Assault 2600 box art

Atari 2600 · Shoot 'em Up / Action

Assault

Deep cut

SystemAtari 2600
Released1983
GenreShoot 'em Up, Action
DeveloperBomb
PublisherBomb
Players1 player
CommitmentQuick session (Under an hour, or endless arcade fun)
ESRBE
LegacyDeep cut · legacy score 4

Developed by Bomb, Assault arrived on the Atari 2600 in 1983 as a shoot 'em up. It blends shoot 'em up and action elements.

It landed about 6 years into the 2600's life. Other notable 2600 releases from 1983 include Mario Bros., E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Halloween.

Bomb also made Great Escape, Wall-Defender and Z-Tack for the 2600.

This is a solo experience: one player, no waiting on anyone else.

Pick it if…

  • you want to fight, blast and test your reflexes
  • you have time for a quick session (under an hour, or endless arcade fun)
  • you've played the 2600 hits and want something less obvious

Maybe skip it if…

  • you dislike high difficulty and screens full of bullets
  • you are looking for something to play with friends

What playing Assault is like

Shoot 'em ups (shmups) put you in a ship facing waves of enemies and bullets. Runs are short and intense, and the goal is to survive, collect power-ups and push your high score.

Tip for newcomers: Focus on your ship's small hitbox rather than the flood of bullets, and learn which power-ups suit each stage. Most shmups are designed to be replayed many times.

Assault gameplay screenshot on 2600
In-game screenshot (2600)

Assault walkthroughs & guides

Stuck, or want to go deeper? These trusted sites have full walkthroughs, completion times and more for Assault.

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Playing 2600 games today

Most 2600 games are built for short, score-chasing sessions, which makes them perfect for a quick nostalgia hit. Original hardware is cheap and plentiful, the Atari 2600+ reissue plays original cartridges on modern TVs, and official collections such as Atari 50 bundle many first-party classics.

Assault FAQ

When did Assault come out on the 2600?

Assault was released for the Atari 2600 in 1983.

Who made Assault?

It was developed by Bomb.

Is Assault multiplayer?

No. Assault is a single-player game.

How long does Assault take to play?

As a shoot 'em up, Assault typically falls into the "Quick session" category: under an hour, or endless arcade fun. Your time will vary with skill and how much you explore.

Read more about Assault on Wikipedia. Facts on this page are compiled from the open libretro database and Wikidata; "legacy score" reflects how widely a game is documented across Wikipedia's language editions. Spotted an error? Let us know.

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