Adventure vs E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Adventure is a pioneering action‑adventure title for the Atari 2600, released in early 1980. Players guide a simple square avatar through a multi‑screen kingdom filled with castles, mazes, and thirty distinct rooms, searching for the magical chalice and the items needed to reach it. The game features roaming dragons, a mischievous bat, and hidden objects such as keys, a sword, a bridge, and a magnet that affect gameplay. Designed and programmed by Warren Robinett, Adventure introduced one of the first Easter eggs in video games and set a standard for open‑world exploration on a cartridge console. Its minimalist graphics and sound belie a deep strategic challenge that rewards careful item management and timing against aggressive dragon enemies.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 adventure game for the Atari 2600, designed by Howard Scott Warshaw. Players control the alien E.T., navigating simple screens to collect three telephone pieces needed to contact his home planet. The game is infamous for its difficult controls and sparse graphics, and it is often cited as a major factor in the 1983 video game crash. Despite its reputation, it remains a notable piece of gaming history for collectors and retro enthusiasts.
- Groundbreaking open‑world exploration
- Distinct dragon AI adds strategic variety
- Rich item‑based puzzle mechanics
- Historical significance with the first known Easter egg
- Historical significance in video game history
- Simple controls suitable for beginners
- Short playtime for quick sessions
- Collectible cartridge for retro collectors
- Very limited graphics and sound by modern standards
- Controls can feel stiff due to original joystick design
- No save feature; must complete in one session
- Poorly designed gameplay leads to frustration
- Very limited graphics and sound
- Hard to progress without trial-and-error
