Seaquest is a video game for the Atari 2600 in which the player controls a submarine to shoot at enemies and rescue divers. The enemies include submarines and sharks, which shoot missiles at the player’s submarine. The player must defend their submarine by firing unlimited missiles while trying to rescue divers who swim through the water. The points awarded for shooting enemies start at 10 points each and increase as the game progresses. The sub can carry up to six divers at a time, and if the player resurfaces before the sub is full, one of the divers is removed.
The submarine has a limited amount of oxygen, so the player must surface often to replenish it. However, if the player resurfaces without any rescued divers, they lose a life. On the other hand, if the player resurfaces with the maximum number of divers, they gain bonus points for the sub’s remaining oxygen. Each time the player surfaces, the game becomes more challenging as the number and speed of enemies increase. Eventually, an enemy sub patrols the surface, leaving the player with no safe haven.
The game starts with three extra lives, and the player earns an additional extra life every time they score 10,000 points. Seaquest can be played alone or with two players alternating turns.