Is Name This Game on Steam?

No. Name This Game 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 Name This Game on?

Name This Game is available on Atari 2600.

When did Name This Game release?

Name This Game was first released on December 31, 1983.

Name This Game

Dec 31, 1983ShooterArcadeAtari 2600

Name This Game — frequently asked questions

Is Name This Game on Steam?: No. Name This Game 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 Name This Game on?: Name This Game is available on Atari 2600.
When did Name This Game release?: Name This Game was first released on December 31, 1983.

About Name This Game

You have discovered a long-sought-after buried treasure, and just when you thought you have discovered a long-sought-after troubles were over, things get really tough! There's a persistent shark who thinks that the treasure belongs to him, and he is after you! As if that were not enough to contend with, there's a big old octopus sitting right above your trove who keeps reaching down to check things out. There you are, shooting at the shark, fighting off the octopus tentacles, and you realize your oxygen supply is running low. Your partner, in the boat, keeps dropping you a line, and you better run over and fill up. It is not going to be easy to hold on to your treasure now that you've found it, but we're sure you are not going to give it up without a fight.

Summary via IGDB.

Name This Game on Wikipedia

Name This Game and Win $10,000, usually shortened to Name This Game, is a 1983 video game developed by U.S. Games for the Atari 2600.

Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).

Game details

Platforms: Atari 2600
Developer: James Wickstead Design Associates
Publisher: Carrere Video
Game modes: Single player, Split screen
Themes: Action

Details via IGDB.

Collector value & authenticity

Atari 2600 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-06

Loose

Complete

$30

Sealed

—

Release record

Territory	Label	Catalog #	Rarity
North America U.S. Games	Beveled Case	VC1007	Scarce+
North America U.S. Games	Standard Case	VC1007	Scarce
Europe Carrere Video	—	—	—

Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 2600 software database

Region: NA+EU
Released: 1983
Controller: Atari Joystick
Players: 1 - 2
Authenticity: Low

Not in Atari 50 — other compilations and plug-and-plays are not tracked hereLow counterfeit risk

Atari 2600 prices, all games & how to spot a fake

A U.S. Games cartridge with an unusual name, cheap loose and sold in PAL regions as Octopus.

Name This Game is a 1983 U.S. Games cartridge for the Atari 2600, developed by James Wickstead Design Associates. Rob Dubren designed it, Sylvia Day programmed it and Robin McDaniel Ballweg did the art. Its full title, usually shortened, also promised a cash prize.

In PAL regions it was published by Carrere under the name Octopus. Little else is documented about the game.

How it was made

Designed by Rob Dubren, programmed by Sylvia Day, with art by Robin McDaniel Ballweg. Developed by James Wickstead Design Associates for U.S. Games and released in January 1983.

What the press said at the time

Computer Entertainer Vol. 1 No. 11

February 1983

Graphics ★★★ · Play-Action ★★★

“There are some good graphic touches, such as the diver's friend on the surface whose hair blows in the breeze as he speeds back and forth, and the game plays well. Recommended.”
— Computer Entertainer, February 1983

“What at first deceptively appears to be a mindless invasion contest set underwater, actually proves itself to be a highly playable and satisfying program.”
— Electronic Games, June 1983

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 4 KB, measured from the preserved dump.

Catalogue number as recorded for the physical release.

Worth knowing

Released without a title. Electronic Games reported in June 1983: "Variously dubbed "Guardian of the Deep" and "Guardians of the Treasure", this first-rate Ron Dubren-designed game has finally been released (without any title at all!)"

Before you buy

Low risk, with no documented reproductions. Loose carts are inexpensive, and boxed copies cost several times more, so check the box and manual if you are buying complete. The PAL release is labeled Octopus; check the label so you know which release you are getting, and remember a PAL cart may not display correctly on an NTSC setup.