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On Page: 1
Directory: 4 & 585
Entire Site: 5 & 760
03-19-24 04:13 AM
Information
ⓘ  Info
Online Game Details
Views: 17,880
Today: 0
Users: 131 unique
Last User View
02-13-23
Zerokoji
Last Updated
08:00 AM
Staff
System:
Atari 2600
Publisher:
Atari
Developer:
Atari

Released: 1-01-82
Players: 1

Game Genre:
Adventure
Game Perspective:
3rd-Person Perspective
Genre Sport:
Puzzle-Solving
Genre Non-Sport:
Puzzle-Solving
Game Misc:
Licensed Title

Price Guide (USD):
Loose:  $7.85
Complete:  $29.95
New:  $66.00
Rarity:  4/10

External Websites:
Play.Rom.Online
Ebay Listings
Amazon: $1.41
PriceCharting Info

Play E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (A2600) - Online Rom | Atari 2600

Play E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial online with Atari 2600 browser emulation for free! E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (A2600) game rom is loaded with features in our flash, java and rgr plugin emulators. Nothing to configure, we've done it for you!

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Title ScreenE.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Screenshot 1
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Box Art FrontE.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Screenthot 2
Rating: 4.6
(167 votes)
Plays: 40,822
M:100%
F:0%
Filesize: 8kb

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (Atari 2600) Screenshots

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Videos of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Gameplay

RetroGameNinja
06-29-14 06:17 PM
00:03:30  Views: 96
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (Atari 2600) - User video4.4/5
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (Atari 2600)
mgos307
04-26-14 12:30 PM
00:03:48  Views: 549
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - E.T. - Worst game on the Atari 2600 - Review - User video3.8/5
E.T. - Worst game on the Atari 2600 - Review
G@mehe@d
05-13-13 09:42 PM
00:02:09  Views: 99
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (Atari 2600) - User video3.4/5
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (Atari 2600)

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E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Featured Review

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Review by: Redrunelord - 6.8/10

E.T- The Extra Terrestrial
There is a concept of remembrance when one should regard a past event for the individuals involved. History involves all aspects of what has happened, yet most historian's interests are limited to what concerns humanity directly. Historians are also infamous in labelling certain events or individuals with specific titles, and these titles can transcend into a plethora of philosophic mental engagements in trying to determine what each title actually means. One of these titles is a legend, which will be the primary focus. 

What is classified as legendary is somewhat murky, but it is a term that is easy to use carelessly, as the term partially entitles something humans do not fully understand. Something that is legendary is often considered something that is beyond comprehension in magnitude, blurring the lines between truth and myth. Legends can transcend into all forms of history, including video game history. Perhaps the most legendary of all Video game stories has to be the story surrounding one of the game soften blamed for the video game crash of 1983/1984: E.T the Extra Terrestrial for the Atari2600. 

In many ways, E.T has a famous story behind it for anyone who looks beyond the sixth and seventh generations of gaming. The basic premise is that Atari made a deal with Steven Spielberg, the director of the film E.T, to release an E.T video game, but the contract specified that the game was to be released by the Holiday season, giving the developers only six weeks to work (when the average Atari game took around three to four months with the technology at the time) and the game was to have five million cartridges released initially (compared to a normal three hundred thousand). The results were predictable, but what happened next is actually a lot murkier than some sources would state, with rumours being circulated and truth being difficult to derive from fiction. That story and the rumours often supersedes the game itself, and many people dismisses the game quickly. However, a lot of the hatred is due to the immense hype for a game that is, in reality, incomplete. Yet, how is the game, ignoring all the hype, and ignoring all criticisms.

The first thing that is usually mentioned is that the game is cryptic beyond belief, and that without instructions it is impossible to play. These criticisms are real, and these issues reduces the game play experience significantly, but it should be noted many Nintendo Entertainment System, and Sega Master System games would prove even more cryptic but don't receive nearly as much flak, and Indiana Jones for the Atari was much harder to figure out, yet is praised. The basic premise is that E.T needs to find pieces of a phone, so he could phone for help. This is likely a very high powered phone, or that the private residence do not have any, as E.T is rather picky about this phone, but regardless, it is necessary to find three pieces spread across in holes. These holes litters the playing area, and E.T has to jump down each hole to see if it's empty, has a flower, or contains a piece of the phone. Once all the pieces are found, E.T has to go to a specific screen, and wait for the timer that appears to run out. If the number in the bottom corner (starts with 9999) runs out, it is essentially game over.

The first thing to comment on, before getting into the game play, is the A/V department. Doubtlessly primitive by modern standards, but it they stand out on the Atari as it is not a black background, unlike a lot of games. It is usually distinguishable as to what is what, for the most part, but some items do require the player to have read the manual, so the visuals are not perfect. As well, because of the game's rushed nature, the graphics can glitch out at certain points, so they are far from perfect but, with a manual, competent. The audio is doubtlessly the gem of this game: the introductory music sounds good on the Atari, and sounds better than a lot of NES, and SNES themes that would follow in the years to come. The sound effects are also all good, and quite adequate for the game play, but rarely grows annoying, but for their significance.

The controls are actually quite competent through emulation (and to a degree with a Sega Genesis Controller), as one would use the arrow keys and the space bar rather than the Atari2600 controller, which could be difficult to use at times. To enter a hole one would simply have to run into it, and to get out press the space bar, and press up. After the player is out of the hole, they have to press down before releasing the space bar as to not fall out. This is problematic for a few holes that are close to the edges of the screen, and can be exceptionally frustrating trying to navigate out of once in. Perhaps Nietzsche's quote "if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you" was foreshadowing the holes in this game. In the end, be glad that it is using arrow keys as it makes the job much simpler over a joystick. The single button outside of these holes causes the player to sprint quickly, which can be either useful or a hindrance. It can be useful from escaping E.T's enemies (presumably the scientists and government officials). While E.T can instantly escape, the sprint is one of the items that was far from perfected when the game was rushed out onto store shelves, as the sprint continues into the next screen, and the player can fall into a hole that way. Depending which hole it is, it can be very difficult to escape from, and as escaping uses most of your "steps" (your timer) it could cost the player the game.

The controls makes up a big part of the game play, but responsive controls can not save the obviously rushed design. As mentioned before, the player has to jump down a plethora of holes looking for parts, but which holes has parts is largely random. Sometimes the player may get a hint, but that does not deviate the random nature of searching. Video games that boasts randomness also boasts repetition as the forefront of any game play mechanics. As a direct result, there is no real skill involved other than learning how to get out of the holes quickly, and can grow weary to try and beat. Nonetheless, one way or another, there is a charm to it and can be rather amusing. 

Movie based games rarely been great (LJN showed that time after time) but E.T is often cited as the worst, and one of the worst of all time. To be fair, E.T never had a lot going for it that would make a great game to begin with, and it was rushed out. Rushed out...rushed has to be the single greatest adjective that can be used to describe this game, as that was the big thing holding it back. With several technical problems, and just a repetitive game play it is doubtlessly a bad game. However, for what it is it is worth, it is not the worst: In its respect, the game was an experiment, an innovation of sorts, along with other late Atari2600 games to try and expand games to include a definitive end rather than proving to be impossible to end without giving up, or glitching the game out. This game is legendary among gamers for being inexcusably bad, but in reality should be legendary for an immense exaggeration of a bad game being worst than it is, and said exaggerating changing the video game industry. This is a poorly made game, but has its value in our hearts, and should not be terminated remorselessly based upon hype nor bad word of mouth. 
  Graphics 6   Sound 9   Addictive 2   Depth 3   Story 7   Difficulty 9

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Game Description

Object of the game is to help E.T. to find pieces of his phone. Once all pieces are found E.T. calls home and the spaceship arrives to pick him up. Once in a while E.T. falls into pits: if you are lucky you may find a dead flower in the pit. Bring it back to life for extra points! Watch out for evil scientists and agents who are trying to capture E.T.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Reviews

Overall 4.6    Graphics 4.7    Sound 4.3    Addictive 3.2    Story 5.3    Depth 4.7    Difficulty 7.7


2.7
ET Atari 2600 Review   Zircron Swift
Ok, picture this: The year is 1982. The dominate consoles at the time were the Commondore 64, the Ap...
  Graphics 1   Sound 1   Addictive 2   Story 2   Depth 1   Difficulty 10

      Review Rating: 4.6/5     Submitted: 11-07-11     Updated: 04-29-12     Review Replies: 13

6.8
E.T- The Extra Terrestrial   Redrunelord
An Official Staff Review...
  Graphics 6   Sound 9   Addictive 2   Story 7   Depth 3   Difficulty 9

      Review Rating: 4.2/5     Submitted: 07-29-11     Updated: 07-29-11     Review Replies: 0

2
Sell Game For 0 Viz   Toad 004
This game is infamous the gamer world over. It is THE reason almost all movie based games are doomed...
  Graphics 7   Sound 7   Addictive 3   Story 1   Depth 2   Difficulty 9

      Review Rating: 4/5     Submitted: 11-20-12     Review Replies: 1

5
E.T. The most hated game of all time   GenesisJunkie
  (Overall) E.T. The Extra Terrestrial for the Atari 2600 is most likely the most hated an...
  Graphics 6   Sound 5   Addictive 2   Story 6   Depth 5   Difficulty 10

      Review Rating: 4/5     Submitted: 07-04-13     Review Replies: 9

4.5
Review - Atari 2600 Game - E.T. (It really is as bad as they say it is...)   AwesomeTrinket
OK, where do I start on this game...? I know it's a time in gaming history, I know games won't be t...
  Graphics 5   Sound 1   Addictive 1   Story 4   Depth 6   Difficulty 10

      Review Rating: 4/5     Submitted: 01-10-16     Review Replies: 4

1
The worst video game of all time   gamerforlifefor..
Back on June 11, 1982 the legendary sci fi movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial came out in theaters. Be...
  Graphics 1   Sound 1   Addictive 1   Story 1   Difficulty 10

      Review Rating: 3.8/5     Submitted: 03-08-15     Updated: 03-09-15     Review Replies: 8

0.5
Why wasn't this as good as the movie?   totaldramaman2
Oh boy, THIS game. Well, like when I talked about Superman 64, I'm going FULL DETAIL into this game....
  Graphics 1   Sound 3   Addictive 1   Story 3   Depth 2   Difficulty 9

      Review Rating: 3.7/5     Submitted: 07-10-11     Updated: 08-04-11     Review Replies: 2

3
Eh, not to bad but bad   cplegogame25
Story: The story of the game is E.T trying to get home by collecting Pieces to a phone and riding a ...
  Graphics 2   Sound 1   Addictive 1   Story 3   Depth 1   Difficulty 4

      Review Rating: 3.5/5     Submitted: 11-27-13     Review Replies: 3

2.8
E.T. Review   Marcmoney
Overall - 2.8 E.T. is a good movie, but not a good video game.  I couldn't stand falling in ...
  Graphics 6   Sound 6   Addictive 2   Story 7   Depth 2   Difficulty 8

      Review Rating: 3.3/5     Submitted: 07-10-11     Review Replies: 1

4
E.T. on Atari   ketchupcereal
Ah, E.T. on the Atari 2600. Probably the most famous retro game in the world. There are A LOT of peo...
  Graphics 7   Sound 4   Addictive 3   Story 2   Depth 5   Difficulty 5

      Review Rating: 3/5     Submitted: 01-01-12     Review Replies: 0

3.2
Is E.T. really that bad?   1sam234
Good God, this is just... awful. just... plain... awful. I felt raped playing this game. Dr. Jekyll ...
  Graphics 2   Sound 4   Addictive 1   Depth 2   Difficulty 8

      Review Rating: 3/5     Submitted: 12-19-09     Updated: 08-20-11     Review Replies: 5

1
This should have never been released   LilGB
E.T The worst game of all time...
  Graphics 1   Sound 1   Addictive 1   Story 1   Depth 1   Difficulty 10

      Review Rating: 3/5     Submitted: 03-28-21     Review Replies: 2

2
E.T. It's so bad. And I mean BAD.   GamerPony2013
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. This game is infamous for being horrible and believed to have been burie...
  Graphics 7   Sound 3   Addictive 2   Story 10   Depth 4   Difficulty 10

      Review Rating: 3/5     Submitted: 07-24-13     Review Replies: 6

3
Stay away from E.T!!!   mariowin13
OK this the game I was warned by the Angry Video Game Nerd. He say that we should stay away from thi...
  Graphics 2   Sound 1   Addictive 1   Story 3   Depth 2   Difficulty 3

      Review Rating: 3/5     Submitted: 07-10-13     Review Replies: 0

0.5
E.T the unholy grail of gaming   angryvideogamen..
 the game that started it all, the game that brings shame to all gaming ever and a disgrace to ...
  Graphics 7   Sound 6   Addictive 2   Story 4   Depth 1   Difficulty 10

      Review Rating: 2.8/5     Submitted: 08-18-12     Review Replies: 16

5
ET: Underrated Terrestrial   Videogamefan
ET: Extra-Terrestrial was a video game for the hit movie released back in 1982, and sparked negative...
  Graphics 2   Sound 2   Addictive 2   Story 9   Depth 8   Difficulty 4

      Review Rating: 2.8/5     Submitted: 04-20-11     Review Replies: 2

5.7
E.T atari: This is the big one   supersonic44
History is important.  Any kind of history is extremely important.  As anyone whose studie...
  Graphics 4   Sound 3   Addictive 6   Story 7   Depth 6   Difficulty 8

      Review Rating: 2.7/5     Submitted: 08-23-11     Review Replies: 0

2.2
Worst game EVER!   blahblahblah213
Review for E.T. Holy crap this is the biggest thing I've ever seen. This is widely considered to be ...
  Graphics 2   Sound 1   Addictive 1   Depth 2   Difficulty 5

      Review Rating: 2.3/5     Submitted: 09-12-14     Updated: 02-06-15     Review Replies: 15

7.9
E.T- The Extra-Terrestrial   ZacharyPiskura
One Holiday season in the mid-eighty's, companies worked long days and nights to get out products, a...
  Graphics 4   Sound 5   Addictive 6   Story 6   Depth 3   Difficulty 6

      Review Rating: 2.3/5     Submitted: 08-11-11     Review Replies: 2

0.1
FATALITY!(EPIC FAIL)   brandonrock
this game is really good NO F**k that this game sucks why did this game have to exist i don't even k...
  Graphics 1   Sound 1   Addictive 1   Depth 10   Difficulty 10

      Review Rating: 1.2/5     Submitted: 11-02-10     Updated: 05-15-11     Review Replies: 0

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Highscores

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E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Threads

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Guides and Walkthroughs

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Comments for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

no 8120 09-23-16 - 02:45 PM
 while I would not consider e.t. to be a very good game at least it,s a bit better than some of the other games that atari made
TaylorSwiftgamr.. 09-23-16 - 02:10 PM
 Okay never mind this was a bad idea.
TaylorSwiftgamr.. 09-23-16 - 02:07 PM
 I'm about to play what many consider to be the worst game of all time. I'm going to see how long I can last. Wish me luck!
misssweetiepie10 01-13-16 - 10:11 AM
 deo Thank god, Super Mario Bros for the NES saved the Video Game Crash 2 years later
Jordanv78 11-13-15 - 01:30 PM
 Mainly because it falsely gets labeled as the game that caused the video game crash of the 80's, which just isn't true.
Jordanv78 11-13-15 - 01:30 PM
 This game really isn't that bad for an adventure game on the A2600. There are much worse than this game even on the same console. FOr Example PacMan for 2600 is WAYYY worse than this game. Honestly this game gets a bad rap.
BestGamer24 11-10-15 - 04:21 PM
 E.T. was made in about 2 weeks, it was VERY, VERY rushed.
jonyoshi11 11-10-15 - 03:56 PM
 this iss a good game dont judge
Stevenpavelish1.. 09-27-15 - 06:33 PM
 This game should not exist at all!
Pacman+Mariofan 07-08-15 - 09:14 PM
 When it comes to this game, E.T.=Extra Terrible. =P
MajoraSkyward67 06-26-15 - 01:03 PM
 I have a feeling playing Atari 2600 games will crash my computer (for some unexplained reason).
MajoraSkyward67 06-26-15 - 01:02 PM
 I don't even wanna play this.
Reptile10177 04-09-15 - 01:50 PM
 This game stinks
Glitchraptor 03-01-15 - 01:16 AM
 And there are games worse that this game
Glitchraptor 03-01-15 - 01:16 AM
 @sanezer It costs 1 viz
shanezer 02-19-15 - 09:00 PM
 0 Viz is STILL too much for this game!
cristobal147 02-12-15 - 06:39 PM
 i love this game
gamerforlifefor.. 10-10-14 - 12:23 AM
 There have been some really awful games made such as Superman 64 and Sonic 06 but none are quite as terrible as this game...
blahblahblah213 09-12-14 - 03:39 PM
 I hate myself for have played this game.
jonathanzygorodi 08-30-14 - 06:12 PM
 it has to be sent into outer space
ARedLetterDay 08-01-14 - 04:04 PM
 It didn't cause the video game crash. It was one of the main reasons the market crashed, yes, but not the sole reason. There were other factors as well.
MarioMasta 08-01-14 - 03:49 PM
 Awegamer: It's considered the worst because it caused the Video Game Crash of 198something
mega man221 07-19-14 - 01:04 AM
 More plays than Donkey Kong? Wow!
the destroyer 07-07-14 - 03:30 PM
 this is he worst game i ever played i dont understand this game >:(
mrhello 04-28-14 - 06:11 PM
 @SANIC:LOL @Dahaka:The faces of evil is more infamous than this crap.

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