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[img width=300 height=390]http://images.videogamescheats.org/atari-2600/bank-heist-atari-2600/thumbs/2600_bank_heist.jpg[/img]
Specs:
Game: Bank Heist
Year: 1983
Publisher: 20th Century Fox
Developer: Fox Video Games, Inc.
Designer(s)/Programmer(s): Bill Aspromonte
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 5 = Rare
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1
Average Cost: approx. $10 loose
Also Available On: exclusive to the Atari 2600
Tagline/Description: "Alright you guys, listen up. This is the plan. Lefty, you'll drive. Mugsy, ride shotgun. Fingers, I want you in the back with the dynamite. Any coppers get wise, you let 'em have it! OK now, here's the map of the banks in this town. They're all cherries just ripe for the pickin'. All you gotta do is stay a step ahead of the heat. Now, you got any questions? What's that? What am I going do? Boys, boys, you know I'd love to go with you, but I've got important business to attend to. I gotta stay here and play Bank Heist so I can find out what our next heist will be!"
Continue reading Bank Heist
[img width=300 height=390]http://www.theoldcomputer.com/game-box-art-covers/Atari/2600/Cart-Scans/s/Solar%20Fox%20%281983%29%20%28CBS%20Electronics%29.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Solar Fox
Year: 1983
Publisher: CBS Electronics
Developer: Bally Midway Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Designer(s)/Programmer(s): Bob Curtiss
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 3 = Scarce
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 - 2 (turn based)
Average Cost: $2 - $7 loose
Also Available On: coin-op, Commodore 64
Tagline/Description: On a daring mission to save energy-starved Earth, you must navigate your Starship through a complex matrix of precious solar-cells. The faster you clear the matrix, the greater your reward! Ominous Sentinels oscillate along the perimeter and riddle the energy field with fireballs. Their slightest touch will reduce your ship to ashes. Defenseless, you must weave in and out of their path until the last solar-cell is secured!
Continue reading Solar Fox
This weekend I had my best score to date and I felt like I needed to share the excitement with my fellow members of RFGeneration.
I was out of town visiting my in-laws this weekend and thought that I would ride out Saturday morning to a local flea market and game store to see what I could pick up. My brother-in-law, who is several years younger, but a gamer himself, decided to go with me for fun. At the flea market, I picked up a few SNES games for $3 each: Shooting Range, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Home Alone 2: Lost in NY, and the Addams Family. I also grabbed a copy of Spankys Quest (GB) for $3, which was quite a steal in itself, but I also picked up a sweet pong console, a very nice original Ricochet system, for only $15. Usually, thats a pretty great day in my area and we decided to return home quite satisfied.
One the way home, I decided to stop at a retro game store to check for a few games, but I knew I probably wouldnt find much, since they have tons of NES title, but they tend to be a little overpriced (typically $5-$10 for more common titles). Anyway, I guy came into the store to sell some games and systems and all I hear was him say, Ive got some old systems for sale, and it was followed by, Well, were not buying any old stuff at this time, just PS3 and 360 titles. I waited for the guy to take the stuff back out to the car that he had brought it and as he was leaving with the last box, I literally shadowed him back to the car. I asked about what he had and he told me that he had several systems, including a 3DO and a Jaguar, which not having either, I was very interested in. As I asked about the system, his wife who was in the car, said that they would prefer to get rid of all of it and what would I offer. I told them that I really didnt have a price in mind and what would they take for it. She said, How about $40.I literally had to contain my excitement, softly replied, Okay and opened the trunk. What I am about to list next is not fiction, but the actual items that he stuffed in my brother-in-laws car for a mere $40:
Panasonic 3DO (with two controllers and all hook-ups)
3DO games: Shock Wave (boxed, no manual), Way of the Warrior (CIB), Killing Time (CIB), Phoenix3 (CIB), Waialae Country Club (CIB), Road & Track: The Need For Speed (disc), Gex (CIB), Ballz: The Directors Cut (CIB), Samurai Shodown (disc), Super Street Fighter II Turbo (CIB), Primal Rage (CIB), Dragons Lair (CIB), 3DO Sampler CD (loose).
Atari Jaguar (with one controller and all hookups)
Game: Kasumi Ninja (loose)
2 Sega Genesis Model 1s (all hookups 3 controllers)
1 Sega Genesis Model 2 (all hookups)
2 Sega Genesis 32X add ons (all hookups)
1 Sega CD base add on (all hookups)
1 - Sega Saturn (2 controllers, all hookups)
Genesis Games: Sonic 2 (1 CIB, 2 loose), NBA Jam (loose), Taz: In Escape From Mars (CIB), Tiny Toon Adventures: Busters Hidden Treasure (CIB), Sylvester and Tweety in Cagey Capers (CIB), Olympic Gold Barcelona 92 (CIB), Ren & Stimpy Show: Stimpys Invention (1 CIB, 1 box only), Toe Jam and Earl in Panic on Funkotron
32X Games: Doom (CIB), Knuckles Chaotix (CIB).
Sega CD games: Ecco the Dolphin (CIB) and Mortal Kombat (box and manual only), Sonic CD (loose).
Sega Dreamcast Games: NBA 2K (loose), NFL 2K (loose), WWF Attitude (CIB), WWF Royal Rumble (loose).
NES games: Super Mario Bros. 2 (loose), Castlevania III (loose), 2 copies of SMB/Duck Hunt/WC Track Meet (loose), Mike Tysons Punch Out (loose), Shooting Range (loose)
SNES games: Killer Instinct (CIB, w/o music CD), rest are loose Final Fight, Cool Spot, Stunt Race, Super Mario All-Stars, Lemmings, Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, NBA Jam TE.
N64 Diddy Kong Racing (game and manual), Golden Eye.
Loose Jumper Pack
Gamecube Metroid Prime (CIB, with Echoes bonus disc), Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (CIB), Shadow the Hedgehog (CIB), Tony Hawks Underground 2 (CIB).
X-Box System (all hookups, 1 controller)
Games Gun (CIB), Hitman (no manual), Midway Treasures 2 (CIB)
X-Box 360 Hitman: Blood Money (CIB)
PS1 games: NFL Blitz (loose)
PS2 games: NBA Street GH (CIB), Madden 08 (CIB), Twisted Metal Black (CIB), Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction (no manual), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (CIB), Power Drome (SEALED), Guitar Hero II (no manual), Backyard Wrestling: Dont Try This at Home (CIB), The Sims (CIB), Area-51 (CIB), Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance GH (CIB), Manhunt (CIB), God of War (no manual), Shellshock: Nam 67 (CIB), The Punisher (CIB), and Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots (no manual).
DVDs: Scary Movie 3, Matrix Revolutions, Freddy vs. Jason, Ron White: They Call Me Tater Salad, Midnight Street Racing
And finally.a few ICP CDs and an 8-Mile Soundtrack CD.
Honestly, as the guy was helping me load all of this into my trunk, my brother-in-law and I just couldnt help giving each other looks as the stuff just kept coming and coming. The guy and his wife seemed very pleased with the transaction and told me that they were putting it toward a Wii for their son. Im sure the guys who work in the classic gaming store would slap the hell out of themselves if they knew what I got for all of this stuff just for asking what they wanted for it. Please check my sale list on the forums once I have it updated, since some of this (mainly the PS2, Sega Genesis, and some Xbox and GC games will be put up for trade or sale. I can put up some pics if anyone is interested.
[img width=285 height=350]http://www.atariguide.com/c2/Laser_Gates_283.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Laser Gates (aka. Inner Space)
Year: 1983
Publisher: Imagic
Developer: Imagic, VentureVision
Designer(s)/Programmer: Dan Oliver
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 5 = Rare
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1
Average Cost: $10 - $25 loose, depending on condition, label fading is fairly common
Also Available On: Atari 8-Bit (as part of a compilation called "1-2-3 Imagic") and on the Atari 2600 by Zellers as "Laser Volley" - also available for the Atari 5200 as a part of a homebrew compilation called "AtariMax" (http://www.atarimax.com/5200sd/documentation/)
Tagline/Description: "The thousand galaxies quake at the news: the Cryptic Computer, the galactic defense synthesizer which has maintained peace for the five centuries since the Wars on Zevon, has malfunctioned! Four Failsafe Detonators inside the Computer will now initiate universal self-destruct! The Governors of Enderby order the Dante Dart into action. Only it can spiral down through the nearly impenetrable defenses of the Computer in order to reach and destroy the Detonators!"
Continue reading Laser Gates
[img width=250 height=325]http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT1BW5HssmdpnGuDNKwRgOOGyqfQz3KHLXrp5DfgxlWcPiQeVZE[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Pengo
Year: 1984
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Developer: Coreland, Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Designer(s)/Programmer: Mark Hahn
Sound: Andrew Fuchs & Jeff Gusman
Graphics: Courtney Granner
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 6 = Rare+
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1-2 players, alternating turns
Average Cost: currently $25 - $45 loose
Also Available On: coin-op arcade, Atari 8-bit, Atari 5200, Commodore 64, Game Gear, also released as "Pengon" for the Dragon 32/64 and TRS-80 CoCo, released as "Pepen ga Pengo" on the Sega Mega Drive (Japan)
Tagline/Description: "Go skating on thin ice! Race Pengo, the lovable penguin, around a frozen lake. Rearrange huge blocks of ice. Your goal: Line up three jewel-embedded blocks for dazzling points! Your enemies: SNO-BEES! Their touch puts you in deep freeze!"
Continue reading Pengo
[img width=400 height=456]http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/5278/367095-room_of_doom_large.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Room of Doom
Year: 1982
Publisher: CommaVid, Inc.
Developer: CommaVid, Inc.
Designer(s)/Programmer: Irwin Gaines
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 6 = Rare+
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1
Average Cost: varies upon condition and number listed at auction, $25 - $65 loose is typical
Also Available On: exclusive to the Atari 2600
Tagline/Description: "ESCAPE! Your mind throbs, trapped in the Room of Doom, the fiendish gunmen are trying to annihilate you. Shots come from secret portals that mysteriously open and close. Watch out! The gunmen have unleashed a hydra-headed monster; it relentlessly pursues you. Don't panic! Your marksmanship can stun it, but only for a moment. Should it remain in the Room of Doom too long; the monster becomes invulnerable to your bullets. Dodge the gummen's firepower; shoot them in return when the secret portals open and Escape....But where? The next Room of Doom awaits. An even more diabolical chamber with rapid-fire gunmen and devious monsters trying to destroy you. Can you survive through the full gauntlet of Rooms and escape unscathed? Only you can test your skill in this latest video challenge from CommaVid."
Continue reading Room of Doom
PRESSURE COOKER
[img width=254 height=340]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KqLKZFRTHM8/SgX93HlNQCI/AAAAAAAAA5U/sMB8X--V4yM/s320/Pressure_cooker_boxart.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Pressure Cooker
Year: 1983
Publisher: Activision, Inc.
Developer: Activision, Inc.
Designer(s)/Programmer: Garry Kitchen
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 4 = scarce+
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 - 2 (turn based)
Average Cost: $5 - $10 loose
Also Available On: exclusive to the Atari 2600
Tagline/Description: "Sounds like lunchtime at 'The Grille.' And behind the counter? None other than Short-Order Sam. A man who was born in grease. Normally thrives under pressure. Except today. You see, Sam's automated kitchen is totally out to lunch. And, with hundreds of hungry customers waiting, he could sure use a helping hand. So grab your apron and get cookin'. Come on. After all, how can you turn down a man whose initials are S.O.S.?"
With the recent demise of Guitar Hero, I became inspired?? to review, Pressure Cooker, one of the more uncommon titles developed by Activision for the Atari 2600. During the 2600's lengthy run, Activision developed some of the best and most memorable titles for the system, including River Raid, Spider Fighter, Megamania, Kaboom!, H.E.R.O., and the game which holds the #2 spot on the 2600s all-time best seller list, Pitfall!. Pressure Cooker was developed in 1983 by Activision, a company formed by group of former disgruntled Atari employees who founded their own company in 1979 and became the first third party software company to sell their wares to Atari during the 2600 era. Recently (in 2007), Activision merged with Blizzard Entertainment, the company at the forefront of PC gaming, to form the video gaming Megalodon, Activision Blizzard, Inc.
[img width=237 height=300]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VTa96vVto6w/SRehW0n7NiI/AAAAAAAAAEk/pMqFe-rhwag/s320/victayback.jpg[/img]
Pressure Cooker is one of the first in a long line of action/kitchen video games that includes Burgertime, Piece o Cake, Diner Dash, and the more current Cooking Mama, to name a few. Its a frantic and fun-filled kitchen adventure in which you control a short-order cook whose job is to fill fast-paced hamburger orders. While burgers and buns move down a conveyor belt on the left side of the screen, ingredients fly at you from dispensers on the right. Your job is to catch or reject these ingredients (which consist of cheese, onions, tomatoes, and lettuce) and place them on the burger to accurately fill customer orders at the bottom of the screen. Once you have assembled your burger, it's off to the wrapping room to drop it off in the correct, color-coded wrapping machine and begin the process all over again. Be sure to catch or reject all the ingredients and don't let any hamburgers fall off the end of the conveyor belt, or you'll lose performance points! If your performance score drops to zero, you are fired and the game ends. As you successfully create orders, the game difficulty increases as the conveyor belt gets faster and the orders become more complex.
Overall Points vs. Performance Points
In Pressure Cooker, the scoring system is based on an overall points system, while instead of having lives your characters survival in the kitchen is determined by performance points. You begin with 50 performance points and these can be deducted or increased (to a maximum of 99) by poor or good performance respectively. For every 10,000 overall points that you score, you gain 10 additional performance points. You will lose performance points for the following reasons:
Wasting or doubling up on an ingredient = -1 point;
Dropping the hamburger in the wrong colored chute or missing the chute = -5 points; or
A hamburger falls off of the conveyor belt = -10 points.
Once you run out of performance points, the game is over. Overall points are gained by catching ingredients (+5), dropping correct ingredients on a burger (+10), and dropping a burger into the correct wrapping chute (+100). Bonus efficiency points are also awarded at the end of each round. Scoring over 45,000 overall points could have won you a bitchin mail-in patch from Activision back in the day.
[img width=250 height=325]http://www.atarimania.com/goodies/hi_res/pressure_cooker_patch.jpg[/img]
**check out all of the Activision patches at AtariAge**
http://www.atariage.com/2...s/activision_patches.html
Pressure Cooker is a great game and even though I'm partial to shmups like Spider Fighter and Megamania, its one of my favorite Activision titles. The graphics are colorful and actually pretty nice and well-defined. Cheese is represented as an orange square, but then again, cheese is basically.....well, an orange square. The controls are one of the more disappointing aspects of the game. The precision needed in grabbing ingredients and rejecting them can be cumbersome at times due to the rigidness of the Atari joystick and losing performance points because of this can be frustrating. The music and sounds of the game are fluid, but the music does become rather tedious and tiring after only a short time.
However, what really separates Pressure Cooker from other 2600 titles, and makes it stand out, is its very original concept and its replay value. Though a kitchen-based platform doesn't seem like the most interesting of games, the focus required to react and the quick decisions that players must make to read the orders at the bottom of the screen, catch moving ingredients, place them on moving buns, and drop them in the correct wrapping chute, creates a gameplay environment that borrows from and incorporates the best concepts used in puzzle, strategy, and tower defense games. Such challenging and fast-paced action always makes you want to come back for more. Pressure Cooker is a great game, and at a fairly affordable price, is a must own for any Activision and/or Atari 2600 fan.
**video courtesy of AwesomeRickyC**
b]RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):[/b]
Controls: 2
Graphics: 4
Sound Effects/Music: 3
Concept: 4
Replay Value: 3
Cart/Box Art: 2
Overall Score: 3.00
VANGUARD
[img width=264 height=332]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4353036519_6418245b98.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Vanguard
Year: 1982
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Developer: SNK Corporation
Designer(s)/Programmer: David W. Payne
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 2 = common+
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 - 2 (turn based)
Average Cost: $.50 - $2 loose, under $10 CIB
Also Available On: Atari 5200, originally an arcade coin-op (Vanguard II later released, arcade only).
Tagline/Description: "Join the Vanguard expedition on a thrilling space odyssey. Through perilous tunnels you will fight your way to the fabulous City of Mystery and the great Gond."
Vanguard is a vertical and side-scrolling cave shooter for the Atari 2600. Your goal is to pilot your spaceship to the City of Mystery, which is located at the end of a heavily guarded tunnel, to battle the creature Gond. Your spaceship is equipped with lasers that can fire in four different directions, however your speed is decreased when firing. You will also need to keep an eye on your fuel gauge, a solid bar, located at the bottom of your screen. Your fuel depletes at a rapid rate, and your ship will crash if it runs out; fuel is replenished by destroying enemies. The tunnel is broken up into several different zones, called the mountain zone, rainbow zone, stick zone, stripe zone, bleak zone, and City of Mystery. Each zone features a variety of enemy spaceships to dispatch and earn points. In the mountain and stripe zones, you will come across energy pods marked with an 'E'. When you pilot through these pods, your ship temporarily becomes invincible to the deadly cave walls and enemies which are trying to stop you. When you finally make it through all the various zones of the tunnel and defeat Gond, the game will repeat at a more difficult skill level.
Early 80's Atari commercial for Vanguard. Every good video gaming home needs a Luther.
What makes Vanguard such a great game for the 2600 is it's concept. As many of you already know, the majority of games produced for the Atari system (besides sports titles) have no real ending and were primarily points based. Vanguard not only allowed the player to accumulate points, but also had one of the earliest defined endings in a video game, which also incorporated a boss. Though Gond, the overlord of the City of Mystery, is a one-shot pushover, the ultimate goal and challenge of Vanguard is to successfully navigate the tunnel and make it to the boss. Modern day gamers might be disappointed at such a lackluster boss battle. However, and I speak as someone who grew up on the 2600, because I grew up with no preconceived expectations of what a "boss battle" was, this ending was quite epic.
The fierce and all-powerful GOND!!!! (insert sarcasm here)
[img width=350 height=275]http://www.vgmpf.com/Wiki/images/thumb/7/73/Vanguard_-_A26_-_6.png/256px-Vanguard_-_A26_-_6.png[/img]
Vanguard is not the easiest game to finish and since the game repeats at a much quicker and more difficult skill level, one could argue that there is no strictly defined ending. Before battling Gond, you must navigate through seven (7) zones (the rainbow zone is repeated a few times). There are always a plethora of enemies on the screen: ones that shoot back at you, as well as those that attempt to ram your spaceship. The developers of Vanguard made sure that players are never comfortable for long within the tunnel; in some zones, you travel from left to right, while at other times the game becomes a vertical shooter in which you must navigate from down to up, or up to down. Since the game is a 4-way, multi-directional shooter, players must make full use of the joystick and fire button, since enemies approach from all directions. Areas within the cavern can get very tight on occasion and my only complaint with the controls is that your ship may move slightly when trying to direct your fire with the joystick. Since Atari controls are typically very stiff anyway, attempting to fire in a specific direction can cause you to lose control of your ship and plow into an enemy.
Though the handling can be a little frustrating at times, Vanguard is an excellent port for the Atari 2600. The graphics are superb under such limitations and the exceedingly vibrant use of color creates an other worldly atmosphere. Though Vanguard lacks a soundtrack, it's omission is masked by the constant zinging of lasers and exploding enemy starcrafts. The lone piece of music in the game occurs upon collecting an energy pod. Fans of 1980's "Flash Gordon" and/or Queen may recognize a familiar tune entitled "Vultan's Theme: Attack of the Hawkman" (http://www.the-top-tens.c...s-theme-attack-197148.asp). Some dispute their similarities, but it's quite hard to brush it off as coincidence.
Vanguard is one of a handful of tight scrolling shooters for the 2600, similar to Fantastic Voyage and Super Cobra (a Scrabble clone). If you are a fan of early shmups, this title can easily be picked up at a great price either individually or in a large lot of 2600 commons.
**video courtesy of googoo11672
RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 3
Graphics: 4
Sound Effects/Music: 3
Concept: 4
Replay Value: 3
Cart/Box Art: 2
Overall Score: 3.17
DARK CAVERN
[img width=291 height=400]http://www.bomberoza.net/data/collections/consoles/games/atari-2600-darkcavern.jpg[/img]
Specs:
Game: Dark Cavern
Year: 1982
Publisher: M-Network
Developer: APh Technology Consultants for Mattel Electronics
Designer(s)/Programmer: Hal Finney
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 2 = common+
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1
Average Cost: $1 - $3 loose, under $10 CIB
Also Available On: Dark Cavern is exclusive to the 2600, its predecessor, Night Stalker is available on Intellivision, Mattel Aquarius, Apple II, and IBM PC.
Tagline/Description: "It's a battle for survival in an underground cavern! You have five men.
They enter the cavern one at a time through the center trap door. Once inside, blobs, spiders and robots begin to enter the left and right doors. Direct your man down the tunnels. Pick up ammunition as you go. Keep clear of the creatures... avoid robot fire. Shoot to destroy! Get hit by a robot's bullet... action stops. Now bring out your next man... get them before they get you!!!"
As soon as you pop in a copy of Dark Cavern and hit the power switch, it may seem very familiar and rightfully so. Dark Cavern was published by the M-Network, a subsidiary of Mattel Electronics.......hmmm. Mattel Electronics? The same company who developed the Intellivison, one of Atari's biggest competitors? Yes. So why would a company like Mattel Electronics create games for their more successful rival and undercut their own system? Sure, money has a lot to do with it, but more interesting is the history behind it all.
What the Mattel is Going on Here?*
(*a special thanks to IntellivisionLives.com for providing information used in this time-line)
-- Atari released in 1977, Richard Chang head of Design and Development for Mattel Toys looks to create game system to compete with the 2600.
-- Glenn Hightower of APh Technology Consulting is sought out to develop what would later become the Intellivision (1980).
-- Hightower soon realized that he had struck a bad deal with Mattel (his team was receiving less than $30k per developed game and no royalties) and asked his senior developers to take a leave of absence from Mattel and became private contractors employed by Hightower (not APh).
-- These private contractors reverse engineered programs for the 2600, and created working prototypes.
-- Hightower negotiated with Mattel and told them of an outside group he knew who could program for the 2600 and presented the economically beneficial idea to them; the Atari 2600 had over 10 million consoles in U.S. homes, while the Intellivision had only 2 million.
-- Atari 2600 games were introduced under the guise of M-Network and even many of the titles of Intellivision counterparts were changed so they would not reflect badly on Mattel's graphically superior system (Night Stalker changed to Dark Cavern, Astrosmash/Astroblast, Frog Bog/Frogs 'n Flies, etc.). Games like Burger Time, Lock 'n Chase, and Bump 'n Jump retained their titles since they were developed by Data East.
-- Games for the 2600 were shaped almost identical to Intellivision cartridges; a special adapter was added to the end of each Atari cartridge to make it compatible with that system (see comparison below).
[img width=175 height=200]http://www.virtualatari.org/images/Dark_Cavern.jpg[/img][img width=175 height=200]http://i17.ebayimg.com/06/i/001/31/c1/d0d5_35.JPG[/img]
While Dark Cavern and Night Stalker are very similar on the surface, there are several features (both good and bad) that separate the former from the latter. The first thing you will probably notice are the graphics. Night Stalker looks much better and best exemplifies the setting of the game, which helps to create a more accurate atmosphere. The walls of the cave are covered with stalactites and stalagmites, there is a large spiderweb in the upper left hand corner of the screen, enemies leave a lot less to the imagination, and your protagonist moves in a more fluid, human-like motion. However, what makes Dark Cavern distinct, and in opinion better, is the game play.
Enemies and their traits play an important role in both the 2600 and Intellivision versions of this game. In Dark Cavern (like Night Stalker), your goal is to destroy as may robots as possible by dispatching them with your laser. Ammunition is in limited supply and can be collected by picking up a gun icon that appears on the screen. Dispatching a robot in Dark Cavern earns you 1000 points, and if there are other robots on the screen, you are awarded an additional 1000 points for their eradication for destroying them before a robot is replaced (i.e. the first robot = 1000 pts., second = 2000 pts., third = 3000 pts., and so on). Though robots look more like.......well, robots, in Night Stalker, an important difference in Dark Cavern is that the robots have eyes which point toward the direction of which they are moving (instead of remaining stationary). This addition to Dark Cavern can be very helpful in determining an attack strategy and possibly even earning your character a kill by attacking safely from behind.
In Dark Cavern, blobs take the place of the immobilizing bats present in Night Stalker; though blobs and spiders are not worth any points if destroyed, they play an important part in the game play. Running into a spider will not cause you to lose a life, but instead paralyzes your character for a few seconds and allows robots to get to them. Blobs can be passed through without harm, however, by doing so you lose all of your bullets. This additional challenge, though seemingly small, plays a big role in the gameplay of Dark Cavern and in a pinch, shooting or passing through a blob may be an important decision when it comes to saving a life.
Another significant difference between Dark Cavern and Night Stalker are the controls. While your character's movement might be best described as stop-and-go in the latter, in Dark Cavern, movement is continuous and can only be stopped by running into the cavern walls (similar to Pac-Man). Not only does this present an added challenge to the game, but I would argue that it makes control of the game a lot better. Since motion is fluid and what I would term "rounded," it eliminates the possibility of changing direction and getting stuck on overhanging walls, as can happen as a result of the precision you have to use with many stop-and-go titles.
The sound effects in Dark Cavern aren't anything special, but they are entertaining and efficient overall. The replay value is high for such a simplistic game and the price point is outstanding. If you are a fan of Night Stalker and are also collecting for the 2600 (or vice-versa), Dark Cavern is a cheap and worthy pickup.
Dark Cavern (2600)
**video courtesy of AtariGuide.com
Night Stalker (Intellivision)
**video courtesy of Umma6umma
RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 4
Graphics: 2
Sound Effects/Music: 3
Concept: 3
Replay Value: 3
Cart/Box Art: 2
Overall Score: 2.83
A new twist on an old favorite to be released in the first quarter of 2011 for PC, XBox 360, and PS3.
http://news.bigdownload.c...that-shows-art-direction/
The original Yars' Revenge for the Atari 2600
http://www.youtube.com/wa...ilepage&v=1frWskIr5tU
**video courtesy of Highretrogamelord89
TAPPER
[img width=300 height=347]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-005/bf/U-005-S-04750-A.jpg[/img]
Specs:
Game: Tapper
Year: 1984
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Bally-Midway Manufacturing Co., Inc.
Designer(s): Marvin Glass
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 6 = rare+
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 - 2 (turn based)
Average Cost: currently, usually $10 - $30 loose, depending on condition
Also Available On: Arcade cabinet, Atari 8-bit, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, PC, Mobile phone, Xbox 360 (XBLA); also released in the compilation "Midway Arcade Treasures" for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, and the PC.
Tagline/Description:
"Side-splitting, soda-flinging laughs and spills!
The Official Home Version of Bally/Midway's Arcade Sensation.
Five belly-busting screens of Soda Fountain Fun, including:
-- Four mad-capped barrooms of soda-starved, clamoring cowboys, sports fans, punks, and space creatures.
-- Plus a head-spinning Soda Bandit Bonus Round
Awesome color-packed action graphics.
Just try to keep your cool as hot-headed, crazy customers blitz your bar for another cold one."
In Tapper, you control a beer tapper (bartender) and have to serve beer to demanding customers. Customers shuffle up the four bars toward your beer taps and you must slide them drinks in order to keep them satisfied and make them go away. You start out with 5 lives and these lives are lost as follows: (1) if a bar patron reaches the end of the bar without receiving their beer, (2) if you slide an extra beer when there is no customer and accidentally spill beer needlessly, and (3) if a patron throws you back an empty mug and you fail to catch it. You can score additional points by competing in a bonus round between every few stages. In these bonus rounds, a masked bandit creeps into the bar and shakes up all but one, of six available cans. The cans then flip around in a shell-game fashion and you must keep your eye on the one that was not shaken. You then select the can you deem undisturbed and the bartender opens it; if you are correct, you are awarded bonus points, if you are wrong, the tapper receives a heady bath.
Tapper was originally a coin-op machine marketed in conjunction with Budweiser and intended to be sold only to bars; many of the cabinets were designed to look like bars with a brass rail footrest and drink holders. The controller was designed to look like the tap handles on a real keg (see photos below). It's also rumored that digitized belches were also recorded, but never used. In order to broaden their target market (and to not lure the kiddies toward the "sauce"), Bally/Midway created coin-op cabinets and tabletops known as Root Beer Tapper. The Atari 2600 version is simply called Tapper, which apparently leaves it up to the consumer, or pre-video game advisory warning parents, to determine which frothy beverage bar patrons are actually chugging in game. However, in between clearing a few stages there is a bonus stage, brought to you courtesy of your good friends at Mountain Dew. It's not clear whether or not Tapper on the 2600 was trying to "C.I.A." by employing the soda company's logo, but by doing so, the ad's presence resulted in one of the earliest examples of marketing within a video game.
[img width=300 height=347]http://ggdb.com/img/ggdb/vol2/3027_1_fs_cp[/img][img width=300 height=347]http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq134/Krajkerjak/Tapper/0132.jpg[/img]
Tapper is a great game and probably one of the best ports to the Atari 2600. Not only is the concept original and the gameplay simple and attractive, but the sound effects and music (yes, actual music on a 2600 game) are wild west saloon-like and second to none. The graphics are as good as they can be due to the limitations of the system and all characters and settings are well defined and recognizable. My only real knock on this game is the controls. You use the joystick to move the tapper up and down, while using the orange button to fire off brewskies. Like many other 2600 games, Tapper is hampered by the rough and often rigorous directional tapping of the joystick. Because the action is so fast paced, and gets even quicker as you progress through multiple stages, the 2600 joystick cannot keep up and it often results in a few misfired mugs. One would do well in achieving higher scores by obtaining a European CX78 controller and popping this game into the ole 7800.
Even though the controls can be a bit sticky, Tapper is still one of the best games for the 2600. Though the rarity and price point make it a harder game to come by, you can easily snag a loose copy at a good deal with a last minute, no reserve auction bid. No matter what price you pay due to condition or completeness, Tapper will be one of those games that you will be proud to own.
**video courtesy of Hairman9252
RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 2
Graphics: 4
Sound Effects/Music: 4
Concept: 4
Replay Value: 3
Cart/Box Art: 4
Overall Score: 3.50
As many of you know, I typically blog about 2600 games, but my other passion is collecting for the Vectrex. For those of you who are also enthusiasts, I just wanted to send out some updates regarding the Vectrex community for anyone who might be interested.
John Dondzila is still going strong and creating some great games for the Vectrex at:
http://www.classicgamecreations.com/
Fury Unlimited is still putting out a few good homebrews:
http://www.furyunlimited.com/_sgg/f10000.htm
Vectrexians (a Galaxian clone) is now available for order and a few other homebrews are currently in development. Vectrexians comes with a box and an overlay:
http://www.kristofsnewvectrexgames.comli.com/
[img width=325 height=425]http://www.tokensonly.com/images/consoles/vectrex/vectrexians/images/vectrexians_001.JPG[/img]
It appears that the RecycledGamer is putting together some more homebrew lightpens for sale (see post dated 1/26/2011). AtariAge members were picking them up earlier for only $35!!!! A considerable discount considering the original pens sell for a few hundred. A buddy and I are currently working on creating some light pens just for fun, but they will be no where near the quality of these. Stay tuned: http://www.atariage.com/f...d05dea8716720b5e30303702f
[img width=378 height=500]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/26/62617529_e9957554a6.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Space Cavern
Year: 1981
Publisher: Apollo, Inc.
Developer: Apollo, Inc.
Designer: Dan Oliver
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 3 = scarce
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 -2 (turn-based)
Average Cost: approx $1 - $5 loose
Also Available On: exclusive to the Atari 2600
Tagline/Description: "You command an intergalactic starcruiser that has landed on a mysterious planet riddled with smokey caverns and inhabited by savage Electrosauri whose horns generate deadly electro-molecular charges. The Elecrosauri stalk you, their horns crackling and sizzling. If even one blast of energy strikes you, your skeleton will glow as you disintegrate. Warning: Beware the shaggy marsupods [last sentence added for blue cartridge version only]."
Space Cavern is a very simple space shooter created by Apollo Games. Apollo only officially released 10 games for the 2600, which does not include three (3) unreleased prototypes and an original (and very rare) version of Shark Attack called Lochjaw, that was removed early on from the shelves due to a lawsuit claiming that it's title was too similar to the movie "Jaws." Two versions of Space Cavern exist, a red box/cartridge and a blue box/cartridge. Neither version is more rare than the other, the blue version was released by Apollo later only as a means of cutting costs by using a simpler and more cost-effective color palate.
[img width=331 height=260]http://www.atariage.com/2600/labels/l_ApolloNormal.jpg[/img]
[img width=333 height=259]http://www.atariage.com/2600/labels/l_ApolloBlue.jpg[/img]
Unlike the more popular Atari space shooters, in Space Cavern, you do not control a ship fending off enemy starships in outer space, but instead, command laser wielding astronauts who have crash landed on an alien planet. Sounds cool right? Well, that's certainly the draw. Apollo was masterful in their marketing; if you don't believe me, take a look at the cover art for such super lackluster games as Lost Luggage, Infiltrate, or Final Approach (heck yeah a game about landing planes). I mean what early 80's video game playing kid wouldn't want to buy Space Cavern after seeing it in the store? Badass cover art - check! Cool description - check! Being hit by deadly "electro-molecular charges" and disintegrating - I don't even know what the hell those are, but DOUBLE CHECK!!!! The reality is that Space Cavern isn't all that great, but for an Atari fiend like me, it isn't all that bad either.
[img width=225 height=225]http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSww8HMNGeaF8ASX8LNB4IBSMrtSQGNmhPlSuqUzOR9rjm7YJI7&t=1[/img]
(Apparently someone took out their frustrations for being duped by this game.)
There are three (3) enemies that commonly fill the sky of Space Cavern and they are collectively called Electrosauri; however in my adolescence, they were affectionately named: egg beaters, toilets, and scissors -- I'll let you figure out which enemies fit these descriptions. By pressing the orange button, your astronaut fires his laser into the sky and is awarded 115 points (wow, random) for each Electrosauri he/she shoots down. These particular enemies are fairly colorful and typically either bounce in an up and down pattern or diagonally across the screen. When you zap one, they change to a pale blue and actually fall from the sky, which is pretty creative. After 20,000 points, smaller and much harder to hit versions of Electrosauri appear in the sky; at each 20,000 points you are also awarded an extra life.
The only other enemy in the game is the Marsupod (200 points each), which are dull gray in color and come out of the caves from the left and right corners of the screen. Since the orange button only allows you to fire into the sky, your must press the joystick up or down (up = left: down = right) to fire at and dispense with Marsupods - pushing the orange button to fire left to right is not necessary. Though you'll fire the wrong way several times, recovery time from firing is quick and becomes second nature after continued play.
There are 48 variations of gameplay, which can be set to adjust the number of participants, the number of Electrosauri that appear in the sky at one time (4 max), the presence of Marsupods, the random angles of enemy lasers, and the difficulty (i.e. speed of the enemies).
Space Cavern is tough to review, since I get a bit nostalgic when returning to play it (**see eggbeater, toilet, scissor discussion above). The controls are perfect for the 2600 system, since you only use the four (4) main directional positions on the joystick and the fire button. The sound effects are pretty good: shooting down an Electrosauri sounds like R2-D2 speaking in tongues and blasting a Marsupod is rather blunt and effective. There is really nothing that bad about this game, other than the replay value. Let's face it, there's not a whole lot going on in this game, and after about three to four rounds, you'll probably want to put it away if you are playing it alone. As far as Apollo releases are concerned, I'd put Space Cavern at the top with the Pac-Man clone, Shark Attack. If you're a serious collector, or just a casual 2600 gamer, the small price tag makes Space Cavern worth picking up.
**video courtesy of Highretrogamelord89 (this video does not represent the more difficult setting which includes Marsupods) **
RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 4
Graphics: 2
Sound Effects/Music: 2
Concept: 3
Replay Value: 2
Cart/Box Art: 4
Overall Score: 2.83
[img width=250 height=347]http://www.rfgeneration.com/images/games/U-005/bf/U-005-S-01590-A.jpg[/img]
Specs:
Game: Entombed
Year: 1982
Publisher: U.S. Games
Developer: Western Technologies
Designer(s): Jeff Corsiglia & Tom Sloper
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 4 = scarce+
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 - 2
Average Cost: approx $3 - $8 loose
Also Available On: 2600 only
Tagline/Description: "You and your team of archeologists have fallen into the "catacombs of the zombies." There's no time to look around; these guys are after you, and they mean business! Your only salvation is that you have discovered the secret to the "make-break." Grab them, and you can break through walls when you get stuck, or create a wall behind you - if you are being chased. The longer you survive, the faster you have to move. Explore alone, or two archeologists can work together or compete in a frenzied trek through the catacombs."
There was probably no more diverse or stranger catalog of games than the fourteen (14) titles released by U.S. Games, a subsidiary of Quaker Oats (uhhhh....yeah), for the Atari 2600. Like several other companies (i.e. Purina, Johnson & Johnson, etc.), but with a larger volume than most, the Quaker Oats Company tried to cash in on the video gaming craze of the early 80's. Titles released by U.S. Games include:
Entombed;
Sneak n' Peek (a game of hide and seek);
Space Jockey (a horizontal, UFO shooter);
Word Zapper (a spelling shooter);
Commando Raid (a parachuting android shooter);
Eggomania (a Kaboom clone where you can fire back);
Piece o' Cake (a cake decorating game);
Picnic (a fly shooter);
Raft Rider (a river rafting game);
Gopher (a vegetable protecting game, similar to Activision's Oink!);
Squeeze Box (a prisoner trying to escape a constantly closing Tron MCP Cone);
Towering Inferno (a firefighting/rescue game);
M.A.D. (an improved version of Atlantis); and
Name This Game (an octopus shooter).
[img width=299 height=208]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tCCK5wYrFr4/TMWPms5g3lI/AAAAAAAACA0/J8idkdOHPB0/s1600/608quaker-oats1.jpg[/img]
While some believe that a few of these games are among the worst titles for the 2600, I'd have to say that the overall catalog is pretty creative and solid (and fairly cheap). Where else can you fend off an octopus and fill your diving tank with air from a guy with long, flowing hair in a speed boat?
Entombed is another of these strange games in which you control an archeologist trying to escape a zombie-filled catacomb. While navigating a random, vertically scrolling maze, your only defense from zombies and dead end walls is an item referred to as a "make-break." A make-break allows you to knock down a square section of wall or place a similar section of wall in an open area to fend off zombies (similar to Lock n' Chase). However, make-breaks are not abundant and are collected 3 at-a-time in the form of side-to-side moving rectangles, throughout the maze. Scoring in Entombed, for the 1-player game, is determined by how deep into the maze your archeologist goes. You are awarded one point for making it through an undefined section of the maze; there are no treasures to collect or points for killing zombies. As you might have noticed, scoring is not one of the stronger features of this game.
Another poor feature of the game is it's graphics. Zombies, which should be very cool, instead look like arachnids, your archeologist is merely a semi-mobile stick figure, and the make-breaks are, well, just blocks (a hammer, or some sort of device would have been cooler). There is no music and the only sound effects are a series of extremely monotone beeps (only when zombies are near) and an electronic gurgle when you pick up a make-break.
With all of its faults, Entombed is a pretty good game (yeah, stick with me here). I remember loving this game as a kid and playing it every time I went to my neighbor's house. When I saw it in a pawn shop several months ago I grabbed it up quickly, even though it had a bit of label damage. So what is it that I liked so much about this game? Well for one, I enjoyed the pace of the game (how it continues to get faster as you complete every level) and the frantic dodging/escaping from zombies while collecting make-breaks to ensure mobility; you lose lives by either running into a zombie or by being forced into the top of the scrolling screen when you are out of make-breaks and are unable to escape a dead end. The controls are adequate for a 2600 game, since your only movements through the maze are vertical and horizontal; however, setting make-breaks correctly in open areas to avoid zombies can sometimes present a challenge.
While the originality of the game is great, the best feature of Entombed has to be its 2-player option. In two player mode, both participants play at the same time, instead of the Atari turn-based style that is typical with most 2600 games. Two player mode can be played in two different ways (as determined by the participants): (1) you can battle against each other to see who can make it deeper into the maze (whoever dies first loses), or (2) you can work with each other, hoarding and best using make-breaks, to see how far you both can go. Being somewhat of an a%$, and torturer of my wife and friends, I tend to prefer the former.
Though there is nothing particularly exceptional in terms of graphics and sound in Entombed, the gameplay is fairly solid and the cost of the game is typically low. For a few bucks, Entombed should be worth heavy consideration if found in the wild.
**video courtesy of Highretrogamelord89**
RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 3
Graphics: 2
Sound Effects/Music: 1
Concept: 3
Replay Value: 2
Cart/Box Art: 3
Overall Score: 2.34
[img width=400 height=484]http://www.atarimania.com/2600/boxes/hi_res/jawbreaker_cart.jpg[/img]
SPECS:
Game: Jawbreaker
Year: 1982
Publisher: Tigervision
Developer: Sierra On-Line
Designer: John Harris
Rarity (according to AtariAge): 5 = rare
Controls: Joystick
Number of Players: 1 - 2 (turn based)
Average Cost: approx $20 - $30 loose
Also Available On: Atari 400/800, Atari 5200 (homebrew), Apple II, Commodore 64, Commodore VIC-20, TI-99/4A, and Tiger stand-alone version (gameplay may differ for each system)
Tagline/Description: "You're loose in a candy factory! Quickly move the chomping set of teeth to eat up all the candy bars. Be careful, the happy faces may get you! Clear the screen and it's time for some quick hygiene - a tooth brush will clean your teeth to get you ready for your next romp through the candy factory. Tigervision fun at its sweetest."
Imagine if Pac-Man and Turmoil for the 2600 had a love child, that child's name would be Jawbreaker. Jawbreaker is essentially a Pac-Man clone and earlier versions of it on the Atari 400/800 verify this accusation (see picture below). Though Atari never went after Tigervision for infringement, rumor is that they were in heated discussions with Sierra On-Line (the developer) for their very similar 400/800 version. All 400/800 Jawbreaker games were also replaced by a version similar to the 2600 version referred to as "Jawbreaker II." Though similar in many ways to Pac-Man, I believe that Jawbreaker for the 2600 stands on its own and adds a new spin to videogaming's most well-known icon.
Jawbreaker for the Atari 400/800 (look familiar?)
[img width=384 height=240]http://retro-pc.com/images/jawbreaker.jpg[/img]
In Jawbreaker, you control a set of chomping teeth and you must maneuver your way through a horizontal maze eating candy dots, while avoiding the jawbreakers. Although the concept is similar to Pac-Man, in Jawbreaker, the horizontal walls of the maze are constantly in motion and offer only limited escape by traveling through openings in these walls (as opposed to Pac-Man's stationary maze). The goal of Jawbreaker is to devour all of the candy on the screen and you can also gain additional points by eating a "power bar," which strengthens your teeth and allows you to devour the jawbreakers for a limited time. If you are successful at finishing a board, you are rewarded with a comical, yet voracious, toothbrushing to prepare you for more candy eating. Jawbreaker, like the few other "dental hygienic" games on the 2600 (see Plaque Attack (Activision) and Tooth Protectors (DSD/Camelot), reminds us that it's okay to eat like gluttons, as long as we follow up with keeping our choppers nice and sparkly.
Jawbreaker for the Atari 2600
**video courtesy of Highretrogamelord89**
What I like most about Jawbreaker are the controls and the fluidity of the game. Though movement in the game is limited to up, down, and side-to-side (perfect for the stiff 2600 controls), the action is fast-paced and you really have to be able to take in all of the movements on the board very quickly. The jawbreakers and escape openings travel at various speeds and one must not only pay attention to the line you are currently on, but also those directly above and below you. If your mouth comes in contact with a jawbreaker, you not only lose a life, but your teeth are also shattered and actually drop out of your mouth. The teeth dropping, the creepy, smiley faced jawbreakers, and the toothbrushing at the completion of each level add a fun and comical element to the game. Also, Tigervision cartridges are colorful, have a unique look, and are fun to collect, since they add a nice rainbow of coloration to your normally bland, black stack of rectangles; Jawbreaker being a distinctively bright, candy apple red color.
Like the majority of the 2600 catalog, Jawbreaker is played for points. Since the gameplay is so simple and easy to grasp quickly, I've enjoyed hours of playing this game with friends and competing for highest score. For many of you who were disappointed with the port of Pac-Man on the 2600 like myself, I can highly recommend this game as a suitable substitute.
RATINGS (on a scale of 1-4: 4 being the highest):
Controls: 4
Graphics: 3 (should I even be rating this category, it's Atari)
Sound Effects/Music: 3
Concept: 3 (not original, but fun none the less)
Replay Value: 4
Cart/Box Art: 4
Overall Score: 3.50
**Since this is my initial blog entry, please comment and feel free to let me know what features or qualities about this game, or the others I will review, that you would like to know more about. Any suggestions or constructive criticisms are greatly appreciated. Thank you**
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