Spelunker

Information

Genre

Arcade - Platformer (Scrolling)

Language

Machine Language

Controls

Joystick, Keyboard

Players

1, Demo

Programmer(s)

Martin, Tim, Barber, Robert

Graphic Artist(s)

Foley, Cash, Barber, Robert

Sound

Martin, Tim

Cover Artist(s)

[unknown]

Year

1983

Publisher

Micro GraphicImage

Developer

Micro GraphicImage

Country

USA

License

Commercial

Medium

Disk

Rarity

9

Serial

-

Votes / Statistics

Rating: 7.9/10 · Votes: 248 · Downloads: 2,025 · Hits: 9,430

Additional Comments

Screenshots (6)

Cover Art (1)

Ads (1)

Comments (18)

• Megadeth — 24 Dec 2024

  I discovered this gem only recently, but oh my, what a fantastic platformer.. Truly, an excellent game. All thumbs up :-)

• Robert A Morgan Jr — 4 Mar 2022

  LOL, you guys must misunderstood this. I have this for all years to now, I have none problem at all. I love this game! this is excellent!

• AlexT — 17 Sept 2020

  About this phrase "Unfortunately, this version appears to crash when you are about to enter the third level" - everything is OK, version is workable! )

• Daniel Thomas MacInnes — 24 Jul 2018

  The deaths from falling are stupid cheap, but there's no denying the appeal of this classic platformer from 1984. I prefer this version to the later NES release, although that version has some really wonderful music. There are endless challenges and obstacles in these caverns that will keep you on your toes. The controls could be a touch tighter (not falling from ropes and easy falls would help), but for a pre-Super Mario world, this is very good.

• Katie — 24 Oct 2017

  For the person who is looking for keyboard controls, I remember D for dropping a dynamite and the space bar turns on your fan to chase the ghosts away. Played this game a TON on a pirated copy from my dad when I was a little kid and my sisters and I died many ghost-inflicted deaths before we figured out the space bar, will never forget it! BTW I remember a different load screen and the Gates of Kieve playing

• dackycat — 8 Jun 2017

  Great, addictive game. I agree with the others who said the controls could be VERY touchy and unforgiving, but the gameplay was worth the aggravation. A very colorful and mysterious world to explore. I think I finished it twice.

• Punkydudester — 21 Dec 2014

  I love this game. This game made me fall in love with Broderbund Software. The intro alone when you first load it was amazing with awesome music. After that I looked for games with the same quality. Other versions just don't compare to this amazing original.

• Daniel Thomas MacInnes — 9 May 2011

  Spelunker was a great action platformer on the Atari 800, but Tim Whatshisname should be beaten with an ugly stick for mangling the controls. It's far too easy to fall off ropes or ladders, or just get killed by tripping on something. If you're a fat spelunker who gets killed so easily, maybe you should stay home.

• Gwobby — 31 May 2010

  Great Game! Loads of information and link to Spelunker Manual here: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/160891-spelunker-manual/page__p__1980794__hl__spelunker__fromsearch__1#entry1980794

• Muffy St. Bernard — 25 May 2010

  @Clark923, I think it's "D" for dynamite, "F" for flare, and SPACE to kill the ghosts.

• CLARK923 — 11 May 2010

  I recently played spelunker, but it's been over 20 years and I cannot remember or find the keyboard instructions (commands) does anyone know where I can find them?

• lotek style — 1 Apr 2010

  After quite a while I did manage to play it to the end. Quite cool game!

• Mario — 23 Sept 2009

  This was my favorite game on the Atari computers. It is a great platformer, with a great feeling of truely exploring a dangerous cave system. The controls are a bit unforgiving, but one can master them and really enjoy the game. The subsequent arcade and Nintendo NES versions are horrible in comparison to the original. Even if you don't like those, give the Atari version a try.

• John — 29 May 2009

  This was one of my favorite games on the Atari. After playing many, many times, I reached the final pyramid, then lost the game one jump short of the endgame. I didn't know I had gotten so close to the end until more than 10 years later, when I finished the game on an emulator.

• Muffy St. Bernard — 25 Nov 2007

  I did manage to finish the game on an 800XL long ago...no crashing. But there was definitely a bug at the waterfall; about 50% of the time you'd just get stuck at the bottom of the falls.

• Paulio — 21 Nov 2007

  Yeah Gourdin, I can only get to the pyramid using an emulator. In the past on my Atari 800, the game would always crash at the same point. GREAT platformer game.

• gourdin — 8 Oct 2007

  amazing game I played a lot this game, I only reach the pyramid replaying it under an emulator :) I think this was the best game I played on my atari800xl

• Siegfried Lenz — 25 Sept 2005

  One of the "great" Atari 8-bit games. A huge "world" to discover for its time. It took me days and numerous attempts to finally reach the pyramid.