Ads from the Past 527: Moon Patrol

Blasting Off with Moon Patrol: A Look Back at Atari’s Classic Advertisement

Back in the early 1980s, video games were exploding in popularity, and companies like Atari were in fierce competition to capture the imagination of gamers everywhere. One game that left a mark on arcade cabinets and home systems alike was Moon Patrol. And what better way to promote it than with a comic-book styled advertisement that looked like it jumped straight out of the Sunday funnies?

This ad, which ran in the early ‘80s, is a perfect example of how Atari blended pop culture with gaming excitement. Presented in comic strip format, it reimagines the iconic Apollo moon landing — except with a twist. Instead of finding a barren lunar surface, the astronaut stumbles across a moon buggy hopping over craters and blasting rocks.

“Are you buggy??” the astronaut asks.
“No, a moon buggy!!” comes the reply.

It’s a playful mashup of history and arcade action that perfectly sells the game’s premise: high-speed lunar exploration filled with obstacles, alien attacks, and nonstop action.

The visuals in the ad highlight Moon Patrol’s signature gameplay — the ability to drive your lunar rover across treacherous landscapes, jumping over craters, and blasting hazards in your way. To gamers who had already experienced the arcade version by Williams Electronics, this Atari port promised to bring the same thrill home to the 2600, 5200, and Atari Home Computers.

The closing line from the ad really nails the pitch:
“Apollo, what’s it like up there?”
“It’s just like in the arcade!”

For gamers of the era, that was the ultimate endorsement. Home consoles were all about recreating that arcade magic in your living room, and Moon Patrol delivered.

Today, this ad is not only a snapshot of clever marketing but also a reminder of just how creative video game promotions used to be. Before flashy trailers and digital campaigns, all it took was a comic-strip ad in a magazine to fire up the imagination and make kids beg their parents for the latest cartridge.

Whether you first experienced Moon Patrol at the arcade or on an Atari system, this ad captures the excitement of a time when even the moon wasn’t out of reach for gamers.