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- Space Invaders. One of the first shooting games ever, Space Invaders' lines of lurking aliens appeared in arcades before it became the first arcade game officially licensed for a console.
- Kaboom! Activision's Kaboom! (1981) became another million seller. The game starred a mad bomber who dropped bombs, which the player caught with three buckets at the bottom of the screen.
- Combat. Combat (1976) was one of the first Atari games. It contained 27 games in one, each representing different forms of combat, but all using tanks, jets, or biplanes as vehicles with weapons capability.
- Demon Attack. Imagic—a company that started with an "I" before starting with an "I" was cool—released Demon Attack (1982) for several consoles and computers, including Commodores, TRS-80, and of course, Atari 2600.
- Pitfall!
- Combat
- Kung-Fu Master
- Pole Position
- Warlords
- H.E.R.O.
- Space Invaders
- Joust
- Stampede
- Berzerk
One of the best-selling titles on the seminal console, Activision'sPitfall!put the publisher on the map and showcased just how entertaining these downsized arcade ports could be. A jungle adventure for the ages, the goal of Pitfall!is to navigate across a total of 256 screens and collect 32 treasures within a time limit of twenty minutes. It was a ...
A pack-in title that shipped with almost every Atari console released before 1982, most gamers who grew up with the console likely have fond memories of battling friends and siblings in the iconic multiplayer title Combat. Two players take control of what could charitably be described as a pair of tanks and navigate a one-screen course, aiming to b...
Originally released in 1984, the Atari 2600'sKung-Fu Master wasa loose adaptation of the Jackie Chan movieMeal On Wheels, which debuted the same year. An incredibly innovative title for its time that sported a not-insignificant resemblance to 1985's NES title Kung Fu,Kung-Fu Masterfeatured five unique levels, each of which contained a boss. RELATED...
Compared to its arcade counterpart, 1982's Atari 2600 rendition of the hit game Pole Position was pretty lacking. That said, attempting to portray a real-world environment with any sense of depthon the console was ambitious, and the port definitely deserves praise for maintaining the look and feel of the original title given the extremely limited h...
An iteration of the relatively obscure arcade game Quadra Pong, Warlords is a very rare example of an Atari 2600 game that could support four simultaneous players. Something of a party game before party games were even a thing, Warlordstasked players with defending their quadrant of the screen by deflecting a bouncing ball back at players and hopef...
Released in 1984,H.E.R.O.isn't an oft-discussed entry in the Atari 2600 library, and that may be due to the fact that it was released in the midst of the infamous video game industry crash of the mid-80s. That said, it's a criminally underrated title that Atari collectors definitely need to check out. H.E.R.O. tasks players with descending into a m...
Though undoubtedly inferior when compared to the arcade version, the Atari 2600 port of Space Invadersremains a serviceable way to experience this all-time video game classic. It may be a bit blockier and slightly less responsive than the original, but it's a full-featured, faithful rendition of one of the most recognizable games ever to release. S...
While 1982's Joust is yet another simplified arcade port, the title isn't nearly as well-remembered today as offerings like Pac-Man orPole Position. Nevertheless, Joustis a totally entertaining piece of retro software, and it offers a fairly high degree of challenge, inviting players to hone their skills at what would have been, in terms of gamepla...
Another acclaimed Activision classic, 1981's Stampede served as a simple-but-effective test of skill that helped to emulate the fast-paced action of the arcades in the home. Featuring multiple difficulties settings—something that wasn't all that common at the time—Stampedetasked players with lassoing runaway animals while racking up high-scores. Sh...
One of the very few Atari 2600 arcade ports that were arguably better on the home console than they were in the arcade, 1982's Berzerk was a landmark title that paved the way for action gaming. A rudimentary high-score-based top-down shooter, Berzerktasked players with gunning down hordes of robots while evading return fire and escaping from the cl...
- Pitfall! The original king of rage quitting, Pitfall! is the rare 2600 title that remains on the lips and minds of gamers around the world even more than 30 years after its release.
- Battlezone. People scoff at the 2600’s admittedly limited capabilities, but in the right hands, the system could produce remarkable things. Battlezone stands as the systems finest graphical achievement, one of the earliest examples of a first-person shooter, complete with 3d graphics.
- Berzerk. Berzerk’s multi-directional shooting action has helped cement its legacy as one of the Atari’s finest action titles. Maze games were common in the system, but Berzerk added a shooting component that took its simple mazes to another level.
- Secret Quest. Atari’s answer to Legend of Zelda wasn’t a fantasy game, but instead a science fiction title. You are an unnamed hero tasked with blowing up eight space stations using a blend of simple sword-based combat and brain-bending puzzle solving.
Dec 13, 2021 · 30 Best Atari Games, Ranked. Long before PlayStation, Xbox, Wii and even the classic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), the various consoles produced by the Atari Corporation were the undisputed champs of home-based gaming.
- Adventure. Released in 1979, Adventure is widely recognized as one of the first action-adventure games ever created. In this game, you play as a courageous warrior navigating through a maze-like kingdom in search of a hidden chalice.
- Pitfall! is a beloved side-scrolling platform game that captured the hearts of gamers in 1982. As the adventurer Harry, you embark on a thrilling journey through the jungle, avoiding treacherous obstacles like quicksand, rolling logs, and deadly scorpions.
- Missile Command. In 1980, Missile Command took the gaming world by storm as a thrilling arcade shooter. Your mission is to defend cities from a relentless barrage of incoming missiles.
- Yars' Revenge. Yars' Revenge, released in 1981, offers a unique blend of shooter and maze game elements. You assume the role of a Yar, a cosmic insect-like creature seeking revenge against the evil Qotile.
Feb 17, 2023 · Our thirst for nostalgia knows no bounds so to celebrate Atari's 50 years on the planet, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 greatest Atari games to emerge from that demigod of retro home entertainment...
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Jan 25, 2013 · From 'Pong' to 'Space Invaders,' we're rounding up our picks for the top 10 Atari games of all time.
