Space Invaders is one of the most influential games in computer gaming history. Designed by Tomohiro Nishikado Space Invaders was first launched in 1978. While simplistic by today’s standards, Space Invaders was one of the forerunners of modern video gaming and helped expand the video game industry from a novelty to a global industry.

Following its release, the Space Invaders craze reached such a height that it caused a temporary shortage of 100-yen coins in Japan. The game has been the inspiration for other video games, re-released on numerous platforms, and led to several sequels.

The 1980 Atari 2600 version quadrupled the system's sales and became the first "killer app" for video game consoles.