How many original 2600 games are there?

[nester]

I've noticed that when people make Atari 2600 game lists, many of the games (Q*Bert, Donkey Kong, BMX Airmaster) get counted multiple times because they were published by different companies. I'd like to know how many different original U.S. games there are on the system. I would make a list, but I don't want to go to all the trouble if someone else already has one. The number's gotta be around 400 I think.

[Tynstar]

Not including reissues hmm.....400 or so sounds about right.

[chrisbid]

there has got to be more than that

[Tan]

Allot of people think there is a huge library for the 2600 but I think Tynstar is pretty close to the mark. Take away re-issues, sears/m network/telegames/parker bros. etc. versions of the same game, label variations, xonox double enders that have the same game on one side etc etc. the list really get's cut down.

[Tynstar]

I dont think so. The list I have is 530ish but thats with reissues and no Zellers type carts.

[nester]

Well the very conservative list I made has about 515 with Sears and all of those included. I'm only looking at U.S. games that saw some sort of actual release during the original run of the system. Perhaps I'm just to fussy about these things, but I have always been curious about the numer. I think it's surprisingly low.

[Tynstar]

I made my list from DP's website list a long time ago. I have since added a few and removed a few titles.

[chrisbid]

atariage has 929 north american NTSC games listed in its database.  obviously, the list includes all variations, prototypes, homebrews, etc

so maybe 400 is correct, it still seems small, the flood of software is one of the reasons for the crash, but 400 is a small number compared to the NES, Genesis, Playstation, and PS2

[Tan]

I think considering that the market was still in it's infancy it's quite remarkable, and compared to the tiny libraries of it's competitors INTV, Coleco and Odyssey2 or even contemporary systems like the N64 or gamecube makes it even more so.