Lost In Translation/Space Invaders Part II

About The Game
Space Invaders Part II is an arcade video game shoot-em-up.

The sequel to the legendary "Space Invaders"; Part II's game-play is virtually identical to the original game, with the player once again moving a laser base back and forth along the bottom of the screen, shooting endless waves of aliens marching downwards towards the player. Once again flying saucers cab be shot for extra points.

Trivia
Released in September 1979.

Also released as a Cocktail model : "T.T Space Invaders Part II".

Also licensed to Midway under the name of "Space Invaders Deluxe". This game was also manufactured by Nichibutsu as "Moon Base".

Taito used to convert Space Invaders Part 2 to "Lunar Rescue" as an upgrade.

A count of 7 Taito's Space Invaders Part II units were used in the 1981 movie 'Shock Treatment' during the number 'I'm Looking For Trade'. 7 units can be seen on a software DVD player while only 5 units are visible on standard DVD players.

Updates

 * Space Invaders Deluxe uses a colour overlay. "Space Invaders Part II" (Taito) uses a colour monitor and a simple colour generator board that turns anything that is not black to red when the player's ship explodes during game-play (but not during attract mode).


 * Changes in game-play include invaders that march forward, invaders that split to form two when shot, another bonus ship that flies by above the invaders, intermissions between racks and the famous 'rainbow bonus'.

Tips and tricks

 * When you start the game, your base will be in the bottom left corner of the screen, below the buildings. Your goal is to blast the invaders into dust. Keep in mind that once the invaders make it to either the right or left edge of the screen, they will drop down a row and head in the opposite direction. You should plan your strategy to prevent them from making it to an edge.


 * A good strategy is to start blasting out the columns on the opposite edge of movement. If the invaders are moving right, the start blasting out the leftmost columns first. This way, their return trip is longer and you have more time to deal with them.


 * Do not attempt to hit the invaders dead centre. They fire their laser bombs from dead centre and your shots will collide, wasting your shot and letting them move closer to an edge.


 * Speaking of shots, you can only have one shot out at a time so make it count.


 * Use your buildings to your advantage. 'Peek' around buildings to get shots and blast a hole in the middle of your buildings to give you protection while you knock out columns of invaders. Keep in mind, this protection will only last about 2 columns before the invaders blow open a hole wide enough to destroy your base.


 * Every other wave of invaders starts one row lower. Eventually, the waves will start one row above your buildings. Be prepared to do some fast shooting to keep them from getting any lower because once they reach your level, the game is over.


 * When you are down to taking out the last invader on a wave, that invader will zip across the screen. The strange thing is that the invader travels faster going left to right then going right to left. Keep this in mind when trying to shoot it.


 * The mystery saucer (or UFO) will appear at random times. If you have a good shot at it, try to hit it. Don't go out of your way, however, to go after it; it isn't worth the risk or time wasted.


 * When you get a wave that has spaces in-between the invaders (4th wave in "Space Invaders Part II"; 2nd wave in "Space Invaders Deluxe"), be prepared for heavier fighting. These gaps are left to accommodate the 'new' invaders that will appear. These new invaders appear when you hit one of the regular invaders and it splits.


 * The blinking saucer can only be hit when it is solid. Time your shot right and you may be able to hit it.


 * Another thing is if you are getting too successful at blasting the invaders, a Mystery Ship will show up and start to deposit more invaders for you to take out.


 * The Hidden Message Trick. To get the hidden message, you must do the following :
 * 1) When the demo starts, you need to press the following keys at the same time on the machine : LEFT, RIGHT, FIRE, 1 PLAYER START, 2 PLAYER START.
 * 2) Continue to press these keys rapidly as fast as you can.
 * 3) If you are successful, the message ('TAITO CORP.') will appear below the high score. The spelling error on "Space Invaders" is corrected.

Eric Furrer's Shot Counting Trick
To get 300 every time you hit the mystery saucer. It is named the 'Furrer Trick' named after Eric Furrer who perfected it. To do this trick, perform the following :
 * 1) Once the new level begins, start counting the shots from your base.
 * 2) When you have fired 22 shots, stop shooting and wait for the mystery saucer.
 * 3) Use the 23rd shot to blast the mystery saucer.
 * 4) After this, start counting shots again, this time count only to 14.
 * 5) Use the 15th shot to hit the mystery saucer.
 * 6) Continue using the 14 shot rule until the level is finished.
 * 7) At the next wave, start with the 22 shot rule, then use the 14 shot rule to finish that wave.
 * 8) Remember, all shots count regardless of hits or misses.

Eric Furrer notes, the 'Shot Counting' trick from "Space Invaders" works in Space Invaders Part II but the flashing mystery ship can throw you off. You can count 22 like in Space Invaders, but you must count 14 or 29 from the 300 to the next 300, even if you hit the flashing mystery ship. Also, in Space Invaders Part II, the mystery ship drops invaders, so he's harder to target. In Space Invaders Part II, I just do the first 22, and concentrate on leaving the left lower invader as the last invader to kill for the 1,000pt fireworks bonus.

Rainbow Trick
If the final aliens you kill are in the bottom 2 rows, you get a fireworks display and 500 bonus points. If it happens to be the bottom, left-most alien, you get fireworks and a 1,000 point bonus.

Extra Life
The machine will award you a bonus life during the intermission if you were able to wipe out the previous screen in 55 shots or less. Of course, this is very difficult to do. However, you can take advantage of the famous 8-bit roll-over bug by firing OVER 255 shots, thereby rolling over the shot counter! Just make sure you can wipe out the remaining invaders in under 55 shots after you roll the counter over..

Preset Mode
Space Invaders Part II provided a way the operator could enter his/her name each time the machine was turned on: -
 * 1) Turn preset mode ON in the DIP switch.
 * 2) Insert one credit.
 * 3) Depress one player select button 'Preset Mode' will be displayed on screen.
 * 4) Depress one player select button again to increase score until previous high-score is beaten. Note : If you press the two player select button you can skip the starting level as well.
 * 5) Depress Fire button to start game. After all bases have been destroyed the alphabet will be displayed on screen. A new name may now be entered.
 * 6) Turn preset mode OFF in the DIP switch to re-establish game mode.

Series

 * 1) Space Invaders (1978)
 * 2) Space Invaders Deluxe (1979)
 * 3) Return of the Invaders (1985)
 * 4) Majestic Twelve - The Space Invaders Part IV (1990)
 * 5) Space Invaders DX (1994)
 * 6) Space Invaders '95 - The Attack of Lunar Loonies (1995)
 * 7) Space Invaders Virtual Collection (1995, Nintendo Virtual Boy)
 * 8) Space Invaders Anniversary (2003)
 * 9) Space Invaders Evolution (2005, Sony PSP)
 * 10) Space Invaders Revolution (2005, Nintendo DS)
 * 11) Space Invaders Extreme (2008, Nintendo DS, Sony PSP)

Staff

 * Designed & Programmed By:
 * Tomohiro Nishikado

Ports

 * Consoles :
 * Sony PlayStation 2 (2003, "Space Invaders Anniversary")
 * Sony PlayStation 2 (2005, "Taito Memories Vol. 2")
 * Sony PSP (2005, "Space Invaders Pocket") - Japanese release
 * Sony PlayStation 2 (2005, "Taito Legends")
 * Microsoft XBOX (2005, "Taito Legends")


 * Computers :
 * PC [MS Windows] (2005, "Taito Legends")