C.I.F.S. is a graphical hack of the game, changing character sprites as well as some sounds.
C.I.F.S.[]
Description[]
(from Atari Age) Vaporize the Mutant Warriors before they overrun your Home Planet! The Evil Ruler of the planet Rooskee has launched a diabolical attack. A cunning Mother Creature, filled with irradiated vodka, transforms helpless slaves captured on peaceful planets into bloodthirsty Communist Mutants!
Theme[]
This hack of Space Invaders plays exactly the same as the original version, just with a change of graphics and sound. The graphics were changed to resemble characters from another Atari 2600 game (which could be a spiritual successor to Space Invaders, being a Galaxian clone) called Communist Mutants from Space (which one has to assume "C.I.F.S." stands for "Communist Invaders From Space"). The hack was created by Atari Age forum member neotokeo2001.
In this hack, the invaders look like the Communist Mutants from the aforementioned game, the bunkers have become the Communist party symbol (seen on the title screen of the original game), the players' laser cannons have been changed to resemble the blaster from the original, the Command Alien Ship resembles a Communist Mutant, and several colors have been changed (the Earth, background). Players also automatically fire two shots and the sounds have been changed as well.
Game variations[]
- Moving Shields--bunkers move back and forth
- Zigzagging Laser Bombs--Invaders' shots zigzag back and forth towards the Earth
- Fast Laser Bombs--Invaders' Bombs drop quickly
- Invisible Invaders--Invaders are invisible unless one (or the Command Ship Alien) is shot, which they then briefly reappear
- Large laser cannon--flipping a difficulty switch on the 2600 console to the A position makes players' laser cannons twice as large
Game variations, player setup[]
There are two player alternating variations, along with variations to not only have both players onscreen at once, but there are also several competing variations as well, such as ones where if one player gets hit by Invaders' fire, the other player is awarded 200 points. Others include alternating shots where if one player takes too long to fire their laser cannon then it will automatically shoot.
Other variations include ones where one player controls the cannon, along with one player can only move the cannon to the right, while the other player can only move it to the left. Other variations allow one movement and one shot per player, then the other player gets to do the same, and others have one player move the laser cannon while the other player fires.
Scoring[]
- Row 1 Invader--5 points
- Row 2 Invader--10 points
- Row 3 Invader--15 points
- Row 4 Invader--20 points
- Row 5 Invader--25 points
- Row 6 Invader--30 points
- Command Ship Alien--200 points, or 100 points in certain game variations
- Other player's laser cannon hit--200 points awarded to other player on certain competitive game variations
Controls[]
- Move cannon--joystick (left/right)
- Fire--button
Trivia[]
The original game came with several label variations, which are known as Picture, Text, Red, and Silver labels. This version comes as a ROM file only to be played on Atari emulators.
Links[]
Atari Age C. I. F. S. page
This article uses material from the Kill Dr. Phil article and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License.