List of best-selling Atari 2600 video games

File:Platinum River Raid Cartridge.jpg given to Carol Shaw]]

The Atari 2600 (previously known as the Atari VCS) was the most successful home system of its generation, and it was home to many popular games that sold millions of copies (a figure unheard of before). The best-selling video game on the console is Pac-Man, a port of the arcade game of the same name programmed by Tod Frye.{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/08/26/top-10-best-selling-atari-2600-games |title=Top 10 Best-Selling Atari 2600 Games |last=Buchanan |first=Levi |work=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |date=August 26, 2008 |accessdate=April 22, 2017 |archive-date=August 31, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831085300/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/08/26/top-10-best-selling-atari-2600-games |url-status=live }} Originally created by Toru Iwatani and released in 1980, Pac-Man was later ported to many home video game consoles, beginning with the Atari 2600 in 1982.{{cite magazine |last1=Katz |first1=Arnie |last2=Kunkel |first2=Bill |author-link2=Bill Kunkel (gaming) |date=May 1982 |title=The A-Maze-ing World of Gobble Games: A Guide to Maze-Chase Gamers |url=https://archive.org/stream/electronic-games-magazine-1982-05/Electronic_Games_Issue_03_Vol_01_03_1982_May#page/n61/mode/2up |magazine=Electronic Games |location=New York City |publisher=Reese Publishing Company |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=62–63 |access-date=April 22, 2017 }} Within months it became the best-selling home video game of all time, with more than 1.5 million units pre-ordered by customers before its release. Pac-Man went on to sell over 8 million units worldwide.

The second best-selling Atari 2600 game is Space Invaders, a port of the 1978 Taito arcade video game that was programmed by Rick Maurer, which was released in 1980 and became the first video game to sell a million copies.{{cite book |last=Weiss |first=Bret |date=July 6, 2007 |title=Classic Home Video Games, 1972–1984: A Complete Reference Guide |location=Jefferson, North Carolina |publisher=McFarland & Company |page=108 |isbn=978-0-7864322-6-4}} It went on to sell over {{nowrap|6 million}} copies, was the best-selling game on the system (until Pac-Man), and is credited with increasing the VCS’s sales and popularity. The other three titles among the top five best-selling Atari 2600 games are Pitfall! (designed by David Crane for Activision), Donkey Kong (a port of the 1981 Nintendo arcade game programmed by Garry Kitchen for Coleco), and Frogger (a port of the Konami and Sega arcade game programmed by Ed English for Parker Brothers), each having sold over 4 million units.

26 video games released on the Atari 2600 sold at least one million copies, of which 14 were developed and/or published by the console's manufacturer, Atari, Inc. Other publishers with multiple entries in the top 26 are Activision (six titles), Imagic (three titles) and Parker Brothers (two titles). Three of the games in the top 26 were programmed by David Crane, three by Howard Scott Warshaw, three by Rob Fulop, and two by Bradley G. Stewart.

Video games

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable static-row-numbers"

|+ List of best-selling video games on the Atari 2600

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Developer / Publisher

! scope="col" | Arcade port

! scope="col" | Licensor

! scope="col" | Programmer(s)

! scope="col" | Release date

! scope="col" | Sales

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{Refh}}

Pac-Man

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|Namco

|Tod Frye

|{{dts|1982-03-16}}

|{{sort|8.0|8,095,586}}

|align="center"| {{efn|7,271,844 in 1982. 684,569 in 1983.{{cite book |title=Cartridge Sales Since 1980 |publisher=Atari Corp.}} Via {{cite episode |title=The Agony & The Ecstasy |series=Once Upon Atari |date=August 10, 2003 |number=4 |minutes=23 |publisher=Scott West Productions}} {{formatnum:{{#expr:21279+15784}}

} in 1986. 61,685 in 1987. 3,885 in 1988. 34,374 in 1989. 2,166 in 1990.{{Cite web|last=Vendel|first=Curt|date=May 28, 2009|title=Site News|url=http://www.atarimuseum.com/whatsnew/2009-MAY-28.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206090952/www.atarimuseum.com/whatsnew/2009-MAY-28.html|archive-date=December 6, 2010|access-date=November 27, 2021|website=Atari Museum}}}}

|Space Invaders

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|Taito

|Rick Maurer

|{{dts|March 1980}}

|{{sort|6.2|6,252,229}}

|align="center"| {{efn|1,318,655 in 1980. 2,964,137 in 1981. 1,373,033 in 1982. 435,353 in 1983. {{formatnum:{{#expr:11523+6000}}|}} in 1986. 65,148 in 1987. 29,717 in 1988. 36,308 in 1989. 12,355 in 1990.}}

|Donkey Kong

|Coleco{{efn|Published by Atari Corporation from 1987}}

|Yes

|Nintendo

|Garry Kitchen

|{{dts|1982-07}}

|{{sort|4.1|4,180,523}}

|align="center"|{{efn|4 million in 1982.{{cite book |last1=Kitchen |first1=Garry E. |author1-link=Garry Kitchen |chapter=Garry E. Kitchen |title=Expert Report of Garry E. Kitchen |date=March 5, 2010 |publisher=United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio |page=2 |url=https://www.muddlawoffices.com/cases/allisonvwise/ohio/msj/064-12%20Exhibit%20M.pdf#page=27 |quote=Designed & programmed Atari 2600 adaptation of hit arcade game Donkey Kong, 1982 wholesale revenues in excess of $100 million on 4 million units. |access-date=November 29, 2021 |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419181703/https://www.muddlawoffices.com/cases/allisonvwise/ohio/msj/064-12%20Exhibit%20M.pdf#page=27 |url-status=live }} 27,516 in 1987. 109,125 in 1988. 40,147 in 1989. 3,735 in 1990.}}

|Pitfall!

|Activision

|No

|{{N/A}}

|David Crane

|{{dts|1982-04-20}}

|{{sort|4.0|4,000,000}}

|align="center"|{{cite book | author1=Bogost, Ian | authorlink1=Ian Bogost | author2=Montfort, Nick | authorlink2=Nick Montfort| title=Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System | publisher=MIT Press | date=2009 | isbn=978-0-262-01257-7 | ref=Beam| title-link=Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System}}{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/01/david-crane-pioneer/ |title=Pitfall! Creator David Crane Is Named Videogame Pioneer |last=Kohler |first=Chris |work=Wired |date=January 26, 2010 |accessdate=April 22, 2017 |archive-date=April 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423151401/https://www.wired.com/2010/01/david-crane-pioneer/ |url-status=live }}

|Frogger

|Parker Brothers

|Yes

|Sega Enterprises

|Ed English

|{{dts|1982-08}}

|{{sort|4.0|4,000,000}}

|align="center"|{{cite news |title=Ed English: 2600 (Frogger, Mr. Do!, Roc 'n Rope) |url=https://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/digitalpress/dp52.pdf#page=7 |access-date=April 19, 2021 |work=Digital Press |issue=52 |date=May–June 2003 |page=7 |archive-date=June 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601173655/https://www.digitpress.com/library/newsletters/digitalpress/dp52.pdf#page=7 |url-status=live }}

|Asteroids

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|{{N/A}}

|Bradley G. Stewart

|{{dts|1981-07}}

|{{sort|3.8|3,832,886}}

|align="center"|{{efn|3.8 million up until 1982.{{cite news |last1=Urschel |first1=Joe |title=Gobbling up the home video market |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19820306&id=jQEhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SXUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4884,1190162 |access-date=December 1, 2021 |work=The Day |date=March 6, 1982 |page=C-6 |archive-date=December 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201162008/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19820306&id=jQEhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SXUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4884,1190162 |url-status=live }} 7,503 in 1986. 8,558 in 1987. 12,120 in 1988. 11,558 in 1989. 4,705 in 1990.}}

|Defender

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|Williams Electronics

|Bob Polaro

|{{dts|1982}}

|{{sort|3.0|3,040,684}}

|align="center"| {{efn|3,006,790 in 1982 (with at least 68,993 returned in 1983). {{formatnum:{{#expr:1032+1266}}|}} in 1986. 6,160 in 1987. 24,741 in 1988. 695 in 1989.}}

|E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

|Atari, Inc.

|No

|Universal Pictures

|Howard Scott Warshaw

|{{dts|1982-12}}

|{{sort|2.7|2,740,232}}

|align="center"| {{efn|2,637,985 in 1982 (with at least 669,733 returned in 1983). 1,138 in 1986. 88,338 in 1987. 3,131 in 1988. 9,586 in 1989. 54 in 1990.}}

|Ms. Pac-Man

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|Midway Manufacturing

|Mike Horowitz, Josh Littlefield

|{{dts|1983-02}}

|{{sort|2.3|2,311,428}}

|align="center"| {{efn|1,963,078 in 1983. {{formatnum:{{#expr:16421+19298}}|}} in 1986. 138,400 in 1987. 125,266 in 1988. 38,597 in 1989. 10,368 in 1990.}}

|Demon Attack

|Imagic

|No

|{{N/A}}

|Rob Fulop

|{{dts|1982-03}}

|{{sort|2.0|2,000,000}}

|align="center"|{{cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11832 |title=Playing Catch Up: Night Trap's Rob Fulop |last=Wallis |first=Alistair |work=Gamasutra |publisher=UBM TechWeb |date=November 23, 2006 |accessdate=April 22, 2017 |archive-date=February 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080215070810/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11832 |url-status=live }}

|Night Driver

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|{{N/A}}

|Rob Fulop

|{{dts|1980-06}}

|{{sort|2.0|1,990,643}}

|align="center"| {{efn|161,352 in 1980. 779,547 in 1981. 457,058 in 1982. 580,959 in 1983. 84 in 1986. 7,227 in 1987. 4,416 in 1988.}}

|Berzerk

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|Stern

|Dan Hitchens

|{{dts|1982|8}}

|{{sort|1.9|1,870,642}}

|align="center"| {{efn|1,798,773 in 1982 (with at least 20,314 returned in 1983). {{formatnum:{{#expr:780+1266}}|}} in 1986. 54,444 in 1987. 15,170 in 1988. 209 in 1989.}}

|Centipede

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|{{N/A}}

|Douglas B. Macrae, Josh Littlefield

|{{dts|1982-03}}

|{{sort|1.8|1,815,661}}

|align="center"| {{efn|1,475,240 in 1982. 49,774 in 1986. 150,572 in 1987. 107,168 in 1988. 21,973 in 1989. 10,934 in 1990.}}

|Warlords

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|{{N/A}}

|Carla Meninsky

|{{dts|1981}}

|{{sort|1.7|1,788,462}}

|align="center"| {{efn|936,861 in 1981. 420,924 in 1982. 372,454 in 1983. 11,412 in 1986. 6,370 in 1987. 38,504 in 1988. 1,865 in 1989. 72 in 1990.}}

|Breakout

|Atari, Inc.

|Yes

|{{N/A}}

|Bradley G. Stewart

|{{dts|1978|11}}

|{{sort|1.6|1,678,965}}

|align="center"| {{efn|256,265 in 1980. 838,635 in 1981. 242,764 in 1982. 312,672 in 1983. {{formatnum:{{#expr:7048+12}}|}} in 1986. 1,680 in 1987. 19,889 in 1988.}}

|Adventure

|Atari, Inc.

|No

|{{N/A}}

|Warren Robinett

|{{dts|July 1980}}

|{{sort|1.0|1,000,000}}

|align="center"|{{Cite web | url = https://www.wired.com/2015/03/warren-robinett-adventure/ | title = How One Man Invented the Console Adventure Game | first = Chris | last = Baker | date = March 13, 2015 | accessdate = March 25, 2016 | work = Wired | archive-date = September 13, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210913044553/https://www.wired.com/2015/03/warren-robinett-adventure/ | url-status = live }}

|Laser Blast

|Activision

|No

|{{N/A}}

|David Crane

|{{dts|1981-03}}

|{{sort|1|1,000,000}}

|align="center"|{{cite web |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/v3n2/levy.html |title=Activision's James Levy: A software success story |last=Capparell |first=James |work=Antic |date=June 1984 |accessdate=April 22, 2017 |archive-date=January 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131201816/https://www.atarimagazines.com/v3n2/levy.html |url-status=live }}

|Freeway

|Activision

|No

|{{N/A}}

|David Crane

|{{dts|1981-07}}

|{{sort|1|1,000,000}}

|align="center"|

|Kaboom!

|Activision

|No

|{{N/A}}

|Larry Kaplan

|{{dts|1981-07}}

|{{sort|1|1,000,000}}

|align="center"|

|Yars' Revenge

|Atari, Inc.

|No

|{{N/A}}

|Howard Scott Warshaw

|{{dts|1982-05}}

|{{sort|1|1,000,000}}

|align="center"|{{cite web |url=http://www.digitpress.com/library/interviews/interview_howard_scott_warshaw.html |title=DP Interviews... Howard Scott Warshaw |last=Stilphen |first=Scott |publisher=Digital Press |accessdate=April 22, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428113249/www.digitpress.com/library/interviews/interview_howard_scott_warshaw.html |archive-date=April 28, 2007}}

|Atlantis

|Imagic

|No

|{{N/A}}

|Dennis Koble

|{{dts|1982-07}}

|{{sort|1|1,000,000}}

|align="center"|

|Cosmic Ark

|Imagic

|No

|{{N/A}}