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The 50 Best Atari Games of All Time

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The Best Atari Games of All Time

What are the 50 best Atari games of all time?

The original Atari debuted in 1972 as one of the first pioneering consoles in video game history.

However, despite being over 50 years old, this console remains incredibly popular with fans of retro games.

Today, we’re taking a trip back in time and paying homage to the greatest titles ever released on this classic console.

 

The 50 Best Atari Games of All Time

In order to create this list, we’ve rounded up the best games on the Atari based on sales, influence, and popularity.

Many of these games are not only important to the history of gaming, but they remain incredibly popular today.

So, let’s dive into some childhood memories with our list of the 50 best Atari games of all time:

 

50. E.T.

Best Atari Games E.T

This adventure game was released in 1982 and is based on a hit film of the same name.

The main objective of the game is to guide E.T. through different levels to collect pieces of an intergalactic communicator that will allow him to phone home.

Created in just over five weeks, this game was far from a commercial success and is, in fact, often used as a cautionary tale about rushed development.

Although it is often considered the worst video game ever made, it is also cited as one of the most important.

E.T. has since become legendary, and even as recently as 2013, patches have been released to add several unofficial fixes to the game.

 

49. Haunted House

Best Atari Games Haunted House

Haunted House is a 1982 adventure game where the player controls a pair of eyes while exploring a mansion for pieces of an urn.

The mansion is populated with different types of roaming enemies, including ghosts, tarantulas, and vampire bats.

This game is often considered one of the earliest examples of the survival horror genre, influencing even the best Resident Evil games of the modern era.

Several follow-up games have also been released, including a new version that came to the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii in 2010.

In 2022, a new game titled Haunted Houses was released with the Atari 50, boasting updated 3D graphics.

 

48. Dragster

Best Atari Games Dragster

Released for the Atari Video Computer System in 1980, Dragster is one of the first video games developed by Activision.

The objective of this game is to beat your opponent across the finish line or race against the clock for best-time achievements.

Capable of being played solo or with another player, this racing game is extremely simple but surprisingly fun.

It definitely stands out as one of the best early racing games and one of the greatest games to debut on the Atari.

 

47. Gravitar

Best Atari Games Gravitar

This multidirectional shooter was known for its difficulty, and in it, players control a small spacecraft that allows them to fly to planets and explore.

As the player moves onto a planet, a side-view landscape appears, but unlike many other games at the time, gravity mechanics are a factor.

When exploring the surface of a planet, the player’s ship will be constantly pulled down, forcing a lot of precision flying to prevent crashing.

There are also invisible levels with some of the most difficult planets that even the developers themselves have never been able to beat.

Gravitar is a fascinating game, and while it looks easy in screenshots, it is actually one of the most challenging games of its time.

 

46. Crystal Castles

Best Atari Games Crystal Castles

Crystal Castles is one of the most popular arcade games from 1983, and it follows Bentley Bear as he collects gems in various castles.

There are nine levels with four castles in each, plus a final level that contains only one castle, which, when cleared, ends the game.

All of the castles are a maze of hallways filled with items and gems that players can collect, and when all the gems have been found, the next level is unlocked.

This game was also included in the Atari Anniversary Edition compilation that was released in 2002 for the PS1, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Advance.

 

45. Pac-Man

Best Atari Games Pac Man

Pac-Man has become one of the most popular video game characters of all time, and almost everyone has heard of this classic series.

Originally released in 1980, this maze action game challenges the player to move Pac-Man through increasingly difficult levels without running into a ghost.

Each level ends when Pac-Man eats all of the dots, and power pellets can be grabbed to turn ghosts blue, so Pac-Man can also eat them for bonus points.

This game remains a commercial success, with countless remakes and sequels, including the 2022 Pac-Man World Re-Pac.

 

44. Megamania

Best Atari Games Megamania

This Atari 2600 game was released in 1982, with versions for the Atari 5200 and Atari 8-bit coming out the following year.

With gameplay that resembles Astro Blaster, Megamania challenges players to shoot down incoming objects before their energy bar is depleted.

Every 10,000 points scored gives the player another life, though there is a limit of six lives at a time.

If the player manages to exceed 999,999 points, the game will be complete, which is easier said than done!

 

43. Halloween

Best Atari Games Halloween

Released in 1983 and based on the film of the same name, Halloween allows players to control a teenage babysitter trying to save children from a knife-wielding killer.

Although it is based on the Halloween film, this game never refers to any of the main characters by name, though it isn’t lacking brutality.

If the babysitter is ever killed, her head disappears and is replaced by jets of blood that spurt out as she runs around dying.

The goal is to take as many kids as possible to safe rooms and stab the killer with a knife if the weapon can be found.

Seeing as most games nowadays have unkillable children, Halloween stands out as one of the most brutal Atari games, and many retailers at the time even refused to carry it.

 

42. Kung Fu Master

Best Atari Games Kung Fu Master

Developed as a popular arcade game in 1984, Kung Fu Master is heavily based on classic martial arts films.

In this game, players control the character of Thomas, a Kung Fu Master, as he fights through five levels in order to rescue his girlfriend from a crime boss.

While this game quickly topped the arcade charts in Japan, it also managed to become the second highest-grossing arcade game in America the same year.

Often considered one of the most influential games in the beat’em up brawler genre, this game has been the inspiration for many fighting games since its release.

 

41. Spider Fighter

Best Atari Games Spider Fighter

This fixed shooter was released in 1982 for the Artari 2600, and the goal of the game is to protect an orchard from invading insects.

In each level, players have to protect three pieces of fruit from being dragged off by enemy bugs.

The game ends if either the player’s blasters are destroyed, or all the fruit has been stolen, with the resulting score depending on how many bugs were shot.

While it wasn’t as successful as some of the other games published by Activision the same year, Spider Fighter was still known for its addictive gameplay.

 

40. Video Pinball

Best Atari Games Video Pinball

Released for the Atari VCS in 1980, this game was modeled on the classic arcade pinball machine, complete with spinners, bumpers, flippers, and a ball launcher.

The goal is to keep the ball in play for as long as possible by bouncing it around to increase your score.

When the ball falls below the flippers, the game will end, though many gamers will keep playing to try and get the highest scores possible.

If you’ve ever played a pinball game, you know how addicting it can be, so it’s no wonder that this Atari game has remained so popular.

 

39. Cosmic Ark

Best Atari Games Cosmic Ark

Cosmic Ark revolves around gathering specimens from other planets using a spaceship piloted by survivors from Atlantis.

In this game, players don’t have lives; rather, they start with 40 units of fuel, and the game ends if they run out.

Fuel is lost when firing shots or getting hit by meteors, though it can be gained by capturing life forms or destroying meteors.

Boasting both single and multiplayer modes, Cosmic Arc is a classic game that definitely stands out as one of the best Atari games ever made.

 

38. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Best Atari Games Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back

This franchise has come a long way, and while gamers today can play the best Minecraft Star Wars mods, in 1982, it was The Empire Strikes Back that was all the rage.

As the first-ever licensed Star Wars game, players get to control Luke Skywalker in a battle on the planet Hoth.

The main objective is to hold off the AT-ATs as long as possible before they are able to blow up the rebel’s power generator.

When it was released, The Empire Strikes Back quickly became one of the best-selling games of 1982, falling just behind Frogger.

 

37. Star Raiders

Best Atari Games Star Raiders

Star Raiders is a first-person space combat simulator that emulates a 3D space battle between the player and invading alien vessels.

Unlike other space games of the time, this one stands out for its higher-quality visuals and complex gameplay.

There are four difficulty levels to choose from, and each, aside from the lowest, requires players to steer their ships through hyperspace, dodging meteors and enemy fire.

This game proved to be so popular that in 2011 a re-imaging of Star Raiders was released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 with a new storyline and customizable ships.

 

36. Enduro

Best Atari Games Enduro

A precursor to the best PS5 racing games, Enduro revolves around players competing in an endurance race and having to pass a specific number of cars each day to progress.

Not only do the visuals change from day to night, but there are also occasional difficult weather conditions to deal with.

Enduro was named one of the best sports video games of 1984, and it was praised for boasting some of the best graphics of the time.

If you haven’t played this old-school game, you still might have seen it, as it features as a minigame in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

 

35. Mario Bros

Best Atari Games Mario Bros

Originally created as a spin-off from the Donkey Kong series, Mario Bros centers around the titular Italian plumber brothers, Mario and Luigi, as they exterminate sewer creatures.

This game was the first introduction of Luigi, who was created specifically for the multiplayer mode.

Despite being released during the video game crash of 1983, Mario Bros did surprisingly well and has since been re-released and ported on numerous consoles.

It even came to the Nintendo Switch as a part of the Arcade Archives in 2017, making it accessible to a new generation of gamers.

 

34. Donkey Kong

Best Atari Games Donkey Kong

This game, released in 1981, was Nintendo’s answer to Namco’s highly successful Pac-Man, and it marks Mario’s first appearance in a video game.

As Mario, players must try to rescue Pauline from the titular great ape by navigating through construction site platform levels.

Along with being Mario’s first appearance, this is the first instance of the damsel in distress scenario in video game history, which has since been used in countless games since.

It is estimated that by 2015, all versions of this original Atari game have earned a staggering $4.4 billion in revenue, owing to its revolutionary gameplay.

 

33. Secret Quest

Best Atari Games Secret Quest

 

This action-adventure game was released in 1989 for the Atari 2600, and it gives players control of a humanoid character fighting monsters on various space stations.

Along with taking out alien enemies, players also have to try and defuse a bomb set by the aliens and detonate other bombs in space using codes from the stations.

Secret Quest was also one of the last cartridges released for the Atari 2600, and it did very well, proving that the 1977 console could keep up with modern advancements.

Although it never got any significant remakes, this game was still very significant in the history of gaming.

 

32. Air-Sea Battle

Best Atari Games Air Sea Battle

Released for the Atari 2600, Air-Sea Battle was one of the original nine launch titles for the console.

There are a total of 27 games incorporated into Air-Sea Battle, including anti-aircraft, shooting gallery, torpedo, and bomber games.

Considered to be the ultimate game for people who enjoy blowing things up, Air-Sea Battle was very popular upon its release.

In 2003, this game was included in the Atari Anthology collection for the PS2 and Xbox, making it accessible to newer players.

 

31. Battlezone

Best Atari Games Battlezone

This FPS tank combat game made its debut in arcades in 1980 before being ported to the Atari 2600.

In Battlezone, players control a tank that is under attack, and the goal is to last as long as possible while taking out enemies.

Although this game wasn’t as successful as Asteroids, it still proved to be one of the biggest hits of the decade, with 15,000 arcade cabinets sold.

Its popularity rose even more once it was ported to the Atari home console, which added a third-person view.

 

30. Jungle Hunt

Best Atari Games Jungle Hunt

Jungle Hunt is a side-scrolling adventure game that was released for arcades in 1982, later being ported to the Atari 2600, 5200, and 8-bit.

This game is split into four chapters, each of which has different objectives, such as dodging boulders, swinging on vines, or evading cannibals.

In 1982, Jungle Hunt was the top-grossing arcade cabinet in the United States, and by the following year, over 18,000 cabinets had been sold.

Once it was ported to the Atari home console, its popularity continued to grow, and it was eventually included in the Taito Legends compilation for PS2 and Xbox in 2005.

 

29. Outlaw

Best Atari Games Outlaw

Developed by Atari in 1976, this single-player arcade game simulates a Wild West gun draw, and it was meant to compete with Gun Fight, released by Midway the previous year.

Players can select one of two characters; Pete, who is more accurate, or Billy, who can draw faster.

The goal is to shoot the opponent before getting shot, which will score points counting toward end-game rankings.

Despite not being a very complex game, Outlaw is an addictive game that quickly became one of the most popular Atari games ever made.

While it certainly isn’t as fleshed out as Red Dead Redemption 2, this western shooter has certainly impacted the genre.

 

28. Lunar Lander

Best Atari Games Lunar Lander

Released in 1979, this single-player game gives players control of a lunar landing module that they must try to land on the moon.

To do this, players can rotate the module and control the landing speed by firing a thruster so they can touch down gently in marked areas.

After each landing or crash, the game is reset with new terrain to navigate so that players can keep challenging their skills.

Although the release of Astroids soon overshadowed its popularity, Lunar Lander remains a classic game on the Atari.

 

27. River Raid

Best Atari Games River Raid

A vertically scrolling shooter, River Raid, was released in 1982 for the Atari 2600 home console, and over a million cartridges were initially sold.

Played from a top-down perspective, players have to fly a fighter jet during a raid over enemy lines, shooting tankers, helicopters, jets, and bridges for points.

Destroying bridges would also create checkpoints so that if the player ever crashes, they don’t have to start back at the beginning.

While River Raid was well received by many gamers, it was also the first to be banned for minors in West Germany due to its content and violence.

 

26. Berzerk

Best Atari Games Berzerk

Berzerk is a multidirectional shooter and one of the first games to feature speech synthesis.

This game includes a series of maze-like rooms filled with robots that the player must fight their way through while trying to find the end.

Often considered to be one of the greatest video games ever made, this shooter has been incredibly influential in the industry.

A precursor to the best PS5 FPS games, Berzerk laid the foundation for many modern shooters, becoming a pop culture icon in the process.

 

25. Spy Hunter

Best Atari Games Spy Hunter

A vehicular combat game, Spy Hunter, was released in 1983, and it takes a lot of inspiration from the James Bond franchise.

In this game, players control a car on a vertically scrolling road with the goal of making it to the freeway while destroying as many enemy vehicles as possible.

Periodically, the road will fork, transitioning players to different environments or weather conditions that can make things more challenging.

This game has been re-released numerous times due to popularity, most recently in 2012 in Midway Arcade Origins, a compilation for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

 

24. Stargate

Best Atari Games Stargate

Released in 1981, Stargate was created as a sequel to Defender, which came out earlier the same year.

This game adds new alien ships to fight against and gives the player’s ship a cloaking device that provides invulnerability when activated.

The goal of the game is to kill as many aliens as possible while catching humanoids when possible, all of which provide points.

Stargate was also known as Defender II in some home releases due to legal issues revolving around trademarks, though this change is seen mainly in later releases.

 

23. Defender

Best Atari Games Defender

The precursor to Stargate, Defender is a side-scrolling shooter where the player has to defeat waves of aliens while protecting astronauts.

One of the most important games during the golden age of video games, Defender is considered the first side-scrolling shoot ’em-up game ever made.

Despite being released in 1980, Defender is still seen in popular culture, including in the 2018 film, Avengers: Infinity War, where Groot can be seen playing it.

While it may not be as well-known anymore as the best Halo games, Defender has left a lasting legacy in the history of gaming.

 

22. Tempest

Best Atari Games Tempest

Developed in 1981 by Atari, this game takes place on a 3D surface that is divided into different lanes.

One of the first games to have a progressive level design, the goal of Tempest is to stay alive as long as possible while scoring points by shooting enemies.

While it was initially meant to be a first-person remake of Space Invaders, the early versions proved problematic, so this new design was implemented.

However, thanks to its gradual difficulty increase that kept people playing, Tempest quickly proved to be a great game on its own.

 

21. Joust

Best Atari Games Joust

Joust came to arcades in 1982 as a two-player co-op that quickly became one of the most popular games of all time.

In this game, players control a yellow knight on a flying ostrich, and if two players are playing, the second player will control a blue knight on a stork.

Throughout each level, players have to defeat enemies in waves with increasing difficulty while collecting eggs for bonus points.

This game had a huge impact on the gaming industry, inspiring many other titles, as well as being referenced in other games like World of Warcraft and Mortal Kombat 3.

 

20. Raiders of the Lost Ark

Best Atari Games Raiders of the Lost Ark

Based on the movie of the same name, this action-adventure game was created for the Atari 2600 in 1982.

This game gives players control of Indiana Jones as he searches for the Lost Ark of the Covenant.

Players are required to use two controllers, one to move Indiana Jones and the other to use or drop items.

Noted to be the best adventure game of its time, it may not look like much compared to the best PS5 third-person games, but it is definitely a fantastic Atari game.

 

19. Centipede

Best Atari Games Centipede

This fixed arcade shooter was one of the most commercially successful games from the golden age of video games and the first to have a significant female player base.

The goal of this game is to shoot down all segments of the centipede as it moves down the playing field.

Along with being popular at arcades, the home console version of this game sold over 1 million cartridges during its first year.

While it is a simple game overall, it is still hard enough that even the most experienced gamers can find it challenging.

Because of this, it is easy to keep playing it again and again to try and beat your latest high scores.

 

18. Q*bert

Best Atari Games Q Bert

Q*bert is a 2D action game interlaced with various puzzle elements that make this game a unique challenge.

The players’ main objective is to change every cube in the pyramid to a specific color so that Q*bert can climb to the top while avoiding enemies and obstacles.

This game was highly praised by fans and critics, leading to numerous sequels and a lot of band merchandising.

There was even an animated cartoon that aired on CBS in 1983, and Q*bert even shows up in modern films, including Wreck-It Ralph and Pixels.

 

17. Pole Position

Best Atari Games Pole Position

Giving players control of a Formula One racing car, this racing simulator is one of the most important to come out of the golden age of video games.

Not only has it influenced the best racing games of all time, but it was the highest-grossing arcade game for two simultaneous years.

The goal of the game is to complete a time-trial lap as fast as possible, after which players can race against seven other CPU-controlled drivers in a championship race.

Like Q*bert, this game also spawned its own Saturday morning cartoon, along with numerous sequels and ports to other consoles.

 

16. Pong

Best Atari Games Pong

Pong is a classic game that initially came to arcades in 1972, standing out as one of the earliest ones ever made.

The first commercially successful game, Pong, is essentially a virtual version of table tennis, simple but incredibly addictive.

This game has proved to be so popular that it has spawned several sequels and remakes, including one in 2020 called Pong Quest on the Switch, Xbox One, and PS4.

Even today, this game is still widely enjoyed, with new generations of gamers testing their skills with this classic title.

 

15. Warlords

Best Atari Games Warlords

Warlords support up to four players at once with four separate castles set in the corners of the screen.

The goal is for players to attempt to destroy the other castles while protecting their own, with the last one standing being the winner.

This game received a major update in 2008 when a 3D version was launched for the Xbox Live Arcade.

In 2012, a new version was also launched that has since been made backwards compatible with the Xbox One and Xbox Series consoles so new players can get in on the action.

 

14. Ms. Pac-Man

Best Atari Games Ms. Pac Man

The first sequel to the incredibly popular Pac-Man, this game was released in 1982 and quickly received a lot of praise.

While the gameplay is similar, this game has different color levels, different ghost behaviors, and three intermissions that tell the story of Ms. Pac-Man and the original Pac-Man.

After releasing in 1982, Ms. Pac-Man managed to earn $1.2 billion by 1987, and the Atari 2600 port was named the Videogame of the Year at the 1983 Arcade Awards.

The Genesis version even sold over 1 million copies, and it can still be played using one of the best Sega Genesis emulators for an authentic retro experience.

 

13. Frogger

Best Atari Games Frogger

This game is another one that has stood the test of time, and there have since been over 30 remakes and sequels of it.

Frogger tasks players with directing frogs across busy roads and hazardous rivers in order to get them back home.

Despite seeming simple, this game can be incredibly difficult, with one false move quickly ending your run.

As of 2005, over 20 million copies of Frogger’s various games have been sold, and its influence can be seen in other titles like 2014’s Crossy Road.

 

12. Dig Dug

Best Atari Games Dig Dug

Released in 1981, this game gives players control of the titular character with the goal of defeating all enemies in the level.

This involves digging down to underground caverns where Pookas and Dragons reside, and Dug has to either inflate them until they explode or crush them under rocks.

Dig Dug quickly became one of the most successful Atari games of all time and has been a mainstay in Namco video game compilations.

Most recently, it was added to the Namco Museum Virtual Arcade, which was made backwards compatible with the Xbox in 2016.

As classic as any of the best N64 games of all time, Dig Dug is, by far, a must-play, even today.

 

11. Super Breakout

Best Atari Games Super Breakout

A 1976 sequel to Breakout, this game uses the same mechanics as its predecessor but allows players to choose different game modes.

General gameplay involves using a paddle to bounce a ball into destructible bricks along the walls.

When this game came to the Atari 8-Bit in 1979, it had support for up to eight players taking turns, making it the ultimate party game of the time.

Super Breakout remains one of the most popular Atari games of all time, and in 2008 it was even released on Apple’s App Store for iPhone users.

 

10. Combat

Best Atari Games Combat

One of the original nine launch titles for the 1977 VCS, Combat, is based on Tank and Jet Fighter, two earlier arcade games.

Combat includes 27 different game modes, each of which features a variety of tank, biplane, or jet gameplay.

Although a sequel was planned due to the popularity of this title, the video game crash of 1983 caused it to be delayed and finally cancelled.

However, a 3D remake of Combat was released in 2001 for Windows, which helped renew interest in this classic Atari game.

 

9. Kaboom!

Best Atari Games Kaboom

Kaboom! was released in 1981, and it was so well received that it sold over a million copies by 1983.

Although it is an unauthorized adaptation of the 1978 game Avalanche, it was re-themed to include a bomber instead of falling rocks.

In this game, a mad bomber moves across the top of the screen, randomly dropping bombs that characters have to catch before they hit the ground.

The critical response to this game was extremely positive, and it even won an award for its audio effects at the Arkie Awards.

 

8. Atlantis

Best Atari Games Atlantis

This fixed shooter was released in 1982, and it revolves around the city of Atlantis defending itself against Gorgon Invaders.

Players have to take out Gorgon ships before they can manage to fire their death rays at one of the seven Atlantean settlements.

The game ends only when all seven bases have fallen, leading to a cut scene showing a single ship leaving the rubble, setting up for the sequel, Cosmic Ark.

Over 2 million copies of Atlantis were sold, with critics praising its color graphics and engaging gameplay.

Despite its age, this game can easily hold its own against any of the best-selling PS4 games of all time, thanks to how addicting it can be.

 

7. Demon Attack

Best Atari Games Demon Attack

Demon Attack is a fixed shooter that was published for the Atari 2600 by Imagic in 1982.

Said to be based on the arcade shooter Galaxian, this game maroons players on an icy planet and tasks them with destroying legions of incoming demons.

Each successive wave of demons introduces new weapons that enemies can attack with, making the game more and more challenging as it goes on.

Having sold over 2 million copies, Demon Attack was the third-best-selling game on the Atari 2600, and fans are still holding out hope for a modern remake.

 

6. Space Invaders

Best Atari Games Space Invaders

Space Invaders laid the foundation for the shoot’em up genre, and since being released in 1978, it has become one of the most influential games in history.

In this game, players have to move their laser horizontally across the bottom of the screen while trying to shoot down legions of incoming aliens.

While a number of arcade owners initially rejected this game, following its release in Japan, it became hugely popular.

Within a year, it had become the all-time best-selling arcade game, with 8 million daily players in Japan alone.

Thanks to its impact on gaming history and incredible popularity, Space Invaders was even inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame in 2016.

 

5. Adventure

Best Atari Games Adventure

This game was released in 1980, and it gives players control of a square avatar who must explore an open environment to locate a magical chalice.

The world is populated with a number of enemies, including dragons and a bat that can steal and hide items.

Adventure is considered to be one of the most influential Atari games ever made, and its planned sequel eventually formed the basis of the Shadowquest series.

As the first action-adventure game and the first fantasy title on a home console, Adventure is an incredibly important game.

 

4. Asteroids

Best Atari Games Asteroids

Asteroids is one of the most well-known Atari arcade games in history, and it was initially released in 1979.

In this game, players control a spaceship and must try to shoot as many asteroids and alien ships as possible to score points.

Due to its remarkable popularity, it even went on to become one of the best Gameboy Color games of all time when an enhanced version was ported to the handheld.

This game also has a lot of world record scores associated with it, and in 2010 John McAllister set a new high score of 41,838,740 during a 58-hour live stream.

 

3. Missile Command

Best Atari Games Missile Command

This 1980 shoot ’em up tasks the player with defending six cities from intercontinental missiles by launching anti-ballistic missiles using the trackball.

Missile Command has various levels of increasing difficulty, and levels end when all enemy weapons have been destroyed or if all cities have been leveled.

As with many arcade games at the time, there is no real way to win Missile Command; rather, the goal is to keep going as long as possible to get an incredibly high score.

Because of this, numerous records have been set, including a 71-hour game streamed on Twitch in 2013 and a high score of 4,472,570 set in 2010 by Tony Temple.

 

2. Yars’ Revenge

Best Atari Games Yars Revenge

Yars’ Revenge is the best-selling game for the Atari 2600, and in it, players control an insect that must shoot through a barrier to fire its cannon into the breach on the other side.

The goal is to destroy the Qotile beyond the barrier that can attack Yar even if the barrier hasn’t been destroyed.

As a classic, this game has been re-released for the Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance, and in 2022 a sequel was announced by creator Howard Warshaw.

However, there is also a revamped version of Yars’ Revenge that has been made available on the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series consoles.

 

1. Pitfall!

Best Atari Games Pitfall

Taking our number one spot is Pitfall!, a game that consists of 255 screens that each contain one or more hazards, such as rolling logs, snakes, quicksand, and tarpits.

Players control Pitfall Harry and have to try and recover 32 different treasures in 20 minutes. Though a perfect score can only be achieved by not losing points to hazards.

Pitfall! was the best-selling home console game of 1982 and 1982, selling 3.5 million copies by 1984.

By 1998, all versions of the game had managed to sell a total of 5 million copies, making it one of the most successful games in history.

Playable Easter eggs of this game can even be found in some of the best Call of Duty games of all time, including Infinite Warfare and Black Ops Cold War.

 

Summary

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the 50 best Atari games of all time and maybe learned a bit about gaming history along the way.

It’s strange to think how much these games have impacted modern titles and how some of them have stood the test of time.

While many of these games are 50 years old or older, they still maintain a dedicated fan base of players who continue to enjoy them today.

They may not have the 4K graphics we take for granted in modern titles, but we’d definitely recommend trying these classic games for yourself if you have the chance.

Here’s a quick recap of the 50 best Atari games of all time:

  1. Pitfall!
  2. Yars’ Revenge
  3. Missile Command
  4. Asteroids
  5. Adventure
  6. Space Invaders
  7. Demon Attack
  8. Atlantis
  9. Kaboom!
  10. Combat
  11. Super Breakout
  12. Dig Dug
  13. Frogger
  14. Ms. Pac-Man
  15. Warlords
  16. Pong
  17. Pole Position
  18. Q*bert
  19. Centipede
  20. Raiders of the Lost Ark
  21. Joust
  22. Tempest
  23. Defender
  24. Stargate
  25. Spy Hunter
  26. Berzerk
  27. River Raid
  28. Lunar Lander
  29. Outlaw
  30. Jungle Hunt
  31. Battlezone
  32. Air-Sea Battle
  33. Secret Quest
  34. Donkey Kong
  35. Mario Bros
  36. Enduro
  37. Star Raiders
  38. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
  39. Cosmic Ark
  40. Video Pinball
  41. Spider Fighter
  42. Kung Fu Master
  43. Halloween
  44. Megamania
  45. Pac-Man
  46. Crystal Castles
  47. Gravitar
  48. Dragster
  49. Haunted House
  50. E.T.

What’s your favorite Atari game? Leave a comment below. 

Shawna Schofield is a professional freelance writer and part-time YouTuber. When not writing or recording she spends her time playing Fallout, Elder Scrolls, and Dragon Age.

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