activision
challenge
In the early 1980s, Activision turned high scores into real-world glory. Each game came with a special challenge—hit a target score or pull off a tough feat—and if you proved it with a photo of your TV screen, Activision mailed you an official embroidered patch.
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These patches became badges of honor, proudly displayed by players who mastered Pitfall!, Barnstorming, and other classics. Long before online achievements, Activision’s challenges created one of gaming’s first fan communities—where bragging rights arrived in the mailbox.
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Now, some 40 years later I will see if I'm worthy of collecting every Activision patch ever released. There are 33 games with a total of 43 patches as some games had different patches for different levels of greatness. This is more than a commitment...it's a lifestyle.
In Activision’s Skiing, players were challenged to blaze through the slalom course number 3 and beat Activision’s target time of 28.2. If you nailed a clean, fast run at the bottom of the hill was the coveted Activision Ski Team patch—a badge proving you were one of the quickest skiers on the Atari slopes.
In Pitfall!, Activision challenged players to survive the jungle’s 255-screen gauntlet and score of 20,000 to prove true treasure-hunting mastery. Snap a photo of your qualifying score, mail it in, and you’d earn the iconic Pitfall! Harry’s Explorer Club patch—proof that you braved the pits, snakes, and scorpions and came out a legend.
In Pitfall II: Lost Caverns, Activision pushed adventurers to dive deep into the underground maze and hit the game’s qualifying score of 99,000 to prove their skill. Capture your final screen, mail it in, and you’d earn the Pitfall Explorers Club patch—recognition that you navigated the caverns, rescued the treasures, and mastered one of the era’s toughest quests.
In Freeway, Activision challenged players to guide their chicken across ten lanes of traffic again and again, racking up enough crossings to hit the qualifying score of 20. Send in a photo of your performance, and you’d earn the Official Activision Freeway patch—sprinting through rush hour like a pro for immortality.
In Stampede, Activision dared players to rein in runaway cattle and rope enough steers to hit the qualifying score of 3,000. Capture your best round on screen, mail it in, and you’d earn the Activision Trail Drive patch—your badge of honor for taming the wildest herd on the range.
In Activision Tennis, the challenge was simple: outplay your opponent with precision shots, quick reflexes, and flawless court coverage. Rack up a qualifying score by winning a set with at least a two-game lead, snap a photo of your victory screen, and you could earn the Official Activision Tennis patch—athleticism skill, stamina, and finesse to dominate the baseline like a true champion.
In Activision’s Spider Fighter, players were challenged to defend their precious fruit silos from relentless waves of buzzing, skittering invaders. Score 40,000 points or more, snap a photo of your triumph, and you could earn the Official Activision Spider Fighter patch—aim, agility, and nerves of steel to stand tall against the swarm were all it took.
In Activision’s River Raid, pilots were challenged to blast through twisting canyons, dodge enemy fire, and manage every drop of precious fuel. Hit a qualifying score of 15,000 points, capture a photo of your run, and you could earn the Official Activision River Raid patch—but only if you had the precision, daring, and steady nerves to rule the river skies.
In Activision’s Laser Blast, players were challenged to strike swiftly from above—vaporizing ground bases before they could lock on and return fire. Score 100,000 points, snap a photo of your blazing victory, and you could earn the Official Activision Laser Blast patch—documentation you had the reflexes, firepower, and unstoppable focus to dominate the galaxy.
Face-offs, fast breaks, and fearless checks—Ice Hockey pushed players to outskate, outshoot, and outsmart their rivals on the frozen Activision rink. Win a game by at least two goals, snap a photo of your championship moment, and you could earn the Official Activision Ice Hockey patch—reward for those with the speed, strategy, and cold-blooded precision to rule the ice.
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Barnstorming put pilots to the test, demanding flawless timing as you dove through barns, dodged windmills, and skimmed past flocks of geese. Finish your flight in under 33.3 seconds, snap a photo of your perfect run, and you could earn the Official Activision Barnstorming patch—reserved exclusively for those who had the daring, control, and barn-busting precision of a true stunt ace.
Chopper Command challenged players to patrol the desert skies, blasting enemy fighters and protecting the convoys racing below. Score 10,000 points or more, capture a photo of your mission success, and you could earn the Official Activision Chopper Command patch—confirmation you had the skill, nerve, and aerial dominance of an elite gunship pilot.
The Activision Decathlon turned living rooms into full-blown sports arenas—minus the fresh air and plus a whole lot of joystick gymnastics. To earn the Official Activision Decathlon patch, players had to hit 10,000 points, proving they had the pixel-powered stamina of a true 10-event legend. Snap a photo of your high score and you could proudly show the world you were an 8-bit Bruce Jenner.
Kaboom! pushed players’ reflexes to the limit as you raced to catch every bomb the Mad Bomber hurled your way. Rack up 3,000 points without dropping a single one, snap a photo of your explosive feat, and you could earn the Official Activision Kaboom! patch—but only if you had the focus, precision, and lightning-fast hands to keep chaos under control.
