Play Cosmic Ark Online

Dodge meteor storms with wonky cannons, then frantically beam up aliens before their planet explodes—all while laser turrets try to blast you. That Atari magic where pixel blobs somehow feel worth saving.

Released: 1982

File size: 3.23 KB

Game Overview

Cosmic Ark is one of those Atari 2600 games that somehow makes you feel like you're saving the galaxy with just a joystick and two buttons. You're piloting this massive ark ship trying to rescue alien creatures before their sun explodes—no pressure, right?

First, you're dodging and blasting through meteor showers with these weird four-way cannons (takes a minute to get used to). Then you swoop down to a planet, where things get tense—you've got to beam up two little aliens while avoiding laser turrets that pop up randomly. The whole time, you're sweating because another meteor storm could hit any second. It's simple but weirdly intense for an old cartridge.

Honestly, the creatures you rescue look like abstract blobs, but something about the urgency makes you care anyway. The beeping soundtrack doesn't help the nerves. You'll either love the retro chaos or rage-quit after three planets.