Play Space Shuttle - Journey Into Space Online

Hold your breath during launch, sweat the fuel burn, then wrestle the shuttle down to Earth—one wrong move and you're bouncing off the runway like a drunk astronaut. That 1983 manual wasn't kidding about the checklist.

Released: 1983

File size: 6.34 KB

Game Overview

Space Shuttle on the Atari 2600 is one of those games that makes you wonder how they crammed so much into such a simple system. You start with the launch sequence—hold your breath as the engines fire up, watching your fuel tick down while trying not to overshoot orbit. Mess up the angle, and suddenly you're spinning wildly into the void.

What really got me was the landing. You’d think bringing a shuttle down on a 2D runway would be straightforward, but nope—one wrong adjustment and you’re bouncing like a pinball. The manual even had a whole checklist (yes, an actual paper checklist) to prep you for re-entry. For 1983, it felt weirdly realistic, in that janky, charming Atari way.

Not gonna lie, it’s slow and finicky by today’s standards, but there’s something satisfying about nailing a perfect mission after five failed attempts. If you’ve got the patience for retro simulation quirks, this one’s a neat time capsule.