Tony's Arcade

Ever since I sold my Space Invaders Deluxe, I have been wishing I kept it. Then again, it was all in the name of funding EDOT! So, a small loss for the time being. Once I finally got the Discs of Tron up and running, the search began for another Space Invaders. (Even though Baker kept saying, “No Tony — get Gyruss!”) I missed seeing the “special effects” of Space Invaders Deluxe. The monitor’s image reflected off a half-silvered mirror, making the gameplay float in outer space. The fluorescent painted outer space background, lit by a white black light, added to the smoke-and-mirrors effect. The background artwork makes me think of black-lit artwork in old EM gun games or even dark rides at carnivals. After a few months of searching, I was finally able to find a non-working Space Invaders from the Taxman. I acquired it in a trade along with the Future Spa. It wasn’t Space Invaders Deluxe, but that’s alright — it’s the “original” Bally Midway version that helped kick off the Space Invaders craze in 1978. The Space Invaders cabinet is better than the Deluxe in a way, too. Three-quarters of each side are raised with blue and white background paints and there are more menacing, missle throwing invaders.

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This is a review I wrote for the Older Gaming Network on June 16, 2007. I decided I should write about a game all nerds and far dream of. A game that transports you to the world of blue and red circuits, deadly discs that derezz, and skin-tight circuit outfits that puts jeans and miniskirts out of style. That’s right, I’m talking about TRON. More specifically, the “fifth game”, Discs of Tron.

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