Search games

Pong

Atari, Namco, Atari, Inc., Sears, Hunter Electronics, TOPICS Entertainment

Pong is a table tennis-themed twitch arcade video game with simple two-dimensional graphics. It was the first sports arcade video game and one of the earliest arcade video games in history, helping to establish the video game industry along with the Magnavox Odyssey. Soon after its release, several companies began producing games that closely mimicked its gameplay.

Sea Wolf II

Dave Nutting Associates, Sears, Midway Manufacturing, Taito

This game is a colour sequel of Sea Wolf. The Atari 2600-game "Submarine Commander" is a loose port of Sea Wolf II, and thus not to be confused with the 8-bit game of the same name.

Surround

Atari, Sears

Surround was an unofficial port of the arcade game Blockade, released the previous year by Gremlin. As such, it was the first home console version of the game that would become widely known on other platforms as Snake. As with other early Atari games, it was licensed to Sears, which released it under the name Chase. The cartridge was subdivided into 14 different games. The first 12 of these were variations on the Blockade theme. Like its predecessor Blockade and successor Snake, the object of Surround was to maneuver a sprite across the screen, leaving a trail behind. A player wins by forcing the other player to crash into one of the trails. Various options allowed for speed-up, diagonal movement, wrap-around and "erase" (the choice to not draw at a given moment); in addition, the sprites could be set to operate at a beginning "slow" speed, or progressively speed up through five speeds.

Bowling

Atari, Sears, Polyvox

The game is based on the game of bowling, playable by one player or two players alternating. In all six variations, games last for 10 frames, or turns. At the start of each frame, the current player is given two chances to roll a bowling ball down an alley in an attempt to knock down as many of the ten bowling pins as possible. The bowler (on the left side of the screen) may move up and down his end of the alley to aim before releasing the ball. In four of the game's six variations, the ball can be steered before it hits the pins. Knocking down every pin on the first shot is a strike, while knocking every pin down in both shots is a spare. The player's score is determined by the number of pins knocked down in all 10 frames, as well as the number of strikes and spares acquired.

Pong Doubles

Atari, Sears

A follow-up to the original Pong, Pong Doubles is essentially a four-player version of the original. Two players stand on each side of the dividing line, one in front, the other behind. Each pair must work as a team against the other pair. Aside from this, nothing else has changed except the fact that there are now four paddles.

Stellar Track

Atari, Sears

Stellar Track is a text- and turn-based strategy game where the player controls a Terran Super Warship that must clear out alien ships from all quadrants of a galaxy. It was a conversion of a college mainframe Star Trek game released by Sears in 1981. It is a suitably primitive game where you have to run scans to locate enemies and starbases on a 6 x 6 galactic map. You run scans to find the enemies then must warp to their quadrant to confront them with either phasers or photon torpedoes. You use the joystick to determine the numerals of where you intend you to travel to.

Stunt Cycle

Atari, Sears

The game is housed in a custom cabinet that includes a simulated motorcycle steering column mounted on the control panel. The right side handle grip is twisted for acceleration. The monitor is a 19-inch black and white CRT monitor with a black and white overlay that adds giant tubes to the play field used to traverse from one split level to another. Sounds include a motorcycle roar, crash sounds, and crowd cheers. Stunt Cycle was ported to the AY-3-8760 custom chip by General Instruments and released by Atari as a dedicated console with bike handle controls. Sears released an Atari-manufactured version called Motocross.

Missile Command

Atari, Polyvox, Sears

Atari 2600 port of Missile Command.

Sky Diver

Atari, Sears, Quelle

Atari 2600 port of Sky Diver.

Super Breakout

Atari, Sears

Atari 2600 port of Super Breakout. In Super Breakout, there are three different and more advanced game types from which the player can choose: Double gives the player control of two bats at the same time—one placed above the other—and two balls. Losing a life occurs only when both balls go out of play, and points are doubled while the player is able to juggle both balls without losing either. Cavity retains the single bat and ball of Breakout, but two other balls are enclosed on the other side of the wall, which the player must free before they, too, can be used to destroy additional bricks. Points are increased for this, but triple points are available if the player can keep all three balls in play. Progressive also has the single bat and ball, but as the ball hits the paddle, the entire wall gradually advances downwards step by step, gaining in speed the longer the ball lasts in play.

Warlords

Atari, Sears

Atari 2600 port of Warlords.

Star Raiders

Atari, Sears

Atari 2600 port of Star Raiders.

Steeplechase

Atari, Inc., Sears

Video Pinball

Atari, Sears, Zellers, Polyvox

Video Pinball is a loose simulation of an arcade pinball machine: ball launcher, flippers, bumpers, and spinners.

Championship Soccer

Atari, Sears, Polyvox

Championship Soccer is a soccer game where each team has one forward, two backs and a goalie. The forward and backs always run in formation. You only control the goalie when he has the ball, otherwise he is computer controlled.

Street Racer

Atari, Sears

Street Racer is an action racing game for one to four players played from an overhead view. The screen is split into two lanes; in one or two player games, each player has a lane. In three and four player games, players must share the lanes. Each game has a two minute and sixteen second time limit, and your goal is to earn as many points as possible by the end of this time. In addition to the basic racing version, several other game variations are included as well.

Video Olympics

Atari, Sears

Video Olympics a collection of games from Atari's popular arcade Pong series is one of the nine 2600 launch titles. The games are a collection of "bat and ball" style games, including several previously released by Atari as coin-ops in the early 1970s. The games are played using the 2600s paddle controllers and are for one to four players (three or four players requires a second set of paddle controllers). Each of the 10 main games have several variations to count the total of 50 games.

Astrosmash

Mattel Electronics, Sears, THQ Wireless, Microsoft Game Studios, Digiplay

In Astrosmash you control a laser canon at the bottom of the screen; your goal is to earn as many points as possible by destroying the various incoming meteors, bombs, and other objects. Points are earned for destroying objects, while points are lost for letting them get past you. Meteors are the most common item you need to defend yourself against. They come in various sizes and colors, and some even split into two smaller meteors when shot. Mixed in with the meteors are white spinning bombs. While letting a meteor get past you will only lower your score, you have to shoot the spinners. If one gets past, you will lose a life. On the more difficult levels, ufo's and guided missiles will also appear occasionally and attempt to destroy your canon.

Super Pong

Atari, Sears

Pong with three paddles per player and better ball physics.

Adventure

Atari, Sears, Polyvox

Adventure is a video game for the Atari 2600 video game console, released in 1980. In the game, the player controls a square avatar whose quest is to hunt an open world environment for a magical chalice, returning it to the golden castle. The game world is populated by roaming enemies: dragons, which can eat the avatar; and a bat, which randomly steals and hides items around the game world. Adventure was designed and programmed by Atari employee Warren Robinett, and published by Atari, Inc. At the time, Atari programmers were generally given full control on the creative direction and development cycle for their games, and this required them to plan for their next game as they neared completion of their current one to stay productive. Robinett submitted the source code for Adventure to Atari management in June 1979 and soon left Atari. Atari released the game in early 1980.