Atari Color Backgrounds

[neotokeo2001]

In the early days of Atari the upper management wanted to show that the Atari 2600 was a COLOR Video Game System.

The result? No game would be released without a colored background. This led to the bright colored backgrounds in most of the early releases. The bright backgrounds can lead to blurred images and eyestrain.

The solution? Change the backgrounds to black. The black background gives the game more of an 80's arcade look and makes the graphics stand out better.

Welcome to the BLACK SERIES where I will do just that. I will be taking some of the early releases and converting them to black backgrounds while leaving the basic graphics and gameplay unchanged. If you have a game that you would like converted, just drop me an e-mail or reply to this post.

Look at these two screenshots for examples:

1.Original Maze Craze


2.Original Surround


New Versions......

1.Maze Craze Black


2.Surround Black


Download the BIN files:

1.Maze Craze Black
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=32112

2.Surround Black
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=32124

[neotokeo2001]

Looks like I am in the minority so far.

Anyway, I always make a label to go with each hack.

Maze Craze Black


Surround Black

[SuperNES]

i think Black looks way better, it's more crisp and it's easier to play, and easier distinguish the walls and characters from the background.

[Dr. Morbis]

i think Black looks way better, it's more crisp and it's easier to play, and easier distinguish the walls and characters from the background.

I agree. I prefer black backgrounds for most 2D-type games. Black is more atmospheric, it makes me feel like I'm there. It's hard to explain, but Metroid (NES) was more atmospheric to me than Super Metroid (SNES) and I attribute that, in large part, to the hokey backgrounds that most sections of Super Metroid had. When the background is black, the focus is more on the foreground and, hence, one is more drawn into the game.

[neotokeo2001]

By request:
COMBAT BLACK



Download BIN:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=32149

Combat has several different color locations for Tank levels and also the Plane levels. I have left the Plane levels alone.

I have changed the backgrounds of all of the Tank levels to black. Also, I changed the border color to grey in the first set of Tank levels. All remaining Tank levels have the original border color.


Combat Black


Original Combat

[neotokeo2001]

By Request:
OUTLAW BLACK



Download BIN:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=32157

Outlaw has several different color locations for the various backgrounds. A few changes later, and all of the backgrounds are now black.

Outlaw Black Screenshot


Original Outlaw Screenshot

[neotokeo2001]

By request:
COMBAT REDUX BLACK



Download BIN:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=32164

Combat Redux was really easy to convert since I had previously completed Combat.

Combat has several different color locations for Tank levels and also the Plane levels. I have left the Plane levels alone.

I have changed the backgrounds of all of the Tank levels to black. Also, I changed the border color to grey in the first set of Tank levels. All remaining Tank levels have the original border color.


Combat Redux Black


Original Combat Redux

[rick weis]

this is a great idea!! i will say i voted for black, but i like the color background on surround better, i think on most of the games black would look and feel better on the sees.

anyway very cool idea!!

Rick

[AtariBuff]

very nice work - also on the labels!!!!!!
keep it up

[I Am Humanoid]

I agree, the black background is easier on the eyes. I wonder how Kaboom! would look with a black background...

[neotokeo2001]

I agree, the black background is easier on the eyes. I wonder how Kaboom! would look with a black background...

I did Burger King Kaboom a while back to go with the LCD Activision games that they were offering. The BK version had hamburgers instead of bombs.



DOWNLOAD BIN:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=29946

There is one big difference, Kaboom! now features falling Hamburgers instead of Bombs and the Mad Bomber has been replaced by a Burger King Employee.



If you would like a version of original Kaboom with a black background, Let me know and I'll whip it up.

[neotokeo2001]

By Request:
Kaboom! Black



Download BIN:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=32213

Kaboom! was an easy switch. I already had a black background in the Burger King version of Kaboom!. This time I left all of the original graphics intact and just switched the background color to black.

Kaboom! Black


Original Kaboom!

[kainemaxwell]

The black versions definitly look better, and I like the effect of black Combat and Kaboom! myself.

[GrandAmChandler]

Requests:

Black.......... Adventure? Video Olympics?



Chris

[Lady Jaye]

Nice job!!!

Kaboom in particular benefits from the switch to black. I have Activision Anthology for the GBA and part of the reason I find it very difficult to play (aside from the fact that the GBA doesn't have any paddle) is the lack of contrast between the background and the bombs.

[neotokeo2001]

Requests:

Black.......... Adventure? Video Olympics?



Chris

Adventure will take a while. I should have Video Olympics up later tonight.

[kainemaxwell]

How about Ms Pac-Man and Pac-Man?

[rick weis]

Adventure will take a while.

black background on the black castle that will look nice. :P

Rick

[kainemaxwell]

Adventure will take a while.

black background on the black castle that will look nice. :P

Rick

Yeah the added challenege of the balck Adventure will be to navigate into the black castle and avoid the black dragon/duck.

[I Am Humanoid]

By Request:
Kaboom! Black



Download BIN:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=32213

Kaboom! was an easy switch. I already had a black background in the Burger King version of Kaboom!. This time I left all of the original graphics intact and just switched the background color to black.

Kaboom! Black


Original Kaboom!

Wow!

Excellent job!