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You shouldn't even have an Intellivision if you don't have Space Battle. One of the core games of the system.

Graphics: 3 Sound: 3 Replay Value: 3 Notes: 1-player Screen Shots

When I first started playing Space Battle, I had to wonder if the bad guys were the Cylon Raiders from Battlestar Galactica. After all, those ships sure do look like Cylon Raiders! And, Mattel did have the license for Battlestar Galactica for its handheld games. This game was first published in the Action network, but later made more difficult (ROM revised to speed up the game) and re-released in the Space Action network, with the dark blue box. This is a fun, simple shooter game.

The original Intellivision box had a very different image of Space Battle. Seems you had to track fuel usage, and who knows what the other funky graphics are. Perhaps some of the ideas were reused in Space Spartans and Astrosmash?

Prerelease Space Battle Shot

A total of thirteen Space Battle box variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0910	1979	U.S.A.	Red Action Network box; plastic tray; part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	2612-0910	1979	Hong Kong	Red Action Network box; plastic tray; part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom; refers to Keyboard Component on cover
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0910	1979	U.S.A.	Dark blue Space Network box; trayless pocket; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	2612-0710 G1	1979	U.S.A.	Dark blue Space Network box; trayless pocket; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	2612-0710 G1	1979	U.S.A.	Trayless pocket; dark blue space network box; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	2612-0910-G1	1979	Hong Kong	Dark blue Space Network box; plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom on blue sticker
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	2612-0910-G2	1979	Hong Kong	Dark blue Space Network box; plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on bottom
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0510	1979	Hong Kong	French-Canadian; dark blue space network box; plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontano, Canada (yes, Ontano) on sticker on back
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0910-G1	1979	Hong Kong	French-Canadian outer sleeve (red in color) refers to original Keyboard Component; internally, same as standard 2612-0910-G1; did the internal box vary?
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0410	1979	Hong Kong	International version; dark blue Space Network box; plastic tray; no part number on top; © Mattel, Inc. Hawthorne, CA on sticker on bottom
	Intellivision Inc.	2612	1979	U.S.A.	Standard Intellivision, Inc. box
	Sears	3862-0910	1979	Hong Kong	Plastic tray; blue game title on top and back
	Digiplay	N/A	1979	Brazil	Mattel Electronics logo on box; no part number apparent; © Mattel Inc. 1979 on front; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots; game title localized (Batalha Espacial)

Space Battle was one of only two games (that I know of) to change its "network affiliation" (the other was Space Armada). Once Astrosmash, Space Armada, Star Strike and Space Hawk were released, Space Battle jumped ship to the new network. Hence both the red and blue boxes

The other significant variant in the box is that in the European markets, it seems that the box was cut differently, removing all the game-blurb text from the back. This is shown below.

The other interesting variation of this box was specifically for the French-Canadian market, it seems. This version has a standard later-generation Space Network box and later English manual revision and a separate French version. The box is wrapped in a cardboard sleeve. Oddly, the sleeve is an Action Network sleeve. I suppose it could have been swapped at some point - I've only seen the one copy that I have.

Space Battle was pretty easy to beat without losing any ships when it first came out. I remember when a friend of mine got his Inty awhile after we had ours - perhaps it was Christmas of 1981. He had Space Battle, too, but when I played at his place, it would kick my ass more often than not. Apparently, Mattel thought the game was too easy, and jacked up the speed on it or something.

A total of thirteen Space Battle manual variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0920	1979	U.S.A.	Full color
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0920(A)	1979	Hong Kong	Purple monochrome
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0920-G1	1979	U.S.A.	Orange and dark blue artwork
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0920-G1	1979	Hong Kong	Orange and dark blue artwork
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	2612-0920-G1	1979	Hong Kong	Blue artwork
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0720	1979	Hong Kong	French-Canadian; blue artwork; longer than standard manual size
	Mattel Electronics	2612-8920	1979	Hong Kong	French translation; included in 'sleeved' version with a 2612-0920-G1 English manual; orange and dark blue artwork; plain paper as opposed to glossy
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0820-G-2	1979	Hong Kong	British English version; orange and dark blue artwork
	Mattel Electronics	2612-0121	1979	Hong Kong	German; blue artwork
Image not available.	Mattel Electronics	PC-2612-0920	1979	U.S.A.	NEED CONFIRMATION; PlayCable version; submitted by Hankster
	Intellivision Inc.	2612-0920-G1	None	U.S.A.	Staple along top edge
	Sears	3862-0920	1979	Hong Kong
	Digiplay	N/A	1979	Brazil	DigiPlay edition; no part number apparent; © M.I. 1979 on back; trayless pocket; manual and overlays in separate slots

Placement of the Trademark symbol next to the Intellivision log on the back cover changed.

There were also some variations of the 'Running Man' and Mattel logo on the back cover.

A total of three Space Battle overlay variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	mattel	2612-4289	1979
	mattel	2612-4289	1979	Hong Kong
	digiplay	2612-4289	None		Not localized, but copyright removed—much like an Intellivision, Inc. version

A total of four Space Battle label variants have been documented.

Image	Vendor	Part Number	Year	Origin	Description
	Mattel Electronics	N/A	None		No origin; ™ lower right
	Mattel Electronics	N/A	None	Hong Kong	Origin lower left; ™ lower right
	Intellivision Inc.	N/A	1979	U.S.A.	Origin lower right; © I.I. 1979 to left of origin; ™ small, centered vertically on right edge; smaller label, rounded corners
	Digiplay	N/A	None		No origin or copyright; ™ upper right of English title; Portuguese title (BATALHA ESPACIAL) appears below larger English title

	Title screen for Space Battle.
	The long-range scanner is where you plot strategy for defending your mothership.
	In the cockpit, you blast away the aliens.

If you find new, contradictory, or other information you wish to share, please let me know!