Classic Home Video Games (1985-1988) Read online

  Pole Position II, for that matter), but with a post Chuck (who starts off on the right side of the

  holocaust theme and the ability for players to

  screen) around a non-scrolling playfield,

  destroy the cars they are trying to pass. Power-

  avoiding manholes, angry chefs, and flying

  ups and weapons include machine guns, dyna-

  food items. The goal is to make it to an ice

  mite, shields (for temporary protection), death

  cream cone (which is positioned on the left side

  crystals (which allow players to crash into cars

  of the screen) before it melts. Luckily, Charlie

  unscathed), rockets, oil, smoke, and nitro (for

  can throw spinach, salads, tomatoes, pies, wa-

  increasing acceleration and gas mileage). Play-

  termelons, and other food items at the chefs

  ers can also effect repairs and purchase car

  (named Angelo, Zorba, Oscar, and Jacques),

  parts. The game takes place over 32 levels and,

  who remain in constant pursuit. The graphics

  thankfully, a password feature lets players save

  and concept in general are simplistic (in a good

  their progress (a rarity for a 7800 game). In-

  way), the action is fast and fun, and the theme

  terestingly (not to mention disturbingly and

  lends itself well to humor (just watch Charlie as

  amusingly), at the end of each level, several on-

  he opens wide to gulp down his ice cream).

  lookers explode, the number of which depends

  Food Fight was only ported to the 7800, giving on how fast the player has completed the

  owners of the system some much-needed brag-

  course.

  ging rights.

  Fight Night

  Galaga

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Imagineering.

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: General Com-

  Sports/Boxing, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous).

  puter Corp. Slide-and-Shoot, 1 or 2 players

  1988.

  (alternating). 1986.

  A slow, clunky port of the Commodore 64

  A semi-satisfactory port of Namco’s awe-

  game (1986), Fight Night for the Atari 7800

  some arcade shooter (1981), Galaga for the

  ATARI 7800

  15

  Atari 7800 features solid shooting action, re-

  Tradewest arcade game. One or two players

  spectable sound effects, enemies that behave

  trudge through the jungle (which includes

  like their coin-op counterparts, and, thank-

  rivers, the sea, and bombed-out buildings),

  fully, challenge stages and dual-ship action (the

  shooting or throwing grenades at soldiers,

  two defining aspects of the original game). On

  bunkers, helicopters, tanks, and gates. Power-

  a less positive note, the player’s ship is too

  ups, fuel, and extra ammo can be picked up

  small, the graphics have lost some of their

  along the way. As in Front Line (arcade, Cole-crispness and color, the stage indicator badges

  coVision) players can occasionally comman-

  have been replaced by simple numbers, and the

  deer tanks. The ultimate goal is to rescue the

  action has been slowed down a little. Despite

  colonel at the end of the last level. The coin-

  these weaknesses, Galaga is a nice addition to op version of Ikari Warriors boasts rotary con-the 7800 library, especially since the game never

  trols for aiming in all directions, but the 7800

  made it to the 2600 or the 5200. For a more ac-

  joysticks do a respectable job in this regard. In

  curate port, fans should pick up Galaga:

  addition, the arcade game has forced scrolling,

  Demons of Death for the NES. Galaga spawned which is gone from this version. When com-numerous sequels and offshoots, including

  pared to the better looking NES rendition, the

  Gaplus (arcade), Galaga 3 (arcade), Galaga ’90

  7800 game has better controls, a distinct lack

  (Turbografx-16), and Galaga: Destination Earth

  of glitches, and faster, fairer gameplay. Also re-

  (PlayStation).

  leased for the Atari 2600. Similar to: Com-

  mando.

  Hat Trick

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Ibid.

  Impossible Mission

  Sports/Hockey, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous).

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Man Develop-

  1987.

  ment Corp. Adventure/Non-Scrolling Plat-

  form, 1 player. 1987.

  This simple hockey title is a faithful port

  of the Bally Sente arcade game from 1984.

  Impossible Mission for the 7800 would’ve

  Viewed from an overhead perspective, the two-

  been a good adaptation of the puzzling com-

  on-two action pits one goalie and a skater

  puter game if it weren’t for one fatal flaw. The

  against another goalie and a skater. The goalies,

  objective is to search a bunch of rooms to find

  which are basically human Pong paddles, move 36 card key pieces for use in making nine card

  in sync with their skaters, and the skaters,

  keys that can unlock Professor Elvin Atomben-

  which can steal the puck, simply shoot in the di-

  der’s secret lair. Riding elevators, jumping over

  rection the joystick is pushed. After each two-

  obstacles, avoiding robots, and solving puzzles

  minute game, a Zamboni machine cleans up

  are all part of the action. Unfortunately, some

  the mess. The controls in Hat Trick seem to

  of the pieces are hidden under computer termi-

  have a bit of a delayed reaction, but the pro-

  nals that cannot be searched, literally making

  grammers may have purposely included this

  the already tough game an impossible mission.

  perceived flaw to emulate skating on ice.

  The flaw was corrected for the PAL format for-

  Hockey hounds and fans of the sport in gen-

  eign release, but that didn’t do much for Amer-

  eral will want to stick with Blades of Steel for ican gamers who had wasted their time trying

  the NES. Pong purists will want to check out to find unreachable items. Consoles gamers

  Video Olympics for the Atari 2600.

  wanting a similar experience without such a

  flaw should pick up Impossible Mission II for Ikari Warriors

  the NES.

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Imagineering.

  Vertical Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 Players (si-

  Jinks

  multaneous). 1989.

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Softgold. Ball-

  and-Paddle, 1 player. 1989.

  Despite uneven visuals, Ikari Warriors for

  the Atari 7800 is an excellent port of the 1986

  Jinks is a disappointing game that tried to

  16

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  improve upon the brick-busting formula pio-

  Joust for the Atari 7800 is an admirable

  neered by Breakout by introducing hyperspace, port of the 1982 Williams arcade classic, in

  chomping teeth, a space age theme, a screen-

  which players fly a mounted ostrich around the

  shake feature for freeing the ball from repetitive

  screen, destroying buzzard riders by bumping

  patterns (which is not a bad idea, actually), four
r />   into them from above (even slightly above gets

  horizontally scrolling playfields, and a triangu-

  the job done). The 7800 game features several

  lar paddle that moves freely and can be in-

  details that the 5200 version left out, includ-

  verted. Regrettably, sluggish gameplay, a dis-

  ing the engine-like roar of enemies at the begin-

  tinct lack of challenge, and primitive audio/

  ning of each level and the buzzards that fly in

  visuals (voice effects notwithstanding) ruin the

  to pick up the riders that hatch from eggs (in

  experience. The storyline, which is purely super-

  the 5200 game, eggs simply hatch into riders

  fluous, involves a renowned Star Fleet pilot get-

  that that are already mounted atop buzzards).

  ting attacked while researching (and then try-

  There is one setback regarding the 7800 con-

  ing to escape from) a “lush, resource-rich

  troller, however, since pushing the side button

  world.” For a better Breakout- influenced game, again and again to keep the mounted ostrich

  players should try Arkanoid (arcade, NES).

  afloat can get tiresome. To remedy this, players

  can simply plug in a 2600 joystick. Or play the

  Joust

  NES version, which has better controls and

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: General Com-

  more detailed characters. Also released for the

  puter Corp. Non-Scrolling Platform, 1 or 2

  Atari 2600 and Atari Lynx. Followed by: Joust

  players (simultaneous). 1986.

  2: Survival of the Fittest (arcade).

  Similar to: Balloon Fight (NES).

  Karateka

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Ibid.

  Side-Scrolling Combat, 1 player.

  1988.

  Originally a computer game,

  Karateka for the 7800 lost some-

  thing in translation. Players guide

  a karate expert through six levels

  of one-on-one fights against pal-

  ace guards, punching and kicking

  (high and low) their way to vic-

  tory. There are two stances: one

  for running and one for fighting.

  Unfortunately, victory is hard to

  achieve, thanks to a one-life setup

  and horrible, unresponsive, coun-

  terintuitive controls. The com-

  puter versions benefit from key-

  board input, but there’s no excuse

  for how poorly the 7800 rendition

  handles. Also, the graphics seem

  adequate at first glance, but then

  the characters start moving, thus

  revealing the game’s choppy ani-

  Joust and Dig Dug typify the Atari 7800 library: nice arcade mation. The mission, for those un-ports of retro favorites.

  fortunate souls who chose to ac-

  ATARI 7800

  17

  cept it, is to save Princess Mariko from the

  the graphics and sounds have also taken a

  clutches of an evil warlord named Akuma.

  downturn. However, the real problem with the

  game is clunky controls as specific moves are

  Klax

  hard to pull off with the stiff 7800 joysticks. At

  PUBLISHER: ResQsoft Productions. DEVELOPER:

  least the 7800 version doesn’t eliminate jump

  Atari. Action Puzzle, 1 player. 2002.

  kicks like the Atari 2600 rendition. Released

  for the NES as Kung Fu.

  Klax for the Atari 7800 was programmed

  during the mid–1980s, but was never officially

  released until the 2002 Classic Gaming Expo.

  Mario Bros.

  P

  The cartridge was produced in limited quanti-

  UBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: ITDC. Non-

  Scrolling Platform, 1 or 2 players (simultane-

  ties and includes a box, instructions (reprinted

  ous). 1988.

  from the Atari 2600 manual), and a bonus

  pamphlet containing an interview with the

  In Mario Bros. , players guide the titular

  game’s programmer. Gameplay is highly faith-

  Nintendo mascot as he walks over and under

  ful to Atari’s 1989 coin-op classic, with players

  water pipe platforms, bumping with his head

  lining up descending (on a conveyor belt) tiles

  the floors beneath creeping, crawling shell-

  in rows, columns, and diagonals, trying to line

  creepers (turtles) and sidesteppers (crabs) in

  up three or more tiles of the same color to re-

  order to knock them over. Then, Mario must

  move them from the screen (combos are worth

  jump up to that level to kick the fallen crea-

  extra points). Players catch each tile on a pad-

  ture(s) off the screen. There are also hopping

  dle and can drop it into position below, hold

  fighterflies, roaming fireballs, and sliding

  onto it (temporarily), or hoist it back up to the

  slipice to contend with, the latter of which can

  conveyor belt. Letting too many tiles get past

  freeze floors, making them slippery. Although

  the paddle ends the game. Missing are the voice

  not as faithfully reproduced as the near-perfect

  effects (the sounds in general are poor in this

  NES version, Mario. Bros. for the 7800 does fea-version) and the two-player split screen mode

  ture all the elements that made Nintendo’s 1983

  (which did make the cut in the NES rendition),

  coin-op classic great, including the essential

  but crisp controls and graphics make the game

  two-player simultaneous mode (in which the

  a worthwhile port. Also released for the Atari

  second gamer controls Mario’s brother, Luigi).

  Lynx, Genesis, TurboGrafx-16, Game Boy,

  It even has some of the details that the Atari

  Game Boy Color, and Game Gear.

  5200 rendition missed, such as the screen after

  the bonus round in which the coins collected

  Kung-Fu Master

  are shown on display. Nitpickers will notice

  PUBLISHER: Absolute Entertainment. DEVEL-

  that the 7800 version does play a bit fast. Also

  OPER: Absolute Entertainment. Side-Scrolling

  released for the Atari 2600.

  Combat, 1 or 2 Players (alternating). 1989.

  Based on the 1984 Data East arcade classic,

  Mat Mania Challenge

  which was one of the earliest beat-’em-up

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: BlueSky Soft-

  ware. Sports/Wrestling, 1 or 2 players (simul-

  games, Kung-Fu Master has players walking,

  taneous). 1990.

  jumping, punching, and kicking their way

  through five levels of henchmen, knife throw-

  Inspired by Taito’s Mat Mania (1985) and

  ers, midgets, dragons, snakes, killer moths, and

  Mania Challenge (1986), Mat Mania Challenge other enemies. At the end of each level, a boss,

  boasts lots of moves typical of the genre, in-

  such as Stick Fighter or Boomerang Thrower,

  cluding flying kicks, hammer throws, pile driv-

  lies in wait. The game takes place in the Evil

  ers, overhead slams, punches, kicks, atomic

  Wizard’s temple, where players must rescue

  drops, and more. Fancier moves reward play-

  Princess Victoria. The mummy ninjas
from the

  ers with higher scores, but simple button-

  fifth level of the arcade game are missing, as is

  mashing works pretty well. The game looks

  the introductory story sequence. Predictably,

  okay, but lacks the outrageous personality and

  18

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  raucous nature of “real” pro wrestling (though

  the standard three-tap system, which controls

  the wrestlers can climb posts). Also, gameplay

  the power of the shot and determines whether

  feels like fighting the same guy again and again,

  the ball hooks, slices, or goes straight. Trees,

  unlike in the aforementioned arcade games,

  sand traps, water, and other obstacles dot the

  which feature such distinctive wrestlers as In-

  18-hole Pebble Beach course, which features a

  sane Warrior, Hurricane Joe, and Golden Hulk.

  nice variety of layouts. When putting, the game

  The elevated view of the ring is from the side,

  switches from a behind-the-golfer perspective

  with a crowd looking on. Similar to: Pro

  to an overhead view, and players must take into

  Wrestling (NES).

  account which way the greens break. Mean 18

  Ultimate Golf is based on Accolade’s Mean 18

  Mean 18 Ultimate Golf

  computer game (1986), which boasts multiple

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: BlueSky Soft-

  courses and a course editor (elements lacking

  ware. Sports/Golf, 1 or 2 Players (alternating).

  in the 7800 version).

  1989.

  This hard-to-find golf game gives players

  Meltdown

  a solid (if unspectacular) video rendition of the

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Light Gun

  popular sport. To hit the ball, players follow

  Shooter, 1 player. 1990.

  In Meltdown, players must

  protect the reactor cores of 20 dif-

  ferent nuclear power plants that

  have been sabotaged by terrorists.

  This is done by aiming the light

  gun at the screen and shooting

  five different types of “sparkx”

  that bounce off walls and off a re-

  actor core that is positioned in the

  middle of the playfield. There are

  also power crystals to shoot, which

  can repair control rods, double

  the size of the shots, give the gun

  continual fire, and more. Melt-

  down has some nice features (in-

  cluding a password system) and

  inventive ideas (missed shots cre-

  ate temporary barriers), but the

  screen annoyingly blinks with