Instant Replay Archive

Asteroids

Original Asteroids arcade flyer

Break apart asteroids and dodge flying saucers in Atari's vector arcade shooter.

Release platforms
ArcadeAtari 2600Atari 8-bitAtari 7800Game BoyNintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PlayStation 5WindowsXbox OneXbox Series X/S

Arcade History

Arcade versionAsteroids video cover

Watch on YouTube

Browse related games and editions

Sequels and Variations

Arcade follow-ups

  • Asteroids Deluxe 1981

    Atari added a limited-use shield in place of hyperspace and a new enemy that splits into homing ships. Source

  • Space Duel 1982

    A color-vector follow-up with two-player play, including a mode where the ships are tethered together. Source

  • Blasteroids 1987

    A raster-graphics follow-up with selectable ship forms, power-ups, and two-player action. Source

Home adaptations

  • Asteroids for Atari 2600 1981

    A home conversion with colored rocks and selectable game rules, including different defenses. Source

  • Asteroids for Atari 8-bit computers 1981

    The cartridge edition includes simultaneous play for up to four people on supported Atari computers. Source

  • Asteroids for Atari 7800 1980s

    A home version with shaded rocks and two-player cooperative and competitive modes. Source

  • Asteroids (Activision remake) 1998

    A polygonal remake for the PlayStation era that adds distinct ships and power-ups. Source

Modern releases

  • Asteroids: Recharged 2021

    Adds weapon power-ups, challenges, leaderboards, and local co-op. Source

  • Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration 2022

    An anthology with playable Asteroids releases and historical material. Source

  • Asteroids Deluxe for Atari 7800 Modern cartridge

    A later cartridge adaptation of the arcade sequel for the Atari 7800 family. Source

  • Space Duel for Atari 7800 Modern cartridge

    A later cartridge adaptation of Atari’s color-vector arcade follow-up. Source

Discovered tricks and hacks

Leave one asteroid and hunt saucers

Keep one asteroid on the screen to hold off the next wave. That gives you room to hunt successive saucers for points. Arcade players used the tactic to sustain marathon runs. The Making of Asteroids