Released in 1978, Space Blaster was part of Coleco’s first generation of tabletop electronic games and stood out for its unique but short-lived projection-based display. Instead of playing on a screen, players aimed a stationary gun-style console at a wall where enemy spaceships were projected and “blasted” them out of the sky
GAMEPLAY
For best results, Coleco recommended setting up Space Blaster in a dimly lit room, positioning the console about 4 1/2 feet from a light-colored wall or sheet to ensure a clear projection surface. Instead of requiring a plug-in, the game ran on a whopping eight D-cell batteries.
Before starting, players set the score dial to zero and adjusted the skill sensor to set the difficulty. Higher sensitivity made hits easier, while lower sensitivity required more precision. For competitive play, all participants used the same difficulty setting.
Each player pressed and released the start lever on the front of the console to begin the game. Enemy spaceships appeared one at a time, requiring players to quickly aim the “swivel-action” space blaster and rapidly fire at the dark circle in the center of each ship. A direct hit triggered a visual explosion and sound effect as the ship crashed out of view.
After each successful hit, players manually updated their hit count on the score dial. A total of fourteen spaceships appeared in each game, each following a different flight path. The game ended automatically after the final ship’s flight.
The player with the highest score was declared the winner.
IN THE BOX
A complete set included the blaster, console base, and an accessory pack containing a plastic knob for the difficulty switch, a spare bulb, and four rubber feet for the bottom of the console. Printed instructions were included in the box, and a mini Coleco catalogue may also have been part of the original packaging.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Collectors should look for a complete unit with the blaster, console base, and accessory pack, as missing parts are difficult to replace. Functionality of the projection system and internal components is crucial, as the game’s fragile mechanics and limited time in the market make working examples more difficult to find.
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