Info on "K"s

[Recycled]

Give me an example(title) of a 2k, 4k, 8k, and 16k cart. Any good reading on the evolution/progress of 2600 carts I could puruse? I'm not as technically astute as most of you on this kind of stuff.

[PressureCooker2600]

i'm definatly not the one to ask.....but you would think a game like California games is 16k, and a game like Taz or Pressure Cooker is 8k

[+atari2600land]

K stands for kilobyte, or how big a game is (or, in a computer's case, how much space a ROM takes up.) For example, Combat is 2k, while later games such as Fatal Run, as well as some homebrew games, are 32k.

Edited December 1, 2006 by atari2600land

[NovaXpress]

And some 4K games look and play better than some 8K games, so it's no indication of quality or achievement.

[PressureCooker2600]

And some 4K games look and play better than some 8K games, so it's no indication of quality or achievement.

 

that goes without sayin

[Uzumaki]

Some games released in mid 80's to 90's by Nintendo and Sega often used confusing term. They referred to mega or megabit. It's not the same as megabye. A one mega game for example is really 128k.

 

Back to Atari, earliest games were 2k and then 4k became the norm. To get an idea of the size, you type up something that has 4,096 characters, that is 4k. It may not seems much but with what Atari 2600 could do, 4k is quite a lot.

 

Asteroid (I think) was the first to cross the 8k barrier. Then the Real Sports series and SwordQuest games and soon many more games used 8k.

 

Road Runner and Dig Dug broke 16k size but not many games were produced in that size range because 16K ROM were expensive to produce back then. About 25 Atari games used 16k ROM and many were never released. Activision also released a few games in 16k range.

 

CBS and M-Network made a few games that uses odd 12k size as well.

 

The largest single 2600 game released uses 32k though more is possible.

 

The reason a majority of the games uses 2k/4k is not because of the cost but also because the cart slot can only address up to a maximum of 4k. To get around that, several developers used what is called bankswitching. A typical design would be to watch for certain condition, and when it occurs, it changes around the bank of 4k chunks of ROM so the 2600 could access other part and carry out the more complex games. Tigervision, M-Network, and Parker Bros used different method to shuffle around.

 

However the bankswitching requires extra logic to control the higher address line to shuffle the ROM space around, and that also adds to extra costs.

 

In theory a 512K game (half a million bytes!) could be written for Atari 2600 but it takes a lot of work to make a working 4k game and consequently very few homebrewn games have reached 32k size.

 

EDIT: typo fixed and added one more sentence.

Edited December 1, 2006 by Uzumaki

[Recycled]

Some games released in mid 80's to 90's by Nintendo and Sega often used confusing term. They referred to mega or megabit. It's not the same as megabye. A one mega game for example is really 128k.

 

Back to Atari, earliest games were 2k and then 4k became the norm. To get an idea of the size, yupe up something that has 4,096 characters, that is 4k. It may not seems much but with what Atari 2600 could do, 4k is quite a lot.

 

Asteroid (I think) was the first to cross the 8k barrier. Then the Real Sports series and SwordQuest games and soon many more games used 8k.

 

Road Runner and Dig Dug broke 16k size but not many games were produced in that size range because 16K ROM were expensive to produce back then. About 25 Atari games used 16k ROM and many were never released. Activision also released a few games in 16k range.

 

CBS and M-Network made a few games that uses odd 12k size as well.

 

The largest single 2600 game released uses 32k though more is possible.

 

The reason a majority of the games uses 2k/4k is not because of the cost but also because the cart slot can only address up to a maximum of 4k. To get around that, several developers used what is called bankswitching. A typical design would be to watch for certain condition, and when it occurs, it changes around the bank of 4k chunks of ROM so the 2600 could access other part and carry out the more complex games. Tigervision, M-Network, and Parker Bros used different method to shuffle around.

 

In theory a 512K game (half a million bytes!) could be written for Atari 2600 but it takes a lot of work to make a working 4k game and consequently very few homebrewn games have reached 32k size.

 

Very interesting.

 

Thanks.

[Blackjack]

Here is a list sorted by size. Some missing, but it's quite a lot of games.

 

2K

 

3-D Tic-Tac-Toe (1978) (Atari)

Air-Sea Battle (1977) (Atari)

Angling (Ariola) (PAL) [!]

Arcade Golf (1979) (Sears)

Basketball (1978) (Atari)

Blackjack (1977) (Atari) [!]

Bowling (1978) (Atari) [!]

Boxen (Ariola) (PAL) [!]

Boxing (1981) (Activision) [!]

Boxing (Activision) (PAL) [p1][!]

Boxing (Dactar) (PAL) [p1][!]

Brain Games (1982) (Atari)

Breakout - Breakaway IV (1978) (Atari)

Canyon Bomber (1978) (Atari)

Checkers (1980) (Activision)

Code Breaker (1978) (Atari)

Combat (1977) (Atari) [!]

Concentration (1978) (Atari)

Diagnostic Cartridge

Dragster (1980) (Activision) [!]

Fishing Derby (1980) (Activision) [!]

Fishing Derby (32-in-1) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Fishing Derby (CCE)

Flag Capture (1978) (Atari)

Football (1978) (Atari)

Freeway (1981) (Activision) [!]

Fun with Numbers (1977) (Atari)

Gangster (Ariola) (PAL) [!]

Golf (1978) (Atari) [!]

Home Run Baseball (1978)

Human Cannonball (AKA Cannon Man) (1978) (Atari)

Hunt & Score (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Indy 500 (1978) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Indy 500 (1978) (Atari) [!]

Kaboom! (1981) (Activision) [!]

Laser Blast (1981) (Activision) [!]

Magicard (CommaVid)

Maze (1978) (Sears)

Miniature Golf (32-in-1) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Night Driver (1978) (Atari)

Othello (1978) (Atari)

Outlaw - GunSlinger (1978) (Atari)

Polo (Atari) (Prototype) [!]

Skeet Shoot (1981) (Apollo)

Skiing (1980) (Activision) [!]

Sky Diver (1978) (Atari)

Sky Jinks (1982) (Activision) [!]

Slot Machine (1979) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Slot Racers (32-in-1) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Space Jockey (1982) (US Games) [!]

Space War (1978) (Atari)

Stampede (1981) (Activision) [!]

Stampede (32-in-1) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Star Ship - Outer Space (1977)

Steeplechase (1980) (Sears)

Street Racer - Speedway II (1978) (Atari)

Stunt Cycle (Atari) (Prototype)

SuperCharger Loader (1982) (Starpath) [b1]

Super-Cowboy beim Rodeo (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Surround (1978) (Atari)

Tennis (1981) (Activision) [!]

Test Tape - Standalone (Atari)

Tetris 2600 (Colin Hughes)

Video Life (CommaVid)

Video Olympics (1978) (Atari)

 

4K

 

Action Force (1983) (Parker Bros)

Adventure (1978) (Atari)

Adventures of Tron (1983) (Mattel)

Adventures on GX-12 (Telegames) (PAL) [!]

Air Raid

Air Raiders (1982) (Mattel) [!]

Airlock (1982) (Data Age)

Alice's Abenteuer (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Alien (1982) (20th Century Fox)

Alien's Return (ITT Family Games) (PAL) [!]

Aligator People (20th Century Fox) (Prototype) [!]

Amidar (1983) (Parker Bros)

Angriff der Luftflotten (AKA Paris Attack) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Apples and Dolls (CCE)

Armor Ambush (1982) (Mattel) [!]

Assault (Bomb)

Astroblast (1982) (Mattel) [!]

Astrowar (Starsoft)

Atari Video Cube (1982) (Atari)

Atlantis (1982) (Imagic) [!]

Atlantis II (1982) (Imagic) [!]

Aufruhr im Zoo (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Autorennen (AKA Grand Prix) (Ariola) (PAL) [!]

Bachelor Party (1982) (Mystique)

Backgammon (1978) (Atari)

Bank Heist (1983) (20th Century Fox)

Barnstorming (1982) (Activision) [!]

Base Attack (AKA Z-Tack,Laser-Loop,Sky Scrapper) (HomeVision) (PAL) [!]

Basic Programming (1978) (Atari)

Beany Bopper (1982) (20th Century Fox)

Beat 'Em and Eat 'Em (1982) (Mystique) [!]

Bermuda Triangle (1982) (Data Age) [!]

Berzerk (1982) (Atari)

Berzerk (CCE)

Bi! Bi! (AKA Ungeheuer der Tiefe) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Billard (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Black Hole (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Bobby geht nach Hause (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Bobby is Going Home (CCE) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Bobby is Going Home (Rentacom) (Brazil) [!]

Bogey Blaster (Telegames) (PAL) [!]

Boing! (1983) (First Star Software) (PAL) [!]

Boom Bang (AKA Crackpots) (Cooper Black) (PAL)

Boom Bang (AKA Kampf dem Steinfresser) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Breakdown (AKA Capture) (Dynamics-Goliath) (PAL) [!]

Brick Kick (R.J.P.G.)

Bridge (1981) (Activision) [!]

Bugs (1982) (Data Age)

Bumper Bash (1983) (Spectravideo)

Burning Desire (1982) (Playaround)

Cakewalk (CommaVid)

Carnival (1982) (Coleco)

Carnival (CCE)

Casino (1978) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Cat Trax (1983) (UA)

Cathouse Blues (1982) (Mystique)

Challenge (Funvision) (PAL)

Challenge of...NEXAR (1982) (Spectravideo)

Championship Soccer (AKA Pele's Soccer)

Chase the Chuckwagon (1983) (Spectravideo)

China Syndrome (1982) (Spectravideo)

Chopper Command (1982) (Activision) [!]

Chopper Command (CCE)

Circus Atari (1978) (Atari) (Joystick)

Circus Atari (1978) (Atari) (Paddles)

Coconuts (1982) (Telesys)

Col 'N (HomeVision)

Color Bar Generator (Videosoft)

Commando Raid (1982) (US Games)

Computer Chess (1983) (Atari) (Prototype)

Condor Attack (CCE)

Condor Attack (High-Score Games) (PAL) [!]

Confrontation (1983) (Answer Software)

Corrida da Matematica (CCE)

Cosmic Ark (1982) (Imagic) [!]

Cosmic Avenger (PAL) [p1][!]

Cosmic Commuter (1984) (Activision) [!]

Cosmic Corridor (Zimag)

Cosmic Creeps (1982) (Telesys)

Cosmic Town (ITT Family Games) (PAL) [!]

Crackpots (1983) (Activision) [!]

Crackpots (CCE)

Crash Dive (1983) (20th Century Fox)

Crazy Valet (Hozer Video Games)

Criminal Pursuit

Cross Force (1982) (Spectravision)

Cruise Missile (1982) (Froggo)

Crypts of Chaos (1982) (20th Century Fox)

Cubicolor (Rob Fulop)

Cubis (1997) (Eckhard Stolberg)

Cubo Magico (CCE)

Custer's Revenge (1982) (Mystique)

Dancing Plates (PAL)

Dare Diver (1977) (Sears)

Dark Cavern (1982) (Mattel) [!]

Deadly Duck (1982) (20th Century Fox)

Death Trap (1983) (Avalon Hill)

Defender (1981) (Atari)

Defender (CCE)

Demolition Herby (1982) (Telesys)

Demon Attack (1982) (Imagic)

Demon Attack (1983) (Activision)

Demons to Diamonds (1982)

Der Geheimkurier (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Der hungrige Panda (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Der kleine Baer (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Der Vielfrass (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Dice Puzzle (Panda) (PAL)

Die Ente und der Wolf (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Die hungrigen Froesche (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Die Ratte und die Karotten (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Die Springteufel (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Die Unterwasser-Bestien (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Dishaster (Zimag) (PAL)

Dodge 'em (1980) (Atari)

Dolphin (1983) (Activision) [!]

Donkey Kong (198x)

Dragon Defender (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Dragonfire (1982) (Imagic)

Dschungle Boy (AKA Tom Boy) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Duck Shoot (Kampf um die Schatzinsel) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Dukes of Hazzard V2 (Atari) (Prototype) [!]

Earth Attack (Zellers) [!]

Earth Dies Screaming (1983) (20th Century Fox)

Edtris (1995) (Ed Federmeyer)

Eggomania (1982) (US Games)

Eishockey-Fieber (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Eli's Ladder (Simage)

Encounter at L5 (1982) (Data Age)

Enduro (1983) (Activision)

Entombed (1982) (US Games) [!]

Exocet (AKA Space Eagle) (Panda) (PAL)

Fantastic Voyage (1982) (20th Century Fox) [!]

Farmyard Fun

Fast Eddie (1982) (20th Century Fox) [!]

Fast Food (1982) (Telesys)

Fast Food (Zirok) (Brazil) [!]

Felix Return (Goliath) (PAL) [!]

Festival (PAL) [p1][!]

Feuerwehr im Einsatz (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Final Approach (1982) (Apollo)

Fire Fighter (1982) (Imagic)

Fire Fly (1983) (Mythicon) [!]

Fire Spinner

Fisher Price (CCE) (PAL) [!]

Flash Gordon (1983) (20th Century Fox) [!]

Flippern (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Forest (Sancho) (PAL) [!]

Fox & Goat (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Frankenstein's Monster (1983) (Data Age)

Frogger (1982) (Parker Bros)

Frogs and Flies (1982) (Mattel) [!]

Frostbite (1983) (Activision)

Fuchs & Schweinchen Schlau (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

G.I. Joe - Cobra Strike (1983) (Parker Bros) [!]

Galactic (G) (Funvision) (PAL) [!]

Galaga (River Raid clone) [p1]

Gangster Alley (1982) (Spectravision)

Gas Hog (1983) (Spectravideo)

Gauntlet (1983) (Answer Software)

Gefaehrliche Maeusejagt (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Gefecht im All (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Ghost Manor (1983) (Xonox)

Gigolo (1982) (Mystique)

Glacier Patrol

Glib (1983) (Selchow & Righter)

Gopher (1982) (US Games)

Gorf (1982) (CBS Electronics)

Grand Prix (1982) (Activision) [!]

Great Escape (Bomb)

Ground Zero (Rainbow Vision) (PAL) [!]

Guardian (1982) (Apollo)

Halloween (AKA Sexta Fiera 13) (Wizard Video) [!]

Hangman (1978) (Atari)

Harbor Escape (1983) (Panda)

Haunted House (1981) (Atari)

Hell Driver (ITT Family Games) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Hili Ball (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

I Want My Mommy (AKA Ursinho Esperto) (Zimag)

Ice Hockey (1981) (Activision) [!]

Im Reich der Spinne (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Im Schutz der Drachen (Starsoft) (PAL) [p1][!]

Immies & Aggies (CCE)

Infiltrate (1982) (Apollo) [!]

International Soccer (1982) (Mattel)

Jawbreaker (1982) (CCE)

Journey - Escape (1982) (Data Age)

Jumping Jack (Dynamics) (PAL) [!]

Jungle Fever (1982) (Playaround)

Kabobber (Activision) (Prototype)

Kamikaze Saucers

Karate (1982) (Froggo)

Keystone Kapers (1983) (Activision)

King Arthur (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

King Kong (1982) (Tigervision)

Knight on the Town (1982) (Playaround)

Kool Aid Man (1982) (Mattel)

Krieg Der Sterne (Atlantis-Ariola) (PAL) [!]

Kung Fu (PAL) [!]

Labyrinth (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Lady in Wading (1982) (Playaround)

Landung in der Normandie (Starsoft) (PAL) [p1][!]

Landungskommando (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Laser Base (AKA World End) (ITT Family Games) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Laser Gates (1983) (CCE)

Laser Volley (1983) (Zellers)

Lilly Adventure (Starsoft) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Lochjaw (1982) (Apollo)

Lock 'N' Chase (1982) (Mattel) [!]

London Blitz (1983) (Avalon Hill)

Lost Luggage (1981) (Apollo) (NTSC) [!]

Lost Luggage (1981) (Apollo) [a1]

M.A.D. (1982) (Carrere Video) (PAL) [!]

M.A.S.H. (1982) (20th Century Fox)

M.A.S.H. (CCE) (no logo) (PAL) [!]

Malagai (1983) (Answer Software)

Mangia' (1983) (Spectravideo)

Marauder (1982) (Tigervision)

Marine Wars (1983) (Konami) [!]

Marineflieger (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Master Builder (1983) (Spectravideo)

Math Gran Prix (1982) (Atari)

Maze Craze (1978) (Atari)

Mega Force (1982) (20th Century Fox)

Megamania (1982) (Activision) [!]

Mein Weg (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Merlin's Walls (Standard Edition) (1999) (ebivision) [!]

Meteor Defense (ITT Family Games) (PAL) [!]

Mines of Minos (1982) (CommaVid)

Miss Piggy's Wedding (Prototype) [!]

Missile Command (1981) (Atari) [!]

Missile Control (AKA Raketen-Angriff) (Ariola) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Missile War (Goliath) (PAL) [!]

Mission 3000 A.D. (Bitcorp) (PAL) [!]

Mission Survive (1983) (Video Gems) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Misterious Thief, A (CCE)

Mogul Maniac (1983) (Amiga)

Monster aus dem All (1983) (Rainbow Vision) (PAL) [!]

Moto Laser (CCE)

Motocross (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Mountain Man (AKA Winterjagt) (ITT Family Games) (PAL) [!]

Mouse Trap (1982) (Coleco)

Mr. Postman

Mr. T (AKA Fast Eddie) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Music Machine (1983) (Sparrow)

Name This Game (AKA Octopus) (1982) (US Games) [!]

Night Stalker (Telegames) (PAL) [a1]

Nightmare (CCE)

No Escape! (1983) (Imagic) [!]

Nuts (Technovision) (PAL)

Ocean City Defender (Zellers)

Octopus (AKA Name That Game) (Carrere Video) (PAL) [!]

Off Your Rocker (1983) (Amiga)

Oink! (1983) (Activision) [!]

Out of Control (1983) (Avalon Hill)

Pac-Man (1981) (Atari)

Panda Chase (HomeVision)

Parachute (HomeVision) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Parachute (HomeVision) (PAL)

Peek-A-Boo

Pepsi Invaders (Atari) (Prototype)

Peter Penguin (Jagt auf Diamanten-Frisco) (ITT) (PAL) [!]

Phantom Panzer II (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Phantom Tank (CCE)

Phantom UFO (PAL) [p1][!]

Pharaoh's Curse (TechnoVision) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Philly Flasher (1982) (Playaround)

Picnic (1982) (US Games)

Piece o' Cake (1982) (US Games)

Pitfall! (1982) (Activision) (Beta)

Pitfall! (1982) (Activision) [!]

Pitfall! (CCE)

Planet Patrol (1982) (Spectravision)

Plaque Attack (1983) (Activision) [!]

Poker Plus (1978) (Sears)

Polo (Atari) (Prototype) [o1]

Pompeii (Apollo) (Prototype)

Pooyan (1982) (Konami-Gakken)

Pressure Gauge 2 Beta

Pressure Gauge

Puzzled World (Cooper Black) (PAL) [p1]

Pygmy (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Pyramid War (Suntek) (PAL)

Qb (2.06) (NTSC)

Q-bert (1988) (Atari) [!]

Quick Step! (1983) (Imagic)

Racquetball (1981) (Apollo) [!]

Raft Rider (1982) (US Games)

Raumpatrouille (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Reactor (1982) (Parker Bros)

RealSports Volleyball (1982) (Atari)

Rescue Bira Bira

Rescue Terra I (1982) (Venture Vision)

Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes (1983) (20th Century Fox) [!]

Riddle of the Sphinx (1982) (Imagic)

River Raid (1982) (Activision) [!]

Robot Fight (AKA Space Robot) (HomeVision) (PAL) [!]

Rodeo Champ (PAL) [p1][!]

Room of Doom (CommaVid)

SALT Diagnostics

Save Our Ship

Schiessbude (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Scuba Diver (Panda)

Sea Hawk (1987) (Froggo)

Sea Hawk (CCE)

Sea Hunt (CCE)

Sea Monster (Bitcorp) (PAL) [!]

Seaquest (1983) (Activision)

Secret Agent (Data Age) (Prototype)

See Saw (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Sesam, Oeffne Dich (AKA Open Sesame) (Bitcorp) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Shark Attack (1982) (Apollo)

Shootin' Gallery (1982) (Imagic)

Shuttle Orbiter (1983) (Avalon Hill)

Ski Hunt

Ski Run

Skindiver (AKA Aquatak) (Sancho) (PAL) [!]

Sky Skipper (1983) (Parker Bros)

Snail Against Squirrel (1983) (CCE)

Sneek 'n Peek (1982) (CCE)

Solar Storm (1983) (Imagic)

Sorcerer (1983) (Mythicon) [!]

Space Attack (1982) (Mattel)

Space Canyon (Panda)

Space Cavern (1981) (Apollo) [!]

Space Invaders (1978) (Atari)

Space Raid

Space Robot (AKA Robot Fight) (Dimax)

Space Tunnel (Bitcorp) (PAL)

Spacechase (1981) (Apollo) [!]

SpaceMaster X-7 (1983) (20th Century Fox)

Spider Fighter (1983) (Activision) [!]

Spiderdroid (1987) (Froggo)

Spider-Man (1982) (Parker Bros)

Spitfire Attack (1983) (Milton Bradley) [!]

Spy vs. Spy (PAL) [p1][!]

Squeeze Box (1982) (US Games) [!]

Squoosh (Apollo) (Prototype)

Sssnake (1982) (Data Age)

Star Fox (1982) (Mythicon) [!]

Star Gunner (1982) (Telesys)

Star Strike (1982) (Mattel)

Star Voyager (1982) (Imagic)

Star Wars - Jedi Arena (1983) (Parker Bros)

Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back (1982) (Parker Bros)

Starmaster (1982) (Activision)

Steeple Chase (Video Gems) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Stellar Track (1980) (Sears)

Stopp die Gangster (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Strahlen der Teufelsvoegel (PAL) [p1]

Strawberry Shortcake - Musical Match-Ups (1983) (Parker Bros)

Stronghold (CommaVid)

Sub Rescue (Real Title Unknown)

Sub Scan (1983) (Sega)

Submarine Commander (1982) (Sears)

Super Breakout (1978) (Atari)

Super Challenge Football (1982) (Mattel)

Super Circus (PAL) [!]

Super Ferrari (Quelle)

Super Ferrari (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Super VoleyBall (CCE)

Superman (1978) (Atari)

Surfer's Paradise - But Danger Below! (Video Gems) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Survival Run (1983) (Milton Bradley)

Swordfight (Intellevision Productions)

T.F. Space Invaders

Tac Scan (1983) (Sega)

Tank Brigade (Panda)

Tank Plus (1977) (Sears)

Tanks But No Tanks (Zimag)

Tape Worm (1982) (Spectravideo)

Task Force (1987) (Froggo)

Teddy Apple (HomeVision) (PAL) [!]

Teller-Jonglieren! (AKA Tanzende Teller) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Tennis (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The (1983) (Wizard Video Games)

This Planet Sucks [a1]

This Planet Sucks [a2]

This Planet Sucks

Threshold (1982) (Tigervision) (PAL) [!]

Threshold (1982) (Tigervision)

Thunderground (1983) (Sega)

Time Machine (AKA Great Escape,Asteroid Belt) (PAL) [!]

Time Race (Goliath) (PAL) [!]

Time Race 2 (Funvision) (PAL) [!]

Time Warp (CCE)

Tom Boy (Suntek) (PAL)

Tom's Eierjagd (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Top Gun (AKA Air Patrol) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Towering Inferno (1982) (US Games) [!]

Treasure Below (Video Gems) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Trick Shot (1982) (Imagic)

TRON - Deadly Discs (1983) (Mattel)

Tuby Bird (AKA Vogel Flieh) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Turmoil (1982) (20th Century Fox)

UFO Patrol

Universal Chaos (Telegames) (PAL)

Venture (1982) (Coleco) [!]

Venture II (2001) (Tim Snider)

Video Checkers (1978) (Atari)

Video Chess (1978) (Atari)

Video Cube (CCE)

Video Jogger (Exus) (PAL)

Video Pinball (1980) (Atari)

Video Reflex (Exus) (PAL)

Video Simon (Mark De Smet)

Video Time Machine (Chris Cracknell)

Volleyball (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Vom Himmel durch die Hoelle (Rainbow Vision) (PAL) [!]

Wabbit (1982) (Apollo)

Wachroboter Jagt Jupy (AKA Hey! Stop!) (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Wall Ball (1983) (Avalon Hill)

Wall Defender (Bomb)

Warlords (1981) (Atari)

Warplock (1982) (Data Age)

Weltraum Tunnel (Starsoft) (PAL) [!]

Wizard of Wor (1982) (CBS Electronics)

Word Zapper (1982) (US Games) [!]

Worm War I (1982) (20th Century Fox)

Wolfenstein

Xevious (Atari) (Prototype)

Zaxxon (1983) (CBS Electronics)

 

8k

 

 

Alpha Beam with Ernie (1983) (Atari)

Aquaventure (CCE)

Artillery Duel (1983) (Xonox) [!]

Asterix (1988) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Asteroids (1979) (Atari)

A-Team, The (Atari) (Prototype) [!]

Battlezone (1983) (Atari)

Beamrider (1983) (Activision)

Berenstain Bears (1982) (Coleco)

Big Bird's Egg Catch (1983) (Atari)

Bionic Breakthrough (1984) (Atari) (Prototype)

Blueprint (1983) (CBS Electronics)

Buck Rogers - Planet of Zoom (1983) (Sega) [!]

Bugs Bunny (Atari) (Prototype) [!]

Canguru (Zirok) (Brazil) [!]

Centipede (1982) (Atari) (Prototype) (PAL) [!]

Centipede (1982) (Atari)

Chuck Norris Superkicks (Xonox)

Combat II (1982) (Atari) (Prototype) [!]

Congo Bongo (1983) (Sega)

Cookie Monster Munch (1983) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Crazy Climber (1983) (Atari)

Decathlon (1983) (Activision)

Defender II (1984) (Atari)

Demons!

Donald Duck's Speedboat (Atari) (Prototype) (PAL)

Donkey Kong Junior (Coleco)

Dumbo's Flying Circus (1983) (Atari) (Prototype) (PAL)

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) (Atari)

Elevator Action (Atari) (Prototype)

Elk Attack (1987) (Atari)

Espial (1983) (Tigervision)

Fathom (1983) (Imagic)

Frog Pond (Atari) (Prototype)

Frogger II - Threedeep! (1983) (Parker Bros)

Front Line (1982) (Coleco)

Galaxian (1983) (Atari) [!]

Ghostbusters (1985) (Activision)

Gravitar (1988) (Atari) [!]

Gravitar (1988) (CCE)

Gremlins (1984) (Atari)

Grover's Music Maker (Atari) (Prototype) (PAL)

Gyruss (1984) (Parker Bros)

H.E.R.O. (1984) (CCE)

Holey Moley (Atari) (Prototype)

James Bond 007 (1983) (Parker Bros)

Joust (1982) (Atari)

Jungle Hunt (1982) (Atari)

Kangaroo (1983) (Atari)

Krull (1983) (Atari)

Kung Fu Master (CCE)

Lord Of The Rings (1983) (Parker Brothers) (Prototype)

Mario Bros. (1983) (Atari)

Miner 2049er (1982) (Tigervision)

Miner 2049er Volume II (1983) (Tigervision)

Monstercise

Montezuma's Revenge - Starring Panama Joe (1983) (Parker Bros)

Moon Patrol (1983) (Atari)

Moonsweeper (1983) (Imagic)

Motocross Racer - Joystick (1983) (Xonox)

Motocross Racer (1983) (Xonox)

Mr. Do! (1983) (CBS Electronics)

Mr. Do!'s Castle (1983) (Parker Bros)

Ms. Pac-Man (1982) (Atari)

My Golf (1990)

Obelix (1983) (Atari) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Obelix (1983) (Atari)

Oscar's Trash Race (1983) (Atari) (Prototype) (PAL)

Pengo - 1 Player Only (1984) (Atari)

Pengo (1984) (Atari)

Phoenix (1982) (Atari)

Pigs in Space starring Miss Piggy (1986) (Atari)

Polaris (1983) (Tigervision) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Pole Position (1983) (Atari)

Popeye (1983) (Parker Bros)

Porky's (1983) (20th Century Fox)

Pressure Cooker (1983) (Activision)

Private Eye (1983) (Activision)

Pro Wrestling (Absolute-Activision) (PAL) [!]

Q-bert's Qubes (1983) (Parker Bros)

Quadrun (Atari)

Quest for Quintana Roo (Sunrise)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1982) (Atari)

RealSports Baseball (1982) (Atari)

RealSports Basketball (Atari) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

RealSports Football (1982) (Atari)

RealSports Soccer (1983) (Atari)

RealSports Tennis (1983) (Atari)

Resgate Espacial (CCE)

River Patrol (1984) (Tigervision)

Robin Hood (Xonox)

Robot Tank (1983) (Activision)

Roc n' Rope (1984) (Coleco)

Sinistar (Atari)

Sir Lancelot (1983) (Xonox)

Skate Boardin' (1987) (Absolute)

Sky Patrol (Imagic) (Prototype)

Smurfs - Rescue in Gargamel's Castle (1982) (Coleco)

Smurfs Save the Day (1983) (Coleco)

Snoopy and the Red Baron (1983) (Atari)

Solar Fox (1983) (CBS Electronics)

Sorcerer's Apprentice (1983) (Atari)

Space Shuttle - Journey Into Space (1983) (Activision)

Spike's Peak (1983) (Xonox)

Springer (1982) (Tigervision)

Spy Hunter (1983) (Sega)

Star Raiders (1982) (Atari)

Star Trek - Strategic Operations Simulator (1983) (Sega)

Star Wars - Death Star Battle (1983) (Parker Bros)

Star Wars - Ewok Adventure (Parker Brothers) (Prototype) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Star Wars - The Arcade Game (1983) (Parker Bros)

Stargate (1984) (Atari)

Stargate (1984) (Atari)

Subterrenea (1983) (Imagic)

Super Cobra (1982) (Parker Bros)

Super Futebol (CCE)

Super Kung-Fu (1983) (Xonox) (PAL) [!]

Surf's Up (Amiga)

SwordQuest - Earthworld (1982) (Atari) [!]

SwordQuest - Fireworld (1982) (Atari)

SwordQuest - Waterworld (1983) (Atari)

Tapper (1983) (Sega)

Tax Avoiders (1982) (American Videogame)

Taz (1983) (Atari) [!]

Telepathy (Prototype) (Atari) [!]

Tempest (Atari) (Prototype) [!]

Thwocker (Activision) (Prototype)

Time Pilot (1983) (Coleco)

Title Match Pro Wrestling (1987) (Absolute)

Title Match Pro Wrestling (1989) (Activision)

Tomarc the Barbarian (1983) (Xonox)

Tooth Protectors (DSD-Camelot)

Tutankham (1983) (Parker Bros)

Up 'n Down (1983) (Sega)

Vanguard (1982) (Atari)

Wing War (Imagic) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Killer Satellites (1982) (Starpath)

Phaser Patrol (1982) (Starpath)

Rabbit Transit (1982) (Starpath)

Sabotage (Ultravison)

 

12k

 

Mountain King (1983) (CBS Electronics)

Omega Race (1983) (CBS Electronics)

Tunnel Runner (1983) (CBS Electronics) [!]

 

16k

 

BMX Air Master (1989) (TNT Games)

Bump 'N' Jump (1983) (Mattel)

Burgertime (1982) (Mattel)

California Games (1988) (Epyx)

Commando (1988) (Atari)

CompuMate (Spectravideo & Universum) (PAL) [!]

Crossbow (1987) (Atari)

Crystal Castles (1984) (Atari) (NTSC-Prototype) [!]

Crystal Castles (1984) (Atari)

Dark Chambers (1988) (Atari)

Desert Falcon (1987) (Atari)

Dig Dug (1983) (Atari)

Double Dragon (1989) (Activision)

Double Dragon (CCE)

Double Dunk (1989) (Atari)

Dukes of Hazzard (Atari) (Prototype)

Fishing Derby (1980) (Activision) [o1]

Garfield (Prototype)

Ghostbusters II (1992) (Salu) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Ikari Warriors (1990) (Atari) (NTSC by Thomas Jentzsch)

Jr. Pac-Man (1984) (Atari)

Klax (1990) (Atari)

Masters of the Universe - The Power of He-Man (1983) (Mattel)

Midnight Magic (1984) (Atari)

Millipede (1984) (Atari)

Milpede (Atari) (Prototype)

Motorodeo (1990) (Atari) (PAL)

Off the Wall (1989) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

Pete Rose Baseball (1988) (Absolute)

Pick 'n Pile (1990) (Salu) (PAL) [!]

Radar Lock (1989) (Atari)

Rampage! (1989) (Activision)

RealSports Boxing (1987) (Atari)

River Raid II (1988) (Activision) [a1]

River Raid II (1988) (Activision)

Road Runner (CCE)

Save Mary (1990) (Atari) (Prototype) [!]

Secret Quest (1989) (Atari)

Sentinel (1990) (Atari)

Shooting Arcade (1989) (Atari) (Prototype)

Solaris (1986) (Atari)

Sports Action Pak - End,Hock,Fish,Drag (1988) (Activision) (PAL) [!]

Sprint Master (1988) (Atari)

Summer Games (1987) (Epyx)

Super Baseball (1988) (Atari)

Super Box (CCE)

Super Football (1988) (Atari)

This Planet Sucks (16K)

Tomcat - The F-14 Flight Simulator (1988) (Absolute) [!]

Track and Field (1984) (Atari)

Winter Games (1987) (Epyx)

Xenophobe (1990) (Atari) (PAL) [!]

[PressureCooker2600]

damn blackjack .....i hope you just pasted those on.....otherwise i know whose fingers are achin' now

[supercat]

Road Runner and Dig Dug broke 16k size but not many games were produced in that size range because 16K ROM were expensive to produce back then. About 25 Atari games used 16k ROM and many were never released. Activision also released a few games in 16k range.

 

It's important to note that while the Atari 2600 has 128 bytes of RAM, it's also possible (though not easy) to include RAM within a cartridge. By far the most common size of extra RAM is 128 bytes (doubling the available space). Stargate was an 8K cart with extra RAM; Dig Dug, Millipede, and Solaris (and I think Road Runner) are among the 16K carts with extra RAM. Whereas bankswitching could be done with commonly-available logic chips, adding RAM is much more difficult--basically requiring custom silicon.

 

The SuperCharger was a mega-cartridge with 6K of RAM that could load games off tape. Other than the SuperCharger, there was only one game 'back in the day' which had more than 256 bytes on the cart. Burgertime had 2K, and unfortunately doesn't really have a lot to show for it.

 

Incidentally, in the 1979 Sears catalog, 4K games generally sold for $25 while 2K games sold for $20. Notable exceptions to this principle were Race/Indy 500 (2K, but extra controllers), Backgammon, and Chess.

[NovaXpress]

How much ram did Tunner Runner and Mountain King pack?

[Uzumaki]

Both of that games uses 12K ROM but I can't find info on RAM though. Someone could pick apart Stella profile for RAM usage.

[shadow460]

How much ram did Tunner Runner and Mountain King pack?

 

Wasn't it 4K? Four something, I think.

[NovaXpress]

I'm gonna show what a technological idiot I am . . .

 

What situations call for more RAM as opposed to more ROM? My guess is that more RAM is needed to keep track of large numbers of objects while more ROM is needed for static content that doesn't change, such as background graphics.

[SeaGtGruff]

How much ram did Tunner Runner and Mountain King pack?

 

Wasn't it 4K? Four something, I think.

No, I believe CBS carts had no more than 256 bytes of extra RAM. On the other hand, M-Network carts had up to 2K of extra RAM.

 

Michael

[supercat]

What situations call for more RAM as opposed to more ROM? My guess is that more RAM is needed to keep track of large numbers of objects while more ROM is needed for static content that doesn't change, such as background graphics.

 

That's part of it. Many types of graphic display routines require various amounts of temporary storage as well. Something like the 12 bytes needed for a typical 6-digit score display, or the 24 bytes needed for a "Basic Programming"-style kernel may not be a problem in and of itself, but such requirements gobble away RAM that may be needed for other things.

 

I think Mountain King has 256 bytes of RAM. Something like Ruby Runner (a homebrew I currently have back-burnered) has 32K but doesn't use most of it.

[SeaGtGruff]

What situations call for more RAM as opposed to more ROM? My guess is that more RAM is needed to keep track of large numbers of objects while more ROM is needed for static content that doesn't change, such as background graphics.

That's pretty much it. Extra RAM could be used to map the playfield, keep track of a larger number of variables, etc. For instance, 2600 Millipede has to use RAM for the playfield, which is what the mushrooms are drawn with, and there isn't enough zero-page RAM to map the playfield for that and still have enough RAM left for other things, so 2600 Millipede needed the Superchip.

 

Michael

[NovaXpress]

Wow, I made a good guess. Guess I'm slowly picking a few concepts up from you tech wizards.

 

So Centipede didn't require extra RAM? Is that because there were fewer enemies to contend with?

 

I always forget that simply putting a score on the screen is a big deal on the 2600. Was that the last system which made it so difficult? I think that even the O2 had scoring features all ready to go.

[SeaGtGruff]

So Centipede didn't require extra RAM? Is that because there were fewer enemies to contend with?

To be honest, I would have thought that Centipede needed the Superchip, too, but Stella shows that it's an 8K game with no Superchip-- whereas Millipede is a 16K game with the Superchip. Millipede does have a lot more stuff going on. Personally, I enjoyed 2600 Centipede when it came out; but after 2600 Millipede came out, I had a hard time going back to Centipede, because I think Millipede is just so much more satisfying to play.

 

Michael

[NovaXpress]

Same here, Millipede was one of the few sequels which truly improved upon the original instead of just altering it.

 

There are a lot more on screen enemies than we got in Centipede, so that must be the difference maker.

[jpfalcon2003]

Never heard of these before:

Super Box (CCE) and CompuMate? What are these games?

It's hard to believe that Tapper, Realsports Tennis, Pengo, My Golf, Hero, Mr. Do! and Kung-Fu Master are only 8k. Those are very well done games.

Also, I thought Stargate was a 16k game.

[jpfalcon2003]

Road Runner and Dig Dug broke 16k size but not many games were produced in that size range because 16K ROM were expensive to produce back then. About 25 Atari games used 16k ROM and many were never released. Activision also released a few games in 16k range.

 

It's important to note that while the Atari 2600 has 128 bytes of RAM, it's also possible (though not easy) to include RAM within a cartridge. By far the most common size of extra RAM is 128 bytes (doubling the available space). Stargate was an 8K cart with extra RAM; Dig Dug, Millipede, and Solaris (and I think Road Runner) are among the 16K carts with extra RAM. Whereas bankswitching could be done with commonly-available logic chips, adding RAM is much more difficult--basically requiring custom silicon.

 

The SuperCharger was a mega-cartridge with 6K of RAM that could load games off tape. Other than the SuperCharger, there was only one game 'back in the day' which had more than 256 bytes on the cart. Burgertime had 2K, and unfortunately doesn't really have a lot to show for it.

 

Incidentally, in the 1979 Sears catalog, 4K games generally sold for $25 while 2K games sold for $20. Notable exceptions to this principle were Race/Indy 500 (2K, but extra controllers), Backgammon, and Chess.

Didn't Jr. Pac-man have extra RAM also?

[Uzumaki]

Jr Pac Man uses extra RAM.

 

Compumate is an add on device, not a game.

 

And Stargate (Defender II) are 8k with extra RAM. I think it's the only Atari 8k games that uses extra RAM, all other Atari games that do are 16K

[Thomas Jentzsch]

...as well as most homebrew games, are 32k.

That's not true. There are only very few recent homebrews which have 32k (starting with Marble Craze). A lot of homebrews only have 4k, e.g. AStar, QB, Oystron, Climber 5, Gunfight, FlapPing, Jammed, all from Ebivision, SWOOPS!, This Planet Sucks...

[+atari2600land]

...as well as most homebrew games, are 32k.

That's not true. There are only very few recent homebrews which have 32k (starting with Marble Craze). A lot of homebrews only have 4k, e.g. AStar, QB, Oystron, Climber 5, Gunfight, FlapPing, Jammed, all from Ebivision, SWOOPS!, This Planet Sucks...

Yeah, you're right. But Strat-O-Gems has 32K, and so does Medieval Mayhem. Also, the 2005 Minigame Compo Cart, right?