How many 2600 original 2600 games are there?

[AtariMan1976]

I was just wondering how many actual original 2600 games were released including all rare ones. Do not include prototypes, repros., or homebrews.

[A.J. Franzman]

Nobody knows, and you should be more specific. Do you want to cover the whole world, just the U.S., just Europe, or some other region(s)? Include minor or major label, case and packaging variations? Include same game released under different names? Include same game released by different (legitimate) publishers? Include pirates? Include minor or major hacks / code revisions? Include regional variations (NTSC, PAL, SECAM)?

 

There are probably a few parameters I missed, too.

 

I believe that if you go with worldwide distribution, but limit to one instance of each original game / program, there are somewhere between 600 and 1000 unique released games through 1990 or so. One of the experts here might be able to narrow it down further.

 

Somewhere around 200 games are fairly common, and can easily be obtained for very little money or searching effort. My collection is just a bit more than that right now, and I'm suddenly finding it difficult to increase it by trading. Since new game purchases at $5 each and up (plus shipping) for single loose carts don't fit in my budget, my collection has become stagnant.

Edited July 15, 2007 by A.J. Franzman

[Kripto]

There are only four REAL 2600 games that any TRUE gamer needs to concern himself with-

 

Sneak N Peek,

 

Skeet Shoot,

 

Sssnake,

 

and

 

Pac Kong.

 

 

End of story.

[Big Player]

There were actually 2600 games released for the 2600. It's funny how it worked out that way.

[AtariMan1976]

There were actually 2600 games released for the 2600. It's funny how it worked out that way.

Thank you. At least i have an idea of what was out there for the system.

[gospeedde]

He's making a joke.

 

If you want a list of the games, click on 2600 on the top of this page. Just hit begin search without filling anything in. That gives you a list of 944 games that are in NTSC format. However, that list includes prototypes and all that. It also includes games that were released under two different companies (i.e. Concentration, Hunt & Score, and Memory Match). It also includes multiple listings for the same game with different label variations (though it by no means includes all label variations, I think, I don't collect label variations so I'm not entirely sure).

 

People don't want to answer your question because there is no one right answer. People count different things, as A.J. tried to point out. I am guessing that you want one of each game (regardless of name changes) that was officially released in the U.S. I'm not sure, but I think the answer for you is going to be somewhere between 500 and 600.

 

To give you an example, this is how I came up with my list of games to collect (i.e. what my "official" count is). I took all NTSC released games (no protos, no homebrews, etc.). I took out the porn games because I didn't want them. I decided to keep Air Raid, mostly because it's blue and I like blue. I decided to keep the games that aren't really games (i.e. the Diagnostic Cart, etc.) because they're cool. I didn't count label variations. I didn't count games that were released twice under the same name, but I did count them if the name was changed. I also added Off Your Rocker, Dukes of Hazzard, and Pepsi Invaders because they are ALMOST released games. And, I count each side of a double ender as an individual game but I don't bother to try and get each game both as a solo and as a double ender (I count that as a "label variation"). I think that's all the stuff I took into account, but I may have forgotten something.

 

You're going to have to come up with your number yourself to get the information you really want, but all the information you need to do so is somewhere in these forums or in the 2600 link at the top of the page. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about the Atari when I did it. I hope the same is true for you.

[AtariMan1976]

He's making a joke.

 

If you want a list of the games, click on 2600 on the top of this page. Just hit begin search without filling anything in. That gives you a list of 944 games that are in NTSC format. However, that list includes prototypes and all that. It also includes games that were released under two different companies (i.e. Concentration, Hunt & Score, and Memory Match). It also includes multiple listings for the same game with different label variations (though it by no means includes all label variations, I think, I don't collect label variations so I'm not entirely sure).

 

People don't want to answer your question because there is no one right answer. People count different things, as A.J. tried to point out. I am guessing that you want one of each game (regardless of name changes) that was officially released in the U.S. I'm not sure, but I think the answer for you is going to be somewhere between 500 and 600.

 

To give you an example, this is how I came up with my list of games to collect (i.e. what my "official" count is). I took all NTSC released games (no protos, no homebrews, etc.). I took out the porn games because I didn't want them. I decided to keep Air Raid, mostly because it's blue and I like blue. I decided to keep the games that aren't really games (i.e. the Diagnostic Cart, etc.) because they're cool. I didn't count label variations. I didn't count games that were released twice under the same name, but I did count them if the name was changed. I also added Off Your Rocker, Dukes of Hazzard, and Pepsi Invaders because they are ALMOST released games. And, I count each side of a double ender as an individual game but I don't bother to try and get each game both as a solo and as a double ender (I count that as a "label variation"). I think that's all the stuff I took into account, but I may have forgotten something.

 

You're going to have to come up with your number yourself to get the information you really want, but all the information you need to do so is somewhere in these forums or in the 2600 link at the top of the page. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about the Atari when I did it. I hope the same is true for you.

Some joke Anyway, thanks for explaining. i wasn't trying to get an exact count. besides, i didn't think there were much over 1000 if that. when you ask a serious question here, you expect a serious answer. i'm only wondering what the approximate number is. i don't really know because i don't have the kind of money some people have to go out and buy every tape they see as soon as they see it. Sorry to bother. I'll just stick to the unknown and just collect them till i can't find any more. Again, thanks for clearing this up.

[Crazy Climber]

It's hard to say, new ones are being found even now. Birthdaymania was just proven to exsist last year Man I would love to be the owner of that one.

You can't really go by the Atariage rarity guide since they include label variations, clones, proto's, etc.. The number is constantly changing though since several HB games are made each year, if you counted hacks then who knows how many, tough to say how many original games are out there.....several hundred but I don't think there is over 1000.

[Rom Hunter]

People don't want to answer your question because there is no one right answer.

There are now 553 known to exist original Atari 2600 games, including 93 prototypes.

 

[gospeedde]

People don't want to answer your question because there is no one right answer.

There are now 553 known to exist original Atari 2600 games, including 93 prototypes.

 

 

That makes me wrong, but an awfully good guesser, so I'll take it.

[AtariMan1976]

Cool.

[candiru]

Dammit Big Player, stop having a sense of humor!!!! There's been too much fun going on around here! :x

[AtariMan1976]

Dammit Big Player, stop having a sense of humor!!!! There's been too much fun going on around here! :x

Doubling the amount of 2600 game out there must be fun. Even more fun to collect.

[shadow460]

Just set a goal as to what games you want based on reviews and play testing. I'd pick and choose 2600 games just like I pick and choose games for new systems.

 

Then if you want to collect them all, go rob a bank then hop on ebay.

[AtariMan1976]

Just set a goal as to what games you want based on reviews and play testing. I'd pick and choose 2600 games just like I pick and choose games for new systems.

 

Then if you want to collect them all, go rob a bank then hop on ebay.

I'll jusy get the ones i can get and the ones i really want.

[Quadhorn]

Actually, I'm kind of intrigued myself; sure there're how ever many hundred A2600 games out there (I've a collection of slightly over 600 ROM images, though some are of course NTSC/PAL or version variants) ... but how many of them were originally for the A2600? Rather than ported to it? How many games started life and / or only exist for the A2600...?

[rolenta]

People don't want to answer your question because there is no one right answer.

There are now 553 known to exist original Atari 2600 games, including 93 prototypes.

 

 

ABC To The VCS has summaries of over 700 games. Actually there are over 700 titles listed in the index. This includes games with more than one name (i.e. Atari/Sears), homebrews, and a few PAL games.

[Rom Hunter]

People don't want to answer your question because there is no one right answer.

There are now 553 known to exist original Atari 2600 games, including 93 prototypes.

 

 

ABC To The VCS has summaries of over 700 games. Actually there are over 700 titles listed in the index. This includes games with more than one name (i.e. Atari/Sears), homebrews, and a few PAL games.

Remove the Sears titles and the homebrews and you will get my number.

 

I'm talking about the 1977 - 1992 period here.

 

[AtariMan1976]

People don't want to answer your question because there is no one right answer.

There are now 553 known to exist original Atari 2600 games, including 93 prototypes.

 

 

ABC To The VCS has summaries of over 700 games. Actually there are over 700 titles listed in the index. This includes games with more than one name (i.e. Atari/Sears), homebrews, and a few PAL games.

Remove the Sears titles and the homebrews and you will get my number.

 

I'm talking about the 1977 - 1992 period here.

 

How many is that? Do you have that many?

[calfranklin]

I'm also curious about how many games did Atari release for the 2600?

[gospeedde]

553 including 93 prototypes (see, i read)

 

I don't have them all. Yet.