Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back — frequently asked questions
- Is Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on Steam?
- No. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 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 Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on?
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is available on Atari 2600, Intellivision.
- When did Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back release?
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back was first released on December 31, 1982.
About Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back the player takes on the role of a Rebel pilot attempting to destroy AT-ATs on Hoth.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Atari 2600, Intellivision
- Developer
- Parker Brothers
- Publisher
- Parker Brothers
- Game modes
- Single player, Multiplayer
- Themes
- Action, Science fiction
- Series
- Star Wars
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 | 1982 | $10 | $27 | $101 | 4 joysticks | Parker Bros. (designed by Rex Bradford / Sam Kjellman) |
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
Release record
| Territory | Label | Catalog # | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America Parker Brothers | Standard | PB5050 | Common+ |
Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 2600 software database
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1982
- Controller
- Atari Joystick
- Players
- 1 - 2
- Authenticity
- Low
The first licensed Star Wars video game, a Parker Brothers shooter that is cheap loose.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is a scrolling shooter based on the 1980 film, programmed by Rex Bradford for the Atari 2600 and published by Parker Brothers in 1982. It was the first licensed Star Wars video game. An Intellivision version followed in 1983.
Its sales were adequate enough that Parker Brothers went on to make more Star Wars games, starting with Jedi Arena. Today it appeals most to Star Wars collectors.
How it was made
Programmed by Rex Bradford, with Sam Kjellman also credited. Published by Parker Brothers in July 1982, with a PAL release later that year.
What the press said at the time
| Electronic Fun with Computers & Games Vol. 1 No. 1 | November 1982 | 4 joysticks |
“Instead, the company has given us an entertaining, fast-paced contest that belongs in the cartridge libraries of most VCS owners.”
“That, plus intelligence and foresight, was used by Parker Bros. to produce an excellent cartridge. The Empire Strikes Back isn't flawless”
“I'm the type of person who cares more about the challenge of the game than anything else and Empire is a gripping, challenging game that literally leaves your palms sweating.”
“The Empire Strikes Back is actually little more than a mildly challenging De- fender variant bearing the fabled "Star Wars" name.”
Electronic Fun rated games out of four joysticks.
Cartridge & preservation record
Program size 4 KB, measured from the preserved dump.
Catalogue number as recorded for the physical release.
How the Atari 2600 version differs
The 2600 walkers are tougher: each takes forty-eight hits to destroy on the Atari, against thirty in the 1983 Intellivision version.
Also on other platforms
Intellivision
| Atari 2600 | Parker Bros. (designed by Rex Bradford / Sam Kjellman) |
Worth knowing
- $30 million projection. Arcade Express reported in September 1982: "Parker Brothers projects $30-million in retail sales of "The Empire Strikes Back" videogame cartridge in its first year."
- The invulnerability tune. Electronic Games explained in October 1982: "If no snow speeder is shot for a period of two minutes, the strains of the "Star Wars" theme are heard. As long as this stirring tune plays, the speeder is totally invulnerable."
- 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, with no documented reproductions. Loose carts are inexpensive. Star Wars collectors push up the price of sealed copies, which cost far more than loose or boxed ones, so check shrink-wrap and box condition carefully if you are paying for one.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back screenshots
Watch on YouTube
Listings on The Game Traders
No active listings for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back yet.
Be the first to list →Buyers looking for this
No active want ads for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back yet.
Post a want ad →More games like Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Latest news mentioning Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
No recent news mentions in our 30-day feed window.