In Space Dungeon for the Atari 5200, you are the commander of a space archaeological expedition, gathering up the scant remains of a distant planet. Your mission is to collect these treasures, which hold the key to the planet's destruction, and take them to a crystal-powered computer. Scientists believe that the information garnered from the cosmic chunks could save Earth from a fate similar to that of the destroyed planet.
The ninety-nine levels in Space Dungeon are laid out as a series of rooms (space dungeons, naturally), each of which has at least one exit. To help you keep track of which room you are in in a particular dungeon, there is a map at the top of the screen. As you maneuver your laser cannon from room to room, grabbing treasures left and right, you must shoot or avoid Deathsquares, Guards, Enforcers, Thieves, Executioners, Spore Cases, and Pikers. These enemies are believed to be poltergeists who are responsible for the destruction of the planet. You can move and shoot in all directions.
While playing Space Dungeon you can try to enter every room in a dungeon, or you can travel the most direct route possible to the computer, which is code named "Collect Bonus." Whether or not you have collected any treasure, entering the computer transports you to the next level.