Atari 2600 Appraisal

Pac-Man Atari 2600 Game Cartridge

This is an original Pac-Man game program cartridge for the Atari 2600 (VCS) home video game console. The item features the classic black plastic rectangular shell characteristic of Atari's first-party releases from the early 1980s. The front face is covered with a color-printed paper label that displays the iconic yellow Pac-Man character in front of a stylized maze, accompanied by the text "game program PAC-MAN Use with Joystick Controllers." Below the artwork, the Atari logo is visible alongside the model number CX2646 and copyright information dating to 1981. The cartridge is constructed of two injection-molded plastic halves secured together, common for mass-produced electronics of this era. Regarding condition, the shell exhibits minor surface scuffing and dust accumulation consistent with age. More significantly, the label shows localized damage in the lower-left corner where the paper has been torn or abraded, partially obscuring the Atari logo and copyright text. The edges of the label show light wear and 'act-waxing' or slight lifting at the corners. This specific release is historically significant as one of the best-selling but most critically controversial titles of the early 1980s gaming era.