List of Atari arcade games

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Atari was an early pioneer in the video game industry, in fact, they virtually created the industry with their introduction of the arcade game Pong. The brand name "Atari" was used for many years and applied to several other entities that developed products ranging from arcade video games to home video game consoles to home computers to video games for personal computers.

Below is a list of arcade video games produced by Atari. These games were produced by Atari, Inc. from 1972 to 1984 starting with Pong and Atari Games from 1984 to 2000. Atari no longer manufacturers arcade games and, in fact, the entity that now owns the brand name (French company, Infogrames) never has.

For a full list of games developed or published by Atari from 1972 to 1984, see List of Atari, Inc. games.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.
Legend
Vector display
Raster display
Unreleased

0-9[]

Name Year Max Players Description
720° 1986 2, alternating A skateboarding game with a unique joystick which moves in a circular fashion.

A[]

Name Year Max Players Description
A.P.B. 1987 1 The player as "Officer Bob" drives around the city from an overhead view, catches criminals and issues fines.
1988 2, simultaneous A futuristic racing game where players race on twisting tubes.
Akka Arrh 1982 2, alternating An unreleased prototype space shooter in which the player must defend a spaceship from approaching enemies and prevent them from building a cannon.
Anti-Aircraft 1975 2, simultaneous Each player controls an anti-aircraft gun and tries to shoot down more aircraft than their opponent.
1992 2, simultaneous Player can select from enhanced versions of earlier Atari games, Super Centipede or Missile Command II, both of which allow for two-player simultaneous play.
Area 51 1995 2, simultaneous The players attempt to kill the aliens and their mothership.
Area 51/Maximum Force Duo 1998 2, simultaneous Players can choose to play either of the previous games, Area 51 or Maximum Force.
Area 51: Site 4 1998 2, simultaneous An updated version of Atari's 1995 game with better graphics and smoother animation.
Asteroids 1979 2, alternating The player must avoid floating asteroids and blast them to smithereens. Alien spacecraft must also be avoided or killed. One of Atari's biggest hits.
Asteroids Deluxe 1980 2, alternating Sequel to Asteroids featuring harder gameplay, shields and automatic firing.
1979 2, simultaneous A black and white video game of baseball where player compete against one another.
Atari Basketball 1979 2, simultaneous A black and white basketball game where players can compete head-to-head.
Atari Football 1979 2 or 4, simultaneous A black and white American football game where players are represented by X's and O's.
1978 1 An unreleased black and white mini-golf game.
1979 2 or 4, simultaneous A black and white video game of soccer with players with X's and O's atop their heads.
Avalanche 1978 2, alternating Players attempt to catch falling rocks via several paddles. Black and white, but uses a color overlay.

B[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Badlands 1989 2, simultaneous An auto racing game with guns set in a post-apocalyptic world.
Batman 1990 2, alternating The player takes on the role of the Caped Crusader participating in scenes taken from the 1989 film of the same name. Scenes are varied and include a final confrontation with The Joker.
Battlezone 1980 1 A big hit for Atari, the player controls a tank from the point-of-view from inside the tank. Novel controls, game cabinet and graphics made this a standout.
1993 2, simultaneous A competitive rhythm game. Never released into full production.
Beavis and Butt-Head 1996 2, simultaneous A prototype of a game based on the animated TV series; never released.
Black Widow 1982 2, alternating The player is a spider at the middle of a web, trying to defend it from enemies.
Blasteroids 1987 2, simultaneous Players blast asteroids and other targets and try to catch powerups to upgrade their weapons.
1991 1 An unreleased motorcycle racing game.
Boxing 1977 2, simultaneous An unreleased black and white prototype of a boxing game.
1980 1 A special-purpose version of Battlezone for the U.S. military. Players do not control the tank as in the original game, only the tank turret.
Breakout 1976 2, alternating Players break down a wall at the top of the screen with a ball and paddle.

C[]

Name Year Max Players Description
California Speed 1998 1 A racing game with several different tracks set in California.
1976 2, alternating An unreleased black and white game where the player tries to fire a human cannonball through an opening in a wall.
Canyon Bomber 1977 2, simultaneous Players control blimps which fly over a canyon dropping bombs. Canyon "boulders" are worth different points. Black and white.
Centipede 1980 2, alternating A big hit for Atari, the player controls the character at the bottom and shoots a segmented centipede as it advances down the screen through a field of mushrooms. Other enemies, such as spiders and fleas, also threaten the player.
Championship Sprint 1986 2, simultaneous A racing game in which players attempt to beat each other around tracks while avoiding hazards.
Cloak & Dagger 1983 2, alternating The player attempts to destroy Dr. Boom's underground bomb factory. Featured in a film of the same name.
1983 2, alternating The player shoots down clouds in the sky that threaten to flood his chamber at the bottom of the screen.
1994 1 A laserdisc game based on the TV series of the same name; players must shoot criminals or chase after them in their patrol car.
1976 4, simultaneous A black and white game; players can choose to be cops and shoot at and stop robbers or vice versa.
Crash 'N Score 1975 2, simultaneous A black and white demolition derby game where the object is to hit randomly appearing numbered pylons.
Crystal Castles 1983 2, alternating A moderate success, the player controls a bear character to collect crystals along paths in various caves with avoiding enemies. The player can find and use various powerups and secrets.
Cyberball 1988 4, simultaneous Robotic football of the future. Robots can explode with the ball if it reaches critical temperature. Players can upgrade robots from funds from successful plays.
Cyberball 2072 1989 2, simultaneous American football with robots.
1993 2, simultaneous A futuristic one-on-one fighting game with robots.

D[]

Name Year Max Players Description
1992 2, simultaneous A two-player brawler which takes place on a train.
Destroyer 1977 1 A black and white game,;the player moves a destroyer along the top of the water and drops depths charges towards enemy subs.
Doctor Pong 1973 2, simultaneous A black and white game; a free-to-play variant of Pong designed specifically for pediatricians' waiting rooms.
Dominos 1977 2, simultaneous A black and white game; players try to make a competitor's domino trail run into theirs.
1977 2, simultaneous A black and white game; players compete in a drag race.

E[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Empire Strikes Back 1985 1 A sequel to the very successful Star Wars, this game features a color vector display and digitized voice samples as the player battles Imperial Walkers, TIE fighters and navigates asteroid fields.
Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters 1989 2, simultaneous An alien race is holding hostages on a planet. The player must rescue them, destroying aliens in the process.

F[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Fire Truck 1978 2, simultaneous A black and white game; the player drives a fire truck through twisting city streets. In two-player mode, both players cooperatively drive the truck, one in front, one in back.
Firebeast 1983 2, alternating An unreleased prototype also known as Dragon Master, this game was apparently inspired by Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series of books. Riding a flying dragon, the player must destroy silver threads before they reach the ground and start fires.
Firefox 1984 1 Based on the film of the same name, the player pilots and experimental craft as he attempts to blast enemies and gain enough fuel to finish the level.
1976 2, simultaneous A black and white baseball game.
Food Fight 1983 2, alternating The player attempts to gathers piles of food and hurl them at angry chefs as he attempts to reach and eat an ice cream cone before it melts.
1996 2, simultaneous A puzzle game; the player must try to match three of the same colored fish in a row.

G[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Gauntlet 1985 4, simultaneous A huge hit for Atari, released during the Dungeons & Dragons craze, Gauntlet features four adventurers exploring a dungeon. "Health" continually runs out, requiring players to steadily pump credits into the game.
Gauntlet II 1986 4, simultaneous A sequel to Gauntlet. Profitable, though not as big a hit as the original.
Gauntlet Legends 1998 4, simultaneous A sequel to Gauntlet. Though it sportedsome innovative features, it garnered a lukewarm reception.
1975 4, simultaneous A foosball-like game, with paddles instead of players.
Gotcha 1973 2, simultaneous Two-player maze game where the players try to catch each other.
Gran Trak 10 1974 1 A black and white driving game where the player races around a track for points.
1974 2, simultaneous A black and white racing game. Players drive cars around a track for points.
Gravitar 1982 2, alternating A difficult shoot-em up, where gravity factors into the gameplay.
Guardians of the 'Hood 1992 3, simultaneous Players attempt to break up gangs that have taken over the character's neighborhood.
1989 2, simultaneous An unreleased military-style shoot 'em up with multiple missions.

H[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Hard Drivin' 1989 1 Players test drive a high-powered sports car on different stunt courses.
Hard Drivin's Airborne 1993 1 An unreleased sequel to Hard Drivin', in this racing game, the player controls a car that can transform into an airplane.
Hi-way 1975 2, alternating A black and white driving game where players must avoid oncoming traffic.
2000 1 An unreleased sequel to the San Francisco Rush series.
Hydra 1990 1 The player drives a hovercraft trying to deliver secret documents. He must avoid mines and other obstacles.

I[]

Name Year Max Players Description
I, Robot 1983 2, alternating The player controls a robot and destroys 3D shapes to progress to further levels.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1985 2, alternating An action game based on movie of the same name, this game puts the player in the role of the famed archeologist as he tries to rescue children and retrieve the Sankhara stones.
Indy 4 1976 4, simultaneous A four-player racing game.
Indy 800 1975 8, simultaneous An eight-player racing game.

J[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Jet Fighter 1975 2, simultaneous Players fly around the screen, behind clouds and open sky and fire missiles at each other.

K[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Klax 1989 2, simultaneous A tile-matching puzzle game where players must match falling blocks by color.

L[]

Name Year Max Players Description
1984 1 Unreleased prototype. The player shoots down enemy spaceships in 3D. Based on the film of the same name.
LeMans 1976 1 A black and white driving game. Players drive a car around a track using a steering wheel controller and other authentic driving apparatus.
Liberator 1982 2, alternating The player controls four cannons facing a planet. Using a track ball and cannons, the player can shoot down incoming missiles and destroy planetary bases.
Lunar Lander 1979 1 Atari's first vector game. The player pilots a lunar landing module, trying to guide it to an appropriate landing site and set it down gently so it doesn't disintegrate on impact.

M[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Mace: The Dark Age 1997 2, simultaneous In this fighting game, players try to wrest control of the dark magic of the Mace of Tanis from the demon Asmodeus.
Major Havoc 1983 2, alternating The player must defeat the enemy's defenses, dock with the enemy mothership and blow it up.
Marble Madness 1984 2, simultaneous A hit for Atari. Using a trackball, players guide their marbles around a geometrically Escher-like landscape.
Marble Man: Marble Madness II 1991 3, simultaneous An unreleased sequel to their hit Marble Madness. Up to three players control marbles around a fanciful landscape.
Maximum Force 1997 2, simultaneous A shooting game; the players battle a terrorist organization.
1981 2, alternating A shoot 'em up game in a maze with moving walls.
1994 4, simultaneous A destruction derby game where points are awarded based on how much the player damages opponents' vehicles.
Millipede 1982 2, alternating A sequel to Atari's hit Centipede, this game features harder gameplay and a larger variety of enemy bugs.
Missile Command 1980 2, alternating Another huge hit for Atari. The player defends cities from incoming ballistic missiles with three anti-missile installations. Missile blasts take out incoming warheads.
Missile Command 2 1982 2, simultaneous An unreleased sequel to Missile Command, this game introduced simultaneous multiplayer action to the game.
1980 1 Player drives a car through a twisting road viewed from above.
1992 2, simultaneous A motorcycle racing game where players can compete on a variety of different tracks.

N[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Night Driver 1976 1 A black and white driving game where the player only see the reflectors to the side of the road.

O[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Off the Wall 1991 2, simultaneous Players try to break through a block formation using a paddle and ball to get to the next level.
1978 2, simultaneous A Star Trek-inspired game. Two players try to destroy each other's ships, which are shaped like ships from the Star Trek universe.
Outlaw 1976 1 A black and white game where the player tries to outdraw his computer opponent.

P[]

Name Year 1 Description
Paperboy 1984 1 The player controls a paperboy on a bicycle as he delivers newspapers on his route. Players must navigate around obstacles, deliver papers to correct houses and attempt to vandalize non-customers' homes. Notable for custom bicycle handlebar control and high resolution raster display.
Peter Pack Rat 1985 2, alternating The player plays a rat and must collect a variety of objects while avoiding enemy animals.
Pin-Pong 1974 2, alternating A black and white video game version of pinball.
Pit-Fighter 1990 3, simultaneous A fighting game where players can choose to be a variety of different types of fighters.
Pong 1972 2, simultaneous A simulated table tennis game where the player competes against an opponent for the highest number of points. First extremely successful video game, the game that launched the video game industry.
Pong Doubles 1973 4, simultaneous A four-player version of Pong with up to four players playing simultaneously. Upright and cocktail versions were produced of this variant. It was released as Coupe Du Monde in France.
1977 2, simultaneous A black and white video game version of billiards.
Primal Rage 1994 2, simultaneous The player controls a dinosaur or a giant ape and fights head-to-head against an opponent dinosaur.
Primal Rage II 1996 2, simultaneous Exists only as a prototype. The player's monster can morph into its human representation.
Pursuit 1974 1 The player flies a biplane in World War I and tries to shoot down enemy aircraft.

Q[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Quadrapong 1974 4, simultaneous Similar to Pong, in this four-player variant, players must protect their goal.
Quantum 1982 2, alternating Player must capture particles with their probe's tail.
Quiz Show 1976 2, alternating A multiple-choice question and answer game.
Qwak 1982 2, alternating Unreleased prototype. The player shifts blocks with paths on them to create a safe path for a duck and her ducklings.
Qwak! 1974 1 Not to be confused with Qwak, this is a duck hunting game.

R[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Race Drivin' 1990 1 A fairly standard racing game with a variety of types of tracks, such as stunt or autocross.
Rampart 1990 3, simultaneous Players build up castles and then assault other players' towers or enemy boats. Players can reinforce their castles before another round of assault. Play continues in this fashion.
Rebound 1974 2, simultaneous A black and white volleyball game. Players use paddle controllers to serve the ball over the net in the middle of the screen.
Red Baron 1980 1 A World War I flight/combat simulator. Players attack other planes and score higher points for long-range kills.
Relief Pitcher 1992 2, simultaneous A baseball game with a number of advanced features; allows for detailed customization.
Return of the Jedi 1984 1 A sequel to Atari's two previous Star Wars games, this one breaks from the standard set by the previous two by featuring raster graphics. The player competes in three stages inspired by the film.
Road Blasters 1987 1 In a futuristic setting, the player drives an advanced car and must attack enemy cars, collect fuel globes and catch power-ups. Atari provided a contest that players could win a special T-Shirt by completing all of the levels.
Road Burners 1999 8, simultaneous A motorcycle racing game set in several famous cities around the world.
Road Riot 4WD 1991 1 An off-road driving and . Players can choose from a variety of tracks.
1993 2, simultaneous An offroad racing game where the player uses weapons to hinder opponent trucks.
Road Runner 1985 2, alternating The player controls the eponymous character trying to collect birdseed and avoid Wile E. Coyote's traps. Based on the popular cartoons with the same characters.
1982 2, alternating The player pilots a speeding train trying to collect mailbags and avoid collisions with other trains.

S[]

Name Year Max Players Description
S.T.U.N. Runner 1989 1 The player drives a futuristic motorcycle-like vehicle. Running time trials, he can hinder other players with his weapons, including the eponymous S.T.U.N. gun.
San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing 1996 2, simultaneous A racing game set in San Francisco, California.
San Francisco Rush: The Rock 1997 2, simultaneous A sequel to San Francisco Rush with extra, harder tracks, including one set on the former prison island, Alcatraz.
San Francisco Rush 2049 1999 2, simultaneous A sequel to San Francisco Rush, a futuristic racing game which takes place in the eponymous city.
1979 1 An unreleased first-person racing game.
Shark Jaws 1975 2, alternating The player is a diver trying to catch small fish while a great white shark tries to eat him.
1990 2, alternating A video game of horseshoes with a distinct redneck theme.
Skull & Crossbones 1989 2, simultaneous The players control pirates on a quest to kill the evil wizard, along the way battling and dispatching enemies.
Sky Diver 1978 2, simultaneous The player tries to land a skydiver to a marked position on the ground, accounting for wind speed and timing the opening of the diver's chute.
1978 1 The player pilots an aircraft and tries to destroy as many of a variety of enemies as possible in the allotted time.
Smokey Joe 1978 1 One-player version of Fire Truck where the player drives a fire engine through a crowded street to a fire and must avoid obstacles such as parked cars.
1979 4, alternating An unreleased space-themed video pinball game.
Space Duel 1982 2, simultaneous A space combat game where players fight one another and shoot various geometric objects which float about.
Space Lords 1992 8, simultaneous An ambitious space combat game with numerous options where the player has to complete several phases of the game.
Space Race 1973 2, simultaneous Player attempts to guide a spaceship to the top of the screen, avoiding asteroids along the way.
1992 2, simultaneous A puzzle game where players attempt to connect both sides of a pit using falling blocks.
Sprint 1 1978 1 A racing game with a variety of tracks with hazards.
Sprint 2 1976 2, simultaneous The first game in Atari's Sprint line of racing games.
Sprint 4 1977 4, simultaneous A racing game with a variety of tracks with hazards.
Sprint 8 1977 8, simultaneous An 8-player variant of Atari's Sprint line of racing games.
Star Wars 1983 1 A big hit for Atari. The player pilots an X-wing fighter attacking the Death Star, a scene inspired by the hit movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Use of digitized voice samples from the film and slick vector graphics helped this game attract a lot of attention.
Starship 1 1976 1 The player pilots a spaceship around planets and shoots enemy spacecraft.
Steel Talons 1991 2, simultaneous Players pilot a virtual helicopter and compete head-to-head or cooperate to destroy ground targets. Features 3D polygonal graphics.
Steeplechase 1975 6, simultaneous A horse racing game. Horses and riders are represented in simple rows on the game screen. Players must make horses jump over obstacles on the way to the finish line.
1990 1 An unreleased sequel to Hard Drivin' with a variety of types of tracks, such as stunt or autocross.
Stunt Cycle 1976 2, alternating A black and white motorcycle racing game where players attempt to perform stunts.
1977 2, simultaneous Player attempts to torpedo an unseen sub as many times as possible in allotted time.
Super Breakout 1978 2, alternating The player moves a paddle back and forth to bounce a ball into a wall of bricks, breaking bricks with each hit. The goal is to destroy all the bricks.
Super Bug 1977 1 A black and white driving game where the player drives a small car through a twisting course.
Super Pong 1974 2, simultaneous An enhanced version of Pong, with several new features. Harder than the original, and not very popular.
Super Sprint 1986 3, simultaneous An enhanced remake of the original Sprint line of racing games, with enhanced color graphics, better controls and more immersive gameplay.

T[]

Name Year Max Players Description
T-Mek 1994 4, simultaneous A 3D vehicular combat game where players must defeat their opponents while piloting a MEK vehicle.
Tank 1974 2, simultaneous An early tank combat game.
1975 2, simultaneous The sequel to Tank.
Tank 8 1976 8, simultaneous An 8-player version of Tank. Also the first Atari game to use a CPU.
Tempest 1980 2, alternating Players control a crab-shaped ship and must destroy incoming enemies which slide down tunnels towards them. A very successful game for Atari, Tempest was one of the first games to feature color vector graphics.
1996 2, simultaneous Unreleased one-on-one fighting game with the 3D characters modeled in an anime style. Similar to other one-on-one fighting games of the time, such as Tekken and SoulCalibur.
Tetris 1988 2, simultaneous One of the most popular video games of all time in all media combined, Tetris is a puzzle game where players try to stack differently shaped blocks into solid rows.
ThunderJaws 1990 2, simultaneous The player is an elite underwater special agent tasked to infiltrate Madam Q's headquarters and stop her nefarious plans.
1983 1 An unreleased and unfinished flight combat game where the player controls an F-14 Tomcat.
Toobin' 1988 2, simultaneous A popular game for Atari. Up to two players paddle down a stream full of rapids and other obstacles, including targets to toss cans at. Atari provided a contest that players could win a special T-Shirt by collecting all of the letters in the game's name, including the apostrophe.
Touch Me 1974 4, simultaneous A timing/pattern game similar to the popular electronic game Simon. Later converted into a handheld electronic game.
Tournament Cyberball 2072 1989 4, simultaneous Players compete against each other or the computer in a football game played by robots. Winners receive money to upgrade their robots.
Tournament Table 1978 4, simultaneous Features a number of selectable and graphically similar simple games (such as Pong and Soccer). For one to four players.
Triple Hunt 1977 1 A black and white hunting video game.

U[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Ultra Tank 1978 2, simultaneous The final game in the Tank series. Options allow the battlefield to be open or have barriers.

V[]

Name Year Max Players Description
1998 2, simultaneous A futuristic racing game where players pilot flying vehicles.
1996 2, simultaneous Unreleased violent 3D fighting game.
Video Pinball 1978 4, alternating A video game version of pinball. The playfield is a color cardboard cutout and the black-and-white video is reflected on top of it.
Vindicators 1988 2, simultaneous A tank combat game where players fight the evil enemy, the Tangent Empire. Play is from a top-down perspective. Atari provided a contest that players could win a special T-Shirt by completing the contest level in 30 seconds.
Vindicators Part II 1988 2, simultaneous A stripped-down version of the original Vindicators.

W[]

Name Year Max Players Description
War: Final Assault 1999 4, simultaneous A first person shooter with players located in a maze.
Warlords 1980 4, simultaneous Players defend their castles with shields and can capture and fling fireballs at opposing castles. Fireballs destroy portions of opposing castles when they strike.
Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey 1996 4, simultaneous A joint venture with Midway Games, a hockey game featuring 3D graphics.
1978 1 An unreleased submarine hunting game with a unique periscope controller.

X[]

Name Year Max Players Description
Xybots 1987 2, simultaneous Players traverse a maze with an over-the-shoulder viewpoint of their characters. Players must destroy robots and other enemies along the way. Players have the option to buy upgrades between levels.
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