1978 · Puzzle

Codebreaker

Atari exclusive

This one's not for stupid people. The goal of codebreaker is to guess a 3 or 4 digit number in 12 tries. The computer lets you know when your on the right track with some vague clues. In the second game, NIM, you and your opponent strategically remove blocks in an attempt to be the one to remove the last block.

Released: 1 November 1978
Platforms: Atari 2600
Genres: Puzzle
Developers: —
Publishers: —
Country: United States

About

Codebreaker is a puzzle video game released in 1978 by Atari, Inc. for the Atari VCS (later renamed the Atari 2600). It was in the first wave of Atari VCS games to follow the original nine launch titles. It was one of three cartridges to accompany the introduction of the Atari keyboard controller, an add-on launched in response to claims of false advertising that the VCS is a "computer" (the other two were Hunt & Score and Brain Games).

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

There are three games, each with six variations: Bagels, Nim, and Mastermind. In each game the player must take turns to guess a numerical code and enter it using the keyboard controller.

The games may be played in single-player mode, or in a two-player mode where the players play together.

Reception

Contemporary reviewers were relatively positive about the game but all mentioned its similarity to Mordecai Meirowitz's Mastermind. The British computer games magazine TV Gamer, described it as "not the most original game" but also described it as an enjoyable brain-teaser. Personal Computing Magazine described it as "[b]ased on the Mastermind concept".