E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial vs Mission Asteroid
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
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.
Mission Asteroid is a 1980 Sierra text adventure with simple one- or two-word commands and illustrated graphics. As an astronaut, you must travel to a rogue asteroid and blow it up before it collides with Earth. The game features an easy difficulty level and was released as number zero in Sierra's Hi‑Res Adventure series, offering a nostalgic sci‑fi experience for single‑player PC gamers.
- Historical significance in video game history
- Simple controls suitable for beginners
- Short playtime for quick sessions
- Collectible cartridge for retro collectors
- Simple command system is easy to learn.
- Classic Sierra graphics add nostalgic charm.
- Short playtime suitable for quick sessions.
- Low difficulty makes it accessible to all ages.
- Poorly designed gameplay leads to frustration
- Very limited graphics and sound
- Hard to progress without trial-and-error
- Very limited parser can feel restrictive.
- Graphics are primitive by modern standards.
- Lack of replayability after completion.
