Random Game O' the Day: Dragster

[digitalpress]

Day 4.

It's often listed as people's favorite and least favorite Activision game, but this David Crane gem has true hidden charm to the "believers". Ask Todd Rogers, the current record holder. Did you get the patch? Did you ever really "get it"? Did you ever really give it a chance? Write your mini-review here.

DP Guide sez:
Dragster (Atari 2600, by Activision) $3/R1
Designed by David Crane. This was David's first title for Activision. Scoring below 6 seconds could get you a "World Class Dragster Club" patch by sending proof to Activision. #AG001.

http://www.digitpress.com/dpsightz/atari2600/dragster.gif

[Keir]

I could never figure out how to play this game. I would consider it my least favorite Activision game but I have this hope that someday I will figure it out (hey, who knew these games came with instructions?) and I'll realise I actually like it. So for now that award goes to Boxing.

[orrimarrko]

This game cracks me up.

I could NEVER understand how to play it when I was a kid, but when I played it on the PS2 Activision Anthology compliation, it was cake.

I got it down pat, and can routinely get under 6 seconds with or without the manual steering.

SO I wonder if it was the controller (the vcs controller versus the PS2 controller), or maybe it's me? :D

[scooterb23]

This is one f my favorite 2600 games, note I didn't say just Activision, but overall. I can easily kill 2-3 hours playing this game, I'm that addicted to it.

Back in the day, growing up in Indiana...we would have Dragster tournaments...writing up full brackets, announcing each race...great fun!!!

Plus, because the game was so short, we could have 5-6 tournaments a day!!!

Dragster is one of the main reasons I never went outside as a young child.

[zot wildstarr]

I want to like it, but I keep blowing my engine!! I can't even get off the finish -line! >:(

Can anyone post directions for this game for the "Top Fuel Impaired" ?

[Tempest]

In my experience, the number of people who like Dragster is equal to the number of people who can figure out how to play Dragster. Unfortunetly I'm in the latter category and could never figure the game out (Ok I could figure it out, but I really suck at it) so I never liked it.

Tempest

[CrazyImpmon]

Add me to the blown enginge club. ;) No matter what I try, I'd be lucky to get past the start line. I think this is one of the rare 2600 game that makes sense only if ypou have the manual.

[NE146]

yknow what I can't figure out.. is 'is the game ALWAYS 2 player? I got to a point where I could nail 6.5 seconds or under.. but what bugged me is the game didn't seem to end! i.e. The bottom dragster just sat there waiting for input. :/ Then you had to reset... Where's the closure!? (heck even the good old 2600 'screen saver' mode would've sufficed) :)

[Oobgarm]

The only place I was ever able to play Dragster was at my cousin's when our family took trips to Cleveland. I was never fortunate enough to own it myself. But, I've always loved cars, so I was drawn to it when I went over there.

I'm with orrimarrko, I could never figure it out until I got the PS2 Anthology. Now I like to think I'm pretty good.

I took the PS2 and game with me to Cleveland this past Christmas, and my cousin (who's now married and has a child) had an absolute blast, with both of us of competing at Dragster (I won more often than not).

[zektor]

Bah. Blown engine heaven. I never really liked this game. One of Activisions worst in my opinion.

[toddrogers]

Hello Fellow Gamers

Well all I can say is ive Blown quite a few engines in my time on this game too. But I can say is that if I had the chance to show all of the gamers out there how to really enjoy DRAGSTER by shifting right beside me as I play ...at some convention coming up I can walk ANY GAMER below a 6 second time . When this happens players find a new fond likeness for this game because no game is the same . Then the real excitement come when you play against your friends and they see you zooming down the Quarter mile in Record time ....Well some what of a record time maybe not a World Record ..OK Ok you got me....Have fun..

Todd Mr.Activision Rogers

[scooterb23]

@ NE1...once you finish your race, just tap right on the joystick, no need to hit reset!!

[Kid Ice]

This has to be, by design, one of the most addictive games ever made. I could play this game a hundred times in a sitting. As soon as the littlest thing goes wrong, I jam on that reset button and start again. I know a lot of 2600 games (especially Activision games) are like that, but the Dragster game is of such a short duration, it really lends itself to that.

Great game. I didn't really discover it until I first started collecting. As a kid I just wasn't interested.

the kid