Front Line
Front Line — frequently asked questions
- Is Front Line on Steam?
- No. Front Line 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 Front Line on?
- Front Line is available on ColecoVision, Arcade, PC-8800 Series, Sharp X1, FM-7, NEC PC-6000 Series, MSX, Atari 2600, Famicom, PC-6001, PC-8801, PC-9801.
- When did Front Line release?
- Front Line was first released on December 31, 1982.
About Front Line
Front Line is a vertically scrolling action game. Your mission is to infiltrate enemy territory and destroy their fortress. To reach the fortress, you will have to make your way through varied and dangerous terrain. Jungles, deserts, brush, and rocks all slow your progress, plus each area has numerous enemy fighters and tanks trying to stop you. To help get past these obstacles, you are armed with a machine gun and grenades; at some points in the game you may even come across an abandoned tank which you can control to increase your odds of survival. When you reach the end of the level and successfully destroy the fortress, the game will repeat at a higher level of difficulty. Gameplay is for one or two players, and four different skill levels are available.
Summary via IGDB.
Front Line on Wikipedia
Front Line is a 1982 run and gun video game developed and published by Taito for arcades. It was one of the first overhead run and gun games, a precursor to many similarly-themed games of the mid-to-late 1980s. Front Line is controlled with a joystick, a single button, and a rotary dial that can be pushed in like a button. The single button is used to throw grenades and to enter and exit tanks, while the rotary dial aims and fires the player's gun.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Game details
- Platforms
- ColecoVision, Arcade, PC-8800 Series, Sharp X1, FM-7, NEC PC-6000 Series, MSX, Atari 2600, Famicom, PC-6001, PC-8801, PC-9801
- Developer
- Taito
- Publisher
- Electronic Software Limited
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer
- 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 | Built by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atari 2600 | 1984 | $16 | $63 | — | Graphics ★½ · Play-Action ★½ | Individeo (designed by Ed Temple) |
Also released on: ColecoVision · Arcade · PC-8800 Series · Sharp X1 · FM-7 · NEC PC-6000 Series · MSX · Famicom · PC-6001 · PC-8801 · PC-9801. 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 Coleco | Standard | 2665 | Scarce+ |
| North America Zellers | Standard | — | Scarce+ |
Also released in South America by Polygram.
Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 2600 software database
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1984
- Controller
- Atari Joystick
- Players
- 1 - 2
- Authenticity
- Low
Coleco's conversion of an early overhead run-and-gun arcade game, for completists more than players.
Taito's 1982 arcade Front Line was one of the first overhead run-and-gun games, with tanks you can climb in and out of, a formula later followed by Commando and Ikari Warriors. The arcade game aimed and fired with a rotary dial.
Coleco published the Atari 2600 version in 1984. Individeo developed it, with Ed Temple credited as designer. Little else is documented about this version.
What the press said at the time
| Computer Entertainer Vol. 3 No. 1 | April 1984 | Graphics ★½ · Play-Action ★½ |
“this version of FRONT LINE is not a good game. The graphics are blocky, primitive and unsophisticated.”
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 · ColecoVision · FM-7 · MSX · Famicom · PC-6001 · PC-8801 · PC-9801 · Sharp X1
| Atari 2600 | Individeo (designed by Ed Temple) |
- ColecoVision. The 1983 ColecoVision version requires Coleco's Super Action Controller add-on.
Before you buy
Low risk, with no documented reproductions. Loose carts are inexpensive, and boxed copies cost several times as much. Check the box and manual condition if you are buying complete.
Front Line screenshots
Watch on YouTube
Listings on The Game Traders
No active listings for Front Line yet.
Be the first to list →Buyers looking for this
No active want ads for Front Line yet.
Post a want ad →
