E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in video games

Starting with the release of the film in 1982 and its subsequent 20th anniversary re-release, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has been the subject of video games across several platforms and genres.

1982-1983

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Atari, 1982)

Main article: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (video game)

Atari Inc. made an Atari 2600 game that was based on the film. Despite the popularity of the film, the game was widely considered to be one of the worst games of all time. Along with the Atari 2600 port of Pac-Man, the movie game is often blamed for the video game crash of 1983.

E.T. Go Home (UFI und sein gefährlicher Einsatz) (Atari, 1983)

Main article: UFI und sein gefährlicher Einsatz

E.T. Go Home was a 1983 video game for the Atari 2600. It was originally a European game that was known as UFI und sein gefährlicher Einsatz there. It is considered one of the strangest video games of all time, since the cover shows anthropomorphic creatures, most of them breakfast-like. The game looks like a mix of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (see above), and Pac-Man.

E.T. Phone Home! (Atari 1983)

Released by Childware for the Atari 8-bit family of computers in 1983, the game features graphics by noted British game designer and artist, John O'Neill. In this game you play as Elliot. You have to search your neighborhood for pieces that E.T. wants to build his transmitter. Depending on the level, you may or may not need all the pieces to complete the game. It's also possible to communicate "telepathically" with E.T. to get a reminder of which pieces he is looking for.

As Elliot looks for the pieces, he is pursued by a number of men who are trying to stop him from completing his task. Once Elliot gets enough of the pieces, E.T. says his famous line "E.T. Phone Home". From there, you now play as E.T. trying to find your way back to the landing site in the forest. The game ends with E.T. returning to his spaceship before ascending into outer space.

2001

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (2001)

Released for the Game Boy Advance on December 14, 2001. You must save him from the government agents, scientists and law enforcement officers that are trying to catch him, while attempting to assemble a transmitter that will allow E.T. to "phone home".

E.T.: Digital Companion (2001)

Released for the Game Boy Color on October 18, 2001. This cartridge is designed to turn the Game Boy Color handheld into a child-friendly personal digital assistant. The E.T.: Digital Planner features an address book, a calendar, a clock, and a "To-Do" list, all presented in a theme inspired by the hugely popular 1982 film. The software also contains five mini games, including the opportunity to care for a "Flopgopple" virtual pet. Kids can protect their personal information with a password or print it out on the Nintendo Game Boy Printer.

E.T.: Escape from Planet Earth (2001)

Released for Game Boy Color on November 28, 2001. Your mission is to construct a communicator so that E.T. can phone home. You must search 60 environments for all the components needed to build the transmitter. All the while, you have to evade capture by government agents and avoid the clever traps they've set for you.

You can alternate playing as the strategic-minded Elliott or as E.T., whose extraordinary powers, including levitation, can help you out of the many tricky situations you'll confront. This single-player game features three levels of difficulty and three modes of gameplay: exploration, quest, and encounter. Six large maps with 10 environments and 45 miniquests that unlock hidden items you can trade later.

2002

E.T.: Interplanetary Mission (2002)

Main article: E.T.: Interplanetary Mission

Released on March 27, 2002 in North America and on March 29, 2002 in Europe for the PC and Sony PlayStation on December 30, 2002 in North America and in 2002 in Europe. E.T. is on a mission to save the universe, that will take you to alien planets with rare and exotic plant species. Journey to the Green Planet, Ice Planet, Desert Planet, Planet Metropolis and Earth. Play and puzzle through 15 levels and battle alien enemies. Uncover these special plants and use E.T.'s glowing finger, telepathy, heart stun, and more to heal them. Listen as they sing back to you in thanks. Travel across 25 new exciting game levels where you will explore & accomplish missions.

E.T. and the Cosmic Garden (2002)

Released for the Game Boy Color in 2002, E.T. Cosmic Garden is a real-time adventure where you travel to six planets populated by exotic, weird, and wild plants. You gather these rare and wonderful plants for the spaceship's greenhouse and fulfill E.T.'s original mission by replanting and restoring the Cosmic Garden. Growing a healthy garden requires E.T. and his assistants, Space Bee and Space Slug, to maintain proper amounts of food, water, and light, and to protect these special species from a host of intergalactic pests, including space beetles, fungus, and harmful celestial events, such as a prolonged eclipse. E.T. can use his special telekinesis powers to control the pests.

Features 12 levels and seven environments. You can create more than 60 plants, each with unique personalities and abilities—they sing, jump, generate electricity, and more. Beat the game and you'll unlock the never-ending Prize Garden.

Other games

• E.T. Away From Home (2002) - PC
• E.T. Phone Home Adventure (2002) - PC
• E.T.: Return to the Green Planet (2002) - PlayStation 2
• E.T.: Search for Dragora (2002) - Nintendo GameCube, Xbox
• E.T.: The Salerian Project (2002) - Game Boy Advance