atari Which was the first Atari game to have a title screen?

[helderuto]

Hello, I am new in this board and this is my very first post so I hope not to be trolled.

 

My question is: Which was the first Atari game to have a title screen? Indeed, which was the first video game to have a title screen?

[Lord Innit]

Welcome!

That's a question which hasn't crossed my mind before. Um, for the 2600 maybe Centipede? There is probably an earlier one but I can't think of one just yet.

[Flojomojo]

My guess would be E.T. The Extraterrestrial. I'm not sure how we'd go about answering this question, though.

 

Centipede was around the same time ... as were many other silver label Atari games with title screens.

 

If someone can think of a pre-silver label Atari game with a title screen, that probably wins. I remember thinking that the Intellivision and Colecovision seemed so much more sophisticated because of their fancy title screens.

[+Nathan Strum]

My guess would be Star Raiders.

 

[BassGuitari]

Dunno if it counts, but IIRC Asteroids--released in 1981--had a "© 1981 Atari" screen, or something to that effect. I don't know if I can think of an earlier one.

Many of the silver-label games had title screens.

[high voltage]

So which was the first console game to have a game title screen?

[Mister-VCS]

Good question - another vote for Star Raiders.

[Philflound]

I would go with Asteroids. Someone would need to investigate if the initial releases had the screen or the later ones. All the boxes that I've discovered were printed in 1981, some in May, and some as late as September and October, but definitely before 1982 Star Raiders.

[Omegamatrix]

The problem with choosing Asteroids is that it doesn't actually have the game title on the 'title screen'. I would call it a start screen, or copyright screen instead. For that reason alone I would chose Star Raiders over Asteroids.

[SIO2]

I would go with Asteroids. Someone would need to investigate if the initial releases had the screen or the later ones. All the boxes that I've discovered were printed in 1981, some in May, and some as late as September and October, but definitely before 1982 Star Raiders.

I believe I have seen an Asteroids cart that did not have the copyright notice. So, I think it was added after the initial run.

[Shawn]

I believe I have seen an Asteroids cart that did not have the copyright notice. So, I think it was added after the initial run.

 

4k version versus 8k version IIRC.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

 

4k version versus 8k version IIRC.

Nope. All versions are 8k.

[+Random Terrain]

My guess would be E.T. The Extraterrestrial. I'm not sure how we'd go about answering this question, though.

 

Centipede was around the same time ... as were many other silver label Atari games with title screens.

 

If someone can think of a pre-silver label Atari game with a title screen, that probably wins. I remember thinking that the Intellivision and Colecovision seemed so much more sophisticated because of their fancy title screens.

For anyone reading this in the future, E.T. was released in December of 1982 and Centipede was released in March of 1983.

[Flojomojo]

For anyone reading this in the future, E.T. was released in December of 1982 and Centipede was released in March of 1983.

And Star Raiders came out in September 1982, so I think it wins the title of "first 2600 game with a title screen" award. ET's screen has color and music, but came out three months later.

 

I wouldn't have placed those two games so close together in time. I guess ET was the first of many silver label cartridges.

[Rom Hunter]

My guess would be Star Raiders.

 

Star Raiders (1982) (Atari).png

 

Or its 1981 prototype:

 

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

I believe it's Star Raiders, then E.T. and Centipede. But I know Asteroids and Yars' Revenge had copyright screens.

[Philflound]

I still say it's Asteroids 1981. Not sure why some of you are ignoring this.

[+Random Terrain]

I still say it's Asteroids 1981. Not sure why some of you are ignoring this.

 

Doesn't it just have the copyright date without the title of the game?

[+SpiceWare]

I still say it's Asteroids 1981. Not sure why some of you are ignoring this.

 

Difference in terminology? The screen in Asteroids is a one-time splash screen while a title screen often includes game options.

 

For Stay Frosty 2 this is the splash screen:

 

while this is the title screen:

[+SpiceWare]

 

Doesn't it just have the copyright date without the title of the game?

 

Good point:

[AtariKid81]

It depends what you may consider a title screen? To my knowledge, the first game to offer title "info" was "Asteroids". On power up, the T.V. displays, "copy write symbol", 1981 Atari, Inc. I believe Asteroid was actually programmed and manufactured in 1981 too, unlike many, including "Defender", for example, which was programmed in 1981, but not sold until June of 1982.

 

"Later" production runs of Asteroids omitted the 1981 copy write info. Funny thing though, I received Asteroids, Christmas of 1981 - sold as a Sears Telegames version - it did not include the title screen. I wonder how many copies of Asteroids, Atari actually produced, with the copy write info, before they switched?

 

Anyway, I am almost positive "Star Raiders" offered the first legitimate title screen with the name of the game and copy write info.

 

E.T. offered the first title screen with a graphic.

 

I will look through my collection and see if there's a third party game that will prove us all wrong!

[+Random Terrain]

It depends what you may consider a title screen?

The word title leaves no room for interpretation. The title (name of the game) must be on the screen. If the name of the game was "© 1981 Atari, Inc." instead of "Asteroids," then that would be considered a title screen. Asteroids has a Copyright Screen, not a Title Screen.

[Mr SQL]

 

Difference in terminology? The screen in Asteroids is a one-time splash screen while a title screen often includes game options.

 

For Stay Frosty 2 this is the splash screen:

SF2_20131217_RC8_NTSC.png

 

while this is the title screen:

SF2_20131217_RC8_NTSC_1.png

Interesting points Spice,

I wonder where we would place the SuperCharger operating systems' press play on tape screen; it's always there like an initial spash screen but it's prompting options suggest a title screen - perhaps title screen prelude or a functional screen-saver might fit.

 

And it always presents the theatrical aspects of the curtain closing (definitely splash-screen material here) before presenting the option laden title screen menu of most of the supercharger games - or alternately another splash screen from the OS help system for loading errors.

 

The SuperCharger came out early in '82 so unless there is an '81 cart with a full title screen I think the tape games have it.

[tremoloman2006]

The original release of Asteroids did not have the copyright splash screen. The first titles I remember with a title screen were Ms.Pac-Man and Star Raiders.

[+Random Terrain]

One thing we need to figure out is if it counts as a title screen if the title isn't displayed on its own separate screen. I've started an incomplete list below.

Space Jockey is on the screen at the bottom of the playfield at the beginning of the game before you press the fire button (released in the early part of 1982).

Star Raiders has a real title screen (released in September of 1982).

Nexar is displayed at the top of the playfield as the game plays by itself (probably released in September of 1982).

Fast Eddie is displayed at the top of the playfield before you press the fire button during what looks like an attract mode (probably released in September of 1982).

Beany Bopper is displayed at the top of the playfield before you press the fire button during what looks like an attract mode. It's also on the screen while you play (probably released in September of 1982).

Worm War I is displayed at the bottom of the playfield during auto-play and it's also on the screen while you play (probably released in September of 1982).

SwordQuest: EarthWorld has a real title screen [it has SwordQuest without the Earthworld part] (released in October of 1982).

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial has a real title screen (released in December of 1982).

 

Alien is displayed at the bottom of the playfield during some kind of attract mode (probably released in December of 1982).

 

Mega Force is displayed at the top of the playfield before you start the game (probably released in December of 1982).