Atari 2600 Game History: 1983

Below you will find USA related month/year release dates for various games along with lists of popular movies, TV shows, Top 40 music, new arcade games, and so on 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. For those who only want release dates and nothing else, there is a Quick List of Release Dates on the right side of this page.

To help make your experience even more enjoyable, most items have a link next to them that will lead you to related search results at YouTube where you might find video game commercials, gameplay footage, music videos, and clips from TV shows or movies.

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 Dec

January 1983

Phoenix YouTube

Model Number: CX2673

Company: Atari

Programmer: ?

Release Date (month/year): 1/1983

Spider Fighter YouTube

Model Number: AX-021

Company: Activision

Programmer: Larry Miller

Release Date (month/year): 1/1983

Star Wars: Jedi Arena YouTube

Model Number: PB5000

Company: Parker Brothers

Programmer: Rex Bradford

Release Date (month/year): 1/1983

Spider-Man YouTube

Model Number: PB5900

Company: Parker Brothers

Programmer: ?

Release Date (month/year): 1/1983

New at the Movies

The Evil Dead (January 1) YouTube

Joysticks (January 1) YouTube

The Year of Living Dangerously (January 21) YouTube

New on TV

The A-Team (January 23) YouTube

On the Radio

Space Age Love Song YouTube

Flock Of Seagulls

Do You Really Want To Hurt Me YouTube

Culture Club

Pass The Dutchie YouTube

Musical Youth

Hungry Like The Wolf YouTube

Duran Duran

Stray Cat Strut YouTube

Stray Cats

Billie Jean YouTube

Michael Jackson

February 1983

Ms. Pac-Man YouTube

Model Number: CX2675

Company: Atari

Programmer: ?

Note: Based on the 1981 arcade game.

Release Date (month/year): 2/1983

Crazy Climber AtariAge

Model Number: CX2683

Company: Atari

Programmer: Alex Leavens

Note: Based on the 1980 arcade game by Kijima Masao.

Release Date (month/year): 2/1983

Seaquest YouTube

Model Number: AX-022

Company: Activision

Programmer: Steve Cartwright

Release Date (month/year): 2/1983

New at the Movies

Videodrome (February 4) YouTube

The Pirates of Penzance (February 18) YouTube

The King of Comedy (February 18) YouTube

New on TV

Wizards And Warriors (February 26) YouTube

On the Radio

One On One YouTube

Hall & Oates

Come On Eileen YouTube

Dexy's Midnight Runners

Mr. Roboto YouTube

Styx

I Know There's Something Going On YouTube

Frida

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) YouTube

Journey

Breaking Us In Two YouTube

Joe Jackson

March 1983

Oink! AtariAge

Model Number: AX-023

Company: Activision

Programmer: Mike Lorenzen

Release Date (month/year): 3/1983

New at the Movies

My Tutor (March 4) YouTube

Spring Break (March 25) YouTube

The Outsiders (March 25) YouTube

Max Dugan Returns (March 25) IMDb

The Meaning of Life (March 31) YouTube

On the Radio

Der Kommissar YouTube

After The Fire

She Blinded Me With Science YouTube

Thomas Dolby

Lies YouTube

Thompson Twins

Little Red Corvette YouTube

Prince

Beat It YouTube

Michael Jackson

Jeopardy YouTube

Greg Kihn Band

April 1983

Dolphin YouTube

Model Number: AX-024

Company: Activision

Programmer: Matthew Hubbard

Release Date (month/year): 4/1983

Keystone Kapers YouTube

Model Number: AX-025

Company: Activision

Programmer: Garry Kitchen

Release Date (month/year): 4/1983

Reactor YouTube

Model Number: PB5330

Company: Parker Brothers

Programmer: Charlie Heath

Note: Based on the 1982 arcade game by Tim Skelly.

Release Date (month/year): 4/1983

G.I. Joe Cobra Strike YouTube

Model Number: PB5920

Company: Parker Brothers

Programmer: Someone with the initials "J.E."

Release Date (month/year): 4/1983

M*A*S*H YouTube

Model Number: 11011

Company: 20th Century Fox

Programmer: Frank Cohen

Release Date (month/year): 6/1983

New at the Movies

Losin' It (April 8) YouTube

Flashdance (April 15) YouTube

Something Wicked This Way Comes (29) YouTube

Valley Girl (April 29) YouTube

On the Radio

It Might Be You YouTube

Stephen Bishop

Let's Dance YouTube

David Bowie

Overkill YouTube

Men At Work

Rio YouTube

Duran Duran

Welcome To Heartlight YouTube

Kenny Loggins

Stranger In My House YouTube

Ronnie Milsap

Always Something There To Remind Me YouTube

Naked Eyes

May 1983

Enduro YouTube

Model Number: AX-026

Company: Activision

Programmer: Larry Miller

Release Date (month/year): 5/1983

At the Arcades

Star Wars YouTube International Arcade Museum

New at the Movies

Doctor Detroit (May 6) YouTube

Return of the Jedi (May 25) YouTube

On the Radio

Never Gonna Let You Go YouTube

Sergio Mendes

Time (Clock Of The Heart) YouTube

Culture Club

All This Love YouTube

DeBarge

Electric Avenue YouTube

Eddy Grant

Come Dancing YouTube

The Kinks

Our House YouTube

Madness

Too Shy YouTube

Kajagoogoo

June 1983

Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes AtariAge

Model Number: 11016

Company: 20th Century Fox

Programmer: Jon Russell

Release Date (month/year): 6/1983

Atari Video Cube AtariAge

Model Number: CX2670

Company: Atari

Programmer: ?

Release Date (month/year): 6/1983

Blueprint AtariAge

Model Number: 4L-2486-5000

Company: CBS Electronics

Programmer: Frank Cohen

Note: Based on the 1982 arcade game.

Release Date (month/year): 6/1983

Solar Fox YouTube

Model Number: 4L-2487

Company: CBS Electronics

Programmer: ?

Note: Based on the 1981 arcade game.

Release Date (month/year): 6/1983

Tunnel Runner YouTube

Model Number: 4L-2520

Company: CBS Electronics

Programmer: Richard K. Balaska Jr.

Release Date (month/year): 6/1983

Tac-Scan AtariAge

Model Number: 001-01

Company: Sega

Programmer: ?

Note: Based on the 1982 arcade game.

Release Date (month/year): 6/1983

At the Arcades

Dragon's Lair YouTube International Arcade Museum

New at the Movies

WarGames (June 3) YouTube

The Man with Two Brains (June 3) YouTube

Trading Places (June 8) YouTube

Octopussy (June 10) YouTube

Superman III (June 17) YouTube

Twilight Zone: The Movie (June 24) YouTube

Porky's II: The Next Day (June 24) YouTube

On the Radio

Sweet Dreams YouTube

Eurythmics

1999 YouTube

Prince

Every Breath You Take YouTube

The Police

She Works Hard For The Money YouTube

Donna Summer

Is There Something I Should Know YouTube

Duran Duran

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' YouTube

Michael Jackson

July 1983

Jungle Hunt YouTube

Model Number: CX2688

Company: Atari

Programmer: ?

Note: Based on the 1982 arcade game.

Release Date (month/year): 7/1983

Kangaroo YouTube

Model Number: CX2689

Company: Atari

Programmer: ?

Note: Based on the 1982 arcade game.

Release Date (month/year): 7/1983

James Bond 007 AtariAge

Model Number: PB5110

Company: Parker Brothers

Programmer: ?

Release Date (month/year): 7/1983

New at the Movies

Mr. Mom (July 22) YouTube

Class (July 22) YouTube

Jaws 3-D (July 22) YouTube

National Lampoon's Vacation (July 29) YouTube

Krull (July 29) YouTube

On the Radio

(Keep Feeling) Fascination YouTube

The Human League

Maniac YouTube

Michael Sembello

It's A Mistake YouTube

Men At Work

I'll Tumble 4 Ya YouTube

Culture Club

Lawyers in Love YouTube

Jackson Browne

Human Nature YouTube

Michael Jackson

The Safety Dance YouTube

Men Without Hats

Puttin' On The Ritz YouTube

Taco

August 1983

Battlezone YouTube

Model Number: CX2681

Company: Atari

Programmer: ?

Note: Based on the 1980 arcade game by Ed Rotberg.

Release Date (month/year): 8/1983

Pole Position YouTube

Model Number: CX2694

Company: Atari

Programmer: Doug Macare

Note: Based on the 1982 arcade game.

Release Date (month/year): 8/1983

New at the Movies

Risky Business (August 5) YouTube

Cujo (August 12) YouTube

Smokey and the Bandit III (August 12) YouTube

Strange Brew (August 19) YouTube

On the Radio

Tell Her About It YouTube

Billy Joel

Promises, Promises YouTube

Naked Eyes

King Of Pain YouTube

The Police

(She's) Sexy + 17 YouTube

Stray Cats

True YouTube

Spandau Ballet

Total Eclipse Of The Heart YouTube

Bonnie Tyler

September 1983

Krull YouTube

Model Number: CX2682

Company: Atari

Programmer: Dave Staugas

Release Date (month/year): 9/1983

Cookie Monster Munch AtariAge

Model Number: CX26102

Company: Atari

Programmer: Gary Stark

Release Date (month/year): 9/1983

Alpha Beam with Ernie AtariAge

Model Number: CX26103

Company: Atari

Programmer: Michael Callahan

Note: Graphics by Preston Stuart.

Release Date (month/year): 9/1983

Amidar YouTube

Model Number: PB5310

Company: Parker Brothers

Programmer: Ed Temple

Note: Based on the 1981 arcade game.

Release Date (month/year): 9/1983

New at the Movies

Strange Invaders (September 16) YouTube

Educating Rita (September 21) YouTube

The Big Chill (September 28) YouTube

Brainstorm (September 30) YouTube

New on TV

We Got It Made (Sept. 8) IMDb

Webster (Sept. 16) YouTube

Hardcastle & McCormick (September 18) YouTube

Hotel (September 21) YouTube

AfterMASH (September 26) YouTube

Oh, Madeline (September 27) YouTube

Manimal (September 30) YouTube

On the Radio

One Thing Leads To Another YouTube

The Fixx

Delirious

Prince

Suddenly Last Summer YouTube

The Motels

Burning Down The House YouTube

Talking Heads

October 1983

SwordQuest WaterWorld YouTube

Model Number: CX2671

Company: Atari

Programmer: ?