Gremlins was one of the most heavily merchandised films of the '80s, and since Warner Brothers released the movie and owned Atari, it was an obvious candidate for a 2600 game. Though that game could have easily followed in E.T.'s footsteps straight to the landfill, game designers took a familiar and time-tested genre, threw in some sprites that loosely resembled the movie's characters, and released a game that was totally worth picking out of the bargain bin at the car wash. Just don't get it wet on your way out.
Gameplay: Mogwai like to eat, and they really like to eat after midnight, which as we all know, turns them from cute little fuzzballs into reptilian nightmares with mohawks. The player spends one phase of the game catching a steady stream of cuddly Mogwai as they drop from the top of the screen in their insatiable quest for hamburgers. Once eight Mogwai sneak past, they turn into scary Gremlins. Accompanied by spooky music and a background dripping with doom, the Gremlins descend on the player, who must shoot them all before they hit the ground and tear his face off. (This looks more like a hip check in the game, but the ultraviolence is clearly implied.)
In addition to wits and reflexes, the player has two flashbulbs that can be activated during the Gremlin phase to temporarily paralyze the little monsters, because just like in the movie, they don't like light. This is where the similarities to the film begin and end.