Berzerk

[chadtower]

Quite possibly my favorite game of all time is Berzerk. How many versions of it are there? How do they differ?

[digitalpress]

Berzerk is among my all-time favorites as well!

Here's some DP Guide info for ya, regarding various releases:

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Atari) $2/R1
Designed by Dan Hitchens. Based on the 1980 Stern coin-op. Originally packaged in a green box along with Vol. 2 of the Atari Force mini-comic. Later re-packaged by Atari Corp. in a red multi-language box sans comic. Action/360 Degrees. EASTER EGGS: Horizontal robot fire will travel harmlessly through your neck! PERIODICALS: Received an honorable mention for "Best Solitaire Game of 1982" by Electronic Games Magazine. Named by Electronic Fun Magazine as one of the "50 Best Games" in March 1984. #CX2650.

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Sears) $6/R3
Designed by Dan Hitchens. Based on the 1980 Stern coin-op. Identical to the Atari version. The Sears version also came with the above-mentioned comic book. #4975168.

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Atari Mania) $5/R3

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Digivision) $5/R4
Brazilian pirate. All Digivisions have the end label typed up. The front label shows a Star Wars (ROTJ) TIE Interceptor and: "Digivision - The Future is Coming - Home Video Game ... Largest Technology Cartridge".

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Polyvox) $5/R3
Released 1983.

Berzerk Voice-Enhanced (Atari 2600, by Self-Published) $30/R2 +
Designed by Mike Mika. Based on the 1980 Stern coin-op. An incredible enhancement to the Atari version of the game, not only have the colors been corrected to more closely resemble the arcade counterpart but Mika has added voice to the game as well! Released at Classic Gaming Expo.
Voice-enhanced. Released 2002.

Berzerk (Atari 5200, by Atari) $5/R2 +
Based on the 1980 Stern coin-op. One of two Atari releases to feature voice synthesis. The voice could be turned off by pressing "9" on the keypad and turned on by pressing "7". There's also an early prototype of this cart that featured a different, more human-sounding voice. Action/360 Degrees. Voice-enhanced. EASTER EGGS: a) Look at your character closely. See that open area between his head and body? Well, if you position him just right, the robot's bullets will pass through that area without killing him. b) Another trick is to move your character as close to the left exit as possible without leaving the screen (This isn't as hard as it sounds). When Evil Otto appears, he will bounce towards the right and keep going off-screen. After a few seconds off-screen, he wraps around to the left and will kill your man if you haven't moved. For some added fun, let Otto bounce all the way to the right, then move away from the exit a little and let him come back, then move to the left edge again, etc., etc... Get a life! PERIODICALS: Named by Electronic Fun Magazine as one of the "50 Best Games" in March 1984. Computer Games magazine

Berzerk (Atari XE, by Atari) $0/R10
Based on the 1980 Stern coin-op.

Berzerk (Handhelds, by Unknown) $0/R0
vfd; 2PS. If you know the publisher of this title, please let us know! We don't like holes in the database, you see. #2150.

Berzerk (Vectrex, by GCE) $12/R3
Designed by Chris King. Based on the 1980 Stern coin-op. Action/360 Degrees. EASTER EGGS: Before your man stops flashing when you kill your last man, press and hold 1+3+4. When the "GOT YOU HUMANOID" summary screen appears with your score, the programmer's initials will appear in the lower right corner - "CMK" (for Chris King). This screen will stay for about 90 seconds before going back to the game select screen. There's no way to back out of it. BUG: Get to a screen with a lot of robots and continuously fire down a long corridor. If too much "action" is happening at once, the game will glitch out and the score counter will either become garbled or disappear (in rare cases the screen may even go "blank" for a few seconds). At this point, exit the maze. On the next screen, if you check your score you should have received anywhere from 100,000 to 800,000 points, or extra humanoids, or BOTH! Note- if the trick works, the game will probably be running at a much harder level. SANTULLI SLANT: What was one of the most intense arcade experiences of the early `80's translates fairly well on the home systems. Evil robots pursue you in a maze whose walls are electrified. Now that's what I call just plain berzerk! The coolest boss (maybe even the FIRST boss) of all time, Evil Otto, is a smiley face who happily bounces across the screen and fries your sorry ass! Good clean fun. [Gr: 5, So: 5, Ga: 7, Ov: 6]
#3302.

Berzerk (Vectrex, by Milton Bradley) $35/R7
Designed by Chris King. Based on the 1980 Stern coin-op. #3302.

[chadtower]

There were versions with voices! Oh man, I must get them... must... get...

OH, I really need to get a current DP guide, too. I think the last one I have is from about 1997. I have that one and the one preceding it... used them as reference material for my cmpsci senior year thesis at UMass.

[Sniderman]

if you have an Atari 2600, you need Berzerk: Voice Enhanced right goddamn now. Go order it if you truly are a fan. Best 2600 hack since Pac-Man Arcade (and Venture II ).

[chadtower]

well, I spent $320 on a new box spring for my son today... but when I do get the cash, that cart is MINE. Not that I'll ever have time to play it.

[Sylentwulf]

I always liked Frenzy for the Colecovision better myself....

[Kid Ice]

I always liked Frenzy for the Colecovision better myself....

Really? Frenzy is one of those sequels that never "took" for me. It's those bouncing shots that I can't stand.

The fact that we have still yet to see a 1st person Berzerk is just crazy.

the kid

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

The fact that we have still yet to see a 1st person Berzerk is just crazy.

Erm...I thought that was more or less what EVERY FPS has been. Think about that - take any FPS, take it back up to a third-person perspective, and what is it? Berzerk, Robotron, Wolfenstein, you name it - it's been done. From a different viewpoint, that's all.

[Kid Ice]

The fact that we have still yet to see a 1st person Berzerk is just crazy.

Erm...I thought that was more or less what EVERY FPS has been. Think about that - take any FPS, take it back up to a third-person perspective, and what is it? Berzerk, Robotron, Wolfenstein, you name it - it's been done. From a different viewpoint, that's all.

All the more reason to do one in the style of the original.

the kid

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Also, aren't we forgetting John Dondzila's outstanding AMOK! for the Odyssey 2? I know it's not officially Berzerk, but he's never hidden the fact that Berzerk was his inspiration. Too bad he gave up on doing the Voice stuff for that game - that would've beaten Berzerk:VE to the authenticity punch by a few years.

As far as a Berzerk FPS...I dunno. That would smack too much of the PSX/PC Frogger from a few years ago, or Galaga: Destination Earth (which I actually liked on its own, but it's not really very Galaga-y) - the trend of "cook up a standard-issue game, and try to sell more units by slapping a licensed name onto it." Maybe they could do a good job with it - but I've lost some of my faith in the "new modernized port" genre.

[chadtower]

Berzerk is among my all-time favorites as well!

Here's some DP Guide info for ya, regarding various releases:

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Atari) $2/R1
Designed by Dan Hitchens. Based on the 1980 Stern coin-op. Originally packaged in a green box along with Vol. 2 of the Atari Force mini-comic. Later re-packaged by Atari Corp. in a red multi-language box sans comic. Action/360 Degrees. EASTER EGGS: Horizontal robot fire will travel harmlessly through your neck! PERIODICALS: Received an honorable mention for "Best Solitaire Game of 1982" by Electronic Games Magazine. Named by Electronic Fun Magazine as one of the "50 Best Games" in March 1984. #CX2650.

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Sears) $6/R3
Designed by Dan Hitchens. Based on the 1980 Stern coin-op. Identical to the Atari version. The Sears version also came with the above-mentioned comic book. #4975168.

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Atari Mania) $5/R3

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Digivision) $5/R4
Brazilian pirate. All Digivisions have the end label typed up. The front label shows a Star Wars (ROTJ) TIE Interceptor and: "Digivision - The Future is Coming - Home Video Game ... Largest Technology Cartridge".

Berzerk (Atari 2600, by Polyvox) $5/R3
Released 1983.

Are there any differences between these 2600 versions of Berzerk?

I just finally located a copy of Berzerk VE... and also am ordering Berzerk Debugged for the Vectrex... man I can't wait...

[oesiii]

I don't think there are any differences outside of the title screen in any of the 2600 versions. Most of the roms for those games are out there.

One of my favorite versions of Berzerk that no one has mentioned is Paul Slocum's Mr. Roboto, a Berzerk hack that plays Styx's song throughout the whole game. It's pretty entertaining at parties

It should be available at AtariAge as well but you may have to email for availability.

[chadtower]

MUST... HAVE... A... COPY...

[Sylentwulf]

And if you take away the sound and graphics, and final fantasy and dragon warrior game ever made is just D&D :P

[wgfinley]

Frenzy for CV is probably one of the most underrated carts out there, the game is very addicting and, in usual CV fashion, greatly resembles the arcade version.

--Guy
http://colecopedia.chemxclan.com

[davidbrit2]

And if you take away the sound and graphics, and final fantasy and dragon warrior game ever made is just D&D :P

More like Candy Land. D&D actually exposes you to numbers outside of HP and MP, and actually makes you do a little calculation now and then. ;-)

[bargora]

The fact that we have still yet to see a 1st person Berzerk is just crazy.

Erm...I thought that was more or less what EVERY FPS has been. Think about that - take any FPS, take it back up to a third-person perspective, and what is it? Berzerk, Robotron, Wolfenstein, you name it - it's been done. From a different viewpoint, that's all.

I have yet to play a FPS in which after a short time an indestructable smiley guy chases after me, crashing through all walls and destroying all in his path.

Though it might be a cool Halo hack.

[chadtower]

I have, though it's usually some asswipe better player and not a computer controlled guy.

[kainemaxwell]

I loved Frenzy before I started getting hooke don Berserk!

Anyhow, how's this for an idea:
3 3/4th view of the playing field for an updated Berserk with the player, otto and the robots in 3-dish or cel shaded?

[bargora]

Like Robtron X?