Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

Turn is a developer tool that converts npm package installations into a Space Invaders-style game displayed in the terminal. Designed for developers who use npm, it gamifies the typically passive process of waiting for… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Turn NPM installs into a Space Invaders style game in your terminal launched in 2016; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   A terminal Space Invaders game▲28

   Terminal Space Invaders written in Go. Contribute to asib/spaceinvaders development by creating an account on GitHub.

   2015 · github.com · its alternatives →

2. 2
   Space Invaders in C▲478

   2019 · blog.loadzero.com · its alternatives →

3. 3
   Space invaders, but the invaders evolve with genetic algorithm▲253

   Space invaders, but the invaders evolve with genetic algorithm - victorqribeiro/invaderz

   2018 · github.com · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Turny▲69

   An arcade game about turning.

   2019 · play.google.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Space Invaders but the invaders evolve with genetic algorithm▲155

   Space invaders, but the invaders evolve with genetic algorithm - victorqribeiro/invaderz

   2019 · github.com · its alternatives →

6. 6TP
   Terminal Phase – Terminal-based space shooter▲217

   2020 · dustycloud.org · its alternatives →

7. 7
   I built an AI that turns any book into a text adventure game▲280

   It's a web app that uses AI to turn any book into a playable text adventure. Your favorite book, but your choices, hence your story. You can even "remix" the genre like playing Dune as a noir detective story. Note: Work in progress. Suggestions are welcome.

   2025 · kathaaverse.com · its alternatives →

8. 8SI
   Space Invaders built with React▲14

   2015 · swizec.github.io · its alternatives →

9. 9AI
   Auto install npm dependencies as you code▲60

   2016 · npmjs.com · its alternatives →

10. 10SI
    Space Invaders in the URL▲38

    2019 · arnaud.at · its alternatives →

11. 11AF
    Autopilot for my little HTML game called Andromeda Invaders▲52

    The entire game is implemented as a single HTML page, so it is easy to read the source code of this game and that of the autopilot by viewing the source of the page. For convenience, here is a direct link to the autopilot source code: https://github.com/susam/invaders/blob/0.9.0/invaders.html#L...

    2024 · susam.net · its alternatives →

12. 12
    A Terminal Tetris Game▲52

    2021 · github.com · its alternatives →

13. 13SW
    See what other NPM packages everyone else is using▲67

    2016 · npmdiscover.com · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Form Invaders by Typeform▲78

    Jump in your spaceship and save the web from boring forms

    2016 · typeform.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Turn It!▲62

    Small indie arcade game

    2017 · its alternatives →

16. 16
    A roguelike game that runs inside Notepad++▲155

    Rogue-lite as a Notepad++ Plugin. Contribute to thelowsunoverthemoon/NeuroPriest development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2025 · github.com · its alternatives →

17. 17
    Gooey▲74

    Turn (almost) any Console Program into a GUI application

    2014 · github.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    EasyNPM▲108

    Search & install command with one-click for npm packages

    2023 · easynpm.netlify.app · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Screensavers for your terminal (Bevy/Ratatui)▲119

    Screensavers for your terminal. Contribute to cxreiff/ttysvr development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2024 · github.com · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Dockerized – Run CLI tools without installation▲78

    Dockerized is like npx for unix tools: Run popular cli tools without installation. Example: dockerized npm init dockerized python2 somescript.py Run an older version of a tool: NODE_VERSION=15.0 dockerized node Use cases: - Maintaining multiple versions of an app - Installing without polluting host machine - Quickly run some commands you may not have installed Features: - intuitive use. Just the original command, but with 'dockerized' in front. - dockerized apps can access the current directory and read/modify files, just like native apps. - no need to know which docker image this…

    2022 · github.com · its alternatives →

21. 21NP
    NPM package for a visual scripting editor▲26

    Hey guys! I just released a NPM package to integrate a visual scripting editor into any node project (React, Vue, Angular... you name it). Basically, the goal is to provide your users a way to customize, automate, create new features for your product. Just like an open-source community, but without the barrier of code. Here's the homepage of the project: https://luna-park.app And a small tutorial for visual scripting: https://luna-park.app/challenge

    2023 · npmjs.com · its alternatives →

22. 22
    Tharsis▲66

    A turn-based space strategy game.

    2016 · store.steampowered.com · its alternatives →

23. 23
    Space Shooter▲61

    The classic retro game recreated using Pygame and python.

    2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Tosin▲65

    Initialize a npm package with CI, documentation and more

    2019 · fullhuman.github.io · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →