"Invaders" for the Mattel Aquarius computer

This is "Invaders" shown on the Mattel Electronics Aquarius Computer. As the name suggests, this is a Space Invaders clone. In fact, this is the second of two SI clones made for the Aquarius. Check my other videos to see the 1st game. The game was made by a third party company in Europe after Mattel had already paid Radofin to take back the marketing rights. The graphics of this version are inferior to the other. What's up with that color scheme? Otherwise, the graphics are passable. This version lacks the passing mother ship. Where this version gets points, is for its gamepad support. I much prefer using a controller over usind the keyboard. The only other shortcoming is lack of AY sound chip support. The other Aquarius version doesn't let you use the gamepads.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• Invaders
• Mattel Electronics
• Aquarius Computer
• Space Invaders
• Intellivision
• INTV
• ECS
• Atari
• Commodore
• Coleco
• TI-99

[MattTheSaiyan]

Ugh. I don't know which is worse: the graphics, the sound, or the fact that I'd want one if they weren't so rare, hard-to-find and (presumably) going up in value.

[MattelAquarius]

@MattTheSaiyan

LOL. It's a special machine, for sure.  For a better Space Invaders clone on the Aquarius, see my N-Vaders video.

[p1nch3z]

I remember going in to John Menzies (Nottingham UK) and seeing this very nice looking computer and thinking it looked so cool. But it was hugely underpowered. With much better machines like the Atari 800XL, Commodore 64, Spectrum 48k and even the BBC offering much more power, sadly the Aquarius was doomed to fail.

Doesn't stop me wanting to add one to my retro collection though!

[gillianorley]

Holy cow.

That REALLY sucks.

And this came out AFTER the Atari 2600?

[NotATube]

If this is at all representative of the machine, then it's pitiful considering it apparently came out after the ZX Spectrum.

Apparently even the people inside the company thought it was rubbish and gave it the sarcastic slogan "The System for the 70s" (it came out circa 1983!)

[Nadav34]

sounds like Intellivision was a lot better than Aquarius.. no wonder why Mattel pulled the plug on it!!

[darockstardude]

pithifull...

[becomepostal]

Aquarius games I heard of, but never saw them before I came across this video on Youtube. It's strange to discover that some people are interested in Aquarius and Aquarius games some 25 years later.

[becomepostal]

I still have mine but wouldn't sell it. Don't know if it still works though.

[becomepostal]

In France it was available. LOL. Aquarius was my first computer. I programmed it in BASIC. I remember using PEEK and POKE for the graphics. The manual was photocopied and written in a language that I did not know at that time (english). I couldn't save the programs in BASIC so I just remembered them and rewrote them just from my memory. The little "space" bar was odd. LOL.