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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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.