Atari - Combat (1977), 3/10

Atari’s Combat is a simple game, but does not offer the same satisfying replay-ability of Pong or Breakout, rather submitting one of the more frustrating and uninteresting games of the early arcade era. Players control tanks, jets, and planes, firing missiles at one another, and attempting to out-maneuver their opponent. The concept is one that would be expanded upon in further games more successfully, but here it is offered in 27 different variations, though largely as a marketing scheme to make the title appear more diverse than it is in reality. It was preceded by the arcade titles Tank and Jet Fighter, making its progress less than notable with proper historicization. It is often touted as one of Atari’s greatest arcade offerings, but fails to support these claims with a sense of uniqueness. It becomes buried amongst other similar titles during this pivotal era of early game development.