River Raid
Dublin Core
Title
River Raid
Identifier
2012.012.002
Description
Activision River Raid game cartridge for Atari 2600
Creator
Carol Shaw
Publisher
Activision
Contributor
Linda and Laura Branagan
Date
1982
Format
Atari 2600
Language
En
Subject
scrolling shooter
Physical Object Item Type Metadata
Repository
Box 43
965
965
Condition
B - Good
Label shows discoloration, scratches, and marks.
Label shows discoloration, scratches, and marks.
Notes
Viewing from a top-down perspective, the player flies a fighter jet over the River of No Return in a raid behind enemy lines.
The player scores points for shooting enemy tankers (30 pts), helicopters (60 pts), fuel depots (80 pts), jets (100 pts), bridges (500 pts), and (in non-Atari 2600 versions of the game) hot air balloons (60 pts). The jet refuels when it flies over a fuel depot. A bridge marks the end of a game level.
The player's jet crashes if it collides with the riverbank or an enemy craft. In non-Atari 2600 versions of the game, tanks alongside the river also fire at the player's jet. If the player's jet runs out of fuel, it crashes. Assuming fuel can be replenished, and the player evades damage, gameplay is essentially unlimited.
Unlike later scrolling shooters, there is little or no enemy fire in River Raid. Also, the player's jet cannot maneuver up and down the screen, only left and right. It can, however, accelerate and decelerate.
River Raid was the first video game to be banned for minors in West Germany by the Federal Department for Writings Harmful to Young Persons
The player scores points for shooting enemy tankers (30 pts), helicopters (60 pts), fuel depots (80 pts), jets (100 pts), bridges (500 pts), and (in non-Atari 2600 versions of the game) hot air balloons (60 pts). The jet refuels when it flies over a fuel depot. A bridge marks the end of a game level.
The player's jet crashes if it collides with the riverbank or an enemy craft. In non-Atari 2600 versions of the game, tanks alongside the river also fire at the player's jet. If the player's jet runs out of fuel, it crashes. Assuming fuel can be replenished, and the player evades damage, gameplay is essentially unlimited.
Unlike later scrolling shooters, there is little or no enemy fire in River Raid. Also, the player's jet cannot maneuver up and down the screen, only left and right. It can, however, accelerate and decelerate.
River Raid was the first video game to be banned for minors in West Germany by the Federal Department for Writings Harmful to Young Persons
Entered by/date
11/01/2014
AL AH
AL AH
Citation
Carol Shaw, “River Raid,” Digital Game Museum Collection, accessed October 25, 2026, https://www.digitalgamemuseum.org/collection/items/show/537.