The 1982 Atari 8-bit version of Galaxian, released by Atari, Inc., is authentic enough, and plays pretty much like the arcade original, even if it does look quite basic in comparison. Where it does outdo the arcade version, though, is in the variety of play modes that it offers.
Category Archives: Atari 8-bit
Games for Atari 8-bit home computers.
Pac-Man, Atari 8-bit
Pac-Man on Atari 8-bit home computers was first released by Atari Corporation in 1982. The same game was re-released by Datasoft in 1984, and by US Gold in the UK in 1985.
Zone X, Atari 8-bit
Written by Derek Johnston and published by Gremlin Graphics in 1985, Zone X is a scrolling maze game where you play a radiation suit-wearing scientist collecting plutonium samples and dumping them into containers.
Cavelord, Atari 8-bit
Cavelord is a scrolling action game that was written by Peter Finzel and released – in Germany only – by Ariolasoft in 1985. Thankfully, a fan hack has translated the game into English.
Twilight World, Atari 8-bit
Created by Matthew Trimby and first released by Atari Corporation in 1986, Twilight World is an interesting scrolling platform game for Atari 8-bit machines that still plays great today.
Wee Ninja, Atari 8-bit
Wee Ninja is a homebrew scrolling platform game for Atari 8-bit home computers (with 32K of RAM). It was written by Paul Lay and first released by Playsoft in June 2025, to rapturous applause.
Prince of Persia, Atari 8-bit
After apparently years of toil, and unforseen circumstances, a homebrew conversion of Jordan Mechner‘s classic Prince of Persia finally arrived on Atari 8-bit systems, in 2021. It requires a 128KB XL/XE; it’s free to download and play, and comes it in a variety of different formats (including cartridge). And – I have to say, right out the gate – that it is a brilliant port.
Screaming Wings, Atari 8-Bit
Released in 1986 by Red Rat Software, Screaming Wings is a vertically-scrolling, ‘bullet hell’ shooter in which you pilot an aircraft similar to a Lockheed P-38 Lightning (the famous single-seat WWII fighter with the twin boom design).
Action Biker, Atari 8-Bit
Mastertronic‘s Action Biker was a well-known budget hit on the Commodore 64, and it was also released for Atari 8-bit home computers, in 1985. Both the C64 and Atari versions were bundled together as a dual release.
Choplifter XE, Atari 8-bit
This ‘enhanced’ remake of Dan Gorlin‘s Choplifter was released for Atari XE computers by Atari Corporation in 1988. It features improved graphics, but with pretty much the same gameplay as the original.
