Atari 2600 Game History: 1982

An incomplete chronological history of Atari 2600 VCS games.

Below you will find month/year release dates for many games with lists of popular movies, TV shows, and Top 40 music to help summon your treasured memories of the Atari 2600 and the early 1980s with the bonus of recreating the magical feelings of that special time.

If you find a mistake, or have more information to add, such as month/year release dates for games, please contact me. Every little bit of credible information helps, no matter how insignificant you think it might be. Thanks for your help.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

January 1982

New on TV

Fame (January 7)

On the Radio

I Can't Go For That

Hall & Oats

Pac-Man Fever

Buckner & Garcia

Working For The Weekend

Loverboy

That Girl

Stevie Wonder

Super Breakout

Model Number: CX2608

Company: Atari

Programmer: Nick Turner (aka Sandy Maiwald), Carol Shaw

Note: Based on the 1978 arcade game by Ed Logg

Release Date (month/year): 1/1982

Spacechase

Model Number: AP2001

Company: Apollo

Programmer: Ed Salvo

Release Date (month/year): 1/1982

February 1982

At the Arcades

Space Duel

On the Radio

I Love Rock 'N Roll

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Tonight I'm Yours

Rod Stewart

We Got The Beat

The Go-Go's

Do You Believe In Love

Huey Lewis and The News

Take Off

Bob & Doug McKenzie (Rick Moranis & Dave Thomas with Geddy Lee)

Make A Move On Me

Olivia Newton-John

Mirror, Mirror

Diana Ross

Haunted House

Model Number: CX2654

Company: Atari

Programmer: Steve Wright

Release Date (month/year): 2/1982

March 1982

New at the Movies

Porky's (March 19)

New on TV

T.J. Hooker (March 13)

Cagney & Lacey (March 25)

9 To 5 (March 25)

On the Radio

867-5309/Jenny

Tommy Tutone

(Oh) Pretty Woman

Van Halen

Freeze-Frame

The J. Geils Band

Juke Box Hero

Foreigner

Pac-Man

The official release date was March of 1982, but our local Woolco in Roanoke, Virginia didn't get it until April. See April for more information.

Barnstorming

Model Number: AX-013

Company: Activision

Programmer: Steve Cartwright

Note: First Atari 2600 game to use a sunset in the horizon.

Release Date (month/year): 3/1982

Grand Prix

Model Number: AX-014

Company: Activision

Programmer: David Crane

Release Date (month/year): 3/1982

April 1982

New at the Arcades

Dig Dug

New at the Movies

Diner (April 2)

Cat People (April 2)

The Sword and the Sorcerer (April 23)

On the Radio

Did It In A Minute

Hall & Oats

Get Down On It

Kool & The Gang

Empty Garden

Elton John

Don't You Want Me

The Human League

Ebony And Ivory

Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder

Pac-Man

Model Number: CX2646

Company: Atari

Programmer: Tod Frye

Note: Based on the 1980 arcade game designed by Toru Iwatani.

Personal Note: The main reason we bought an Atari 2600 was for Pac-Man and we brought that first Atari 2600 home on March 27, 1982. We had pre-ordered Pac-Man and got it as soon as it hit the store (Woolco in Roanoke, Virginia). The official time-line may be March, and some people probably received it in March, but it didn't get to our store until April, so that's why it is listed here under April. I was stuck playing Combat for at least a week until Pac-Man arrived at the store.

Release Date (month/year): 3/1982 and 4/1982

May 1982

New at the Movies

Conan the Barbarian (May 14)

Annie (May 21)

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (May 21)

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (May 21)

Rocky 3 (May 28)

On the Radio

Rosanna

Toto

Only The Lonely

The Motels

Let It Whip

Dazz Band

Tainted Love

Soft Cell

Yars' Revenge

Model Number: CX2655

Company: Atari

Programmer: Howard Scott Warshaw

Note: Based on the arcade game Star Castle.

Release Date (month/year): 5/1982

Defender

Model Number: CX2609

Company: Atari

Programmer: Bob Polaro

Note: Based on the 1980 arcade game by Eugene Jarvis, Larry DeMar, Sam Dicker, and Paul Dussault.

Personal Note: Unlike Pac-Man, Defender was early, at least where I lived. Everything says Defender was supposed to come out in June. I even got a card in the mail from Atari Age magazine telling me that Defender was coming in June and that I should order it now, but I was glad I didn't because Woolco had it in time for my girlfriend's birthday (May 17). She loved Defender, but didn't have an Atari, so I was very happy that I got Defender early so she could play it on her birthday at my house.

Release Date (month/year): 5/1982

June 1982

At the Arcades

Haunted House (Pinball Game)

Gravitar

New at the Movies

Poltergeist (June 4)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (June 4)

ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (June 11)

Firefox (June 18)

Blade Runner (June 25)

The Thing (June 25)

On the Radio

Hard To Say I'm Sorry

Chicago

Even the Nights Are Better

Air Supply

Do I Do

Stevie Wonder

Eye Of The Tiger

Survivor

Abracadabra

Steve Miller Band

Chopper Command

Model Number: AG-015

Company: Activision

Programmer: Bob Whitehead

Release Date (month/year): 6/1982

Starmaster

Model Number: AG-016

Company: Activision

Programmer: Alan Miller

Release Date (month/year): 6/1982

July 1982

New at the Movies

The Secret of Nimh (July 2)

Tron (July 9)

Six Pack (July 16)

Zapped (July 23)

The World According to Garp (July 23)

Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (July 23)

An Officer and a Gentleman (July 28)

Night Shift (July 30)

On the Radio

Your Imagination

Hall & Oats

Eye In The Sky

Alan Parsons Project

Take It Away

Paul McCartney

Vacation

Go-Go's

Love Will Turn You Around

Kenny Rogers

Math Gran Prix

Model Number: CX2658

Company: Atari

Programmer: Suki Lee

Release Date (month/year): 7/1982

Demons to Diamonds

Model Number: CX2615

Company: Atari

Programmer: Nick Turner (aka Sandy Maiwald)

Release Date (month/year): 7/1982

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Model Number: PB5050

Company: Parker Brothers

Programmer: Rex Bradford

Release Date (month/year): 7/1982

August 1982

McDonald's/Atari Contest

"Taste the Thrill of Atari at McDonald's" promotion starts (8/15/1982)

Atari Age article with game pieces

Atari History Museum

New at the Movies

Pink Floyd: The Wall (August 6)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (August 13)

Friday the 13th, Part 3 (August 13)

New on TV

Filthy Rich (August 9)

On the Radio

Someday, Someway

Marshall Crenshaw

Jack & Diane

John Cougar Mellencamp

Who Can It Be Now?

Men At Work

Berzerk

Model Number: CX2650

Company: Atari

Programmer: Dan Hitchens

Note: Based on the 1980 arcade game by Alan McNeil.

Release Date (month/year): 8/1982

September 1982

New at the Movies

Eating Raoul (September 24)

Amityville II: The Possession (Sept. 24)

New on TV

The Powers Of Matthew Star (Sept. 17)

Tales Of The Gold Monkey (Sept. 22)

Family Ties (September 22)

Bring 'Em Back Alive (September 24)

Silver Spoons (September 25)

Knight Rider (September 26)

Matt Houston (September 26)

Square Pegs (September 27)

Cheers (September 30)

On the Radio

Valley Girl

Frank Zappa/Moon Unit Zappa

I Ran (So Far Away)

A Flock Of Seagulls

Gloria

Laura Branigan

Heart Attack

Olivia Newton-John

Don't Fight It

Kenny Loggins/Steve Perry

Pitfall

Model Number: AX-018

Company: Activision

Programmer: David Crane

Note: The 'laser' from Laser Blast was used to create the vine in Pitfall.

Release Date (month/year): 9/1982

Star Raiders

Model Number: CX2660

Company: Atari

Programmer: Carla Meninsky

Note: Based on the 1979 Atari computer game by Doug Neubauer.

Release Date (month/year): 9/1982

October 1982

New at the Movies

My Favorite Year (October 1)

First Blood (October 22)

Halloween 3 (October 22)

Monsignor (October 22)

New on TV

Remington Steele (October 1)

Voyagers (October 3)

Tucker's Witch (October 6)

Newhart (October 25)

St. Elsewhere (October 26)

On the Radio

Love Me Tomorrow

Chicago

Nobody

Sylvia

Mickey

Toni Basil

Rock This Town

Stray Cats

Steppin' Out

Joe Jackson

Pressure

Billy Joel

Muscles

Diana Ross

I'm So Excited

Pointer Sisters

Megamania

Model Number: AX-017

Company: Activision

Programmer: Steve Cartwright

Release Date (month/year): 10/1982

Swordquest Earthworld

Model Number: CX2656

Company: Atari

Programmer: Tod Frye

Release Date (month/year): 10/1982

Realsports Baseball

Model Number: CX2640

Company: Atari

Programmer: Joseph Tung

Release Date (month/year): 10/1982

Realsports Volleyball

Model Number: CX2666

Company: Atari

Programmer: Bob Polaro

Release Date (month/year): 10/1982

November 1982

New at the Movies

Creepshow (November 12)

Tex (November 19)

On the Radio

Whatcha Gonna Do

Chilliwack

It's Raining Again

Supertramp

Sexual Healing

Marvin Gaye

Maneater

Hall & Oats

Dirty Laundry

Don Henley

Rock The Casbah

The Clash

You Can't Hurry Love

Phil Collins

The Girl Is Mine

Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney

Down Under

Men At Work

Africa

Toto

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Model Number: CX2659

Company: Atari

Programmer: Howard Scott Warshaw

Note: Graphics by Jerome Domurat.

Release Date (month/year): 11/1982

December 1982

New at the Movies

Gandhi (December 8)

48 Hours (December 8)

Sophie's Choice (December 10)

The Toy (December 10)

Tootsie (December 17)

The Dark Crystal (December 17)

On the Radio

Goody Two Shoes

Adam Ant

Shock The Monkey

Peter Gabriel

Allentown

Bily Joel

Heart To Heart

Kenny Loggins

River Raid

Model Number: AX-020

Company: Activision

Programmer: Carol Shaw

Release Date (month/year): 12/1982

Realsports Football

Model Number: CX2668

Company: Atari

Programmer: Robert Zdybel

Release Date (month/year): 12/1982

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Model Number: CX2674

Company: Atari

Programmer: Howard Scott Warshaw

Note: Graphics by Jerome Domurat.

Release Date (month/year): 12/1982

Vanguard

Model Number: CX2669

Company: Atari

Programmer: ?

Release Date (month/year): 12/1982

1982 1983