nine invaders left. Here that number has been decreased by one.
- The game was followed by Super Space Stranger, thought to be a Japan-only release by Ban Presto. The manufacturer of Space Stranger is unknown.