Space Invaders/handheld

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Alienblue

Space Invaders/handheld

Postby Alienblue » September 11th, 2011, 1:17 pm

SPACE INVADERS 3-D handheld / Excalibur Electronics / A+

I have no idea WHEN this amazing handheld was released, but of the ten billion versions of Space Invaders out there, it may be one of the best.

It is a beautiful little black and white unit with a flip-top screen. It is not called 3-D on the unit, but it does use a wonderful idea to look 3-D. The image is actually displayed BACKWARDS on the back of the flip top screen onto a MIRROR on the unit. And it is IN COLOUR. It almost looks back-lit but cannot be played in pure darkness.

The graphics are NICE!!!!!!!! The invaders come in three colours, red yellow and green, your base, the UFO and 3 barriers are red, and there is even a level indicator and GAME OVER message on the teeny tiny reflected screen. Because the screen is so small the Invaders march OFF SCREEN at times, you only see three of eight columns at once......it takes awhile to get used to this but you do.

Controls are fine, with a directional array, fire, on/off, pause and sound buttons. Sound effects are minimal but okay, mostly bleeps and short melodies indicating hits and game over.

Colour me IMPRESSED! I never heard of this company before.......I found this snazzy little number at Goodwill for two bucks, and its easily worth $20!!!!! Not many handhelds play this good. Its actually better then most classic VG system versions. I WANNA HOLD MY HANDDDDDDD.......


Vectorguy

Space Invaders/handheld

Postby Vectorguy » September 22nd, 2011, 2:09 pm

[QUOTE]I never heard of this company before.......[/QUOTE]

Excalibur's been around for a while.  They've done quite a few things in the handheld venue.

[QUOTE]I have no idea WHEN this amazing handheld was released[/QUOTE]

It came out in the early 2000s, I think, just to narrow it down for you out of curiosity.


http://vectorgaming.proboards.com/index.cgi


Leo1
Posts: 2325
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Space Invaders/handheld

Postby Leo1 » September 22nd, 2011, 5:35 pm

[QUOTE=Vectorguy]It came out in the early 2000s, I think, just to narrow it down for you out of curiosity.http://vectorgaming.proboards.com/index.cgi 

[/QUOTE]

Is there information about it somewhere at that message board? I couldn't find anything and would like to hear more about this. I like that they tried to replicate the mirror effect that the coinop used.

 


Vectorguy

Space Invaders/handheld

Postby Vectorguy » September 22nd, 2011, 7:08 pm

If you mean my vector forums, no.  There's a tiny tidbit here at the Handheld Museum though:

http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Misc/ExcaliburSpaceInvaders.htm

Looks like it came out in 2005.



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