Six cities sit along the bottom of the screen while enemy warheads streak down from above, and the only way to save them is to detonate counter-missiles in their path. Rob Fulop adapted Dave Theurer's 1980 arcade game for the Atari 2600 in 1981, and it became one of the console's big sellers.
The arcade machine used a trackball and three missile bases; the home version swaps in the joystick to steer a crosshair and fires from a single central launcher. Each shot blooms into an expanding fireball, and anything that drifts into it is destroyed, so the skill is placing explosions where several trails will cross rather than chasing individual missiles. Waves grow faster and the colors shift as the game goes on, and the game variations change missile speed and targeting. Fulop also hid his initials in the cartridge as an Easter egg.
Tips for Missile Command
Fire slightly ahead of incoming warheads, since your missile takes time to reach the crosshair.
One well-placed blast high on the screen can stop several trails before they split apart.
Protect the central launcher above all; once it is gone, the remaining cities fall quickly.
How to Play Missile Command
Click Play Now to launch Missile Command directly in your browser — no downloads or plugins needed. Arrows move the targeting crosshair and Z launches a counter-missile to that spot. Shift picks a game variation and Enter starts it. You can also connect a USB or Bluetooth gamepad for a more authentic feel.
Save states let you save your progress at any point. Create a free account to sync saves across devices. Press F11 for fullscreen mode.
Playing Missile Command is easy: press "Play Now" above and the game starts right in your browser window. Our emulator handles everything — no extra software needed.
Is Missile Command free to play?
Yes, Missile Command is completely free to play on RetroVault.GG. Just visit the game page and start playing in your browser.
What console is Missile Command for?
Originally a Atari 2600 game, Missile Command can now be played directly in your browser here on RetroVault.GG with no setup needed.
What genre is Missile Command?
Missile Command is a action, shooter, strategy game. It was made for the Atari 2600.
Can I play Missile Command on my phone?
You can play Missile Command on any mobile device with a modern browser. The game adapts to your screen size with on-screen touch controls.