Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark is an action adventure title released by Atari for the Atari 2600 in 1982. The game was designed by Howard Scott Warshaw, who also created Yars' Revenge and the infamous E.T. cartridge for the same system. It stands as one of the first console games based on a major Hollywood film, tying directly into the Steven Spielberg movie of the same name. Players take control of Indiana Jones as he searches across multiple screens for the Ark of the Covenant. The game uses two controllers at once, with the left joystick handling inventory selection and the right joystick controlling Indy's movement. This unusual two-stick setup gave the title a depth rarely seen on the 2600 and pushed the hardware further than most action games of that era. The cartridge also features a small overworld map, hidden items, and puzzle elements that require players to think about which tool to bring into each room.
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Screenshots
0.01 MB · Atari 2600 ROMs
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Specifications
| Platform | Atari 2600 ROMs |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action |
| File Size | 0.01 MB |
| Release Year | 1982 |
| Developer | Atari |
| Updated | Jun 22, 2026 |
Overview
Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark is an action adventure title released by Atari for the Atari 2600 in 1982. The game was designed by Howard Scott Warshaw, who also created Yars' Revenge and the infamous E.T. cartridge for the same system. It stands as one of the first console games based on a major Hollywood film, tying directly into the Steven Spielberg movie of the same name. Players take control of Indiana Jones as he searches across multiple screens for the Ark of the Covenant. The game uses two controllers at once, with the left joystick handling inventory selection and the right joystick controlling Indy's movement. This unusual two-stick setup gave the title a depth rarely seen on the 2600 and pushed the hardware further than most action games of that era. The cartridge also features a small overworld map, hidden items, and puzzle elements that require players to think about which tool to bring into each room.
Players collect items such as the whip, the revolver, a parachute, and a magnet as they travel between the Marketplace, the Thieves' Den, the Black Market, and the Map Room. Each location holds clues, traps, and characters who trade or block progress. The whip swings Indy across pits, the parachute saves him from deadly falls, and the magnet pulls hidden objects out of walls. There is no multiplayer mode, but the second controller still plays a constant role through inventory swapping during the single-player quest. The game also includes a timer-based hazard in some rooms and a final sequence where players must reach the Well of Souls to claim the Ark. For its time, the variety of screens and item logic gave Raiders of the Lost Ark a sense of scale that felt closer to a home computer adventure than a typical cartridge release. The result remains a curious and ambitious early example of cinematic gaming.