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April 25, 2002  





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Atari 2600 HacksAtari 2600 Hacks

What is a Hack you might ask? In the realm of classic video games and the definition we're using here, a hack is taking an existing game and modifying it in some fashion so that it differs from the original. Almost always this involves just changing the graphics, which is pretty easily done in many games. Some changes are done to make a game more faithful to the original (Space Invaders and Pac-Man seem to get the most attention here), others are done to give a game a different theme entirely and still other hacks, well, we haven't got a clue. And then there are controller hacks that allow you to play games with a different control scheme, or perhaps even using a different controller entirely.

Hacks abound for the Atari 2600 and there are several tools available to assist would-be hackers in their endeavors to improve their favorite games. A great page with lots of technical information about the 2600 is Dan Boris' Atari 2600 Tech Page. You'll want to grab 2600gfx.zip, which is a utility that extracts graphics from Atari 2600 binary files, allowing you to edit the graphics in any text editor.

If you know of any Hacks we're missing, or you're an author of a Hack and would like us to include it here, please contact us. We also have an entire page of 2600 TV Format Conversions that are hacks of a different nature. Many original PAL games were never released in NTSC, so they are difficult or impossible to play on NTSC televisions. These conversions allow you to enjoy these PAL games on NTSC televisions without having to worry about your screen rolling.

Click on a Title for more information and screenshots

 
Title Original GameAuthorROM
AsteroidsAsteroidsFranklin Cruz
Asteroids DC+AsteroidsThomas Jentzsch
Atari InvadersSpace InvadersAnonymous
Battlezone TCBattlezoneThomas Jentzsch
Beanie Baby BashBeany BopperInky
Beast InvadersSpace InvadersJeff "Yak" Minter
Blair Witch Project, TheHaunted HouseTim Snider
Cat and MousePac-ManGeorge Veeder
Centipede 2KCentipedeEduardo
Coffee Cup SoccerPele's SoccerMatthias Jaap
Combat RockCombatPaul Slocum
Console WarsSpace JockeyGreg Thompson
Cute Dead Things HouseHaunted HouseChristian Samuel
Cybergoth GalaxianGalaxianManuel Polik
Donkey ClausDonkey KongPhilip R. Frey
DoomzerkBerzerkEduardo
E.T. The Extra TerrestrialE.T. The Extra-TerrestrialScott Stilphen
E.T. The Extra TesticalE.T. The Extra-TerrestrialChristian Samuel
Ed InvadersPepsi InvadersAnonymous
EggheadPac-ManBarry Laws Jr.
Face Invaders 2AstroblastBarry Laws Jr.
Face Invaders DeluxeSpace InvadersBarry Laws Jr.
Fat AlbertFast FoodDavid Marli
GalaxianGalaxianJess Ragan
GlorbPac-ManAnonymous
Invaders From SpaceSpace InvadersDavid Marli
Invisible Pac-manPac-ManAnonymous
Kabul!Kaboom!Jess Ragan
LumbermanPac-ManCracker Jack Productions
MuncherPac-ManDavid Marli
Mystery Science Theater 2600MegamaniaTim Snider
Omega Race JSOmega RaceThomas Jentzsch
One on OneBasketballAngelino
Pac-LawOutlawJim Goebel
Pac-manMs. Pac-ManRob Kudla
PC InvadersSpace InvadersMatthias Jaap
Pink FloydAdventures of TronKyle Pittman
Rambo in AfghanistanRiddle of the SphinxKyle Pittman
Rescue Bira BiraJungle Fever/Knight on the TownChris Cracknell
Return of Mario Bros.Mario Bros.Philip R. Frey
Robot Tank TCRobot TankThomas Jentzsch
Slot InvadersSlot MachineDavid Marli
Space 2002Space JockeyAngelino
Space InvadersSpace InvadersFranklin Cruz
Space InvadersSpace InvadersRob Kudla
Spice InvadersSpace InvadersPhilip R. Frey
Sprintmaster DCSprintmasterThomas Jentzsch
Star Wars: The Battle of AlderaanStar StrikeBarry Laws Jr.
Steroid PitfallPitfall!HCC Software
Suicide AdventureAdventureGeorge Veeder
Tanks DXTanks But No TanksCharles Morgan
THX-1138BerzerkKyle Pittman
TP-BugPac-ManCharles Morgan
UFO #6Pepsi InvadersCharles Morgan
War of the WorldsDefenderKyle Pittman
Yellow SubmarineBermuda TriangleKyle Pittman
Zero PatrolMoon PatrolCharles Morgan
Records Found: 57Click on a column header to sort by that column. Click again to reverse sort order.
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