Atari 2600 game suggestions

[Abman]

I just bought a Atari 2600 off eBay. I hear it was little high priced but not much. The system was in nice shape and comes with four different controllers. Also the following games for 45 bucks including shipping,

the Human Cannonball
Video Chess
Combat
Outlaw
Star ship
Space Invaders
Football
Space War
Miniture Golf
Championship Soccor

I have heard a lot of them suck, but who cares. I will have Space Invaders. Anyway I need some game suggestions. Could someone suggest some? I am planning on buying Pit Fall Centipede and River Raid. Other then that I have no idea what to get.

Thanks in Advance

[le geek]

Enjoy your 2600 (or VCS as I'll always think of it)

Championship Soccer is actually a pretty fun soccer game 2 player.

As far a game recommendations go the links below should give you plenty of advice. In general Activision and Imagic games are generally pretty good and many are great. Besides trackign down River Raid and Pitfall, I really like Megamania, Enduro and Seaquest.

As far as first party Atari 2600 staples, I'd recommend getting Berzerk, Asteroids, Missile Command, Adventure, Yar's Revenge, Millipede, Galaxian, Super Breakout and Warlords

DP top 25
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1560

Some reviews...
http://www.digitpress.com/reviews/index.htm
http://www.abscape.org/legeek/r_atari.htm
http://www.videogamecritic.net/

Good 2600 threads
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42806
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4151

Cheers,
Ben

[Cantaloup]

Some suggestions:

Adventure
H.E.R.O.
Pitfall II
Robot Tank
Seaquest
Solaris (actually I haven't played it myself, but many people consider this to be the best 2600 game)
Star Raiders / Starmaster (I forget which was better)
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Arcade ports --

Asteroids
Berzerk
Breakout / Super Breakout
Crystal Castles
Gravitar
Jr. Pac Man
Millipede
Missile Command
Ms. Pac Man
Warlords

[Pantechnicon]

Exactly what type of 2600 did you get? Was it the "junior" version or a woodgrain? If a woodgrain, was it a 4-switch, 6-switch or a black 4-switch? Did you get a complete controller set or just one joystick? These are the sorts of questions that usually determine whether or not you got a good deal. Personally I think $45 is a reasonable price for any 2600 system given the quanitity of games you mentioned as well.

As for the games you're getting with the system, don't knock them all. I personally like the following:

Human Cannonball - If you've never played this kind of thing before, you'll like it. If you've seen it before then it's only ehh.
Combat - two player goodness
Space Invaders - you don't need my help with this one
Space War - A very good but underrated two-player game. If Combat moves too slow for you then try this instead.
Miniature Golf - Graphically it's horrible, but they gameplay is really good. I played the heck out of this when I was 14.

Also must-haves:
Pitfall II (slightly rare, but not impossible or too expensive)
Missile Command
Yar's Revenge
Super Breakout
Junior Pac-Man

Enjoy your new Atari 2600. It's still my favorite system after 25 years. Just because it's old doesn't mean it's not fun.

[Abman]

@Pantechnicon

It is a woodgrain version I believe. I know it is four switch. I got a complete controller set. Three different types of controllers. Thanks for your suggestions.

I didn't even know they made a second Pitfall. I will have to check into that.

[Sanriostar]

My Favorite 2600 games:

Some of these recomendations are duplicates, but that should tell you how good these games are:

Megamania
Adventure
Yar's Revenge
Super Breakout
Jr. Pac-Man
Road Runner *
Crackpots
Demolition Herby *
Millipede *
Kangaroo

* Kinda rare carts, but worth the chase....

[diskoboy]

Yar's Revenge
Pitfall 2
Defender (Sorry - I loved it)
KABOOM!
Megamania
Pole Position
Robot Tank
Seaquest
Turmoil
Ram it
Atlantis

Basically, I'll recommend any Activision game....

[kirin jensen]

Lemme just say, I've always felt that the 2600 Star Raiders was a kludgy, flickery piece of Atari.

Star Voyager and Starmaster were awesome though.

Pantechnicon is right about Space War. Underrated 2 player game.

Anything Imagic or Activision is a good bet.

Space Shuttle and Shuttle Orbiter are worth finding just to show what the 2600 could do.

And definitely check out the homebrews - especially Ladybug!

[7th lutz]

midnight magic

I think you should check out http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=21_85.

They sell homebrew games and hacks.

[AMG]

Some of my favorites (many have been suggested already):


Centipede
Joust
Millipede
Atlantis
Phoenix
Frogs and Flies
Spider Fighter
Adventure
Boxing
Berserk
Breakout
Frogger
Moon Patrol
Riddle of the Sphinx
Asteroids

There is many more, but I'll stop there.

[kentuckyfried]

It's been said, but if you have the paddle controllers,

Kaboom!


And Missile Command kicks so much ass too.

[Abman]

It's been said, but if you have the paddle controllers,

Kaboom!


And Missile Command kicks so much ass too.

Yes, I am getting two Paddle Controllers with the deal. Along with one regular joystick contoller. Then the fourth one is some kind of off-brand or something joystick controller.

[cyberfluxor]

Food Fight and Fire Fighter are 2 great games to buy. They aren't that expensive (I don't believe) and give lots of gameplay and entertainment.

[B - Mark]

My game suggestions for Atari 2600:

- Enduro
- Pitfall
- Megamania
- River Raid
- Frostbite
- Keystone Kappers
- Pinball
- Seaquest
- Space Invaders
- Bank Heist
- Phantom Tank
- Battlezone
- Vanguard
- Cosmic Ark

[vulcanjedi]

My little 6 cart modular holder has in it:

Enduro
Journey Escape
Reactor
Kaboom
Jedi Arena
Strawberry Shortcake

Ok, Maybe you can skip the last one .. :)
vj

[bangtango]

Food Fight and Fire Fighter are 2 great games to buy. They aren't that expensive (I don't believe) and give lots of gameplay and entertainment.

Was Food Fight also on the 2600? I only remember it being on the 7800.

[rolenta]

[Food Fight also on the 2600? I only remember it being on the 7800.

You're correct. Food Fight was a 7800 game.

For summaries of nearly every NTSC 2600 game, check out my book: ABC To The VCS at www.rolentapress.com

[Slate]

Congrats on buying yourself an Atari 2600. :)

I reccomend:

Adventure
Asteroids
Circus atari
Keystone kapers
Midnight Magic
Mouse Trap
MS. Pac Man
Oink! (Not a joke, it IS an atari game, and kind of unique)
Pitfall

And make sure to do some mods on it. The composite video mod rules, But make sure to use long enough cords.

[Vigilante]

As much as I love my atari and every game I have, I keep going back to the paddle games for the quick reflex action.

This would include:

Kaboom (imo best game ever)
Warlords
Breakout and/or Super Breakout
Circus Atari

If the paddles seem "jitery," open them up and squirt a drop of electronics contact cleaner on the dial, it will smooth out the signal.

[ianoid]

Kaboom
Kaboom
Kaboom
Slot Racers
Warlords (multiplayer YES!)
Boxing (destroy your hands with this multiplayer button masher)
Sky Diver is good for very brief multiplayer fun, as is Human Cannonball

and did I say Kaboom?