Spectravision was founded in 1981 by Harry Fox and Alex Weiss as a distributor that hired outside developers to write its games. In late 1982 it renamed itself Spectravideo, because a hotel TV service already used the name, and from 1983 it also built home computers. Its Atari 2600 games are built on unusual ideas, and several are now sought-after rarities.
Mangia’: slip pasta to the pets before Mama piles up more plates.
China Syndrome: collect leaking fuel particles inside a damaged reactor.
Master Builder: memorise a blueprint, then build it brick by brick.
Gangster Alley: shoot gangsters in the windows without hitting the hostages.
Tapeworm: race a beetle to the beans in a game much like Surround.
Planet Patrol: a shooter in which day slowly turns to night.
The list also includes Gas Hog, David Lubar’s pinball game Bumper Bash and Cross Force. Choose one below and play it in your browser.
Overview Victory Announcement: Spectra-warriors, rejoice! The long battle against the planet Spectra’s invaders, the Morpuls, has finally ended. These foes have retreated to Tzoris, but our quest for justice isn’t over. Now, armed with our secret weapon, the…
Play ▸China Syndrome is an Atari 2600 action game from Spectravision, one of the smaller third-party publishers of the early 1980s. An earthquake has damaged the nuclear reactor on Spectra Island, and in a training simulator you steer a…
Play ▸Master Builder is a memory and construction game for the Atari 2600, released by Spectravideo in 1983. Each level shows you the blueprint of a building for just five seconds. Then you have to build it brick by…
Play ▸Gangster Alley is a shooting-gallery game for the Atari 2600, published by Spectravision, the company that soon renamed itself Spectravideo. Five wanted gangsters are hiding in a building, and you move a gunsight over its windows to hit…
Play ▸Planet Patrol is an Atari 2600 shooter made and published by Spectravision, an American company that later renamed itself Spectravideo. You fly a white patrol ship low over the surface of your planet, shooting enemy craft and blowing…
Play ▸Bumper Bash is a pinball game for the Atari 2600, published by Spectravision, the games label of Spectravideo, in 1983 and programmed by David Lubar. It fits a whole table on one screen: bumpers, drop targets, a spinner…
Play ▸
