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Atari 2600

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Atari2600a

The 4-switch model of the 2600 released in 1980-'82

The Atari 2600, formerly known Atari Video Computer System or Atari VCS, is an 8-bit home game console released by Atari Inc. in September 11, 1977. One of the earliest known successful video game consoles, the 2600 went from 1977 to 1992 during its lifespan. It competed with the Intellivision and ColecoVision and is by far the best-selling system of its generation, with 30 million units sold. It is also one of the first home consoles to use ROM cartridges that contain game code; It is said that the 2600 was the first to use the plug in idea. The controllers include two joysticks and a pair of paddle controls. Although the Atari VCS is rather primitive by current standards, it has since become a regular name among many people to this day. Some of the 2600's best known games include Space Invaders, Missile Command, Asteroids, Adventure, Berzerk, Yars' Revenge, Pole Position, Pitfall!, and more.

Design, Creation, and Release[]

Throughout the early and mid 1970s, Atari Inc. were looking into next generation video game systems by giving the job to Cyan Engineering to research on it. They built a prototype in 1975 which they called Stella which the core was made into a complete CPU. The total chip count became four. While most video game and computer programming were stored on disk and cassette tape, Atari Inc. decided to put the programming of the games on cartridges. Bushnell sold the company to Time Warner to get the system to be produced fast. Later a chip designer put an entire load of equipment making TIA into a single custom chip. In 1977, it was released and ready for shipping. The retail price for the Atari 2600 was $189.95 (a staggering $1,011.06 as of 2025) in the U.S. and the pack-in game was Combat.

Atari vcs

A "Light Sixer" Atari 2600 with all the switches up front.

During this time the console took on the Fairfield VCS (Video Computer System). Many companies went out of business for their numerous Pong clones leaving Atari and Fairfield selling games to the public. The very first VCS model was nicknamed the "Heavy Sixer" for having the full six switches on the front and weighing heavier than later revisions. Soon more and more people stared buying the 2600s. Fairfield left the industry and Atari Inc. had no real competition. As of the Christmas season of 1979, the 2600 was selling as the best Christmas gift selling over 1 million units. Then, in 1982, the Atari VCS became known as the 2600 due to the release of its commercially unsuccessful successor the Atari 5200. Sears continued selling these calling them in the Tele-Games brand. However, by 1983, developers of games for the 2600 started making games that were sold poorly and mocked by people. Alongside its failed yet best-selling Pac-Man port, Atari Inc. had developed a game based on the movie E.T. Extra Terrestrial but its 2600 adaptation became known as one of the worst video games in history. A company called Mystique developed the game Custer's Revenge, a pornographic game. Many people including Native Americans and woman's rights movements became angry at this game calling the game a simulation of rape. However the Atari 2600 continued to sell throughout the following years in spite of the 1983 crash.

The Atari 2600 was redesigned many times and was officially discontinued in 1992. It is the longest running video game console of all time in North America and has sold more than 30 million units as of 2004.

In 2023, Atari Inc. released the Atari 2600+, a smaller, modern replica of the original version where it can play stock 2600 and Atari 7800 cartridges.

List of Games on the Atari 2600[]

There are 523 games released on the Atari 2600 in total. Some of them are ports from their original arcade counterparts.

A[]

  • A Mysterious Thief (Vidco) - Prototype
  • A-Team (Atari) - Prototype
  • Acid Drop (Salu Ltd) - 1992 - a puzzle game; the very last official game in the Atari 2600's lifespan
  • Actionauts(Atari)- 2008 (Originally supposed to be released in 1983)
  • Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Mystery (M-Network) - Prototype
  • Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin (M-Network) - Prototype
  • Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (M-Network)
  • Adventure (Atari) - 1980
  • Adventures of the Pink Panther (Probe 2000) - Prototype
  • Adventures of Tron (M-Network) - 1982
  • Airlock (Data Age) - 1982 - an action game; It received mediocre reviews from critics.[1]
  • Air Raid (MenAVision)
  • Air Raiders (M-Network) - 1982
  • Air-Sea Battle (Atari) - 1977
  • Alien (20th Century Fox) - 1982
  • Alien's Return (Home Vision) - 1983
  • Alligator People (20th Century Fox) - Prototype
  • Alpha Beam with Ernie (Atari) - 1983
  • Amidar (Parker Brothers) - 1982
  • Anteater (M-Network) - Prototype
  • Aquaventure (Atari) - Prototype
  • Arcade Pinball (Sears)
  • Armor Ambush (M-Network) - 1982
  • Artillery Duel/Chuck Norris Superkicks (Xonox) - 1983
  • Artillery Duel/Ghost Manor (Xonox) - 1983
  • Artillery Duel/Spike's Peak (Xonox) - 1983
  • Artillery Duel (Xonox) - 1983
  • Assault (Bomb) - 1983
  • Asterix (PAL) (Atari) - 1983
  • Asteroids (Atari) - 1981
  • Astrosmash (M-Network) - 1982
  • Atari Video Cube (Atari) - 1983
  • Atlantis (Imagic) - 1982
  • Atlantis II (Imagic) - 1982

B[]

C[]

D[]

  • Dancing Plate (Bit Corporation) - 1982
  • Dare Diver (Sears)
  • Dark Cavern (M-Network) - 1982
  • Dark Chambers (Atari) - 1988
  • Deadly Discs (Telegames) - 1983
  • Deadly Duck (20th Century Fox) - 1982
  • Death Trap (Avalon Hill) - 1983
  • Decathlon (Activision) - 1983
  • Deep Scan (Sega) - 1983
  • Defender (Atari) - 1982
  • Defender II (Atari) - 1988
  • Demolition Herby (Telesys) - 1983
  • Demon Attack (Imagic) - 1982
  • Demons to Diamonds (Atari) - 1982
  • Desert Falcon (Atari) - 1987
  • Diagnostic Cartridge (Atari)
  • Dice Puzzle (Panda Computer Games) - 1983
  • Dig Dug (Atari) - 1983
  • Dishaster (Zimag) - 1982
  • Dodge 'Em (Atari) - 1980
  • Dodger Cars (Sears) - 1980
  • Dolphin (Activision) - 1983
  • Donald Duck's Speedboat (Atari) - Prototype
  • Donkey Kong (Coleco) - 1982
  • Donkey Kong Jr (Coleco) - 1983
  • Double Dragon (Activision) - 1989
  • Double Dunk (Atari) - 1988
  • Dragon Treasure (Zellers)
  • Dragonfire (Imagic) - 1982
  • Dragonstomper (cassette) (Starpath) - 1982
  • Dragster (Activision) - 1980
  • Dumbo's Flying Circus (Atari) - Prototype

E[]

  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Atari) - 1982
  • Earth Attack (Zellers)
  • Earth Dies Screaming (20th Century Fox) - 1982
  • Eggomania (US Games) - 1982
  • Elevator Action (Prototype) (Atari) - 1983
  • Eli's Ladder (Simage) - 1982
  • Encounter at L-5 (Data Age) - 1982
  • Enduro (Activision) - 1983
  • Entombed (US Games) - 1982
  • Escape From The Mindmaster (Cassette) (Starpath) - 1982
  • Espial (Tigervision) - 1984
  • Exocet (Panda Computer Games) - 1983
  • Exocet Missile (John Sands)

F[]

  • Fall Guy (20th Century Fox) - Prototype
  • Fantastic Voyage (20th Century Fox) - 1982
  • Fast Eddie (20th Century Fox) - 1982
  • Fast Food (Telesys) - 1982
  • Fatal Run (Atari) - 1990
  • Fathom (Imagic) - 1983
  • Fighter Pilot (Activision) -
  • Final Approach (Apollo) - 1982
  • Fire Fighter (Imagic) - 1982
  • Fire Fly (Mythicon)
  • Fireball (cassette) (Starpath)
  • Fisher Price (CCE)
  • Fishing Derby (Activision) - 1980
  • Flag Capture (Atari) - 1978
  • Flash Gordon (20th Century Fox) - 1983
  • The Fly (US Games)
  • Football (Atari) - 1978
  • Frankenstein's Monster (Data Age) - 1983
  • Freeway (Activision) - 1981
  • Frogger (Parker Brothers) - 1982
  • Frogger, The Official (cassette) (Starpath) - 1983
  • Frogger II: Threeedeep! (Parker Brothers) - 1984
  • Frogs and Flies (M-Network) - 1982
  • Front Line (Coleco) - 1983
  • Frostbite (Activision) - 1983
  • Funky Fish (UA Limited) - Prototype
  • Fun With Numbers (Atari) - 1978

G[]

  • G.I. Joe: Cobra Strike (Parker Brothers) - 1983
  • Galaxian (Atari) - 1983
  • Gangster Alley (Spectravision) - 1983
  • Garfield (Atari) - Prototype
  • Gas Hog (Spectravision) - 1983
  • Gauntlet (Answer Software) - 1983
  • Ghost Manor/Spike's Peak (Xonox) - 1983
  • Ghost Manor (Xonox) - 1983
  • Ghostbusters (Activision) - 1985
  • Ghostbusters II (Salu) - 1990
  • Gigolo (Playaround) - 1982
  • Glacier Patrol (Telegames) - 1983
  • Glib (Selchow and Righter) - 1983
  • Golf (Atari) - 1980
  • Golf (Sears) - 1980
  • Good Luck, Charlie Brown (Atari) - Prototype
  • Gopher (US Games) - 1982
  • Gorf (CBS Electronics) - 1982
  • Grand Prix (Activision) - 1982
  • Gravitar (Atari) - 1983
  • Great Escape (Bomb) - 1983
  • Gremlins (Atari) - 1984
  • Grover's Music Maker (Atari) - Prototype
  • Guardian (Apollo) - 1982
  • Gunslinger (Sears) - 1978
  • Gyruss (Parker Brothers) - 1983

H[]

  • H.E.R.O. (Activision) - 1984
  • Halloween (Wizard Video) - 1983
  • Hangman (Atari) - 1978
  • Harbor Escape (Panda Computer Games) - 1983
  • Haunted House (Atari) - 1982
  • Holey Moley (Atari) - Prototype
  • Home Run (Atari) - 1978
  • Human Cannonball (Atari) - 1979
  • Hunt & Score (Atari) - 1978

I[]

  • I Want My Mommy (Zimag) - 1982
  • Ice Hockey (Activision) - 1981
  • Inca Gold (Zellers)
  • Ikari Warriors (Atari) - 1990
  • Immies & Aggies (Zimag/Emag/VidCo) - Prototype
  • In Search of the Golden Skull (M-Network) - Prototype
  • Incredible Hulk (Parker Brothers) - Prototype
  • Indy 500 (Atari) - 1977
  • Infiltrate (Apollo) - 1982
  • International Soccer (M-Network) - 1982
  • Intuition (Tigervision) - Prototype
  • Ixion (video game) (Sega) - Prototype

J[]

  • James Bond 007 (Parker Brothers) - 1983
  • Jawbreaker (Tigervision) - 1982
  • Journey Escape (Data Age) - 1982
  • Joust (Atari) - 1983
  • Jr. Pac-Man (Atari) - 1986
  • Jungle Fever (Playaround) - 1982
  • Jungle Hunt (Atari) - 1983

K[]

  • Kabobber (Activision) - Prototype
  • Kaboom! (Activision) - 1981
  • Kangaroo (Atari) - 1983
  • Karate (Ultravision) - 1983
  • Keystone Kapers (Activision) - 1983
  • Killer Satellites (Cassette) (Starpath) - 1982
  • King Kong (Tigervision) - 1982
  • Klax (Atari) - 1990
  • Knight on the Town (Playaround) - 1982
  • Kool-Aid Man (M-Network) - 1983
  • Kreuzfeuer (Spectravision) - Prototype
  • Krull (Atari) - 1983
  • Kung-Fu Master (Activision) - 1987
  • Kyphus (Apollo) - Prototype

L[]

  • Lady in Wading (Playaround) - 1982
  • Laser Blast (Activision) - 1981
  • Laser Gates (Imagic) - 1983
  • Laser Volley (Zellers) - 1983
  • Lasercade (20th Century Fox) - Prototype
  • Lochjaw (Apollo) - 1982
  • Lock 'N Chase (M-Network) - 1982
  • Locomotion (M-Network) - Prototype
  • London Blitz (Avalon Hill) - 1983
  • Lord of the Rings: Journey to Rivendell (Parker Brothers) - Prototype
  • Lost Luggage (Apollo) - 1982

M[]

  • M*A*S*H (20th Century Fox) - 1982
  • M.A.D. (US Games) - 1982
  • Magicard (Commavid) - 1981
  • Malagai (Answer Software) - 1983
  • Mangia' (Spectravision) - 1983
  • Marauder (Tigervision) - 1982
  • Marine Wars (Konami) - 1983
  • Mario Bros. (Atari) - 1983
  • Mark of the Mole (Atari) - Prototype
  • Master Builder (Spectravision) - 1983
  • Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man (M-Network) - 1983
  • Math (Sears) - 1977
  • Math Gran Prix (Atari) - 1982
  • Maze (Sears) - 1978
  • Maze Craze: A Game of Cops and Robbers (Atari) - 1980
  • Maze Mania (Sears) - 1980
  • McDonald's (Parker Brothers) - Prototype
  • MegaBoy (Dynacom)
  • Megaforce (20th Century Fox) - 1983
  • Megamania (Activision) - 1982
  • Meltdown (20th Century Fox) - Prototype
  • Memory Match (Sears)
  • Midnight Magic (Atari) - 1986
  • Millipede (Atari) - 1984
  • Miner 2049er II (Tigervision) - 1983
  • Miner 2049er (Tigervision) - 1982
  • Mines of Minos (CommaVid) - 1983
  • Miniature Golf (Atari) - 1979
  • Miss Piggy's Wedding (Atari) - Prototype (1983)
  • Missile Command (Atari) - 1981
  • Missile Control (Video Gems)
  • Mission 3000 A.D. (Bit Corporation)
  • Mission Survive (Video Gems)
  • Mogul Maniac (Amiga) - 1983
  • Monster Cise (Atari) - Prototype
  • Montezuma's Revenge: Starring Panama Joe (Parker Brothers) - 1984
  • Moon Patrol (Atari) - 1983
  • Moonsweeper (Imagic) - 1983
  • MotoRodeo (Atari) - 1990
  • Motocross Racer (Xonox) - 1984
  • Mountain King (CBS Electronics) - 1983
  • Mouse Trap (Coleco) - 1982
  • Mr. Do! (Coleco) - 1983
  • Mr. Do's Castle (Parker Brothers) - 1984
  • Mr. Postman (Bit Corporation) - 1983
  • Ms. Pac-Man (Atari) - 1983
  • My Golf (HES) - 1990
  • Mystery Science Theater 2600 (Hozer)
  • Mystic Castle (M-Network)
  1. ↑ http://www.atariage.com/software_page.html?SystemID=2600&SoftwareLabelID=980
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