Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom
Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom — frequently asked questions
- Is Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom on Steam?
- No. Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom 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 Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom on?
- Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom is available on Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, ColecoVision, Atari 8-bit, VIC-20, Commodore 64, Coleco Adam, MSX, TI-99/4A, Apple II, IBM PC, SG-1000, ZX Spectrum.
- When did Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom release?
- Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom was first released on December 31, 1982.
About Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom
Sega released the arcade video game Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom in 1982. It was a forward-scrolling rail shooter where the user controls a spaceship in a behind-the-back third-person perspective that must destroy enemy ships and avoid obstacles; the game was notable for its fast pseudo-3D scaling and detailed sprites. The game would later go on to influence the 1985 Sega hit Space Harrier, which in turn influenced the 1993 Nintendo hit Star Fox. Buck is never seen in the game, except assumedly in the illustration on the side of the arcade cabinet, and its only real connections to Buck Rogers are the use of the name and the outer space setting. Home versions were released for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari XE, ColecoVision, Coleco Adam, Intellivision, MSX and Sega SG-1000 video game systems, and the Commodore VIC-20, Commodore 64, Texas Instruments TI-99/4A, Apple II and ZX Spectrum computers. A version for IBM PC using CGA graphics was also available.
Summary via IGDB.
Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom on Wikipedia
Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom, known as Zoom 909 in Japan, is a 1982 rail shooter developed and published by Sega as an arcade video game. The player controls a spaceship in a third-person perspective, adapting the three-dimensional perspective of Sega's earlier racing video game Turbo (1981) for the space shoot 'em up genre. It uses the Buck Rogers license, referencing the space battles, though Buck himself is never seen.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Game details
- Platforms
- Arcade, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, ColecoVision, Atari 8-bit, VIC-20, Commodore 64, Coleco Adam, MSX, TI-99/4A, Apple II, IBM PC, SG-1000, ZX Spectrum
- Developer
- Sega Enterprises, Inc.
- Publisher
- Sega Enterprises, Inc.
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Science fiction
- Series
- Buck Rogers
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 2600Details ↓ | 1983 | $15 | $41 | $119 | Graphics ★★★½ · Play-Action ★★½ | Sega |
| Atari 5200Details ↓ | 1983 | $13 | $36 | $71 | — | — |
| ColecoVisionDetails ↓ | 1984 | $12 | $44 | — | Graphics ★★★½ · Play-Action ★★½ | — |
Also released on: Arcade · Atari 8-bit · VIC-20 · Commodore 64 · Coleco Adam · MSX · TI-99/4A · Apple II · IBM PC · SG-1000 · ZX Spectrum. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions 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 2600 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-06
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a week
- Complete: about 5 times a year
- 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 $4.75 in Jan 2010, $13.25 five years ago, and $15.22 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $4.75 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $7.24 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $7.95 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $4.92 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $4.99 | $7.50 |
| Jan 2015 | $4.31 | $19.95 |
| Jan 2016 | $6.95 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2017 | $8.99 | $28 |
| Jan 2018 | $9.86 | $18.50 |
| Jan 2019 | $9.04 | $25 |
| Jan 2020 | $9.40 | $25 |
| Jan 2021 | $10.00 | $26 |
| Jan 2022 | $14.99 | $30 |
| Jan 2023 | $15.98 | $35 |
| Jan 2024 | $10.63 | $25 |
| Jan 2025 | $12.35 | $30 |
| Jan 2026 | $14.12 | $32 |
| Oct 2026 | $15.22 | $41 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Label | Catalog # | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America Sega | Grip Case | 005-01 | Scarce+ |
Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 2600 software database
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1983
- Controller
- Atari Joystick
- Players
- 1
- Authenticity
- Low
The Atari 2600 version
A home version of Sega's 3D arcade shooter, inexpensive and fine for a Buck Rogers shelf.
Sega's 1982 arcade Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom is a rail shooter seen from behind the ship, borrowing the 3D view of its racing game Turbo. It uses the Buck Rogers license, though Buck himself never appears.
Sega released the Atari 2600 version in late 1983, with a PAL release in 1984. It was one of many home ports.
What the press said at the time
| Computer Entertainer Vol. 2 No. 9 | December 1983 | Graphics ★★★½ · Play-Action ★★½ |
“gameplay is not particularly exciting, especially after several playing sessions. Try this one before deciding to purchase it.”
“The first batch of cartridges for the 2600 from the company includes TacScan, Buck Rogers, Thunderground and Congo Bongo. None of the 2600 editions are exactly heart-stoppers”
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.
Cartridge & preservation record
Program size 8 KB, measured from the preserved dump.
Catalogue number as recorded for the physical release.
Also on other platforms
Arcade · Atari 5200 · Atari 8-bit · VIC-20 · Commodore 64 · Coleco Adam · MSX · TI-99/4A · ColecoVision · Apple II · IBM PC · SG-1000 · ZX Spectrum
| Atari 2600 | Sega |
- Coleco Adam. Electronic Fun's reviewer saw more and more on-screen glitches in the Coleco Adam tape version after about fifty plays, and blamed tape wear.
- Commodore 64. Ahoy! called the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 versions an excellent and absorbing, though one-note, space game.
Before you buy
Low risk, with no documented reproductions. Loose carts are inexpensive. Boxed and sealed copies cost more, so check box condition if buying complete.
Collector value & authenticity
Atari 5200 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-19
How often it sells
- Loose: about 2 times a month
- Complete: about 4 times a year
- 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 $12.95 in Apr 2010, $19.99 five years ago, and $12.79 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2011 | $0.99 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $4.46 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $8.75 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $17.00 | $8.00 |
| Jan 2015 | $9.49 | $10.00 |
| Jan 2016 | $9.95 | $9.50 |
| Jan 2017 | $12.49 | $12.99 |
| Jan 2018 | $11.65 | $19.99 |
| Jan 2019 | $9.60 | $17.66 |
| Jan 2020 | $9.00 | $17.66 |
| Jan 2021 | $9.99 | $21 |
| Jan 2022 | $21 | $46 |
| Jan 2023 | $18.74 | $30 |
| Jan 2024 | $21 | $29 |
| Jan 2025 | $15.53 | $32 |
| Jan 2026 | $16.66 | $29 |
| Oct 2026 | $12.79 | $36 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Label | Catalog # | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America Sega | Standard | 005-02 | Scarce |
Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 5200 software database
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1983
- Controller
- Joystick
- Players
- 1
- Authenticity
- Low
The Atari 5200 version
Sega's 3D space chase looked and sounded like its arcade parent on the 5200, and a reviewer was dazzled.
Sega's port to the 5200 is credited by AtariAge to Ken Jordan as programmer, and it landed in late 1983. Electronic Games reviewed the 5200 cartridge in July 1984 in glowing terms: it called the cart built for speed, praised the vibrant colors and detailed craft, and said it showed the best use of white noise the reviewer had ever heard, singling out the explosions and the move to the next round.
It is a one-player shooter, and that review's praise was for color and sound more than depth, so treat it as a showpiece for the 5200 rather than a deep game.
How it was made
AtariAge credits Ken Jordan as programmer of the 5200 cartridge.
What the press said at the time
“Gamers that enjoy a good outer space shoot-out will find this an excellent addition to their 5200 library. It has explosive impact and packs quite a challenge.”
Also on other platforms
Atari 2600 · ColecoVision · Coleco Adam · IBM PC
- Coleco Adam. Electronic Fun reviewed the Adam version and reported more and more on-screen glitches over repeated play, which the reviewer blamed on tape wear.
- IBM PC. The IBM PC version uses CGA graphics.
Before you buy
Low risk and a plain Sega cart that AtariAge rates Scarce. Test with the standard stick before paying, since fast shooters expose a worn pot or a dead fire button quickly. Third-party labels on the 5200 are not part of Atari's silver generations, so judge the label against photos of a known copy.
Collector value & authenticity
ColecoVision · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-19
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a week
- Complete: about 6 times a year
- Sealed: about once 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 $4.00 in Jul 2009, $13.96 five years ago, and $12.22 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $4.00 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $4.25 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $6.75 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $5.50 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $27 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2015 | $11.95 | $19.95 |
| Jan 2016 | $5.99 | $19.95 |
| Jan 2017 | $12.25 | $10.51 |
| Jan 2018 | $7.17 | $25 |
| Jan 2019 | $9.99 | $19.95 |
| Jan 2020 | $10.86 | $26 |
| Jan 2021 | $10.59 | $25 |
| Jan 2022 | $14.01 | $33 |
| Jan 2023 | $15.78 | $30 |
| Jan 2024 | $10.48 | $28 |
| Jan 2025 | $10.88 | $42 |
| Jan 2026 | $14.97 | $38 |
| Oct 2026 | $12.22 | $44 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Model # | Barcode |
|---|---|---|
| North America Coleco | 2615 | 076930205365 |
| Europe CBS Electronics | — | — |
- North America: Model number confirmed by the game's own manual.
- Europe: Sold in Europe by CBS Electronics; the ColecoVision FAQ lists its model number as 4L4448. CBS carts have black labels and a differently shaped top end.
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1984
- Controller
- Hand controller, Super Action controllers
- Players
- 1 or 2
- Authenticity
- Low
The ColecoVision version
Coleco's own cartridge of Sega's 3D shooter, easy to find and an honest entry-level Coleco arcade port.
Coleco published the ColecoVision Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom in 1984, from Sega's arcade original. Unlike the 2600 and 5200 versions described above, this one came from the same company that built the console, and Coleco also put the game on its Adam computer as a tape-based digital pack.
Period coverage that is specific to the ColecoVision cartridge is thin. Most reviews in the magazines concern the Adam pack, which one Electronic Fun reviewer found glitch-prone, so they say little about the cartridge itself. Computer Entertainer's contents for volume 3, number 1 appear to list a ColecoVision review, but the text that survives does not describe it.
How it was made
Wikipedia lists ports to the SG-1000, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 8-bit computers, Coleco Adam, ColecoVision, MSX, Commodore 64, VIC-20, TI-99/4A, Apple II and ZX Spectrum.
What the press said at the time
| Computer Entertainer Vol. 3 No. 1 | April 1984 | Graphics ★★★½ · Play-Action ★★½ |
“While graphics are very good, game play doesn't offer enough variations from screen to screen to keep the player really interested in playing again and again.”
Computer Entertainer rated graphics first and play action second, from four symbols (excellent) to one (poor) — diamonds through early 1987, stars after — comparing each game only with other games for the same system.
How the ColecoVision version differs
Computer Entertainer said Coleco's cartridge has all the screens of the arcade original, something Sega did not manage in its own home adaptations.
The planet-surface screen leaves out the towers and space hoppers found in the arcade game.
Also on other platforms
Coleco Adam · Commodore 64 · Arcade
| Arcade | Sega |
- Coleco Adam. On the Coleco Adam, which stores its games on digital data packs, one reviewer found an increasing number of on-screen glitches and blamed tape wear.
- Commodore 64. Ahoy! called the Commodore 64 and VIC-20 versions an excellent and absorbing, if one-note, space game.
- Arcade. The arcade game was among the thirteen highest-grossing arcade games of 1983 in the United States.
Worth knowing
- From the ColecoVision manual. The fighter auto-centers whenever you release the stick, which you can use to fake out attackers.
- From the ColecoVision manual. Rockets score no points, so the manual advises dodging them and aiming for saucers and planes; a reinforcement fighter arrives at 10,000 points.
- From the ColecoVision manual. There are four skill levels, selected with keypad buttons 1 to 8 along with the number of pilots.
Before you buy
Make sure you are buying the cartridge: the Adam version is a digital data pack, a cassette-style format that does not plug into the console. The game plays on a standard ColecoVision controller and needs no overlay. It is one of the cheaper Coleco-published arcade ports, and a complete copy costs noticeably more than a loose cart, so look for the box and manual.
Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom screenshots
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