How Good Was The Atari 7800?

[Aswald]

ubursaurus wrote:

5200 robotron BETTER? HOW? The game plays slower, the sprites are giant sized, and you never get the same hectic feel from the 7800 version. Both use 2 controllers though, which still puts the 5200 one better then most, but still, 7800 has that port hands down.

Re-read my post, I didn't say the 5200 is better overall, I just said the 7800 is missing stuff that the 5200 version has. The Audio is better on the 5200, you can't deny that, plus the 5200 has the controller coupler. It's not like the 5200 version can't throw alot of enemies at you either, all in all I'd still take the 5200 version as it has the features I want. The 7800 version certainly doesn't show a quantum leap of technology above the 5200, which it should have.

And that was a problem with both the 5200 and 7800: neither represented a huge leap from the previous system. The ColecoVision didn't have this problem, there wasn't anything to compare it to from before (the Telstar Arcade hardly counts).

[oesiii]

I agree with Gunstar, there's something just missing from the 7800. I started gaming on the 7800 before the 5200 and I thought it was cool at the time but I also prefer Robotron, Centipede, and Ballblazer on the 5200. The gameplay seems smoother and more arcade-like. I usually go by how games feel and don't really care about any tech details so all this is IMHO.

But I'll give the 7800 credit for two cool system exclusives which I enjoy playing, Midnight Mutants and Ninja Golf. Just this weekend I had a friend over looking at my boxed games and he spotted the Ninja Golf game and he said 'WTF?'

[Aswald]

I get the same feeling about the 7800 when I play the ColecoVision.

It's the variety, or lack of it. Both the Atari 5200 and ColecoVision had a much wider variety of games than the 7800. What's more, some of the games on the 7800 weren't all that much better than on the 5200; Ms. Pac-Man was really no better on the 7800, at least not enough so as to justify "moving up" to the 7800. And Opcode's ColecoVision version of that game looks to outdo it.

[bargora]

The 7800 may not be a powerhouse, comparatively speaking, but it's got Food Fight, and that's good enough for me.

[The Unknown Gamer]

You're all missing one game. A game which is unequaled on any system until a similiar game came out on the PC and that was Flight Sim by Microsoft.

The game I am talking about is F-18 Hornet flight sim.
You are flying in a pseudo 3-D world you can land or take off or even turn around just about anywhere you want. You can even fly through the gate of a mansion you have to bomb at full speed or even through a covered bridge. I can not even think of any console game that comes close to this on any other system.

Centipede is better on the 7800 and heres why, co-op and Vs. mode. They aren't found on any other version of the game period.[/b]

[rxd]

ubursaurus wrote:

5200 robotron BETTER? HOW? The game plays slower, the sprites are giant sized, and you never get the same hectic feel from the 7800 version. Both use 2 controllers though, which still puts the 5200 one better then most, but still, 7800 has that port hands down.

Re-read my post, I didn't say the 5200 is better overall, I just said the 7800 is missing stuff that the 5200 version has. The Audio is better on the 5200, you can't deny that, plus the 5200 has the controller coupler. It's not like the 5200 version can't throw alot of enemies at you either, all in all I'd still take the 5200 version as it has the features I want. The 7800 version certainly doesn't show a quantum leap of technology above the 5200, which it should have.

Personally, I also prefer the 5200 version. To each his own I guess....

[Zaxxon]

7800 works great with any Atari compat stick, like the genesis Arcade Power stick. Crappy controllers? Well, the Pain Line's Do suck, but it's hardly an issue with that kind of compatible.

Yeah, I know that and have used a Genny stick with it but that only works on games that used one button. The only game worth getting the 7800 out to play IMO is Midnight Mutants and that requires both L & R buttons. I'm forced to use the Pain-line sticks unless I go through the trouble of modding a Genny controller just to play those 2 button games.

[Dr. Morbis]

Why don't you just use a sms controller for the 2-button games?

[Zaxxon]

I don't collect for the SMS so I sold all of that stuff. I didn't keep a SMS pad. Those pads were similar to the NES pads, awful. Not really a better option than the 7800's pro-line sticks.

[Duncan]

I don't collect for the SMS so I sold all of that stuff. I didn't keep a SMS pad. Those pads were similar to the NES pads, awful. Not really a better option than the 7800's pro-line sticks.

What about an SMS Arcade Stick? Still just two buttons, but slightly more comfortable. Odd left-handed design, though.

And I've never had a problem with either the SMS or the NES pads, comfort-wise...

Duncan

[oesiii]

The Genny and SMS sticks and pads are a good option but they only work with 7800 games that use one button. They are incompatible with 2-button games because they are wired differently. There is a rewiring mod to make them work on the 7800 with both buttons but I've never tried it.

Here's a page to let you know which games require 2 buttons and which are fine with one:

http://www.atari7800.org/7800list.htm

[The Unknown Gamer]

I saw a wiring diagram once on how to convert a SMS or Genesis joypad to work with a 7800. Let me tell you I wouldn't do it, it's too tricky to do.

[tom]

Maria,
the graphics chip especially desigend for the 7800, can handle any amount of sprites and move them in any direction on the screen without any slowdown or flicker, some lady, heh!!!

[ApolloBoy]

7800 works great with any Atari compat stick, like the genesis Arcade Power stick. Crappy controllers? Well, the Pain Line's Do suck, but it's hardly an issue with that kind of compatible.

Yeah, I know that and have used a Genny stick with it but that only works on games that used one button. The only game worth getting the 7800 out to play IMO is Midnight Mutants and that requires both L & R buttons. I'm forced to use the Pain-line sticks unless I go through the trouble of modding a Genny controller just to play those 2 button games.

Dude, get some Atari joypads! You'll be glad you did!

[ApolloBoy]

7800 works great with any Atari compat stick, like the genesis Arcade Power stick. Crappy controllers? Well, the Pain Line's Do suck, but it's hardly an issue with that kind of compatible.

Yeah, I know that and have used a Genny stick with it but that only works on games that used one button. The only game worth getting the 7800 out to play IMO is Midnight Mutants and that requires both L & R buttons. I'm forced to use the Pain-line sticks unless I go through the trouble of modding a Genny controller just to play those 2 button games.

Dude, get some Atari joypads! You'll be glad you did!

[Moon Patrol]

I think the Atari 7800 had an advantage with the arcadish games like Xevious and Ms. Pacman. Food Fight was also a plus over the NES, but really, the 7800 couldn't and didn't stand up to the NES. Ninja Golf is great, but there's only so much you can do with it after a while. Frankly, the atari 7800 graphics looked like shit over the NES graphics. The NES had a much better controller, and soon boasted a large library after its release.

However, the Atari 7800 and the NES were two of my first game consoles, and I won't abandon either of them, well I know I won't abandon the 7800.

[retroman]

i have all of the old 8 bitters and i must say that it falls behind the master system and nes...now i am a atari fan...so i aint haitn...but come on for real...good old arcade trans though.

[Lord Helmet]

Old school arcade games are the strength of the 7800. The 7800 ports of Centipede and Ms. Pac Man are the best available on any system.

[sharp]

Old school arcade games are the strength of the 7800. The 7800 ports of Centipede and Ms. Pac Man are the best available on any system.

That's the reason I just bought one, combined with the reason that I also don't have 2600. Just for a few retro games.

[bargora]

Old school arcade games are the strength of the 7800. The 7800 ports of Centipede and Ms. Pac Man are the best available on any system.

Do you prefer the 7800 ports to the emulated versions available on the PS1 and later systems?