E.T. the Extra‑Terrestrial

E.T. the Extra‑Terrestrial for the Atari 2600 is a single‑player adventure game in which the player controls the alien E.T., navigating a series of screens to collect three pieces of an interplanetary telephone so he can “phone home.” Gameplay involves exploring multiple areas, avoiding enemies like scientists and FBI agents, and regaining energy by collecting items such as Reese’s Pieces. Despite the popularity of its movie license, the game was widely criticized for confusing controls and repetitive gameplay.