Strip-Off for the Atari 2600

Atari 2600 ROM (.bin file) for PC emulation or writable cartridge play.

You'll need an Atari 2600 emulator or a writable cartridge to play on real hardware.

This was the second game I developed for the Atari 2600—and the one where things really started to click.

After taking a deep dive into Atari development, I went in with a clear goal: to create a port of the arcade classic Rip Off. It had always stood out to me for its unique gameplay loop and tension-driven mechanics, and I wanted to see if I could capture that same feeling on the 2600.

But somewhere along the way, something unexpected happened.

As I built out the core systems and started early testing, the game began to take on a life of its own. The mechanics, pacing, and overall feel started to drift—not away from what made Rip Off special, but toward something new that still captured its spirit. Instead of forcing a direct port, I leaned into what was emerging naturally from the code.

The result was an arcade-style shooter inspired by Rip Off, but not bound by it—something familiar, yet original. Even the name reflects that playful nod to its roots.

That project ended up opening a door I never expected. Good Deal Games reached out to publish it, and through that partnership, the game eventually made its way onto a series of Atari Flashback consoles and handhelds released between 2013 and 2016.

Seeing something I created running on commercially sold hardware was a surreal and incredibly rewarding experience.

There was, however, one small irony that didn’t escape me.

My games prominently display my name—big, bold, impossible to miss. And while I’m proud of that, it stands in stark contrast to the early days of Atari, when developers were rarely credited for their work. Back then, many programmers had to sneak their names into games as hidden Easter eggs, hoping players would discover them before management did.

So while I’m grateful to have my name front and center, there’s a part of me that feels a quiet respect—and maybe a little guilt—knowing the pioneers of that era didn’t always get the recognition they deserved.

In a way, this game isn’t just inspired by the past—it’s also a small tribute to the people behind it.

Download

Get the ROM file — version 1.2

Get the ROM modified for Atari Flashback Portable

Click Here to Play Strip-Off Online!

As Featured In

Shield Shifter rated 9.5 out of 10 in Classic Video Gamer Magazine (Issue #3)

Featured in Video Game Trader Magazine (Issue #15, Spring 2010)

Playable on the Atari Video Computer System (circa 1977)!

Also Available on Atari Flashback Consoles

Atari Flashback 5

Atari Flashback 6

Atari Flashback 7

Atari Flashback Portable

How to Play

This is a simple 1-player game where you try to keep the alien from stealing all of your planetary barrier.

Strip-Off — 2009 by John A. Reder — inspired by the old videogame Rip Off, mixed with Blockout and Space Invaders.

Objective: The game ends when all of your barrier has been stripped away by the alien. You score 30 points for each alien destroyed. When you are down to 10 barrier chunks left the alien doubles in speed! Your barrier gets replenished every 900 points (30 alien kills).