AstroBlast
AstroBlast — frequently asked questions
- Is AstroBlast on Steam?
- No. AstroBlast 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 AstroBlast on?
- AstroBlast is available on Atari 2600, Intellivision, Aquarius, Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5.
- When did AstroBlast release?
- AstroBlast was first released on December 31, 1982.
About AstroBlast
An adaptation of Astrosmash for the Atari 2600 platorm
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Atari 2600, Intellivision, Aquarius, Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S(s), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Developer
- APh Technological Consulting
- Publisher
- M Network
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Built by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atari 2600 | 1982 | $7 | $10 | $17 | 3 reviews | APh (designed by Hal Finney) |
Also released on: Intellivision · Aquarius · Android · iOS · Windows · macOS · Nintendo Switch · Xbox One · Xbox Series X/S · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Atari 2600 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-06
Release record
| Territory | Label | Catalog # | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America M Network | Black | MT5666 | Common+ |
| North America Telegames | Silver | — | Scarce |
Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 2600 software database
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1982
- Controller
- Atari Paddles, Atari Joystick
- Players
- 1
- Authenticity
- Low
M Network's 2600 port of the Intellivision hit Astrosmash, cheap and on Atari 50.
Astrosmash was a 1981 Intellivision fixed shooter by John Sohl in which a laser cannon blasts falling meteors and bombs. It sold more than a million copies on the Intellivision.
The Atari 2600 port came out in July 1982 under Mattel's M Network label as Astroblast, with Hal Finney credited as designer and APh as developer. Telegames is also listed as a publisher. It is on Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration under the Astroblast name.
How it was made
Developed by APh for Mattel's M Network label, with Hal Finney credited as designer. Released in July 1982.
What the press said at the time
| Computer Entertainer Vol. 1 No. 5 | August 1982 | Graphics ★★★ · Play-Action ★★★½ |
| Electronic Fun with Computers & Games Vol. 1 No. 1 | November 1982 | 3 joysticks |
| JoyStik Vol. 1 No. 3 | January 1983 | ★★★ |
“For those who have played Astrosmash, this will immediately strike you as a much faster game with greater requirements for accuracy. … Basically, this is an entertaining shoot-em-up that will appeal to all the space cadets among you.”
“Astroblast is a decent enough adaptation of Astrosmash but there are flaws. Even the slower variation starts too fast and sets a hard-to-keep-up-with pace.”
“The graphics are good, and the game is actually more fun than Mattel's Intellivision original, Astrosmash. One nice feature is that you can use either joystick or paddle controllers, depending on which you prefer.”
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. Electronic Fun rated games out of four joysticks. JoyStik’s capsule ratings run from one star to five.
Cartridge & preservation record
Program size 4 KB, measured from the preserved dump.
Catalogue number as recorded for the physical release.
How the Atari 2600 version differs
Astroblast is Mattel's M Network port of the Intellivision game Astrosmash. It plays faster than the Intellivision original.
Also on other platforms
Intellivision · Aquarius · Android · iOS · Windows · macOS · Nintendo Switch · Xbox One · Xbox Series X/S · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5
| Atari 2600 | APh (designed by Hal Finney) |
| Intellivision | John Sohl (designer); released by Mattel Electronics |
- Intellivision. Astrosmash began as a variation hidden on the same cartridge as Meteor!, an Asteroids clone that was cancelled at the last minute. Programmer John Sohl branched around the menu straight into the variation.
- Intellivision. By June 1983 it had shipped 984,900 copies, the third most widely distributed Intellivision game, helped by a free-by-mail offer with the console.
Worth knowing
- Launch defects, 1982. Arcade Express reported that retailers found "a high number of defective cartridges among the initial shipment of M-Network": some casings would not seat in the VCS, and some ROMs would not play on consoles with front-mounted difficulty switches. "The problems were confined to the first four M-Network games, "Astroblast", "Space Attack", "Super Challenge Baseball" and "Super Challenge Football"."
- $4.99 by 1984. In March 1984 an Electronic Games reader reported buying Raiders of the Lost Ark and Astroblast "for $4.99 apiece". The magazine explained that defunct publishers' stock went to a liquidator called "Candyman", who sold it on to discount stores.
Before you buy
Low risk; a common M Network cart. Loose copies are inexpensive, and boxed and sealed copies are easy to find. Check the label for the M Network or Telegames name so you know which release you are buying.
Watch on YouTube
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