Classic Home Video Games (1985-1988) Read online

  every shot fired, and the gun isn’t

  very accurate. Players willing to

  overlook these shortcomings will

  find something to enjoy, as will

  fans of Reactor (a somewhat sim-

  ilar Atari 2600 game).

  Midnight Mutants

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Ra-

  dioactive Software. Adventure, 1

  Although the Atari 7800 didn’t have a light gun of its very own, player. 1990.

  Meltdown and Barnyard Blaster were compatible with the XG-1 light gun, which was packaged with the Atari XE game system.

  The closest thing the Atari

  The XG-1 was sold separately for the benefit of 7800 owners.

  7800 has to a Legend of Zelda–

  ATARI 7800

  19

  type of adventure game, Midnight Mutants

  formation found in the instruction manual:

  consists of 10 atmospheric, highly detailed

  “To save wear and tear on your thumb, strap a

  areas to explore, including a mansion, a

  rubber band around the joystick button that

  church, a graveyard, and a pumpkin patch.

  controls acceleration for long play sessions.”

  Each area is teeming with zombies, vampires,

  bats, mutant bosses (including Dr. Evil), and

  Ms. Pac-Man

  other killable monsters. The goal is to save

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: General Com-

  Grampa Munster (yep, the one from The Mun-

  puter Corp. Maze, 1 or 2 players (alternating).

  sters television show), who is being held at Plas-1986.

  mic Prison. Fortunately, Jimmy, the character

  The lipstick on Ms. Pac-Man’s famous

  players control, can pick up a number of help-

  mug is about all that’s missing in this stellar

  ful items, including a knife, a cross, an axe, a

  port of Midway’s 1981 arcade classic (which im-

  blaster, a key (for entering the crypt), dia-

  proved upon its predecessor, Pac-Man, by fea-

  monds (to increase Jimmy’s health), and more.

  turing four mazes, faster gameplay, moving

  Regrettably, there is no password feature for

  fruit, and smarter enemy A.I.). The title char-

  saving progress, and control is a bit awkward,

  acter’s round edges are a little jagged (making

  thanks to the isometric perspective and

  the NES versions look more polished), and the

  Jimmy’s inability to walk diago-

  nally. However, awesome graph-

  ics and sounds, nonlinear game-

  play, and a fairly unusual concept

  make the game a worthwhile

  entry in the 7800 library.

  MotorPsycho

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER:

  BlueSky Software. Motorcycle

  Racing, 1 player. 1990.

  MotorPsycho has been called

  a motorcycle version of Pole Posi-

  tion II, and that’s a pretty good

  description of the game. There are

  four different tracks comprised of

  winding roads, vehicles to pass,

  and roadside signs to avoid crash-

  ing into. Also, the vehicle has two

  speeds (high and low), and the

  objective is to get through each

  course as fast as possible. Sound

  familiar? One thing that separates

  MotorPsycho from Pole Position II

  is the fact that the player’s vehicle

  can score extra points by jumping

  over enemy bikes, arrow signs,

  cones, and ramps. Also, the road-

  ways in MotorPsycho are hilly at

  times. The game’s title is mislead-

  ing, however, as there is nothing

  Two excellent Atari 7800 ports of arcade classics: Ms. Pac-Man, really psychotic about the game,

  the world-famous maze game, and Xevious, the highly influen-other than the following bit of in-

  tial vertical scrolling shooter.

  20

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  playfield is square (as opposed to rectangular)

  is basic as well, consisting primarily of run-

  to accommodate the shape of most television

  ning, jumping, and kicking. After the ball is

  screens, but these are small complaints. Unlike

  hit, the ninja runs to the ball, encountering go-

  the coin-op classic (or the NES versions), this

  phers, frogs, ninja guards, water hazards

  rendition lets players select the starting level,

  (which include sharks), sand traps (which in-

  meaning anyone can jump straight to the ba-

  clude snakes), and other enemies and obstacles

  nana screen. In addition, the pre-game anima-

  along the way. Helpful items to pick up include

  tion introducing the ghosts by name is intact

  throwing stars, magic shields, warps, and more.

  (a feature missing in the NES versions). Also

  When the ball gets to the green, there is no put-

  released for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Gene-

  ting. Rather, players hurl ninja stars at a

  sis, and numerous other systems. Followed by:

  dragon. This graphically impressive, first-per-

  Pac-Man Collection (Game Boy Advance), Pac-son scene is reminiscent of the shuriken-

  Man Fever (PS2, GameCube), Pac-Man World

  throwing bonus rounds in Shinobi.

  3 (various), and numerous other sequels and

  offshoots.

  One-on-One Basketball

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Man Develop-

  Ninja Golf

  ment. Sports/Basketball, 1 or 2 players (simul-

  P

  taneous). 1987.

  UBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: BlueSky Soft-

  ware. Sports/Golf/Side-Scrolling Combat/

  This is a complete, finely programmed

  First-Person Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternat-

  port of the popular computer game (which was

  ing). 1990.

  simply called One-on-One) starring NBA su-

  A highly original creation, Ninja Golf com-

  perstars Dr. J. and Larry Bird. The controls take

  bines three different genres to come up with

  a little getting used to thanks to the stiff 7800

  one very good game. The golfing aspect is sim-

  joysticks, but the game has smooth animation,

  plistic, since all players really do is aim, judge

  a nicely rendered hardwood floor, and some

  the distance, and hit the ball. The fighting action

  entertaining one-on-one hoops action. Players

  can steal, rebound, shoot three-

  pointers (Bird is the better outside

  shooter, naturally), charge, travel,

  get fatigued, dunk the ball (Dr. J is

  the superior dunker, of course),

  and more. On a particularly vi-

  cious dunk, the backboard will

  shatter, prompting an angry ref to

  come out and sweep up the bro-

  ken glass. Excellent sound effects

  accompany this amusing scene.

  Also released for the ColecoVision

  (as One-on-One). Followed by:

  Jordan vs. Bird: One on One (NES,

  Game Boy) and Jordan vs. Bird

  (Genesis).

  Pete Rose Baseball

  PUBLISHER: Absolute Entertain-

  ment. DEVELOPER: Absolute Enter-

  tainment. Sports/Baseball, 1 or 2

  players (simultaneous). 1989.

/>   Three Atari 7800 sports games: Hat Trick, One-on-One Bas-

  ketball, and RealSports Baseball, each pictured with box, in-Despite slightly sharper

  struction manual, and cartridge.

  graphics and a better color scheme,

  ATARI 7800

  21

  Pete Rose Baseball for the Atari 7800 is disap-Pole Position II, in which players speed

  pointingly similar to the Atari 2600 version of

  down twisting, turning streets (from a behind-

  the game, and one should expect more from a

  the-car perspective), passing other cars while

  next-generation system. Also, though it plays a

  avoiding crashing, is one of the weaker arcade

  good game of America’s favorite pastime, and

  ports in the Atari 7800 library, which is unfor-

  it’s superior to the 7800 version of RealSports

  tunate since it was the pack-in game with the

  Baseball, the infield defense in Pete Rose Base-system. It’s not as fast or as exciting as Atari’s

  ball could use some fine tuning. Sometimes the 1983 arcade classic, the explosions aren’t as in-player closest to the ball can’t reach it, forcing

  tense, the cars don’t look as cool or as colorfully

  gamers to switch to another infielder who must

  detailed, and the action isn’t as smooth. It’s far

  come all the way over to help. Like its 2600

  too easy to accidentally down shift (the pro-

  counterpart, the game features an onscreen

  grammers should have utilized the second fire

  umpire and catcher, cheering fans, the ability to

  button as the gear shift instead of the joystick),

  move around in the batter’s box, a warning

  and the steering wheel from the coin-op clas-

  track, a fence the ball can bounce off of, and

  sic is greatly missed. On a more positive note,

  six camera angles (including a behind-the-

  the game does include nicely detailed moun-

  pitcher perspective).

  tain ranges and all four original racetracks:

  Test, Fuji, Seaside, and Suzuka. Interestingly,

  Planet Smashers

  the billboards have been changed to Atari sym-

  P

  bols, and the “Qualify for Start” flag that flies

  UBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Vertical

  Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating).

  across the screen at the beginning of the game

  1990.

  has been altered to “Prepare to Qualify,” which

  was the wording in the original Pole Position.

  The prequel to Alien Brigade, Planet

  Smashers has players defending Earth from

  Rampage

  alien invaders. Despite the familiar concept,

  PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Spectral

  the game does have a couple of original aspects:

  Dimensions. Action, 1 or 2 players (simultane-

  the need to shoot colored-coded warp capsules

  ous). 1989.

  in order to progress to the next level; and an

  Earth shield that gets a little weaker with every

  Rampage for the Atari 7800 has fewer col-

  enemy that gets by the player’s starship. Once

  ors and is less sharp visually than the overrated

  the shield is gone, the game ends, even if there

  Bally Midway coin-op classic (1986), but it

  are starships in reserve. Basic gameplay in-

  does include all the enemies and items. In ad-

  volves moving a ship around the bottom third

  dition, it keeps the essential two-player mode

  of the playfield, shooting fighters, bombers,

  intact (though the three-player mode is miss-

  rammers, and alien cargo vessels while catch-

  ing), and it plays about the same (with the one

  ing cargo (weapon power-ups, a cloaking de-

  drawback being the poorly designed 7800 con-

  vice, and shield restoratives) as it falls from de-

  trollers). Players guide giant monsters George

  stroyed alien ships. The bosses are impressive

  the Ape, Lizzie the Lizard, or Ralph the Wolf

  in appearance, but the rest of the game looks

  (who is missing from the NES version of the

  pretty ordinary. The sound effects are limited,

  game) as they climb buildings, smash build-

  and the shooting action is tiresome on the

  ings, eat people (and other items), grab money,

  thumb, thanks to the 7800’s side-button joy-

  and punch helicopters, trolleys, boats, police

  sticks. The end of the game is basically an ad-

  cars, and tanks. In all there are 132 cities to de-

  vertisement for Alien Brigade.

  stroy (the NES version has 128 cities while the

  SMS game has 50 levels spread over 10 cities).

  Pole Position II

  The view is from the side, and the action moves

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: General Com-

  at a slow pace. Also released for the Atari 2600

  puter Corp. Formula-1/Indy Racing, 1 player.

  and Atari Lynx. Followed by: Rampage World

  1986.

  Tour (various), Rampage Through Time (Play-

  22

  CLASSIC HOME VIDEO GAMES, 1985–1988

  Station), Rampage Puzzle Attack (Gameboy Ad-

  have never played the coin-op classic will get

  vance), and other sequels and offshoots.

  some enjoyment out of the inherently intense

  action, in which a man runs around the screen,

  RealSports Baseball

  shooting hordes of evil robots and rescuing in-

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Sports/

  nocents. However, arcade rats need not apply.

  Baseball, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1988.

  Also released for the Atari Lynx. Followed by:

  Robotron X (PlayStation) and Robotron 64

  An improvement (but not a significant

  (Nintendo 64).

  leap) graphically over the 2600 and 5200 ver-

  sions, RealSports Baseball for the Atari 7800 is Scrapyard Dog

  a decent looking, nicely animated game with

  P

  solid controls. It features bunting, eight pitch-

  UBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: BlueSky Soft-

  ware. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1990.

  ing variations (including fast balls, curves,

  change-ups, and sliders), and high, low, and

  The closest thing the Atari 7800 has to

  normal swings of the bat. However, it does

  Super Mario Bros. , Scrapyard Dog is the type of contain a few flaws that put it in league with

  side-scrolling platform game that was ex-

  the 2600 rendition, namely poor fielding, un-

  tremely popular during the late ’80s and early

  even base-running, and lousy sound effects.

  ’90s. Players guide an ugly, big-nosed guy

  Also, playing the computer is brutal, especially

  named Louie through six rounds (17 levels in

  since there are very few areas of the field to

  all) of junkyards, cities, and sewers, jumping

  safely hit the ball. Gamers should stick with the

  on or throwing cans or bombs at gangsters,

  superior 5200 version. On a historical note, the

  rats, birds, and other enemies. There are some

  RealSports line of games was originally intro-

  tricky jumps and lots of obstacles, meaning the

  duced
to compete with Mattel’s Intellivision

  shields players can acquire (and store up) do

  sports games, which were generally much more

  come in handy. Bonus rooms throughout the

  sophisticated than their Atari 2600 counter-

  levels contain mini-games, and there are shops

  parts. The RealSports moniker stuck when it

  for purchasing super cans, extra lives, and other

  was time to create sports titles for the 5200 and

  helpful items. Scrapyard Dog is a must-have for 7800.

  7800 devotees since it’s the only game of its

  type for the system, but the lead character lacks

  Robotron: 2084

  the charisma to be considered a console mas-

  PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: General Com-

  cot. Mario, Sonic, Bonk, and Alex Kidd have

  puter Corp. Non-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2

  it all over Louie.

  players (alternating). 1987.

  Robotron: 2084 for the 7800 would be an

  Sentinel

  acceptable port of the 1982 Williams arcade

  PUBLISHER: ResQsoft Productions. DEVELOPER:

  Imagineering. Light Gun Shooter, 1 or 2 play-

  classic if it weren’t for a couple of key setbacks.

  ers (alternating). 2002.

  Unlike the superior Atari 5200 version of the

  game, which was packaged with a special dual

  In Sentinel, players must protect a large

  controller holder, the 7800 rendition expects

  orb as it glides across the surface of four differ-

  players to somehow hold both controllers at

  ent alien planets, each of which contains such

  once (or perhaps fit the controllers together

  backgrounds as buildings and mountains. This

  with tape, rubber bands, or by some other

  is done by shooting the various enemies (rings,

  method). The game is playable with one con-

  tubes, stars, cubes, satellites, hover crafts, and

  troller, but this hardly evokes the coin-op ex-

  the like) that attack the titular orb. Players can

  perience, as gamers must shoot the way they

  also find power-ups, including super shots

  are moving. Also, it is impossible to shoot

  (smart bombs that explode when the orb is

  while standing still. On a less important note,

  shot), energy pods (which circle the orb), and

  the graphics aren’t quite as colorful, and the

  movement (which increases the orb’s vertical

  sound effects aren’t quite as busy. Gamers who

  speed). When an enemy is killed, the orb absorbs

  ATARI 7800

  23

  the resultant energy and grows larger. The pro-

  in the computer simulation to land, change al-