Scenario: 1981

[ROBOTNIK666]

Here is a new game I created last night...Scenario.

I post a scenario that a person would have, usually choosing what video game to buy, and then you choose what seems to you the best choice.
Here goes...

The year is 1981. You are a 12-year old computer enthusiast who owns an Apple II. You are perfectly content with your current games, like Akalabeth: World of Doom, Zork, and Ultima, yet you want to try something new.

A different computer would be too much money, so you decide to upgrade your Odyssey 2000 pong system into a programmable home video game system.

On Saturday, you go down to some different computer and toy stores, and this is what you take note of:

Atari VCS: Atari's console has some very good games, like Asteroids, Space Invaders, and Breakout. The controls look very simplistic, with merely one button & an 8-way joystick, but some games use a keyboard controller, which is very good for games that need extra control. Even better is the BASIC programming cartridge, but I question its consistency with the actual programming language.

Overall, it seems like a good system for video games, less so for computing.

Magnavox Odyssey 2: When I first saw this console, I doubted it was actually a video game system, because of the keyboard on it. However, after reading the marketing mumbo-jumbo on the box, I realized that the keyboard was for educational use, and not for normal computer usage. I tried some of the games at a Toys R Us, and they were hardly passable. The one bright spot, however, is a Pac-Man game called KC Munchkin. They haven't released one for Atari yet, so this would be great to show my friends, who are all Pac-Maniacs.

Overall, this isn't a very good system at all, and the Pac-Man game only brings the system up to average.

Mattel Intellivision: From what I have seen, this is definitely the most advanced system so far. There are some good games, like Major League Baseball, Auto Racing, and Astrosmash, and the computer upgrade seems promising. However, the disc controllers are sort of hard to work with.

Overall, the games look good, and I am looking forward to the computer upgrade.

Bally Professional Arcade: When I went to Radio Shack, I noticed a very peculiar system called the Bally Professional Arcade. Bally/Midway is a gaming manufacturer that brought such games as Gunfight, Galaxian, and Pac-Man. Three games are built into the system plus a calcuator, which I would have a lot of uses for. A keypad is bulit into the system.

Overall, Bally Professional Arcade is a console I don't know much about right now, but it looks promising.


Use the poll to decide what you want. Remember, this takes place in '81, so your decision shouldn't be based on how the system is viewed now. For example, even though I said the "computer upgrade seems promising", you shouldn't say no to Intellivision just because it was never released. Vote on what you would say in 1981, not 2006.

If this get good posts, I will make more games of Scenario. Enjoy! :D

[ubikuberalles]

Buy an Atari 800 computer. Seriously. It had many of the same kind of games the VCS had (like Joust, Pac-Man, Defender, Missile Command) but with much better resolution and sound. Plus, you can program with it. That's what happened to me (although I was 21 and not 12). A friend of mine bought an Atari 800 and showed it to me in 1981. I wanted one for myself really bad but I didn't have the money at the time. I ended up buying an Atari 400 in 1982 or 1983 (and then hacked the heck out o it to make it function like an 400).

But...since you didn't list the Atari 800 as an option...I guess I'd take the Atari VCS.

[MrRoboto19XX]

Chances are I would've listened to ol' George after seeing one of those commercials. Intelligent Television all the way.

[Blanka789]

Chances are I would've listened to ol' George after seeing one of those commercials. Intelligent Television all the way.

Same here, with everything they had planned for the intellivision, it being more powerful, and the name/look, that's what I would go with.

[cyberfluxor]

No freaking clue... I guess Intellivision would be a nice choice for the time. I liked a good amount of their games, just nowindays their hit game collections (for gamecube, ps2, xbox, ect.) seem a bit overrated.

Also, this topic should be chilling in the Classic section. ;)

[kevin_psx]

I'd save my money and buy a Commodore 64 which was a kickass game machine. But you didn't offer that option so

Atari 2600

I always buy the console with the most variety in games. And I love atari's arcade ports.

[Kid Ice]

Here's a classic gaming question if I ever saw one.

-*punt*-

[Jumpman Jr.]

I have, and always will be, an Intellivision guy.

[smork]

VCS was my system as a wee pup, it's my choice now. Always hated the Intellivision controllers -- to the point of being a deal breaker. Odyssey 2 would be cool, except as you say not so many cool games.

VCS just has the best library, even though so many games on it are crap. So many are awesome, though.

[Jibbajaba]

I went with the VCS, but I have to agree with Altairboy. I would have saved up for an Atari 800. Actually, I would have just been content with my Apple ][, since I am an Apple ][ nut. but if I had wanted to buy a gaming console at the time, it would have been the Atari I think. I agree that the Intelly controllers are a deal-breaker.

Chris

EDIT: I also really like this and I hope you do another one.

[kirin jensen]

Back then, if I had the money to buy a console, it would have beenn the O2.

Now? I own an O2. 'Nuff said.

[diskoboy]

In 1981, I actually had an O2 and a VCS. But my folks purchased those.

If I had the money, I would've gone with the VCS, all the way.

I wouldn't have minded having an Inty, but as a kid, I hated those discs. Plus my friend down the street had one. I just played his. I bought it years later. :D

[bigdaddychester]

Go with the Bally Astrocade. End of discussion.

[Griking]

The year is 1981. You are a 12-year old computer enthusiast who owns an Apple II. You are perfectly content with your current games, like Akalabeth: World of Doom, Zork, and Ultima, yet you want to try something new.

A different computer would be too much money, so you decide to upgrade your Odyssey 2000 pong system into a programmable home video game system.




This sounds almost exactly how things went for me '83 except in reverse. I was happy playing Atari games such as Adventure, Pitfall and Yars' Revenge but wanted to play games with more depth and realism. I ended up buying an Apple IIc and fell in love with games such as Wizardry , Zork, Ultima and Bard's Tale.

I can't imagine someone in the 80's wanting to buy a videogame system because they couldn't find what they were looking for on an Apple II. The Apple II had anything you ever could have wanted to play at that time.

[miaandjohnrule]

I have, and always will be, an Intellivision guy.

Same here , been playing one since I was like 4.

[BydoEmpire]

I remember going to the store with my dad to look at game systems - must have been around 81. We got an Intellivision, and it was (is) awesome. But given the scenario, if I was 12 and I already had an Apple ][, I'd get a 2600 for the action and arcade games. Seems to be a nice complement to the computer.

[dreamcaster]

I'd go the Atari.

Simply because of it's solid game library. Space Invaders would be reason enough to get that machine - let alone Asteroids and Breakout.

Although, have to buy paddle controls extra just for Breakout would've been a deterrent, but I'm sure I would've gathered the money eventually.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'd buy an Astrocade. Astrosmash, yo! ;p

I'd also probably have gone with a home computer. Apple II and the Atari 800 were great machines.

[idrougge]

While the Intellivision certainly looks much slicker than the other systems, most of its library is sports games, which makes me skip that system.
The 2600 has many great games, but since I already have an Apple, the amount of unique games isn't that interesting.

I think I'll save my money to upgrade the Apple or save a bit more to buy an Atari 400 or VIC-20.

[EasternDynamo1]

I think that I would go with the Atari. Most games and all that.

[NeoZeedeater]

I would go with the VCS. Most of my top Intellivision games(TRON Deadly Discs, Demon Attack) weren't out yet in '81 so that makes the decision easier.