Play Paperboy Online

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Game Info

Cover art of Paperboy

3.5 / 5

94 votes

Platform
Arcade
Genres
Racing · Simulation · Arcade
Player Perspective
Third person
Developers
Atari Games · Vivid Games
Publishers
Atari Games · Elite Systems · Digital Eclipse · Mindscape · Sega Mobile
Release date
November 1, 1984

Summary

Paperboy drops you onto a suburban street rendered in a 60‑degree isometric view, and the whole experience is driven by a bicycle‑handlebar controller that lets you steer, brake, and fling papers with a satisfying click. The cabinet’s modified Star Wars yoke feels like you’re really pedaling through the neighborhood, and the speech chip even shouts quirky lines like “You realize of course, this means war!” as you dodge chaos. You start each day with a limited stack of newspapers, needing to pick up fresh bundles that appear on the sidewalk while you aim for the door‑mats or mailboxes of the ten subscriber houses among twenty. Missing a delivery or damaging a subscriber’s home turns it into a non‑customer, but smashing a non‑subscriber’s house scores extra points and can even knock out a skate‑boarding kid or a construction worker. Before you hit the street, you choose between Easy Street, Middle Road, or Hard Way – the three difficulty settings that dictate traffic density and obstacle variety. The week unfolds over seven levels, Monday through Sunday, with the final day’s papers being heavier and slower, making precision even more crucial. After each route you zip into a short obstacle‑course where unlimited papers let you smash targets, jump ramps, and race against the clock for a bonus. The game rewards reckless fun: hitting non‑subscribers, blasting a radio‑controlled toy car, or sending a paper flying into a dog’s mouth all add to your score, while a swarm of bees will chase you if you linger too long. A rare bug sometimes lets you slip past the end of the course, leading to odd glitches on the next day’s delivery. Paperboy’s novel control scheme and isometric street layout made it a standout in arcades, and its popularity sparked ports to dozens of consoles and home computers, cementing its place as a nostalgic favorite for anyone who ever imagined delivering the morning news on two wheels.

Storyline

In Paperboy, you take on the role of a suburban paper delivery boy tasked with getting the fictional Daily Sun into the hands of its subscribers. Each level is a typical American neighborhood where you must ride your bike along the street, tossing papers into mailboxes and onto porches while dodging traffic, dogs, and other hazards.
The goal is to keep the subscription count high by making successful deliveries and avoiding any damage to the houses you pass. Missed throws or broken windows cost you points and can end the shift.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Videos

Game Screenshots

  • Screenshot 1 of Paperboy
  • Screenshot 2 of Paperboy
  • Screenshot 3 of Paperboy
  • Screenshot 4 of Paperboy
  • Screenshot 5 of Paperboy
  • Screenshot 6 of Paperboy

Arcade Machine

Developers
Atari Games
Machine Style
Individual · Upright
Control Panel
Single-player
Input Devices
Steering · Buttons
Screen Orientation
Landscape
Sound
Stereo

Multiplayer

Game modes
Single

Alternative Titles

  • Paper Boy Alternative