Chase the Chuck Wagon

Chase the Chuck Wagon cover

Chase the Chuck Wagon is a video game released in 1983 for the Atari 2600 game console. The game was developed by Spectravideo and was a promotional tool for the Ralston Purina Company to advertise their dog food brand, Chuck Wagon.

Gameplay

In Chase the Chuck Wagon, the player controls a dog navigating through a maze to reach a chuck wagon. The objective is to avoid obstacles and enemies while collecting items to progress through the levels. The game features a top-down perspective and simple controls typical of early Atari 2600 games.

Development and Release

The game was developed by Spectravideo, a company known for creating software for various platforms during the early 1980s. Chase the Chuck Wagon was distributed as a mail-order promotion, where customers could receive the game by sending in proofs of purchase from Ralston Purina's Chuck Wagon dog food.

Reception

Chase the Chuck Wagon is often cited as an example of early video game marketing and is remembered for its unique promotional background rather than its gameplay. The game has a cult following among retro gaming enthusiasts and collectors due to its rarity and the novelty of its origin.

Legacy

Despite its limited release, Chase the Chuck Wagon has maintained a place in video game history as a notable example of promotional video games. It is frequently discussed in the context of video game collecting and the history of Atari 2600 games.

See Also

• Atari 2600
• Spectravideo
• Video game marketing
• Retro gaming
• Video game collecting