Basic Math is an educational title released by Atari for the Atari 2600 in 1977. It stands as one of the nine launch games that arrived with the console, making it a piece of early home video game history. Gloria Sun designed the game with the goal of teaching young players simple arithmetic in a screen-based format. The concept is straightforward and direct. Players solve math problems shown on the television screen, picking from addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division exercises. Each problem appears with two numbers, and the player inputs an answer using the console controllers. What makes this title notable is its role in proving the Atari 2600 could serve purposes beyond pure entertainment. The cartridge format allowed parents to bring an educational tool into the living room. The simple graphics and clear number displays kept the focus on the lessons rather than on visual distractions, which suited the limited hardware of the time and gave children a quiet space to practice.
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Screenshots

0 MB · Atari 2600 ROMs
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Specifications
| Platform | Atari 2600 ROMs |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action |
| File Size | 0 MB |
| Release Year | 1977 |
| Developer | Atari, Inc. |
| Updated | Jun 22, 2026 |
Overview
Basic Math is an educational title released by Atari for the Atari 2600 in 1977. It stands as one of the nine launch games that arrived with the console, making it a piece of early home video game history. Gloria Sun designed the game with the goal of teaching young players simple arithmetic in a screen-based format. The concept is straightforward and direct. Players solve math problems shown on the television screen, picking from addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division exercises. Each problem appears with two numbers, and the player inputs an answer using the console controllers. What makes this title notable is its role in proving the Atari 2600 could serve purposes beyond pure entertainment. The cartridge format allowed parents to bring an educational tool into the living room. The simple graphics and clear number displays kept the focus on the lessons rather than on visual distractions, which suited the limited hardware of the time and gave children a quiet space to practice.
The game offers nine difficulty options that change how problems get presented and what number ranges appear. Players can select problems with fixed numbers, where one value stays the same across questions, or random numbers, where both values shift with each problem. The single-player mode tracks correct answers across a set of ten problems, giving children a score at the end of each round. There is no multiplayer support, no power-ups, and no progression system beyond the difficulty settings. Sound effects mark correct and incorrect responses, which gives quick feedback during practice. The number selection happens through the joystick, with players scrolling up or down to pick digits. The visual presentation uses large, blocky numerals against a plain background, keeping focus on the arithmetic itself. While the experience feels barebones by modern standards, Basic Math holds historical weight as proof that game consoles could teach as well as entertain. It remains a curious artifact for collectors and a small window into early thinking about edutainment on home screens.