Top 20 Adventure Games of All-Time!!1!

#5: Space Invaders

Taito – 1978

In these madcap days of GeForce/Radeon 128 MB graphics cards and fast hardcore action games, it is often healthy to get back to basics. Space Invaders, created by Taito/Bally/Midway in 1978, captured the essense of the adventure genre perfectly, and has yet to be topped.

As the last surviving member of a crack team of space fighter pilots, you must interact with a menagerie of interesting and entertaining aliens in order to save the human race. I have many fond memories of my adventure as this nameless fighter pilot, and empathised deeply with his plight. Oh, the thrills I felt as I discovered how to work my spaceship! The emotional shock as I unearthed the REAL truth behind the invasion! Not to mention the thought-provoking dialog with the numerous aliens I encountered. It was visionary!

There were so many great character moments in this game. Who could forget the hysterical antics of Circle-Face-With-Squid-Legs, or “Ralph” as he was commonly known? His dialog had me laughing for hours. And what about the scorching love affair between Brad (Crab-Head-With-Wings) and Brenda (Square-with-antennae)? Whoo. Racy stuff, even for the 70s. And if you didn’t cry when George (Pixely-Blob-With-One-Eye) gave up his life to save his brother, then you have a cold heart, my friend. It’s deep, character-developing moments like these that make a a story memorable, and Space Invaders has never been topped.

Unfortunately, there is one sour spot with the game. The programmers deemed it necessary to include a silly arcade element, where you pilot your ship and fire upon hordes of incoming aliens. It detracts from the story, and isn’t really necessary. However, this is a small point to harp on, since the rest of the game is so good. Funny enough, I have met many people who never got past this arcade section, and thought that Space Invaders was just a silly arcade game! What losers!

This game even featured a blockbuster ending, where you got to save the human race all over again, but FASTER!

There are people who foolishly believe that Jane Jensen is the leader of well-researched adventure games. These people are missing out, because they have obviously never played Space Invaders.

Autoerotica.

(D.G.)