Ballblazer
Ballblazer — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Ballblazer on?
- Ballblazer was released on Atari 7800, Atari 8-bit, Commodore C64/128/MAX, ZX Spectrum, Atari 5200, Apple II, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Famicom.
- When did Ballblazer release?
- Ballblazer was first released on December 31, 1985.
About Ballblazer
Ballblazer is a 1984 computer game created by Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts Entertainment). It was originally released for the Atari 8-bit systems, such as the Atari 800 and the Atari 5200. It was also ported to other popular platforms of the day, such as the Apple II, ZX Spectrum (by Dalali Software Ltd), Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, Atari 7800, and the NES. The Atari 800 version was called Ballblaster during development - pirated versions of the game went by this name as well. The principal creator and programmer of Ballblazer was David Levine. In 1990, LucasArts and Rainbow Arts released a remake and follow-up to this game, called Masterblazer. This game was released for the Amiga, Atari ST, and PC DOS. A similar game inspired by Ballblazer called Space Football: One on One was developed and released by Triffix for the Super NES in 1992. Years later on March 31, 1997, a remake of the original titled Ballblazer Champions was released for the Sony PlayStation.
Summary via IGDB.
Ballblazer on Wikipedia
Ballblazer is a futuristic sports game created by Lucasfilm Games and published in 1985 by Epyx. Along with Rescue on Fractalus!, it was one of the initial pair of releases from Lucasfilm Games, Ballblazer was developed and first published for the Atari 8-bit computers. The principal creator and programmer was David Levine. The game was called Ballblaster during development; some pirated versions bear this name.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Game details
- Platforms
- Atari 7800, Atari 8-bit, Commodore C64/128/MAX, ZX Spectrum, Atari 5200, Apple II, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Famicom
- Developer
- Lucasfilm Games
- Publisher
- Atari Corporation
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer, Split screen
- 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 | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atari 5200Details ↓ | 1986 | $22 | $35 | $60 | Low (look-alike) |
| Atari 7800Details ↓ | 1988 | $27 | $35 | $46 | Low (look-alike) |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Atari 5200 version ($22).
Release timeline
- Apple II1985
- Atari 8-bit1985
- Commodore C64/128/MAX1985
- ZX Spectrum1985
- Amstrad CPC1986
- Atari 52001986
- Atari 78001987
- MSX1987
- Family ComputerMar 4, 1988
First release on each platform, from IGDB’s records of this game’s ports and editions. Remakes are separate games with their own pages, so they are not listed here.
We haven’t priced or authenticated the versions without a section on this page yet.
Prices are per version and are not interchangeable, and neither are the reviews: conversions in this era were often built by a different studio than the original, so a score earned on one machine says nothing about how another plays.
Collector value & authenticity
Atari 5200 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-19
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about 2 times a year
- Sealed: about once a month
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-19.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $12.00 in Jan 2010, $13.02 five years ago, and $22 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $12.00 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $5.50 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $18.67 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $6.41 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $30 | $8.00 |
| Jan 2015 | $19.98 | $8.00 |
| Jan 2016 | $14.99 | $5.50 |
| Jan 2017 | $15.95 | $16.94 |
| Jan 2018 | $9.99 | $13.72 |
| Jan 2019 | $10.25 | $12.75 |
| Jan 2020 | $14.20 | $14.32 |
| Jan 2021 | $12.95 | $17.99 |
| Jan 2022 | $17.50 | $37 |
| Jan 2023 | $21 | $28 |
| Jan 2024 | $28 | $30 |
| Jan 2025 | $29 | $43 |
| Jan 2026 | $22 | $23 |
| Oct 2026 | $22 | $35 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Label | Catalog # | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America Atari | Silver 2 - Name not on label | CX5255 | Scarce |
Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 5200 software database
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1986
- Controller
- Joystick
- Players
- 1 - 2
- Authenticity
- Low
The Atari 5200 version
A late-run Atari Corp cartridge of Lucasfilm's two-player hovercraft sport, and a game that arguably never got its due on the 5200.
Ballblazer was a Lucasfilm Games design built with the Atari 8-bit computers and the 5200 in mind, and the 5200 cartridge came out only in limited quantities in late 1986 from Atari Corp, made from stock that came with the 1984 buyout of Atari, Inc. AtariAge credits Garry Hare, David Levine, David Riordan and Peter Langston as programmers. Electronic Games nominated the 5200 version for its 1985 Videogame of the Year, praising the split viewscreen that gives two players a bird's-eye view of the sport.
The game was ready long before it shipped. Computer Entertainer reported in issue 3-9 that Lucasfilm was upset that Ballblazer and Rescue on Fractalus had never seen the light of day after the change of ownership at Atari, and in February 1987 (issue 5-11) it was told by Atari that the copies reaching stores came from old warehouse stock and that no more 5200 games would be made.
How it was made
AtariAge credits Garry Hare, David Levine, David Riordan and Peter Langston as programmers of the 5200 cartridge. Atari Corp published the 5200 and 7800 ports.
What the press said at the time
“Lucasfilm has avoided the seductive trap of piling complexity upon complexity and created a cartridge which looks and sounds great, plays smoothly and fills a significant gap in the electronic sports game category. Ballblazer is gaming at its finest.”
How the Atari 5200 version differs
Atari Corporation released the 5200 cartridge in limited quantities in late 1986, made from stock inherited from the July 1984 buyout of Atari, Inc.
The 5200 versions were not part of the deal that made Epyx the distributor of the Atari computer and Commodore 64 disk versions.
Also on other platforms
Atari 7800 · Commodore 64 · Apple II · Famicom
| Apple II | K-Byte |
| Famicom | Pony Canyon (publisher) |
- Commodore 64. Zzap!64 gave the Commodore 64 version 98% and called it the best sports simulation to hit the 64 yet, with weak sound effects as its only real criticism.
Worth knowing
- Made from inherited stock. Wikipedia reports that Atari Corp released the 5200 cartridge in limited quantities in late 1986, manufactured from stock inherited from the July 1984 buyout. Computer Entertainer (issue 5-11, February 1987) recorded Atari's own statement that current supplies were existing warehouse stock and that no more 5200 games were planned.
Before you buy
Low authenticity risk, but expect a plain-looking cart. Atari Corp's 1986 release is a Silver 2 style label on which the game's title does not appear, so a title-less label is normal here, not a sign of a swapped sticker. Two players need the 5200's second controller port, and the stick is non-centering by design. The original controllers fail often, so check both before buying.
Collector value & authenticity
Atari 7800 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-19
How often it sells
- Loose: about 2 times a week
- Complete: about once a week
- Sealed: about once a week
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-19.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $3.90 in Jan 2010, $27 five years ago, and $27 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $3.90 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $1.84 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $4.99 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $5.99 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $4.99 | $4.25 |
| Jan 2015 | $8.99 | $13.50 |
| Jan 2016 | $9.00 | $6.50 |
| Jan 2017 | $10.50 | $17.99 |
| Jan 2018 | $19.17 | $23 |
| Jan 2019 | $23 | $26 |
| Jan 2020 | $27 | $28 |
| Jan 2021 | $28 | $32 |
| Jan 2022 | $29 | $29 |
| Jan 2023 | $31 | $37 |
| Jan 2024 | $35 | $39 |
| Jan 2025 | $39 | $43 |
| Jan 2026 | $37 | $40 |
| Oct 2026 | $27 | $35 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Documented sales
47,968 US copies invoiced by Atari in 1988
Ranked 15 of the 39 Atari 7800 cartridges in Atari's internal reports. These count cartridges shipped to US stores, less returns, not copies sold to players.
Source: Atari Corporation's internal 7800 software sales reports (1986–1990)
Release record
| Territory | Label | Catalog # | MSRP | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America Atari | Color | CX7815 | $19.99 | Common |
| North America Atari | Color - Red end label | CX7815 | — | Scarce |
- North America: Price new: Atari's own catalogue (Atari Explorer, Jan–Feb 1991), list price.
Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 7800 software database
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1988
- Controller
- Pro-Line Joystick
- Players
- 1 - 2
- Authenticity
- Low
The Atari 7800 version
The best-sounding cartridge in the 7800 library, with a POKEY chip on the board, and the 7800 is the version to buy if you want the music.
The 7800 cartridge reached stores in 1988, years after Lucasfilm's hovercraft sport had been shown on the 5200 and the 7800 together in 1984. General Computer Corporation is credited with the port, and Atari Corporation published it. ANALOG Computing's 1984 coverage called the Lucasfilm graphics outstanding when seen on the new 7800.
The reason to care about this cartridge is audio. Ballblazer was one of the few 7800 releases to carry its own POKEY sound chip, and a retrospective at Atari 7800 Forever says it has the best audio of any game in the library. Computer and Video Games rated the 7800 version very highly in 1989. It plays for one or two players.
How it was made
General Computer Corporation developed the 7800 version, and Atari Corporation published it, in March 1988 according to Wikipedia's list of 7800 games. The 7800 and 5200 ports were both Atari Corporation releases.
How the Atari 7800 version differs
When the 7800 launched, Electronic Games said the 7800 cartridges of Ballblazer and Rescue on Fractalus were essentially the same as the computer and 5200 editions, but with better graphics.
Also on other platforms
Atari 5200 · Commodore 64 · Apple II · Famicom
Worth knowing
- From the 7800 manual. Split-screen: the left-joystick player plays the upper screen, the right-joystick player the lower.
- From the 7800 manual. Computer opponents come in droid levels up to Droid9, the most skilled.
- From the 7800 manual. Game length selectable from one to nine minutes.
Before you buy
Low risk, but know the label: the plain color label is common, while the color label with a red end label is rated scarce, so a red-end copy can carry a premium. The POKEY chip is on the cartridge itself. Pro-Line joystick, one or two players. The box and manual carry much of a complete copy's value.
Ballblazer screenshots
Watch on YouTube
Listings on The Game Traders
No active listings for Ballblazer yet.
Be the first to list →Buyers looking for this
No active want ads for Ballblazer yet.
Post a want ad →More games like Ballblazer
Latest news mentioning Ballblazer
No recent news mentions in our 30-day feed window.