Superman (Atari 2600)

''Superman'' is an action adventure game for the Atari Video Computer System (later the Atari 2600) designed by John Dunn and published by Atari, Inc. in 1979. It was one of the first single-player games for the system and one of the earliest licensed video games, released to be a tie-in with the 1978 film of the same name. ''Superman'' was built using the prototype code for Warren Robinett's ''Adventure'', and ended up being published before ''Adventure'' was finished. ''Retro Gamer'' credits it among action-adventure games as the "first to utilize multiple screens as playing area".

Gameplay

The player(s) takes control of the DC Comics character Superman, who must repair the bridge destroyed by Lex Luthor, capture Luthor and his criminal underlings, enter a phonebooth to turn back into Clark Kent, then return to the ''Daily Planet'' in the shortest possible time. To slow Superman's progress, Kryptonite has been released by Luthor. If hit by Kryptonite, Superman loses his abilities to capture criminals and fly. To regain them, he must find and kiss Lois Lane.

Three of Superman's powers are used in this game: strength, X-ray vision, and flight.

The game can be played with two players. The player using the left joystick controller has priority over the left and right movement of Superman, while the player using the right controller has priority over up and down movement of Superman.

''Superman'' is one of the earliest console games with a pause option. It is activated by pressing the Select switch.

Reception

''Superman'' was reviewed in April 1980 by ''Video'' in its "Arcade Alley" column where it was highly praised as "usher ngin an exciting new era for home arcades". The reviewers suggested that "put simply, there's no other video game remotely similar to this one", comparing the graphics and gameplay as akin to "the complex simulations that have entertained computer freaks for the last decade or so". The game was predicted to be a hit among the "true arcade addicts" and to find a place in the " Video Arcade Hall of Fame". Covered again in ''Video''s 1982 Guide to Electronic Games, ''Superman'' was praised for "surprisingly good graphics".

Norman Howe reviewed ''Superman'' in ''The Space Gamer'' No. 31. Howe commented that "this is the best Atari game I have seen yet. It's playable, enthralling, and has excellent graphics. If you don't want to buy the game, at least try to find someone who will let you play it. It's very good."

See also

*List of Atari 2600 games
*

References

External links

*
Superman Atari 2600
' at AtariAge
*
''Superman'' manual
at the Internet Archive
*
*
Superman
at Atari Mania
{{Superman in popular media
*
1979 video games
Action-adventure games
Atari 2600 games
Atari 2600-only games
Atari games
North America-exclusive video games
Superman video games
Superhero video games
Video games developed in the United States
Video games set in the United States