ninvaders

ninvaders [-h] [-i <file>] [-s <speed>]

-h
    Displays the help message and exits the game.

-i
    Specifies an alternative sprite definition file for the invaders. This allows for customization of the alien appearance.

-s
    Sets the game speed, controlling the delay between frames. A lower number makes the game faster, while a higher number slows it down.

The ninvaders command brings the classic arcade game Space Invaders directly to your Linux terminal. Leveraging the ncurses library, it renders the game using text-based graphics, providing a lightweight yet engaging experience without requiring a graphical desktop environment. Players control a laser cannon at the bottom of the screen, moving left and right to avoid enemy fire and destroy waves of descending alien invaders. The objective is to eliminate all enemies before they reach the bottom of the screen or collide with your cannon.

The game progresses through multiple levels, with increasing alien numbers and varied attack patterns, challenging players to improve their reflexes and strategic thinking. ninvaders maintains the minimalist charm of the original game, focusing on simple yet effective gameplay. Its text-mode interface makes it suitable for playing on remote SSH sessions, older systems, or simply for a quick dose of nostalgia directly from your shell. It's a perfect example of how the ncurses library enables rich interactive applications within the command-line interface, offering a fun distraction for anyone looking for a retro gaming experience in a modern terminal.

Requires the ncurses library to be installed on the system. As a text-mode game, it does not offer high-fidelity graphics and its visual presentation is limited to characters. Performance might vary slightly depending on the terminal emulator and system load.

Players typically use the left arrow and right arrow keys to move the cannon horizontally, and the spacebar to fire. The objective is to destroy all descending alien invaders before they reach the bottom of the screen.

Points are awarded for each alien destroyed. Different types of invaders may yield varying scores.

The command is usually available through packages like ncurses-examples, ncurses-games, or bsdgames, depending on your Linux distribution.

ninvaders is typically distributed as part of the ncurses-examples or ncurses-games packages on many Linux distributions. It serves as a practical demonstration and example of how the ncurses library can be used to create interactive terminal-based applications and games. Its development is closely tied to the evolution of the ncurses library itself, showcasing its capabilities for character-based graphical user interfaces and real-time interaction within a shell environment. It has been a common and enduring example in the Unix/Linux ecosystem for many years.

ncurses(3), robotfindskitten(6), bsdgames(6)