Red Sea Crossing (video game)

1983 video game

1983 video game

Red Sea Crossing

Original cartridge label

Developer(s)| Steve Stack, Inc.
Publisher(s)| Inspirational Video Concepts
Programmer(s)| Steve Schustack
Platform(s)| Atari 2600
Release| October 7, 1983[1]
Genre(s)| Platformer, Christian
Mode(s)| Single-player

Red Sea Crossing is a Christian side-scrolling video game for the Atari 2600. Released for mail order only in 1983, its existence went unrecorded until it was discovered at a garage sale in 2007. Only four copies have been found as of 2018, making it one of the rarest published video games.

One of the earliest Christian video games, Red Sea Crossing is the first published console game based on an event described in the Bible.[2] It was created and published by an independent programmer without any involvement from Atari, Inc.

## Gameplay

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Moses jumping over giant clams, while evading a javelin. The fish that represents the time limit can be seen in the top left.

Moses parts the Red Sea and the player directs him between the parted waters. Moses must avoid obstacles such as seaweed and giant clams, as well as the pursuing Egyptians, by precisely timing his movements and jumping.

A fish swimming in the water behind Moses serves as a time limit – he must reach the end of the screen before the fish. Bonus points are awarded for collecting stone tablets or catching doves, and a staff item awards an extra life.

The game is not known to have an ending, but the developer has claimed that it is winnable. When the player runs out of lives, the Red Sea closes up.[3]

## Development

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In 1983, Red Sea Crossing was developed independently by the self-taught programmer Steve Schustack. He developed the game in California using a Franklin ACE computer. He decided to make a Christian video game believing that it could be a marketable niche,[4] but also notes that he enjoys making software for children:[5]

> I see children as a terrific market and one many of us are very familiar with [...] Money isn't the only aspect to this; there's plenty of potential satisfaction out there for the grabbing. I like the thought of my young nephews' and nieces' cute little fingers pressing keys, while [the video game's] music and animation bring smiles to their faces.

Schustack had between 100[6] and 500[7] copies of Red Sea Crossing manufactured. He self-published the game and sold it exclusively through a single magazine advertisement by Michael Nason.[8][9] Instead of a manual,[4] the game shipped with a coloring book[2] and an "explanatory" audio cassette tape, apparently recorded by Dale Evans Rogers.[10][11] The publisher was named "Inspirational Video Concepts".[4]

## Rediscovery

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External images

The Christianity Today advertisement for Red Sea Crossing
A reproduction copy of Red Sea Crossing, with new artwork, distributed by a 2012 auction winner

A copy was found at a Cincinnati rummage sale in 2007, and the discovery of the unattested game proved controversial. Users of the AtariAge forum identified Schustack as the developer and contacted him; he recalled advertising the game in an unspecified religious magazine. In 2011, an advertisement for Red Sea Crossing was found in a 1983 issue of Christianity Today, finally verifying the game.[1][9][12]

Calls for the finder, who was not a video game collector, to sell the game increased after another alleged found copy was discovered to be a hoax.[12] The finder scheduled an auction in 2012.[9] Days before the auction was to occur, a genuine second copy of Red Sea Crossing was discovered by a Philadelphia thrift store owner.[13][14] The auction was carried out after a deferment,[15] and the game sold for $10,400.[9] The second copy was also auctioned in 2012, for $13,877.[16]

One of the buyers used the game cartridge to create reproduction copies for collectors[12] and the ROM image is now readily available online.[3] The coloring book and cassette tape originally packaged with Red Sea Crossing have not resurfaced and may be lost.[17]

Two additional original copies of Red Sea Crossing were found by 2018, bringing the total to four. One of the cartridges, with a missing end label, was sold for a lower price than was seen in the 2012 auctions.[17]

## See also

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* Birthday Mania
* Bobby is Going Home
* Christian media
* Exodus (video game)
* Wisdom Tree

## References

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1. ^ a b James, Mike (February 15, 2023). Smoke and Mirrors. Andrews UK Ltd. ISBN 9781837910335.
2. ^ a b Durham, Gabe (June 2, 2014). "Quality Control". Bible Adventures. Boss Fight Books. ISBN 9781940535074.
3. ^ a b (2017) "Red Sea Crossing Manual (Unofficial)"
4. ^ a b c Hall, Stefan (September 6, 2018). "Indie Games in the Atari Era". In Media Res. MediaCommons. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
5. ^ Schustack, Steve (January 1, 1993). C for Fun and Profit. Carmel, IN: Sams Publishing. p. 493\. ISBN 9780672303654.
6. ^ Scullion, Chris (December 24, 2019). "History Lesson: The rarest, most expensive games". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
7. ^ Plunkett, Luke (September 10, 2012). "One of the Rarest Games on Earth is About The Bible". Kotaku. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
8. ^ Lucky, Kate; Mellen, Alexandra (August 14, 2023). "A Chorus of Replies about Church Worship". Christianity Today. sec. "Behind the Scenes". Retrieved July 11, 2024.
9. ^ a b c d Goldfarb, Andrew (September 10, 2012). "'Holy Grail of Atari Games' Sells for $10,000". IGN. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
10. ^ Nason, Michael (October 7, 1983). "Bible Video Game Brings Fun Home". Christianity Today (full-page advertisement).
11. ^ Metzger, Richard (January 15, 2014). "Atari 'holy grail': Moses 'Crossing The Red Sea' Bible story video game, 1983". Dangerous Minds. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
12. ^ a b c "Red Sea Crossing - der heilige Gral des Atari 2600 im Test" [Red Sea Crossing – Testing the Holy Grail of the Atari 2600]. NeXGam.de (in German). January 14, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
13. ^ Woods, Don (September 11, 2012). "Vineland natives stumble upon rare Atari game". NJ.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
14. ^ "Attn. Nerds: Super Rare Atari Game Surfaces At Medium Bob's". Philebrity.com. August 20, 2012. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
15. ^ Conditt, Jessica (August 21, 2012). "Rare Atari 2600 game, Red Sea Crossing, pops up in Philly shop". Joystiq. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
16. ^ Woods, Don (September 12, 2012). "Rare Atari game discoverd by Vineland natives sells for $13,877.78 on eBay". NJ.com. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
17. ^ a b "The Rarest and Most Valuable Atari 2600 Games". Racketboy. June 21, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2025.

## External links

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* Forum thread started by 2007 finder
* Gameplay video