The Atari 2600 VCS Thread

TL · February 20, 2013, 20:48:48 PM

I noticed we didn't have a specific thread for the console that started it all so I thought I better start one!

I also came across this incredible demo for the VCS that needed sharing!

https://youtu.be/XM1CbBePcdk

TrekMD · February 21, 2013, 01:11:01 AM

That is pretty impressive!Â Very fluid animation and the music is pretty cool also.

davyk · February 21, 2013, 12:03:51 PM

2600 asteroids.

Not long after I got my 2600 - I had just turned 16 - and a endowment policy had matured out of which my brilliant parents got me one (£100 was A LOT of money for us in 1982), an ad appeared in the paper that stated if you sent proof of purchase off to a given address you would get a copy of Asteroids sent to you for free.

Couldn't believe it when it actually arrived (with the returned proof of purchase)- it was such a good offer we really didn't believe it would come off.

It turns out that the game I got for free was damn close to being the one we played the most. I am not kidding here - my brother and I had an Asteroids session every day (game 39) for well over a year - every day.

Its looks a bit flickery now (though on older TVs it didn't flicker as much due to phosphor burn) and I wouldn't play it now (have the great 7800 version) but it evokes so many memories.

I got a clapped out black and white TV for my bedroom (it got so that you could only see the picture when the room was dark - the tube must have been knackered) and I can remember many happy hours on the 2600 with my brother and cousins undisturbed by parental TV viewing demands - and the wonders of the color/bw switch on the console.

Nothing will ever recreate the thrill of having video games at home after a lifetime of them not existing.

That 2600 was played for years - and it ignited my interest in IT - how I make my living now - and I can never thank my parents enough for letting me get that console back then. They really had their doubts and thought it might be £100 wasted on a fad. They gave me the benefit of the doubt and I like to think I proved to them it wasn't a fad. They still talk about it occasionally even now - 30years later.

I eventually sold it to a market trader with all my boxed games and I'm ashamed to say I probably spent the money on drink....to my eternal shame.

Got another one about 5 years ago on eBay and started to buy some CIB games until I discovered the Harmony cart that lets me play every game ever and homebrew. I will probably still collect some more games until I get my favourites CIB

I learned my lesson - and have never since offloaded a console with one exception. I gave my NES and games away to my sister when I got NESTER for DC (it is THAT good) - and now and again I get a pang from that even though its video output was crap and the cart slot was playing up.

TL · February 21, 2013, 22:05:14 PM

What would everyone say is the best coin-op conversion on the 2600?

I have always found it pretty stunning the way they managed to cram a lot of these machines into the limitations of the VCS.

Anyway I would have to go with Defender 2/Stargate - stunning conversion!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp6flUvuueY

davyk · February 21, 2013, 23:10:44 PM

I could be pedantic and say that Tank and Super Breakout are probably the best but I take it we really mean later arcade games.

Defender 2 probably is the best but Berzerk is a great effort.

Starpath version of Frogger, Joust, Warlords, Missile Command and Solar Fox are all great shouts too.

TrekMD · February 22, 2013, 02:04:16 AM

Stargate/Defender II is the best port of an arcade game on the 2600 but The Official Frogger is certainly up there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL6suG-xDlw

dougtitchmarsh · February 23, 2013, 16:08:00 PM

Wow that version of Frogger is really good, I'd never seen it on the 2600 before I may have to see if I can get a copy somewhere.
Would it be illegal to mention Space Invaders as a good game on the VCS, we always spent hours playing that when we were kids. I know it's not arcade perfect but in some ways I like it more than the arcade version.

TrekMD · February 23, 2013, 21:09:49 PM

Space Invaders is a very nice port that, despite not being arcade-perfect, is well executed. The game variations make it quite fun. There are also a number of homebrews that bring a more arcade-like experience to the 2600. Just for comparison, here are the original Space Invaders and two other 2600 versions:

Space Invaders
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opru6qPsPa4

Space Invaders Arcade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlwMStywdDo

Space Instigators
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVGdlRSCDpQ

dot.fyre · February 23, 2013, 22:43:40 PM

The Frogger shown in the vid is the Starpath version.
This is what the standard version looks like. Not as nice looking but still plays well
and is still one of the best arcade conversions.

zapiy · February 24, 2013, 00:08:04 AM

Nice guys, some really interesting things there.

Never owned a 2600 so its nice to read up on it, must pick one up.

TrekMD · February 24, 2013, 00:12:55 AM

You never had a 2600, zap?

Well, here is another game that I was quite impressed to see attempted on the 2600 by Atari and that actually did a great job at retaining the game play of the original arcade despite the graphical limitations of the system. Here is Crystal Castles!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_jskCGsr_0

And here is the original arcade for reference:

https://youtu.be/zl0kc1EQ1js

zapiy · February 24, 2013, 00:34:57 AM

Nope, not that i owned.. My sister let me have hers but wanted to pass down to her daughter and played with friends ones so never sought my own.. I have later Atari models just not this.. Will do soon though lolÂ

TrekMD · February 24, 2013, 00:36:44 AM

Quote from: "zapiy"Nope, not that i owned.. My sister let me have hers but wanted to pass down to her daughter and played with friends ones so never sought my own.. I have later Atari models just not this.. Will do soon though lolÂ

TL · February 26, 2013, 18:22:42 PM

My favourite game for the 2600 is still Solaris and I also think it's by far the most impressive commercial game for the machine. Star Raiders programmer Doug Neubauer did wonders with this game. I still remember the first time I showed the game to a Master System owning friend back in the day and he couldn't believe it was running on the 2600, he was utterly stunned by it. I also remember my dad coming in the room when I was playing it and saying what system is this on, it doesn't look like an Atari game!

Here is a great review of it from Classic Game Room:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY2LrUjSpN0

Rogue Trooper · February 26, 2013, 20:48:33 PM

Quote from: "The Laird"My favourite game for the 2600 is still Solaris and I also think it's by far the most impressive commercial game for the machine. Star Raiders programmer Doug Neubauer did wonders with this game. I still remember the first time I showed the game to a Master System owning friend back in the day and he couldn't believe it was running on the 2600, he was utterly stunned by it. I also remember my dad coming in the room when I was playing it and saying what system is this on, it doesn't look like an Atari game!

Here is a great review of it from Classic Game Room:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY2LrUjSpN0

Despite this game coming up in 'conversation' over the years, i've (until now) never seen anything on it.Was'nt expecting that nuch to be honest, but jaw dropped once video started.

That looks fantastic (for an early 8 Bit era game), must have required some mind-boggling coding tricks to get that from aging hardware like the 2600.