Combat is a video game by Atari, Inc. for the Atari Video Computer System (later renamed the Atari 2600). It was one of the nine launch titles for the VCS in September 1977 and was included in the box with the system from its introduction until 1982. Combat is based on two earlier black-and-white coin-operated arcade video games produced by Atari: Tank (published under the Kee Games name) in 1974 and Jet Fighter in 1975. Combat was programmed by Joe Decuir and Larry Wagner. Earlier in 1977, Coleco had released the similarly titled Telstar Combat!, an entry in its Telstar series of dedicated consoles. Unlike the Coleco game, Combat had color graphics and numerous gameplay variations. The 27 game modes featured a variety of different combat scenarios, including tanks, biplanes, and jet fighters. The tank games had options such as bouncing munitions ("Tank-Pong") and invisibility. The biplane and jet games also allowed for variation, such as multiple planes per player and an inventive game with a squadron of planes versus one giant bomber. Atari also produced a version of Combat for Sears titled Tank Plus (alluding to the original arcade game Tank). Gameplay Combat has 27 games modes, all of which are variations on the tank, biplane, and jet gameplay. Tank game In the "Tank" game of Combat, players control tanks and move around a playing field, shooting the other player until time runs out. The player with the higher score wins. Ammunition is dependent on the chosen level and includes straight missiles, guided missiles, and "Tank Pong," in which the shots bounce off the walls, with variations upon whether a direct hit can strike opponents or if a strike requires a billiard hit to count. There are also "Invisible Tank" and "Invisible Tank Pong" modes, in which the players are revealed only after firing. Along with the play styles, there are also mazes, including an empty field, a simple maze, and a complex maze. Biplanes Another set of level choices in Combat is "Biplanes". This was played with three types of ammunition (straight missiles, guided missiles, and machine guns), unlike the tank version. However, there were several different gameplay modes. Players have the option of fighting one-on-one, each flying a pair of biplanes that fire in sync, or one player controlling three synced biplanes against one large bomber. The bomber shoots an oversized projectile that otherwise behaves like a