Atari Missile Command

A 1980 arcade game from Atari where you defend six cities from incoming missiles. You fire counter-missiles from three ground bases, try to protect your cities, and chase a high score.

Atari, Inc. developed and released it in arcades in 1980. In Japan, Taito and Sega handled releases.

Move a crosshair with a trackball or joystick, then launch missiles that explode at the target point. Time your blasts to catch multiple threats in the blast radius.

Lead your shots slightly ahead of targets. Aim for clusters to catch splits in one blast. Protect the center cities first, conserve ammo, and fire from the closest battery to reduce travel time.

Six cities at the bottom of the screen. Lose them all, and the game ends. Save cities and unused missiles to earn bonus points.

It captured Cold War anxiety in a simple, tense loop. The theme, the trackball aiming, and the escalating chaos made it an arcade icon.

You score points for each missile destroyed, plus end-of-level bonuses for surviving cities and unused missiles. Smart timing and efficient shots boost scores fast.

Left, center, and right batteries each have limited ammo, and they can be destroyed. Choosing which battery to use affects travel time and coverage.