Play Warplock Online

Drifting helplessly in space, you spin a makeshift cannon wildly as pirate ships swarm closer—blow one up and the whole pack explodes, until they start firing back with deadly streaks of light. That paddle controller makes every desperate twist feel real.

Released: 1982

File size: 2.74 KB

Game Overview

Warplock is one of those classic Atari 2600 games that feels simple until you realize how tense it gets. You're drifting through space when pirates suddenly trap your ship—now you're stuck in place, frantically swiveling a tachyon launcher back and forth to blast them before they crash into you. The paddle controller makes it satisfyingly tactile, like you're really spinning some jury-rigged weapon.

At first, it's just picking off lone pirates, but then whole groups start swarming in. The cool part? Take out one in a cluster, and the whole pack explodes. But after 16 kills, they wise up and start shooting back with photon bursts. Suddenly you're not just dodging collisions—you're weaving between deadly streaks of light.

No continues, no difficulty switches—just you, a single life, and the creeping dread as more pirates pour in. It's the kind of game where you'll lean sideways in your chair, as if that'll help dodge the shots. If you die, pass the paddle to a friend or hit reset for another round of desperate space survival.