Ranking by platform
The best games on Atari 8-bit.
15 games compete in this selection. Karateka tops it with 1,571 points: the ranking comes from player votes alone, and moves with every duel settled.
- 1 Karateka 1984 · Fighting 1,571 +393
- 2 Ms. Pac-Man 1982 · Arcade 1,479 −392
- 3 Spy Hunter 1983 · Racing 1,472 −277
- 4 Ultima 1981 · RPG 1,450 −91
- 5 Pole Position 1982 · Racing 1,448 +439
- 6 Pitfall! 1982 · Platformer 1,443 −217
- 7 Spy vs Spy 1984 · Strategy 1,430 +111
- 8 Ghostbusters 1984 · Arcade 1,426 −646
- 9 River Raid 1982 · Shoot 'em up 1,411 +750
- 10 Lode Runner 1983 · Platformer 1,411 −153
- 11 H.E.R.O. 1984 · Platformer 1,406 −115
- 12 Gauntlet 1985 · Beat 'em up 1,401 −169
- 13 Archon 1983 · Strategy 1,371 +301
- 14 Boulder Dash 1984 · Puzzle 1,349 −106
- 15 Millipede 1982 · Shoot 'em up 1,346 −147
Other rankings
In detail
The best games on Atari 8-bit, what this ranking says
Karateka leads this selection with 1,571 ELO points, ahead of Ms. Pac-Man and Spy Hunter. The 15 games competing in it have played 846 duels.
| Games competing in this selection | 15 |
|---|---|
| Duels played by those games | 846 |
| Game in the lead | Karateka (1984) |
| Score of the leading game, in ELO points | 1,571 |
| Point gap between 1st and 10th | 160 |
| Last reading | September 18, 2026 |
What moved this week
The ranking changes with every duel settled. Over the past seven days, the score of 15 games in this selection moved.
| Game | Points gained in 7 days | ELO score |
|---|---|---|
| River Raid | +50 | 1,411 |
| Karateka | +35 | 1,571 |
| Archon | +33 | 1,371 |
How this ranking is established
No jury, no press score, no sales figures: two games face off, players vote, and every vote updates an ELO score. This page is a view of the world ranking, never a standing kept apart.
FAQ
What players ask
What is the best game on Atari 8-bit?
According to community votes, the best game on Atari 8-bit is Karateka, with 1,571 ELO points in the world ranking. It stands ahead of Ms. Pac-Man and Spy Hunter, and its place is replayed with every duel.
How many games on Atari 8-bit are ranked?
15 games of this selection take part in the duels, and they have played 846 of them so far. The full site catalogue is much wider: only games kept for their fame enter the running.
Which game on Atari 8-bit is climbing right now?
River Raid is the strongest climb in this selection over the past seven days, with 50 ELO points gained. Over the same period, the score of 15 games in the selection moved.