9 replies to this topic

[high voltage]

AA says Space Invaders was the 'first video game killer app' but Star Raiders was one year earlier:

[SpiceWare]

I knew a number of people, my family included, that got the VCS because of Space Invaders.

I don't know anybody who got an A8 because of Star Raiders. Of course I don't know many that got the A8 to begin with - part of that could be because the high school in my town had Commodore PETs, so people I knew got the Vic 20 (and later then 64).

[high voltage]

Both are well known for being 'killer apps'. Check out Wiki.

Edited by high voltage, Wed Feb 1, 2012 9:22 AM.

[save2600]

Space Invaders was definitely a killer app for the 2600 that helped sell many a system. The one family I knew that had an 800, they had Star Raiders too but it was their computer platform of choice though, so it's not like the game made the sale for them. I didn't know anyone back in the day (early 80's) that bought computers just for gaming. That was a consoles job at a fraction of the price. That sort of changed by the mid 80's though with the C64. Seemed a lot of people were buying C64's, just to play games - including myself.

BTW: We did have one Atari 800 computer in a special lab at school (no Commodore products, just Apple's and TRS-80's) and it sat quietly alone most of the time. That is, until I sold my science teacher the assembly cart for it! lol

[potatohead]

Well, the first 400 that showed up with "Star Raiders" was bought because the family wanted a computer. Once "Star Raiders" was seen, other people bought them to get "Star Raiders."

[Trinity]

What is a 'app'???

[maiki]

 high voltage, on Wed Feb 1, 2012 9:22 AM, said:

Check out Wiki.

I never trust Wikipedia. Anybody can put any nonsence in there. And I have seen a lot of nonsence in Wikipedia.

[godzillajoe]

I know I begged for a 2600 to play Space Invaders.

Never cared for Star Raiders

Edited by godzillajoe, Wed Feb 1, 2012 1:15 PM.

[high voltage]

 maiki, on Wed Feb 1, 2012 12:44 PM, said:

 high voltage, on Wed Feb 1, 2012 9:22 AM, said:

Check out Wiki.

I never trust Wikipedia. Anybody can put any nonsence in there. And I have seen a lot of nonsence in Wikipedia.

That is very true:

http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Killer_app

A kiler app is a program/game which sells hardware.
True in the case of VCS and A8, I wouldn't say it's actually true about Sonic/Genesis, Pokemon/Game Boy, nor the other stuff: Mario 64, Halo, Final Fantasy VII. But there you go.

.

Edited by high voltage, Wed Feb 1, 2012 2:50 PM.

[Master Phruby]

Star Raiders was my first Atari 400 game. Space Invaders was my first VCS game. I guess I bought both killer apps.