Burger Time. It looks like $^#& on the 2600, but the gameplay is classic.
I've never understood the hate for the 2600 port of Pac-Man. Yeah, the game looks abysmal, but the core gameplay is still there, and that's what counts. It was a lazy port, but with the way people curse about it, you'd think the basic gameplay and controls were are screwed as those of E.T.
Definitely one of the best features of the 7800. Being able to play Robotron or Commando on your 7800 and having the option of playing Berzerk or H.E.R.O. is a really great combo.Originally Posted by gameofyou
Last edited by wizardofwor1975; 08-08-2015 at 06:46 PM.
There are still a few really good ones that have not been mentioned at all. The 2600 had such a HUGE library. Sadly, yes, there are quite a few stinkers, but mostly everything that has been mentioned was really good. Here are a few that I think got missed.
Fast Food - It's actually my personal favorite 2600 game. Si simple, anyone can play it and when you get a group of people together and try for the high score, it really is a blast and can get quite frantic. I know, people complain about the repetitive game play, but it's more of what the games were like at the time. not to mention, for a 2600 game, it actually has pretty nice graphics. Much of the stuff from Telysis is quite underrated, actually.
Taz - Yeah, I know, it's kind of like Fast Food but with food coming at you from both sides of the screen and also instead of not eating the purple pickles, you have to avoid Dynamite...still a cool little game, although not as fun as Fast Food was.
Crystal Castles - How can we forget this one? I know, there were better ports released later on, but hey, this game rocks, especially if you had the Track ball controller and it worked properly. Keep in mind it was also great with Missile Command, Centipede and Millipede as well. I can say also, did anyone mention Missile Command previously?
Venture - This game is often overlooked as well, but Venture really is a really fun game and takes the whole idea of the game Adventure and adds some stuff to it. One of my favorite Coleco games for the 2600, check it out. i know the graphics look primitive, but it really is a fun game. It was also hacked into a Wolfenstein game for the 2600 which wasn't too shabby either.
Burger Time - I don't care what anyone says, but I logged so much time on the 2600 Burger Time, I actually almost like it better than the arcade version just for the nostalgia of it all. Is it an ugly port graphically, yes and no. It still really resembles the arcade version for it's time, controls well and plays pretty much exactly like the arcade version did, what's not to like here? The only complaint i have really ever heard anyone make that might hold merit is that the cart has no picture label? WoW!
Mouse trap - Okay, so it's a Pac-Man clone, but an extremely fun one. Be the Mouse and get the bonuses and turn to a dog to get the cats that are chasing you. Much like lock N' Chase, it added doors and such you could use to either trap the cats or separate yourself from them, but the idea you could also trap yourself really added something to the game's strategy. Was really well made.
Vanguard - Talk about an awesome side scrolling shooter for it's time? it's almost like a side scrolling version of River Raid, but of course, in a cave. Shoot enemies and pick up fuel and energy to make it through the levels. Really well designed and fun to play for it's time.
Kangaroo - I really can't believe that nobody brought this one up. Kangaroo seems to be forgotten so frequently. It's a fun side scrolling, multi tiered platformer in the same vein as Donkey Kong. Get Momma' top the top of the level to save Joey. The game play is simple and fun and the graphics, again, are quite fun and playful or the time. I think it still stands on it's own to this day.
I almost forgot, I also always liked the 2600 versions of both Dig Dug and Joust. Joust was so good, especially after I replaced it with that HORRID NES version. I was so upset. Glad I was able to later get the 2600 version back.
Last edited by T2KFreeker; 08-09-2015 at 04:40 PM.
I have to be honest I hate and enjoy this thread.
I miss having that stupid flashback 2 I had around for a few years. I rarely used it, but if I dug it out around a 1/4 of the games or so were genuinely fun, but it depressed the hell out of me it didn't take carts. What made it depressing was I did have the model you could add a cart slot to, to do so, but I didn't have the tools, and still I don't believe I have the skill to do it.
If I could get a pre-modded atari flashback 2 I have a bad feeling I'd buy it very quickly. I'm not sure if I'd regret it, but it would be cool to have. At least then I could re-experience the Nintendo and other major licensee arcade games that the flashback was denied. The 2600 has some solid games those licensed modern copycats just aren't allowed to have.
At one point there was a story that ATGames was going to allow the Colecovision flashback system to have a cart slot, I would have bought that instantly, but they didn't do it, nor did they even bother to leave a hackers option on it (or even a SD card slot for ROMs like their handheld genesis has.)
Does anyone know someone who has a pre-modded flashback 2 that takes 2600 games?
I'd love to help you, really, but between my heavy sixer and the 2600 Jr. I got, I really don't need a flashback, so, not really. I know they pop up on Evilbay from time to time though. You can buy the parts to modify them from Best Electronics though. however, if you were going to spend that type os money, why not just get a 2600?
I should have mentioned Vanguard - fantastic game. I was going to mention Kangaroo, but I didn't because of the need to push up on the joystick to jump. It did make control of the game a bit fiddly. Otherwise, a good port and a fun game. Also agree on Dig Dug and Joust.
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Nice to see someone agrees with me. I have had people try and argue the Joust thing with me, but time and time again, I can always prove it. The NES port of Joust is so bad compared to the 2600 version. It's not like the NES version is really that much of an improvement visually and the controls are completely broken making it a nightmare to even consider playing...
Well the big reason would be the 2600 is an almost 40 year old system that isn't going to last forever. I'd rather have a console made in the last 5 years or so that was modded with a new pin connector to run the old games that has a very small body(console) footprint, with a modern rca cable and power plug, while also having new controllers and ports that could use the old if I wanted to go buy a paddle or something extra. The old 2600 didn't use RCA so it would be having to jigger around with buying and attaching other wires and adapt it over to work on my TV. That's where the interest always was yet not the skill to do it, and yes I'm aware of best electronics but I can't do the work I don't believe.
Why not just use a phono f converter on the end of the standard cable? It's an inexpensive coax solution.
It's still using the aging 40 year old tech I'd rather avoid. I like the idea of newer parts and a cool mod job like that too.
Atari 2600's are rugged beasts. I don't see any modern day clone outlasting the average VCS.
I agree with that. My 2600s all work like a champ. I can't remember how many I gave away, but I know I still have at least 3 that look at least as good with a phono F converter as they did in the early '80s.
I don't agree with how many I saw back west in horrible shape at flea markets and elsewhere. Unless you know how it has been treated, one can only wonder when they look that shabby on the outside. Yes the Flashbacks are crappy clones, all but one of them, the one you can mod though was a micronized 2600 using the right pieces of hardware and then docking the games it had on a chip which passed data to the system. I really wish I understood why on the systems since they went with a crap system on a chip setup as it's a shame. Given the interest ATGames had in placing a cart slot on their tv game genesis system it would have been nice had that happened with the 2600.
I've found the consoles to be rather durable. The only issues I've really ran into have been an occasional worn out switch from people doing some of the old frying tricks and bad AC cords, as those things are super long and thin.
In the end, it's about the property holders. If they don't want to allow @tGames to put a cart port on their clone system, then they won't. I remember that Curt Vendell wanted to get a 2600 Portable out there, but the costs would have been so astronomical, it was financially unfeasible. The holders of Atari still want top dollar for their IP's, and as sad as that may be, it still is what it is and there really isn't much that can be done about it until someone sensible buys the Atari name and rights again because as long as Infogrames owns it, you aren't getting anywhere really.
On a side note, you can also buy an Atari 2600 from Best Electronics that has been modded for RCA output! They do a really good job and the work is well done. Just saying. The 2600's I have sen from there, and i have seen 5 of them, are always in top notch shape and the Joysticks are generally brand new. Just saying. Not like you can't get brand new ones off of EvilBay either from Retrobit even. Just saying. Plus, unlike the Flashback 2, you would have 100% compatibility. nYes, there are some games that will not work with the Flashback 2 console due to power consumption.
Last edited by T2KFreeker; 08-11-2015 at 12:59 PM.
Well there ya go, learned something, did not know Best sold pre-modded original systems. I'll have to go see how expensive that is as I'm curious. I've always been mixed on the 2600 as most of the games are just too early so they're ugly as sin, but it's hard to deny the solid game play various games do have for it and sadly can't end up on a flashback due to licensing deals and ownership rights.
I don't believe though Infogrames owns that aspect of Atari anymore. Some years back stuff went all over, and I recall the name went one way, various games went in a few others between the now WB (dead Midway) among others. This insulting frog of a frenchman owns much of the game rights as this rate and he's an insufferable prick who tries to break contracts as they're made and extort ever higher fees, royalties and personal control over stuff he hardly comprehends causing much stuff to end up left in the dust which is unfortunate. Railroad Tycoon was due to come back this year, but he tanked it after agreeing to the work, and much of it was done already and that is off the table. Angry with an early build that doesn't hold much value or quality he's supposedly still going to try and release it somehow which should have disastrous results.
Edit: I don't believe they still sell pre-modded systems do they? That website is a mid 90s trainwreck. Far as i can tell they have plenty of parts, used and new games, various kits to do mods and hacks, but I could not find pre-modded systems.
Last edited by Tanooki; 08-11-2015 at 03:18 PM.
This should cover it. I left off games that had much superior ports elsewhere.
Adventures of Tron
Astroblast
Atlantis
Barnstorming
Beanie Bopper
Berzerk
Crystal Castles
Demon Attack
Demons to Diamonds
Dodge ’Em
Enduro
Fast Food
Frogs and Flies
Frostbite
Freeway
Halloween
Haunted House
Jawbreaker
Kaboom!
Kangaroo
Keystone Kapers
Kool-Aid Man
Megamania
Midnight Magic
Missile Command
No Escape
Phoenix
Piece o’ Cake
Pitfall
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns
Planet Patrol
Plaque Attack
Pressure Cooker
Private Eye
River Raid
Seaquest
Secret Quest
Solar Fox
Solar Storm
Solaris
Space Invaders
Spider-Man
Spider Fighter
Stampede
Surround
Towering Inferno
Turmoil
Yars’ Revenge
If you scroll down the page of the 2600 System stuff, they sell the Light 2600 Reconditioned with the Rev 3 AV Modification for $135.00 with two new joysticks as well as a brand new moon patrol cart...they also have the heavy sixers as well, but for a bit more...
It is a great feature of the 7800. I have one since 89. It is a great for early 80's arcade ports.
The system has a great homebrew scene that has more homebrew developers than it did in the past.
Good point about the 7800. Is there any benefit to not having one of those to do 2600 games? It would seem almost ideal to have that running an RCA cable setup given you could run 2 eras of titles from Atari.
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