Space Eggs

Space Eggs
Title	Space Eggs
Release date(s)	1981
Original Platform(s)	Apple II
Developer(s)	Nasir Gebelli
Category(s)	Entertainment, Arcade

Overview

Released in 1981 for the Apple II, Space Eggs is a fast-paced fixed-screen shooter developed by programming virtuoso Nasir Gebelli, and published by Sirius Software. Clearly influenced by arcade classics like Galaxian and Phoenix, Space Eggs carved out a distinct niche thanks to its vibrant visuals, escalating difficulty, and signature Gebelli-style performance on early home computers. While not as widely remembered today as some of Gebelli's later works, Space Eggs was one of the earliest hits for Sirius Software and a strong example of how arcade thrills were being reimagined for home computers.

Gameplay and Design

Space Eggs is a single-screen shoot-'em-up in the mold of Galaxian or Phoenix. The player controls a laser base at the bottom of the screen, moving left and right and firing upward at descending waves of alien enemies— represented not as spaceships or insects, but as colorful, animated eggs. This quirky design choice gave the game a distinctive visual identity and lighthearted tone, even as the gameplay grew intense.

The eggs would first appear in formation and then break off to swoop and dive toward the player, often splitting into smaller, more dangerous projectiles upon being hit. With each level, the speed, aggression, and complexity of the enemies increased. The game combined tight controls with erratic enemy behavior and a growing challenge curve, which kept players engaged and motivated to reach the next wave.

Visually, Space Eggs was a standout. The colorful graphics added a level of polish that was uncommon in early Apple II games, and Gebelli's code kept the action moving at a remarkably fast frame rate. The game also featured a bright starfield background, smooth sprite movement, and crisp collision detection— all technical feats on the Apple II's limited graphics hardware. Space Eggs was quickly ported to the Atari 8-bit computer platform by Dan Thompson.

Reception and Impact

Space Eggs was released during a brief but explosive period when arcade-style home games were booming, and it was one of Sirius Software’s early commercial successes. It was well-received in computer magazines of the time, praised for its responsiveness, colorful graphics, and challenging gameplay.

Though it borrowed its basic structure from arcade shooters, Space Eggs had enough personality and polish to stand on its own. It helped add to Nasir Gebelli’s reputation as one of the top programmers of the era.

The game was part of a larger wave of fixed-screen shooters and one of the earliest to demonstrate that home computers— not just consoles or coin-ops—could deliver fast, satisfying arcade-style action. Sirius Software, bolstered by Gebelli's games, became one of the highest-grossing computer game publishers of 1982.

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