Astrocade vs. Odyssey 2!

[Aswald]

ColecoVision vs. 5200.

Nintendo entertainment System vs. Sega Master System.

Atari VCS vs. Intellivision.


We've heard plenty of comparisons and vs. over the years, but this is one I haven't heard.


So- which of these two first-generation consoles do YOU think is best?

Astrocade or Odyssey 2?


I would say the Astrocade. In fact, it was better than the Atari 2600, although it never matched it in popularity. Pity it didn't have a better selection; even the Odyssey 2 had an RPG.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Oh, I think you know what I'm gonna say here. LOL

[Aswald]

Ah, there we go! Now you can vote on it, too!

[AB Positive]

I bought an AV modded O2 just so I could play Pick Axe Pete without static. I'm gonna go with O2 here.

-AG

[Ed Oscuro]

A system...that lets you play such kickass games as Astrosmash and gets the job done with only 1,800 bytes free in 4K of memory!*

...that uses a graphics language based off that used in the Star Wars Death Star Run Briefing sequence!

...that looks awesome even when it's turned off!

It is...could it be any other? The Astrocade!

The O^2 is a great system though.

As a result...not voting yet! Both are too awesome.

*graphics and data are interleaved @_@

[tholly]

O^2 .............. my first system and one of my all time favorites

i always love Attack of the Timelord w/ The Voice add-on

[o2william]

Hmmm... I wonder which I should vote for? LOL It's the O2 for o2william.

Although the Astrocade is a nice machine. The Incredible Wizard is, well, incredible.

BTW, here is some proof that Nimoy does, in fact, rule (http://www.classicgaming.com/o2home/media/videos.asp).

[y-bot]

I like them both but I think the Astrocade is a better machine. You can program your own games on a calculator keypad and save them to cassettes. How cool is that?

y-bot

[8-Bit Master]

I'm going to have to go with the Odyssey2 on this one. I've had some pretty good times with some of my O2 games. Quest for the Rings is a pretty neat piece in my collection.

[rbudrick]

Some people actually picked Astrocade? Interesting...

Coming soon!:

Channel F Vs. My Ass!

-Rob

[y-bot]

how about Channel F vs. Studio II?

y-bot

[digitalpress]

This is an easy one for me. I love the Astrocade, and - despite the efforts of my good friends Phosphor Dot Fossils and O2William to convince me otherwise - simply do not enjoy the Odyssey2.

The main selling point for the Astrocade is the game The Incredible Wizard, which is one of my favorite home games of all time.

http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/incrediblewizard.htm

There are a few fun O2 titles (You won't have to twist my art to play Pick Axe Pete, for example), but across the entire library there's just no comparison head-to-head... Astrocade wins!

[ddockery]

Yes! Incredible Wizard is an Awesome port of Wizard of Wor, which is that one game I'd like to have and always forget about for some odd reason. There's just something about it.

[ianoid]

This is an easy one for me. I love the Astrocade... Astrocade wins!

I just don't understand how there can be any contest. Astrocade is so much cooler with the sound, the graphics, the controllers. I'm just amazed at how much support there is for the Odyssey 2. I think the most excitiing thing about Odyssey 2 is collecting for it.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

And here I thought I'd done such a good job on my O2 sales pitch to you last year, Ian. LOL

I will say this - Pick Axe Pete, KC Munchkin aside...you can never truly grasp the glory of the O2 without a second player. Smithereens, Quest For The Rings, Monkeyshines, War Of Nerves, Baseball...the BEST stuff for the O2 is strictly two-player goodness. I'd even rate it over the 2600 (even keeping Warlords in mind) and Intellivision in that regard.

Then again, my family and I did spend an awful lot of time playing those games when I was growing up.

[bigdaddychester]

My vote went for the Astrocade. It has a special place in my life. As best as I can recall, it was the first game system I ever owned, and it's still in my "spare bedroom of doom" hooked up and ready for action. I've never played an O2 and I'm sure it has it's good points but I take the Astrocade anyday!!!! :D

[Aswald]

This is an easy one for me. I love the Astrocade, and - despite the efforts of my good friends Phosphor Dot Fossils and O2William to convince me otherwise - simply do not enjoy the Odyssey2.

The main selling point for the Astrocade is the game The Incredible Wizard, which is one of my favorite home games of all time.

http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/incrediblewizard.htm

There are a few fun O2 titles (You won't have to twist my art to play Pick Axe Pete, for example), but across the entire library there's just no comparison head-to-head... Astrocade wins!

You know, that actually looks better than the 5200 version. And since the Astrocade isn't cursed with those flaky controllers, it's probably easier to control.

Can't wait for Opcode's ColecoVision version!

[Aswald]

Are there any Astrocade homebrews?

[Kepone]

Odyssey 2.

I've never even seen an Astrocade in my life. O_O

But the O2 is a nice little system to mess around with. Primitive, but it forces you to use your imagination more.

[y-bot]

People have been making "homebrews" for the Astrocade since it was new. There is a limit to the size of games that can be made with BASIC though and they are not quite the quality of the commercially released games. Anyone can make a game with only the original Astrocade hardware, BASIC cartridge and a cassette recorder. You can have it made into a cartridge for about $10. Let's see you do that on the Odyssey with your Computer Intro cartridge.
y-bot

[Kid Ice]

Odyssey 2. Astrocade is a better piece of hardware in most ways, but the O2 has a better overall library.

[ozyr]

O2 all the way! I like the Bally too, but the O2 just had more 'style' to it, and has a more diverse library of games. Sure, not all the games are great, but many of them are pretty good.

As I"ve always seen though, you either love it or hate it.

[swlovinist]

Wow by far I have to go with my Astrocade which is hooked up by the way...I have the complete O2 US set with a 128 Multicart as well. Great system, but when it comes to 2 player games, Incredable Wiz, Dogpatch, and Artillery Duel are some of the best retrogaming times I spent with my friend Zach...hands down! The Astrocade is one of the wierd retrosystems that definately got "No respect"

[christianscott27]

i'm impressed enough people have astrocades to compare the two!

i'd agree with ian about the fun being in collecting, but for both systems. i might be loathe to admit it as a classic gamer but for me the 02, astrocade, leisurevision, channel F and studio II are just collecting systems. i have played most of my games for all of those systems but i doubt i'll be going back to any of them soon.

pretty much the way i look at is if you didnt fall in love with these systems as a kid its pretty hard to get into them as an adult.