Core Cannon

Heroic Vehicle
Full Name	Core Cannon
Alias	Laser Cannon Laser Turret Xerovy AIT-50 AIF-73CA CG30
Origin	Space Invaders
Transportation	Type dependent on version
Creation	Unknown
Location	Earth Space
Users	Unnamed Operater
Usage / Powers	Limited Mobility Flight (AIF-73CA and CG30) Armaments Cannon Return of the Invaders Gazel Gowl Goral Space Invaders: The Day of Resurrection Buster Laser 1 Buster Laser 2 Homing Beam Super Inazuma Attack Fire Flower Laser Recovery Shield Hyper Laser Hyper Shield Time Stop Super Space Invaders '91 Hyper Laser Destroy Beam Buster Laser Space Invaders Extreme Bomb Broad shot Laser Shield
Purposes	Defend Earth and Destroy the Invaders
Status	Determinant
Type of Heroic Vehicle	Legendary Craft

The Core Cannon, also known as the Laser Cannon and Laser Turret (among others), is the main protagonist of the 1978 shoot 'em up Space Invaders and its subsequent sequels. It is a prominent vehicle/weapon designed to stop an Alien Invasion on planet Earth. Despite its primitive design, the Core Cannon is more than up to the job to take on the extraterrestrial threat. In later games, numerous variants were introduced to take on the ever growing battle, ranging from ground-based tanks to spacecrafts.

An icon in the Shoot 'Em Up genre, the Core Cannon would serve as the basis for many protagonist ships in the generations to come...

History

Space Invaders / Space Invaders Part II

An unnamed alien force has launched an invasion against Earth. To stop this imminent threat, a sepecially-made vehicle called the Core Cannon is built to defend the planet. Armed with a basic laser cannon and defended by four bunkers, the Core Cannon is tasked with eliminating various forces that are sent in groups of 55 (in a 5x11 grid), with the occasional UFO appearing. If the Core Cannon is destroyed, or if the aliens make touch down, all is lost.

Return of the Invaders

The aliens return to Earth, seeking vengeance for their "defeat" previously. Having face this familiar foe before, a newer and deadlier Core Cannon dubbed Xerovy is created and deployed. Armed with three updated arsenals, it takes on the invaders who recruited new species named Flectors (who has ability to reflect Xerovy's shots with potentially fatal effect) and Legards in yet another battle to save the Earth. Invaders this time are led by master-class invaders named Zicons who, after minion invaders are eliminated and when there are sufficient Zicons left merges together to transform into three different types of Mother Ships.

Space Invaders: The Day of Resurrection

This game possesses two game modes: one plays identical to the original 1978 classic game with same simple graphics and character pixels, and the other mode is a remade version of the classic game similar to Megadrive's Space Invaders '90 / '91. Like Megadrive version, this mode has no boss and the game ends when the last invader formation in the final stage is destroyed. But unlike the latter, PC Engine version of the remade mode has three phases per stage and is not a coop play.

Once more, the aliens return to invade Earth despite suffering two defeats. The alien invaders' tenacious intrusion towards Earth has become something of an obsession. Humanity who by now is prepared to fight back deploys its newest versions of the Core Cannon to fight them off: the AIT-50 and AIF-73CA. Both crafts are sent out to fight the aliens from land, air, and eventually space, where after travelling various regions of invader-infested sectors they managed to repel invader forces successfully for a third time. But this would not be the last time Earth would face invaders...

Space Invaders '90 / '91

Invaders once again menace planet Earth. There are new types of invaders whose existences are not registered in studies by International Information Bureaus. Invaders this time attack Earth with more erratic attack patterns not to mention with incredible speed. This time, the battle expands beyond Earth and spreads onto the milky way galaxy and on to the outer reaches of the universe. An anti-invader spaceship has been hastily deployed to contain invader threat. The anti-invader spaceship fights through 18 stages and 36 rounds in total, repelling and destroying invaders from Earth, Solar System and milky way galaxy. Then the spaceship proceeds to drive invaders from other planets occupied by invaders. Eventually the anti-invader spaceship takes the war to the invaders by smashing into their homeworld, Doriasta. And after annihilating the last formation of invaders, invaders' fortress in destroyed in a furious fire. The planet Earth and the universe is once again safe... For now.

Super Space Invaders '91 / Majestic 12

Following the unsuccessful invasion attempts in the previous games, the Aliens instead change their tactics by invading Neptune, as a result, the planet is transformed into a black hole. From here, the Aliens proceed to invade the other planets in the Solar System, as well as the Milky Way Galaxy as a whole, constructing bases for operations across it. As their saucers approach Earth, humanity scrambles to develop a newer version of the Core Cannon under the codename MJ-12; their final result is the CG30, a transformable ground/spacecraft that is capable of taking on the aliens, whether it be from the ground, in the sky, or out in space.

The CG30 is deployed to combat the Alien threat, and almost immediately shows promise. The craft manages to take out much of the invaders' forces on Earth, putting a halt to their invasion plans for the planet. Once Earth is safe, the CG30 blasts off into space, where it proceeds to eliminate more of the Alien Invaders in space, all the while destroying their bases of operations in the process. Eventually, the CG30 confronts the invader's leader, a giant Mecha that was heavy-armed and well-prepared to battle the spacecraft. Despite this however, the CG30 manages to destroy the Mecha, resulting in a large explosion. With the Alien threat gone, the CG30 returned back to Earth, having successfully saved not only Earth, but the entire galaxy in the aftermath.

Variants

• Xerovy - a variant introduced in Return of the Invaders, its overall design is based on that of its predecessor, but it is capable of being upgraded with new power-ups in the form of weapons whenever enemy UFOs are shot down.

Fighter

Tank

• AIT-50/AIF-73CA - two early prototypes of the CG30 used in Space Invaders: The Day of Resurrection, they are capable of using a wide variety of temporary power-ups in the form of useful weapons, equipment, and abilities.

CG30 (Tank)

CG30 (Spacecraft)

• CG30 - the Core Cannon variant used in Super Space Invaders '91, like its prototypes, it is capable of using a wide range of weapons to fight the invaders, though its design is more refined, making it more efficient in combat.

Weapons

The initial Core Cannon is only armed with a single laser cannon, which has the strength to destroy a single alien. Only one shot can be fired at a time, preventing the cannon shot from firing again until the previous shot hits its target or flies off the field of vision. In addition, the cannon can sometimes (though not always) destroy enemy fire.

Later games introduce newer, more powerful weapons and equipment to alter the variants' arsenals.

Return of the Invaders

• Gazel - enhances Xerovy's shot to shoot faster and continuously without lagging. This is the most abundant item in the game.

• Goral - This icon enables Xerovy to shoot yellow, large and rough energy shots. Appears rarely compared to Gazel.

• Gowl - straight penetration shot that goes through multiple invaders in one go. Another rare weapon item.

Space Invaders '90 / '91

• Buster Laser - also called B-Laser, this item emits a long-distance laser directly upward from the protagonist spaceship. Effective until the energy quantity is depleted.

• Hyper Laser - also called H-Laser, when a beam is launched and if it destroys an invader, triggers a chain reaction that destroys all horizontally adjacent invaders. Lasts for 2 shots.

• Power Beam - also called P-Beam, this item allows the player to shoot a wide beam that destroys all enemies in its path. By holding B button the beam's length will be increased. But shooting the beam costs energy, and wider beams cost more energy. Taking hits while charging the beam costs energy but does not emit the beam. Lasts until its energy quantity is depleted.

• Homing Bomb - also called H-Bomb, allows anti-invader spaceship to shoot energy shot with a homing capability. Doesn't do any more damage than standard shot. Has maximum of 20 shots to use.

• Super Crusher - also called S-Crusher, this item creates a pair of doppelganger for anti-invader spaceship and provide additional firepower: so that it appears as if there are three spaceships making triple attacks. Available for 15 seconds.

• Time Stop - this item freezes invaders' movement for 10 seconds, during which time they are fully susceptible to the wrath of anti-invader spaceship that has no qualms about dispatching these evil aliens.

• Recover Shield - also called Recover-S, this item is an addition of two hit points to the present remaining energy of the shield.

• Speed Up - this item allows the anti-invader spaceship to maneuver faster. Stays with CG30 until it is destroyed.

H-Shield

Psychic-S

• Shield - there are two different shield types in the game:
  • Hyper Shield - also called H-Shield, this shield protects the anti-invader spaceship from invaders' shots. Still, this shield does not protect anti-invader spaceship from stronger attacks such as lasers and homing shots. Lasts for 20 seconds.
  • Psychic Shield - also called Psychic-S, this is an enhanced shield which protects anti-invader spaceship from all invaders' attacks, making the player totally invincible. Lasts for 20 seconds.

The Day of Resurrection

• Buster Lasers - There are two kinds of Buster Lasers in this game. BL-1 shoots a long, thin stream of lasers that wipes out invaders standing before AIT-50/AIF-73CA. It can be used while AIT-50/AIF-73CA is moving and it is fired so long as shoot button is being pushed and as long has there are sufficient points for BL-1 to be used. BL-2 also shoots a long and thin stream of lasers with similar effect, but it cannot fire with button continuously being pushed so it needs more careful aiming. BL-2 costs 8 points out of 200 points total.

• Homing Beam - this item enables AIT-50/AIF-73CA to shoot energy shot that chases invaders. Doesn't do any more damage than standard shot. Costs 10 points per use out of 200 points total.

• Super Inazuma Attack - AIT-50/AIF-73CA hurls afterimage of itself that advances lightning-fast in serpentine pattern in front of advancing invaders and eradicates any invaders standing directly before AIT-50/AIF-73CA. Costs 40 points out of 200 points total.

• Fire Flower Laser - AIT-50/AIF-73CA shoots a thin yellow beam which, upon reaching a top, breaks into multiple beams and spreads downwardly like an umbrella that descends upon invaders with piercing effect. Takes out multiple invaders unlucky enough to be on diagonal axis of the formation.

• Recover-S - adds AIT-50/AIF-73CA's hit points by 1~2. Important as AIT-50/AIF-73CA's endurance points decrease by 1 with each hit taken from invaders. Can be collected up to the maximum of 9.

• Hyper Laser - AIT-50/AIF-73CA launches a large missile which upon hitting an invader, wipes out all invaders that happened to be in the same row with the stricken invader. Costs 100 points out of 200 points total (can only be used twice).

• Hyper Shield - a barrier that protects AIT-50/AIF-73CA from invaders' shots. Be aware this shield does not protect AIT-50/AIF-73CA from invader's stronger attacks. Lasts for 200 seconds.

• Time Stop - this item completely stops invaders' movements for about 200 seconds. During which time AIT-50/AIF-73CA is free to destroy as many invaders at leisure.

Super Space Invaders '91 / Majestic 12

• Power-Up - enables CG30 to shoot standard shots faster and more frequent.

• Buster Laser - an upgraded shot turned into a cluster bomb that is capable of destroying all aliens in a column.

• Hyper Laser - Create a wall of energy that destroys all aliens within the row the weapon touches.

• Destroy Beam - Fires a several homing beams that track down enemies at random, destroying any that they come into contact with.

• Fire Flower - upon obtaining this item, CG30 will blow a fire against descending invaders and when the fire makes a contact with invaders the fire will scatter into several large circular fire that spirals out of control like a whirlwind, taking out any invaders that comes into contact with circular fires.

• Time Stop - this item temporarily stops invaders' advances and allows CG30 to take advantage of frozen invaders to destroy them as much as possible at leisure.

• Shield - a force field around the craft that can be collected. It allows the craft to absorb enemy shots before being depleted. The number of enemy shots CG30 can take depends on how much shields CG30 have collected.

• Arm - this item produces four guard shelters that protects CG30 from invader shots. In this game the shelters are enhanced to the point they can even block and destroy advancing invaders upon contact. They can go up when shot by CG30.

Gallery

CG30R (2p variant)

CG30R (2p variant)