Is Stampede on Steam?

No. Stampede 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 Stampede on?

Stampede is available on Atari 2600, Intellivision.

When did Stampede release?

Stampede was first released on December 31, 1981.

Stampede

Dec 31, 1981RacingArcadeAtari 2600 Intellivision

Stampede — frequently asked questions

Is Stampede on Steam?: No. Stampede 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 Stampede on?: Stampede is available on Atari 2600, Intellivision.
When did Stampede release?: Stampede was first released on December 31, 1981.

About Stampede

The objective of Stampede is to round up all of the cattle you encounter. To do so, the player must lasso each one in order to capture it. The player is initially only allowed to let two cattle pass; if a third one slips by, the game is over. An important caveat to this is that the player gets one extra free pass for every 1,000 points scored. So, if a player were at 2,000 points and had not yet let any cattle pass, then he or she would be allowed to let four cattle pass before the fifth one ended the game (assuming he or she did not reach 3,000). This makes it possible for an expert player to repeatedly beat the game - as after about 5,000 points or so the game essentially "resets," and the same pattern is repeated.

Summary via IGDB.

Stampede on Wikipedia

Stampede is an action game written by Bob Whitehead for the Atari Video Computer System and published by Activision in 1981. Stampede is a left-to-right horizontally scrolling action game with a cattle round-up theme. An Intellivision version was released the following year.

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

Game details

Platforms: Atari 2600, Intellivision
Developer: Activision
Publisher: Activision
Game modes: Single player
Themes: Action

Details via IGDB.

Reception

IGDB rating

59/100

from 12 ratings

Every version compared

Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release

Platform	Year	Loose	Complete	Sealed	Period reviews	Built by
Atari 2600	1981	$9	$21	$36	★★★	Activision (designed by Bob Whitehead)

Also released on: Intellivision. We haven’t priced or authenticated that version yet.

Collector value & authenticity

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

Loose

Complete

$21

Sealed

$36

Release record

Territory	Label	Catalog #	Rarity
North America Activision	Standard	AG-011	Common+

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

Region: NA+EU
Released: 1981
Controller: Atari Joystick
Players: 1
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

Bob Whitehead's cattle-roundup game for Activision, a likable early 2600 original that costs very little.

Bob Whitehead wrote Stampede for the 2600, and Activision published it in December 1981. It is a horizontally scrolling action game with a cattle round-up theme. An Intellivision version followed the next year.

It is a simple early Activision game, and copies are easy to find.

How it was made

Written by Bob Whitehead and published by Activision in December 1981, with a PAL release in 1982.

What the press said at the time

JoyStik January 1983

January 1983

★★★

“it is a brilliant illustration of what a little programming savvy and a lot of imagination can produce.”
— VIDEO (Arcade Alley), April 1982

“We may not know much about ropin' dogies, but we're pretty sure that buckeroos of all ages will get a heap of YAHOOs out of Stampede's unique game play and colorful animation.”
— JoyStik, December 1982

“Stampede is easy to play, yet tough to master. Its non-violent nature makes it a good family game.”
— JoyStik, January 1983

JoyStik’s capsule ratings run from one star to five.

Cartridge & preservation record

Program size 2 KB, measured from the preserved dump.

Catalogue number as recorded for the physical release.

How the Atari 2600 version differs

Video Games said in 1983 that the Intellivision version was easier than the difficult 2600 original, with identical graphics.

Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games was surprised that the Intellivision version's graphics were scarcely more detailed than those of the 2600 cartridge.

Also on other platforms

Intellivision

Atari 2600

Activision (designed by Bob Whitehead)

Worth knowing

Sold as "rare" in 1986. By spring 1986 the 2600 market had moved on far enough that Computer Entertainer's mail-order list sold brand-new copies under the heading "RARE GAMES — THESE ARE YOUR SPECIAL PRICES", at $19.00 (good through 10 May 1986).

Before you buy

Low risk; Activision carts of this period were made in quantity and are not reproduction targets. Loose carts are inexpensive. Boxed and sealed copies cost a few times more, so check the box if you are buying complete. Make sure the listing is the 2600 cartridge and not the Intellivision version.