Play Threshold Online

Your ship’s fuel drains nonstop—you refill it by clearing waves, but your laser overheats if you fire too fast. Every shot counts as enemies close in and your tank ticks down.

Released: 1982

File size: 3.17 KB

Game Overview

Threshold is one of those classic Atari 2600 shooters that seems simple at first—just a little ship at the bottom blasting away at enemy formations—until you realize how tense it gets. Your fuel’s always ticking down, and the only way to refill it is by clearing waves, so you’re constantly balancing aggression with survival.

The laser overheating mechanic is what really gets me. You can’t just spam shots—every blast heats it up, and once it maxes out, you’re stuck waiting, watching your fuel drain while enemies creep closer. It forces you to pick your shots carefully, which makes even the early waves feel surprisingly tactical for such a straightforward game.

It’s got that perfect arcade-style pressure where one bad decision snowballs fast, but clearing a wave at the last second feels amazing. The kind of game where you’ll catch yourself leaning forward without realizing it.