Atari 8-bit - Atari - 1981

Missile Command

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Genre: Shoot'em Up! - Crosshair
Year: 1981
Language: Machine Language
Publisher: Atari
Controls: Joystick / Trak-Ball
Developer: Atari
Players: 1 / 2 (alt.)
Country
Programmer(s): Zdybel, Robert
License: Prototype
Graphic Artist(s): [n/a]
Medium
Sound: [n/a]
Rarity
Cover Artist(s): [n/a]
Serial: -
Dump: Download

OTHER VERSIONS WITH THE SAME TITLE (1)

AtariUSA · CXL4012 · 1981

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Load with OS-B (level selection only works on older systems).

Press SHIFT+CONTROL+T for Trak-Ball mode.

The code of this version - not the official cartridge release - was used as a base for the game released on Compilation A, it only has minor variations.

Compared to the released cartridge, this prototype:
_ does not show the game title
_ displays STICK instead of SKIP0 on the last line (though you can still skip levels with the number keys)
_ does not use the same combination of keys for Trak-Ball mode
_ does not have explosions on THE END screen
_ has no "smart missiles only" option activated with the S key
_ does not automatically go back to the title screen after the end of a game
_ shows some other minor color differences

Many thanks to:
_ John Hardie for dumping this program
_ Tempest / Kr0tki for figuring out all the differences

VOTES / STATISTICS

Rating7.9/10

Hits: 6,097
Downloads: 1,162
Votes: 288

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COMMENTS (16)

the big m4 Jan 2025
Easy to use cross hair makes for an excellent arcade port. The difficulty ramps up quickly but fairly, making for an intense challenging game. Highly recommended.
jonboyretro17 Sept 2024
The fact that you can play with a trackball is also a bonus. Simply press Ctrl and 'T' to enable this. A great conversion. Anyone know the actual UK release date for the 8-bit version? I'm trying to date when I purchased many of my games.
Gildahl12 Jul 2022
This one was always about those unique explosions. They were mesmerizing and even a bit eerie, growing almost organically to swallow-up the incoming missiles and combining together in interesting arcing patterns. No other game had such cool explosions, and mimicked the arcade game quite well (unlike, say the Atari 2600 version, which I still enjoyed a lot but always found the explosions lackluster). Having only one base made sense for the home versions, and unlike the 2600 version it was nice to see satellites and planes. All-in-all a very nice translation of the arcade original.
rave.N4 Aug 2015
"Missile Command+" is the same game that has been updated in 2005 by Paul Lee. The one thing least faithful in this 8KB cartridge to reproducing the Arcade is having just one ABM base not three, and MC+ in its 16K cart fixes this and also adds a little demo play and maybe a larger title sequence. I don't understand why MC+ is being termed a "hack" just because it is "unofficial"?
Punkydudester15 Dec 2014
A must have for your collection, I remember this game very well. It seemed simple yet really intense. Great game.
Daniel Thomas MacInnes16 Oct 2012
For any kid with a Missile Command cartridge for their Atari 2600, the 800 version was dazzling! It was also a lot harder and more tense, thanks to the breakaway missiles and airplanes. Graphics were terrific, very close to the arcade. If you played Atari back then, you definitely played Missile Command.
Neekees20 Jul 2012
I play this a lot more now than I did when I was a kid. Great control, pace, and atmosphere, and so easy to jump right in.
unk17 Jul 2012
this is simple but fun
Boman12 Sept 2010
Many reviewers around the web don't like this conversion. In my opinion its not bad at all. Ok you might only have one firing base, but the graphics are almost arcade perfect and so is the sound. If only they would have given us a keyboard option to fire from three bases, like the original arcade game (which I own ;D) it would have been perfect.
eppy200015 Aug 2008
This was one of those terrific home conversions that made me really want an Atari 800 back in 1981. I enjoyed the 2600 version quite a bit, and felt it was a fairly respectable adaptation of the arcade game. But the day I saw it on an Atari 400 at an electronics store, I was just blown away. It looked like an almost exact duplicate of the arcade game. For me, this game has plenty of replay value, mostly to see if I beat my last (or best) score, or to see how many levels I can go.
Starbug13 Aug 2008
Just as good as I remember it. Fast and furious. Lots of fun, though I would recommend using a jotstick/joypad rather than a keyboard. 10 out of 10!
Muffy St. Bernard20 Sept 2007
Good even with an emulator keyboard! I'd rather a track TrakBall, but this game always kicks my butt anyway.
ataridog19 Sept 2007
when you use the track ball this is a great game!! very fast gameplay with more than acceptable graphics (not like the arcade had steller graphics anyway). i always wanted to use the middle base in the arcade and when i saw this version for the A8 i knew it was going to rock!!
Nick Di-Perna6 Dec 2005
I’ve read some bad reviews about this little gem. Many rate it on it’s accuracy to it’s arcade counterpart. I actually PREFER this to the arcade game. Me and this kids have been coming back to it for a quick blast for years. Atari were right to build it into the XE game system. Supreme playability - isn’t that what really counts? 9/10.
Kr0tki12 May 2005
You can control the game using the Atari TrakBall connected to joystick port 1. The combination Control+T activates/disactivates TrakBall control mode.
j26 Dec 2004
Use OS-B. This allows you to skip levels at the title screen by pressing a corresponding #. For example: After loading the game, press 6. When the game is started, you will be on level 6. This feature does not work in XL/XE mode.