Basic Math (video game)

Basic Math is an educational video game for the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS). The game was developed at Atari, Inc. by Gary Palmer. The game involves a series of ten arithmetic problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. The player can edit different gameplay modes to alter how the numbers in the problem are chosen, or if their questions are timed. The game was released in 1977 as one of the earliest releases for the console.

The game is the only known game developed for the VCS by Palmer, who initially worked at Atari creating debugging stations for game developers, and later assisted with work on the Atari 400/800 line of computers. It was the first educational video game for the VCS, with others companies also releasing arithmetic-themed cartridges in the same year for the Fairchild Channel F and RCA Studio II. The game was also released under the title Fun with Numbers and Math. Both contemporary and retrospective reviews were generally unenthused by the game with common criticism being that it had poor quality graphics and was not appealing in terms of gameplay or control.

Gameplay
In Basic Math, each game features 10 rounds of arithmetic problems involving either addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. The player moves the joystick to cycle through numbers zero through nine to fill in number prompts. The player scores one point for each correct answer. At the end of 10 rounds, the total number problems is displayed on the right, while the player's score is displayed on the left.

The game features eight modes. In the first four modes, the player can choose what number to start with at the top of the equation, and then the computer will decide the second number in line, leaving the player to answer underneath. In the other four modes, both numbers of the equation will be decided by the computer.

The two difficulty switches on the Atari VCS can further change the rules of the game. The right difficulty switch functions on whether or not there will be a timer in the game. The left difficulty switch changes whether the player has 12 or 24 seconds in the first four game modes. In the other four game modes, the player has either two-digit problems with a 24 second time limit or single digit problems with a 12 second time limit.

Development and release
Basic Math's lead designer was Gary Palmer. Palmer joined Atari in February 1977. It is the only known title he developed for the Atari VCS. Prior to making the game, Palmer worked at Atari creating debugging stations for the companies game programmers. He would later work on the Atari 400 and 800 computer's I/O functionality and left the company after. It is unknown what he did after he left. The game was the first educational video game released for the Atari VCS. Most of Atari's competitor consoles during this period had similar educational games in 1977, such as RCA Studio II's Math Fun and Fairchild Channel F's two Math Quiz games. Kevin Bunch, author of Atari Archive: Vol.1 1977-1978, suggested that these releases were part of a push for the first generation of programmable consoles to be seen as more than game machines and would include educational programs.

The cover art for Basic Math was designed by Susan Jaekel. She joined the company after studying art at San Jose State University and connected with Atari through Rick Guidice. Basic Math was her first design work for Atari. She said never played any of the games before designing them, and described the art for Basic Math as her "most fanciful and loosest in style." Jaekel would go on to make the box art for further Atari games such as A Game of Concentration (1978) and Adventure (1980).

Basic Math was released in September 1977. It was one of the first titles available for the Atari VCS. It was not immediately available as the console, as the earliest Atari games other than Combat (1977) were initially available by mail order. For the Sears release of the Atari VCS under their Tele-Games label, the game was released as Math. Basic Math was re-released in January 1980 under the title Fun With Numbers. Atari halted production on new carts of the game by January 1982. The game remained in circulation as late as 1988, selling a little over 6,000 copies that year. Basic Math has since been re-released in various Atari-themed compilations, such as the Atari 80 in One for Windows in 2003, the Atari Anthology for PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2004, and the Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration (2022) compilation for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox One.

Reception
Basic Math was reviewed in Video magazine as part of a general review of the Atari VCS. The reviewer described the game as very basic mathematics and that the controls of the game were more complicated than the game itself, giving the game a ranking of five out of ten. David H. Ahl of Creative Computing also commented that a number keypad would be more suitable for the game, while enjoying the musical tune when a correct answer was given.

From retrospective reviews, a reviewer from TV Gamer in 1983 said it was "an early game, now showing its age.", concluding that the educational game Math Gran Prix (1982) was better. Author and video game enthusiast Ken Uston listed the game as among his least favorite from Atari in 1983. Skyler Miller's review in AllGame said that while Basic Math might be a good way for children to practice arithmetic, it was ultimately a low quality game due to its poor graphics and how complicated it was to adjust the different gameplay modes. Brett Weiss, in his book Classic Home Video Games 1972-1984 also spoke negatively about the graphics as well as a lack of a two-player mode, while finding the music jingle and timed challenges to be highlights. Bunch, in his book Atari Archive: Vol.1 1977-1978 wrote that the game never taught the players how to reach a correct answer, which limited it as an educational tool and that it would not be fun for either children or adults.