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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe Atari 2600 version of Tarzan was never commercially released: Coleco canceled it after its schedule slipped. A working cartridge survived, however, and was recovered and preserved decades later. A modified version can now run on emulators and flash carts, though the evidence that it was “better than Pitfall!” is one employee’s praise for an early build—not a verdict on the finished game.
What happened to the Atari 2600 Tarzan game?
Tarzan was developed for Coleco by New Jersey studio James Wickstead Design Associates (JWDA), not by Coleco’s in-house team. The game was announced for ColecoVision at the 1983 Winter Consumer Electronics Show. Coleco announced an Atari 2600 port later that year at the summer show, initially expecting it in November.
The schedule slipped. The ColecoVision edition eventually shipped in August, while the Atari version was described later as a second-quarter release and then quietly canceled. The Video Game History Foundation places the cancellation in the aftermath of the North American video game market collapse. The Atari game therefore arrived “40 years later” only in the sense that a surviving copy was recovered and preserved long after its cancellation—not as a commercial rerelease.
Development continued into 1984. Based on designer Henry Will IV’s notebook, the final version appears to have been sent to Coleco around April 30. Coleco and the Burroughs estate had requested revisions, reportedly including larger sprites and reductions to Tarzan’s speed and abilities. The date is an estimate derived from the notebook, not a confirmed release date.
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- Atari 2600+ PAC-MAN Edition: The iconic console, now in PAC-MAN yellow with illuminated character icons across the front.
- Backward and Forward Compatible: Play retro games just like you remember them on a system upgraded for today. Play both Atari 2600 and 7800 games on this 2600+ console. Compatible with everything in the Plus Platform, as well as with most original accessories and cartridges.
- New Arcade-Style PAC-MAN Game: Includes PAC-MAN: Double Feature 2-in-1 game cartridge. Featuring an all-new, arcade-style version, PAC-MAN 7800 and the very first home version of the game, PAC-MAN 2600.
- Wireless Joystick: Also includes a PAC-MAN Edition of the Atari CX-40+ Wireless Joystick.
- HDMI Output: Connect instantly to modern TVs with HDMI output and widescreen mode.
How was the canceled game recovered?
Collector Rob “AtariSpot” acquired a working copy from a former Coleco employee in 2022. He worked with longtime Atari homebrew programmer Thomas Jentzsch to dump the cartridge and preserve the game. The historical account and surviving development material are documented by the Video Game History Foundation.
The recovered cartridge is 16 kilobytes and uses a distinctive bankswitching scheme. Bankswitching lets a console with limited addressable memory access different portions of a larger game ROM. Will recalled that the team initially had to work out how code in one bank would land in the right place after switching to another.
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- · This product features retro classic video games. Please note that the sound and picture displayed on your TV may not match the quality of modern technology.
- Video game console with 130 Built-In games, including Atari 2600 classics like Asteroids, Centipede, and Missile Command, as well as other legends like Activision Pitfall and River Raid. Refer to the uploaded game list picture to find games of interest.
- This is a mini console, significantly smaller than the original Atari console. HDMI video output (720P) Plug & Play on HD TV (HDMI cable included). Save/Load/Rewind all games/Powered by Micro USB (adapter included).
- The joystick is wired, not wireless, and includes red buttons on the side. There are no additional buttons. Wired paddles may not have the flexibility to move to the side of the TV, but this is consistent with the original gaming experience.
- Please review full game list. For better gaming experience, please update the firmware for the product as soon as you plug the item in.
“I remember when they first came to me with the concept (of bankswitching for Tarzan), I’m like, ‘it’s gonna do what?’”
That recollection comes from Will’s interview with AtariSpot on July 8, 2023. Jentzsch also made a modified version using standard F6 bankswitching, which is the version identified as operable on emulators and flash carts. That does not establish that the original dump will work the same way on every emulator or cartridge device. The preservation page offers both versions: Tarzan Atari 2600 release and downloads.
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- Officially licensed Atari titles. Titles include Asteroids, Centipede, Millipede, Breakout, Missile Command, Crystal Castles and many more. Game save options.
- Packed with over 200 built-in Atari games + bonus titles. Pac-Man & Galaga not included. Full Game list listed below.
- Includes Atari console, games instructions, 2 wireless joysticks, USB power cable, HDMI cable, and user manual. System connects directly to TV.
- Includes two 2.4 GHz wireless joysticks, inspired by the original Atari joysticks, include paddles for paddle games like Breakout, Warlords and many more.
- User Guide Languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Japanese and Arabic. Dynamic RGB LED lights.
What was Tarzan supposed to play like?
The surviving manual describes a rescue mission: Tarzan must free his ape friends from hunters and the Beastmen of Opar. It lists running, swimming, climbing, leaping and punching, with the actions needed changing across screens. These details come from the manual, not a modern hands-on review of the prototype.
JWDA had experience designing toys and electronic games before entering the 2600 market. The Foundation describes Tarzan as one of the ambitious multi-screen worlds announced for Atari’s console. The recovered game and manual make it possible to examine what the project aimed to be, but the available historical account does not provide independent playtesting or a score for the surviving version.
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Was Tarzan really better than Pitfall!?
There is a contemporary comparison, but it is narrower than the headline claim suggests. In feedback on an early build in September 1983, Coleco employee Taterczynski wrote: “Tarzan in general is great – better than Jungle Harry in Activision(‘s Pitfall!).” That is an employee’s opinion about an early build, not an independent review or a proven comparison with the final prototype.
Pitfall! offers a useful point of comparison because Activision documented its design and technical constraints in a retrospective. Activision describes the 1982 game as having three lives, 20 real-time minutes, up to 32 treasures and as many as 256 screens, built within a 4-kilobyte limit. It also highlights animated sprites, a swinging vine and transitions between screens. Those figures belong to Pitfall!, not Tarzan. See Activision’s retrospective on Pitfall!.
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- TIMELESS ‘80s DESIGN. The 7800 console takes its place among other ‘80s design icons like shoulder pads, crop tops, and aviator sunglasses.
- ATARI+ PLATFORM. Atari+ Platform games and accessories are backward and forward compatible. Consoles, accessories, and games work together and are also compatible with most original accessories and cartridges.
- ARE YOU POWER-READY? Includes a USB-C power cable but does not come with a wall charging plug for your outlet. You’ll need to pick up a 1A USB power adapter if you don’t have an extra one at home.
- Includes Bentley Bear’s Crystal Quest Cartridge - In this brand-new sequel to Crystal Castles, you’ll find power-ups, hidden paths, a challenging variety of enemies…and one adorable bear. Everything a platforming fan could possibly want.
- 2 Systems in 1 - Plays both Atari 2600 and 7800 game cartridges. HDMI-Ready - Connect to any screen via HDMI so you can enjoy every last pixel.
| Comparison | Tarzan (Atari 2600) | Pitfall! |
|---|---|---|
| Release status | Atari port canceled before commercial release; a working copy was later recovered. | Released in 1982, according to Activision’s retrospective. |
| Documented design | Manual describes running, swimming, climbing, leaping and punching across varied screens. | Activision describes a 20-minute, three-life treasure hunt with up to 32 treasures and 256 screens. |
| Cartridge/program size cited | 16-kilobyte cartridge, as described by the Video Game History Foundation. | 4-kilobyte limit, as described by Activision. |
| Evidence for a quality comparison | Surviving cartridge, manual, development notebook and one employee’s praise for an early build. | Commercial release and Activision’s retrospective account. |
Those records establish a period comparison and different technical ambitions, not an objective gameplay winner. The games also have different evidence behind them: Pitfall! was released and later documented by its publisher, while Tarzan is understood through a surviving prototype and development materials.
Can you play the unreleased Tarzan game now?
Yes, in a limited preservation sense. The modified F6 version is the one specifically described as compatible with emulators and flash carts. Check the download page’s version notes and your device’s compatibility before using it; no particular emulator or flash cartridge has been established here as tested.
Atari’s current Pitfall! cartridge is a separate product, not a Tarzan rerelease. Atari’s listing describes its Pitfall! 2600 Standard Edition as a one-player cartridge compatible with original Atari 2600 and 7800 systems and newer 2600+ and 7800+ consoles. Its listing also includes a black cartridge and full-color manual, with a listed price of $34.99 and estimated November 2026 shipping at the time the page was checked; price and shipping estimates can change. The product page is Atari’s Pitfall! 2600 listing. Atari’s Atari x Activision collection page likewise concerns physical Activision titles, not a Tarzan release.
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