Pong
65Happy KittySadkitty Score
65KitSuperintelligent review
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Two paddles bat a square ball back and forth in a table tennis duel. It was the first hit arcade video game and the product that launched Atari.
Kit's verdict · 6.5/10
A museum piece that's still fun for five minutes against a friend.Kit · Sadkitty Games
Loved
- Instantly understandable
- Great head-to-head trash talk
- Historically essential
Not so much
- Almost no depth by modern standards
- Little reason to play solo
Play it if history buffs and anyone with a friend and five spare minutes.
Skip it if anyone looking for a game to sink real time into.
Cheats & codes
No cheat codes
Pong doesn't have cheat codes. The tips and secrets below are the next best thing.
Tips
Play it better
- Each paddle is split into segments, and hitting the ball with the edge sends it off at a sharp angle.
- Hit with the center of the paddle when you want a safe, flat return.
- The ball speeds up during long rallies, so start positioning earlier as the volley goes on.
- Return to the middle of your side after each hit so you can cover both corners.
- First to 11 points wins, so aggressive edge shots pay off when you're behind.
Secrets & unlockables
Hidden in plain sight
Tap a secret to reveal it.
Did you know?
Trivia
- Allan Alcorn built Pong as a training exercise given to him by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell.
- The test machine at Andy Capp's Tavern in Sunnyvale stopped working because its coin box overflowed.
- Home Pong launched through Sears in 1975 and was a huge Christmas hit.
- Magnavox sued Atari because Pong resembled the tennis game on the Magnavox Odyssey, and Atari settled.
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