# Install ninvaders with Homebrew, apt, Nix, zypper Space Invaders in the terminal. Version 0.1.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:ninvaders ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install ninvaders ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install ninvaders ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: ninvaders from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#ninvaders ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ni/ninvaders/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install ninvaders ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: ninvaders from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:ninvaders - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.1.1 - **Source summary:** Space Invaders in the terminal - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - nInvaders (cli) - nInvaders (alias) ## Uses from macOS - ncurses ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.1.1 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://ninvaders.sourceforge.net/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage nInvaders is a tiny ncurses Space Invaders clone for terminals. Its historical value is not ecosystem influence but preservation of a classic early-2000s Unix package genre: small C games that run over text terminals and survive because distributions keep them packaged. ### Project history The Debian man page credits Thomas Dettbarn as the program author, says the program is GPL, and dates the manual page to July 21, 2002. The SourceForge homepage points users to CVS snapshots and beta testing, and its news section records nInvaders 0.1.1 on May 8, 2003, after the 0.0.10 release on April 8, 2003. The 0.1.1 SourceForge news entry says that release added a timer, made the game playable under IRIX, Windows, and some Red Hat versions, added a title screen, and fixed a freeze when shooting the last alien. The package has not grown into an actively evolving game platform; it is a finished little terminal toy. ### Adoption history nInvaders persists through package managers rather than an active upstream community. Debian still publishes a man page for package versions in unstable/testing, Homebrew bottles it for macOS and Linux, and SourceForge still hosts the old tarballs. On 2026-07-01, Homebrew listed nInvaders 0.1.1 with 524 installs over 365 days, while SourceForge listed the 0.1.1 folder with 107 weekly downloads. Those numbers are small, but for a 2003 terminal game they show durable curiosity and packaging inertia. ### How it is used Usage is intentionally simple: run `nInvaders`, move with the left and right arrow keys, shoot with space, and optionally set a starting skill level with `-l`. Debian's manual describes it as ASCII-art Space Invaders using ncurses, playable anywhere a terminal can render it. For package nerds it is useful as a smoke-test/fun package: ncurses, terminal input, simple build system, old upstream tarball, and a binary whose behavior is immediately visible. ### Why package nerds care nInvaders is a good enrichment record precisely because it is niche. It represents the long tail of package databases: not strategically important, but culturally recognizable, easy to install, and stable enough that distros can keep carrying it almost unchanged. ### Timeline - {'date': '2002-07-21', 'event': 'Debian manual page dated; credits Thomas Dettbarn as program author.'} - {'date': '2003-04-08', 'event': 'SourceForge file listing records nInvaders 0.0.10.'} - {'date': '2003-05-08', 'event': 'nInvaders 0.1.1 released on SourceForge.'} ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** ninvaders - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - ninvaders - 0.1.1-5+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: ninvaders from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | A space invaders-like game using ncurses - Nix - ninvaders: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ni/ninvaders/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - ninvaders - 0.1.1-5: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ninvaders from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | A space invaders-like game using ncurses - zypper - ninvaders - 0.1.1-4.3: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: ninvaders from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | A space invaders-like game using ncurses | http://ninvaders.sourceforge.net/ ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Game and emulation packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/game-emulation-tools/) - Matched game or emulation metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [ski](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ski/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: arcade, cli, game, games, terminal-game. - [spaceinvaders-go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/spaceinvaders-go/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, game, games, space-invaders, terminal-game. - [moon-buggy](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/moon-buggy/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: arcade, cli, game, games, terminal-game. - [nsnake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nsnake/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, game, games, ncurses, terminal-game. - [nsuds](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nsuds/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, game, games, ncurses, terminal-game. - [robotfindskitten](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/robotfindskitten/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, game, games, ncurses, terminal-game. - [wumpus](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/wumpus/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, games, terminal-game. - [gnuski](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gnuski/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: arcade, cli, game, games, ncurses. - [slashem](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/slashem/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, game, games, terminal, terminal-game. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/ninvaders.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/ninvaders.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph