Outlaw is a Western-themed shooting game developed and published by Atari for the Atari 2600 in 1977 — one of the console’s original launch titles. Two gunslingers face off across an open prairie, ducking behind cacti and covered wagons while trading shots in a timed duel.
How to Play
In two-player modes the goal is to shoot your opponent more times than they shoot you before the clock runs out. Single-player variations replace the second gunslinger with a moving outlaw figure that crosses the screen. Either way, the obstacles scattered across the field block shots in both directions — use them for cover, but remember your opponent can too. Press F11 (SELECT) to cycle through game variations that change the terrain, target speed, and shot behaviour.
| Joystick control: | ||
| Player 1: | Player 2: | |
| joystick | ↑↓←→ | TGFH |
| trigger | Spacebar | A |
| turbo | Del | . |
| RESET | F12 | F12 |
| SELECT | F11 | F11 |
| Pause | Alt+P | Alt+P |
| Black-white / colour mode: F2 | ||
| Paddle / joystick mode: Alt+L | ||
Tips
- Fire from the very edge of an obstacle rather than stepping fully into the open — a sliver of exposure is enough to shoot while keeping most of your position protected.
- In two-player mode, read your opponent’s pattern: once you know where they keep retreating, step out just as they do and you will fire first.
- Higher game variations introduce bouncing shots that ricochet off the screen boundary — in those modes a wall shot can curve in behind an opponent who thinks they are safe in cover.

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