The Shape Of Things To Come (Down From The Sky)

December 1, 2011 12:27 PM

PacMan is SO last year. The current king of retro gaming 'look' is the Space Invader, with Waffles (as part of an art installation, or DIY) and Chocolate! Or you can knit an Invader with a free pattern or take the San Diego Space Invader Walk.
posted by oneswellfoop (18 comments total)

obligatory: http://www.space-invaders.com/artworks.html
posted by trackofalljades at 12:32 PM on December 1, 2011

Not that I don't love Space Invaders, but Invader has been doing his tile street art for well over a decade.
posted by pashdown at 12:33 PM on December 1, 2011

background: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invader (artist)
posted by trackofalljades at 12:34 PM on December 1, 2011

Part of the reason why Space Invaders graphics for these sorts of things is that it was one of the only super-popular video games that had black and white sprites. Some versions of the original game used colored film on parts of the screen to simulate color, but the actual hardware only supported black and white video output. Even some of the more basic sprites in later popular games only really make sense if they have the correct color schemes, whereas the simple solid white designs from Space Invaders translate well to any format.
posted by burnmp3s at 12:39 PM on December 1, 2011

If you have five thousand dollars laying around, you could even get a Space Invader shaped couch.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:43 PM on December 1, 2011

Or you could make a cake:
http://www.perpetualkid.com/retro-arcade-cake-mold.aspx
posted by feistycakes at 12:54 PM on December 1, 2011

There's also a Space Invaders feature film coming.
posted by argonauta at 1:00 PM on December 1, 2011

Cool. I love the retro stuff. Of course, I wish I could still have Flying Toasters as my screensaver, too.
posted by pointystick at 1:03 PM on December 1, 2011

SI cutting board.
posted by mazola at 1:20 PM on December 1, 2011

pointystick: I wish I could still have Flying Toasters as my screensaver, too.

Here you are: OS X or Windows

(Note: this software has not been tested by filthy light thief, and is only offered as the first links he found)
posted by filthy light thief at 1:28 PM on December 1, 2011 [1 favorite]

There's also a Space Invaders feature film coming.

"For di Bonaventura, Space Invaders is the latest of a string of projects based on 80s touchstones. He is a producer on the Transformers and G.I. Joe movies..."

Oh, thank god, I thought for a second my pre-emptive derision may have been inappropriate.
posted by griphus at 1:30 PM on December 1, 2011 [2 favorites]

PacMan is SO last year.

Drat. Naturally, I picked now to order my The Madness of Mission Six shirt.
posted by Zed at 1:38 PM on December 1, 2011

In case this post makes you need to sit down.
posted by JaredSeth at 1:55 PM on December 1, 2011

pointystick: I wish I could still have Flying Toasters as my screensaver, too.

Here you are: OS X or Windows

Also Linux (via XScreenSaver).
posted by Celsius1414 at 2:28 PM on December 1, 2011

Am I mis-remembering, or wasn't there a Space Invaders breakfast cereal back in the day?
posted by Celsius1414 at 2:30 PM on December 1, 2011

When I lived in San Diego, I used to pass three Space Invaders on my way to work, not including one on the building my cafe was in. My favorite was the one high up on the side of the crumbling California Theater on 4th and C St.
posted by book 'em dano at 2:34 PM on December 1, 2011

Celsius1414: wasn't there a Space Invaders breakfast cereal

This isn't the cereal you were thinking of, but it is an appropriate video.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:16 PM on December 1, 2011

There is one, high up on the wall of a decrepit abandoned building across the street from Fort Jesus in Old Town Mombasa
posted by infini at 7:17 PM on December 1, 2011