Astro Chase
Astro Chase — frequently asked questions
- Is Astro Chase on Steam?
- No. Astro Chase is not distributed on Steam, so there is no Steam Charts or SteamDB player count for it. Its live popularity is tracked here via Twitch viewership instead.
- What platforms is Astro Chase on?
- Astro Chase is available on Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 8-bit, Commodore C64/128/MAX, Atari 5200.
- When did Astro Chase release?
- Astro Chase was first released on December 7, 1982.
About Astro Chase
Astro Chase is a multidirectional shooter written by Fernando Herrera for Atari 8-bit computers. It was published by First Star Software in 1982 as the company's first game. Parker Brothers licensed it, releasing cartridge versions for the Atari 8-bit family and Atari 5200 console in 1983 and a Commodore 64 version in 1984. Exidy licensed it for arcade use with its Max-A-Flex cabinet.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 8-bit, Commodore C64/128/MAX, Atari 5200
- Developer
- First Star Software
- Publisher
- Exidy
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Science fiction
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atari 5200 | 1983 | $25 | $60 | $99 | Graphics ★★★★ · Play-Action ★★★½ |
Also released on: Arcade · Atari 2600 · Atari 8-bit · Commodore C64/128/MAX. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Atari 5200 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-19
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about once a month
- Sealed: about 2 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-19.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $18.99 in Jan 2010, $26 five years ago, and $25 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $18.99 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $16.99 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $6.20 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $14.99 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $20 | $11.11 |
| Jan 2015 | $27 | $34 |
| Jan 2016 | $12.94 | $23 |
| Jan 2017 | $14.99 | $23 |
| Jan 2018 | $17.06 | $28 |
| Jan 2019 | $17.75 | $42 |
| Jan 2020 | $18.28 | $33 |
| Jan 2021 | $18.14 | $35 |
| Jan 2022 | $25 | $35 |
| Jan 2023 | $25 | $34 |
| Jan 2024 | $31 | $57 |
| Jan 2025 | $20 | $42 |
| Jan 2026 | $27 | $50 |
| Oct 2026 | $25 | $46 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Label | Catalog # | MSRP | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America Parker Brothers | Standard | 9560 | $45.00 (approx.) | Scarce |
- North America: Price new: Computer Entertainer's review (Vol. 2 No. 7, October 1983).
Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 5200 software database
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1983
- Controller
- Joystick
- Players
- 1
- Authenticity
- Low
A First Star computer shooter that Parker Brothers brought to the 5200, and a solid third-party cart on the system.
Astro Chase began as a First Star Software game for Atari computers. Parker Brothers licensed it and released cartridge versions for the Atari 8-bit computers and the 5200 in 1983. AtariAge credits Fernando Herrera as programmer of the 5200 cartridge.
Period coverage was warm. Electronic Games, in a May 1984 roundup, singled out the martial music and the thrust-and-fire system that lets the ship move one way while shooting another. Computer Entertainer's retail-panel top-ten chart in issue 2-10 listed the 5200 cartridge among the best-selling game-system titles, which fits a cart that is not hard to find today but is rated Scarce on AtariAge's scale.
How it was made
Fernando Herrera is credited by AtariAge as programmer of the 5200 cartridge, the same author behind the First Star original.
What the press said at the time
| Computer Entertainer Vol. 2 No. 7 | October 1983 | Graphics ★★★★ · Play-Action ★★★½ |
“This is one of those games that is extremely impressive when you first plug in the cartridge, because the graphics are gorgeous.”
Computer Entertainer rated graphics first and play action second, from four symbols (excellent) to one (poor) — stars in most years, diamonds in 1986–87 — comparing each game only with other games for the same system.
How the Atari 5200 version differs
Computer Entertainer called the 5200 cartridge identical to the Parker Brothers version for the Atari computers.
Also on other platforms
Arcade
| Arcade | Exidy (publisher) |
- Arcade. Exidy licensed the game for arcade use in its Max-A-Flex cabinet.
Before you buy
Low risk, and a one-player game that works with the standard stick. Expect the usual 5200 issues: a non-centering stick is how the original controller is meant to work, but dead fire buttons are common, so test them on a known-good console. Parker Brothers labels on the 5200 are the plain third-party style, not Atari's silver house look, so do not read the lack of silver as a red flag.
Astro Chase screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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