There has been evidence of an undiscovered and unreported Atari 2600 game based on material found on floppy disks that the National Video Game Museum in San Francisco, Texas had got it’s hands on from ex-Atari artist Jerome Domurat. This ex-employee of Atari has worked on games such as Raiders of the Lost Ark (Atari 2600), Millipede (Atari 2600), Pengo (Atari 5200) and Jurassic Park (Sega CD). Unfortunately Jerome passed away in 2016 and the archival team at the National Videogame Museum had received some digital material for preservation from the estate. The graphics that are seen in the screenshots come from a disc labelled “Earthquake” which look like it could be content that comes from an earthquake themed, or at least disaster themed video game. For the Atari 2600 it’s rather ambitious as the only other emergency services themed video game I can think of (apart from SimCity series) is The Firemen which didn’t come along until 1995 on the Super Nintendo.
One of the graphics in the screenshots illustrates the amount of work that went into the gameplay mechanics, the torch mechanic which illuminates the direction of the area that it’s shined on. It is perplexing as to why no formal mention of this game has been found despite the obvious amount of hard work that had gone into development. It seems as though this may have been another top tier game for the Atari 2600, if the complexity of the gameplay they were going for was pulled off it probably could have been one of the better games for the system. The game seems to have all the elements of a disaster-relief and rescue themed game judging by the screenshots that have been made available. There’s city buildings, a fireman, traffic, injured-type people, debris, dark mazes illuminated with a flashlight. That’s enough elements on it’s own to make for a complicated Atari 2600 game. The National Videogame Museum stated that it will continue to research the history and any more information on this mysterious game.
The ex-Atari graphics artist is most well known for his collaborations with developer Howard Scott Warshaw on games like Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T. as well as his work alongside programmer Steve Woita on a licensed game based on Looney Tunes character Taz on a game by the same name. Jerome’s portfolio of Atari games that he worked on for Atari was numerous with about a dozen combined 2600 and 5200 games as well as a few Atari 400 / 800, 520ST, C64 and PC titles. His last title was the oddball out of the bunch being a Sega CD game, one of my personal favorites for the system actually. The FPS viewed point and click adventure for the Mega CD has been a game who’s challenge to finish it has only just eluded me from the mid-nineties to the present day. To say it’s a brutally challenging point and click with shooting and ammo conservation elements that will send you back to the very start if you don’t properly attend to is an understatement! None the less it’s an excellent game and a great final swan song showcasing the talents he amassed during his successful programming career. Too bad that this Atari 2600 game “Earthquake” remains only as screenshots that have to be relegated to the category of lost media until a more tangible version is found if it even exists. It is however, great to have this news of an undiscovered game as it just adds to the richness of the history of Atari 2600 and video gaming in general.
Related Links
- Texas Museum Discovers Never-Before-Seen Atari 2600 Game From Raiders Of The Lost Ark & E.T. Artist [https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/06/texas-museum-discovers-never-before-seen-atari-2600-game-from-raiders-of-the-lost-ark-and-e-t-artist] Time Extension news article of “never-before-seen” Atari 2600 game discovery.
- Atari Compendium interview entry on Jerome Domurat [https://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/interviews/jerome_domurat/interview_jerome_domurat.html] Has Jerome’s gameography listing every game that he ever worked on ending with Jurassic Park on Sega CD.
- YouTube.com video footage of interviews with Jerome Domurat [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUVasaB_cM8]
It’s fascinating to uncover a hidden gem like this Atari 2600 game, especially with its ambitious disaster-themed concept. The torch mechanic and detailed graphics suggest a level of innovation that was ahead of its time. It’s a shame that Jerome Domurat’s work on this project was never formally recognized or released. The National Videogame Museum’s efforts to preserve and research this piece of history are commendable. Do you think this game could have been a groundbreaking title for the Atari 2600 if it had been completed and released?