A new web-based game offering real Bitcoin rewards is challenging players to master an arcade-style experience reminiscent of the classic ‘Space Invaders’. In Mempool Space Invaders, discovered by Protos, participants aim to obliterate descending ‘Bitcoin whales,’ each symbolizing actual transactions on the blockchain. Successful hits add these transaction amounts to the player’s score.
Missing a whale weakens your shields until you lose, but players can restart for free or pay 1,000 sats (approximately $0.73) to resume their existing game. The first player to annihilate transactions totaling 10,000 BTC—valued at around $730 million—will win a bounty of 10,000 sats ($7.30 in Bitcoin), as noted by pseudonymous developer Jasonb on Stacker News.
Winning the bounty demands considerable skill and timing, especially since multiple whales can appear concurrently, complicating survival. However, players might increase their chances during periods of significant blockchain activity, where larger transactions become available to destroy.
Another strategy involves creating a 10,000 BTC transaction for oneself, waiting for it to appear in-game, and then destroying it—mindful not to spend excessive fees that would negate the prize, as Jasonb advised. For those lacking such funds, attempting two separate 5,000 Bitcoin transactions close together might also work.
Players who cannot afford $730 million may instead aim for smaller achievements; some Stacker News users reported destroying only 70 or 30 BTC after 20 minutes of play, which falls short of the goal. To claim their reward, winners must submit a screenshot of their ‘game over’ screen; efforts to fake this are also acknowledged by the game’s creator.
While other Bitcoin-based games offer risk-free rewards, these typically yield minimal returns and require enduring numerous ads. In contrast, Mempool Space Invaders offers a potentially lucrative challenge for those with the skill, luck, or wealth to succeed.