Unicode 16.0 includes a Symbols for Legacy Computing Supplement, adding to the already existing (but poorly supported) Symbols for Legacy Computing range.
Personally, I’ve a hard time recognizing them (per systems of origin) and would have preferred a supplement adding inverse versions of existing block graphics characters, so that retro computer screens could be faithfully represented, but we got what we got.
Hmm… The space invaders ones do see somewhat “stylised”. Copyright of the originals, I wonder? However if anyone wants to make a text based game of invaders, there they are- complete with the down dagger bombs…
What else - Frogs for Frogger, but no cars/lorries. Chess pieces. Snake. Pacman (which they call snake-head) I’m sure with some imagination there are many others in there too…
Most of these glyphs (with the exception of 1CD0–1CDE5 and 1CE51–1CEAF) aren’t pixelated, but rather stylized and ideographic. I guess, the aren’t meant to represent anything real, but are more meme–y. (Also, I can’t think of any legacy system on which these outline letters would render properly.)
Regarding Space Invaders in particular, the original ones are registered trademarks by Taito. These are more like the ones of the Atari VCS version. Not sure about the status of these. (The Atari version was a licensed game, but that doesn’t mean that they trademarked those as well.)
It would be an Alto since characters 0x1CEB0 to 0x1CEB3 were extracted from Smalltalk-72. It was originally character 0x14 in Smalltalk-72 and was used as a prompt saying the computer was waiting for you to type something.
Atari games are/were definitely copyrighted as well.
But look at the invader. In fact very simple geometric forms, 2xL and a circle with dots. Same for the Pacman or the cars. This is not the full game and also different colors and as said stylised and not exacly the same.
One is probably still not allowed to use them commercially especially not under the same game title. I think TM and C) is not the same. And there are different laws in different countries. So it’s up to the individual to use anything at own responsibility. I think nowadays nobody cares anyway.
Many games were also Arcade games, (that still are quite popular as retro) so that
is another copy write factor. ( Not to confused with the mini arcade games out ).
The difference being that Taito registered the sprites as trademarks, in order to protect them specifically. Which also means, they have to actively defend these trademarks, in order to keep them valid, which has caused some controversy in the past.
(How do I know this? Well, I once had a 404 page featuring Space Invaders sprites and received a cease & desist letter.)
Well, kind of.
But the gist of it is that these sprites are really much like company logos (I’ve personally seen the registration in copy) and there’s no chance of them showing up in Unicode.
