The most overrated classic (pre 1984) arcade game?

[boatofcar]

What popular classic arcade game do you think is the most overrated?

My vote goes to Gorf. What do you get when you combine 5 mediocre shooters? One vastly overrated game!

[klausien]

I have to disagree totally on GORF. Looking at it from a modern persepective, it looks very much like a me-too clone, but the mocking voice, blast off on stage one, and fact that you rank up, are definitely a step-up from the games it borrows from. It feels like it has a real progression, unlike other similar games from that time. Very addictive. That said, Galaga blows it out of the water of course.

Personally, I never got why people loved Tron so much. The gameplay is clunky in my judgement. Yes, it has several vastly different screens, great graphics and and extremely cool cabinet, but I just never liked how it played. It could have been so much better. Not that I wouldn't love to have the cabinet, but I would take so many others before it.

[boatofcar]

I have to disagree totally on GORF. Looking at it from a modern persepective, it looks very much like a me-too clone, but the mocking voice, blast off on stage one, and fact that you rank up, are definitely a step-up from the games it borrows from. It feels like it has a real progression, unlike other similar games from that time. Very addictive. That said, Galaga blows it out of the water of course.

I agree that the leveling up and the voice is something that makes the game unique, but the controls and missile detection feel terrible even when compared with other games from the same period.

Of course, it is better than a ton of games from the same time period, but we're talking overrated "classics"

[MachineGex]

I own a cocktail GORF, so I am alittle bias. There are better games, but I love the fast action and variety GORF offers. I think it is a very good, maybe not great, but really good. I still love playing it 20 years later. Great game for beginners because it offers so much variety.

The few games I never liked too much were Centipede and Frogger. I know, both are very much loved classics, but I just don't care for them. In Centipede, I just don't feel like I have tight control. I love the roller controller for Missle Command, but it seems too squirrelly for Centipede. Now Frogger is a game I can spend some time with, I just dont think it is that great. I think the control may have something to do with it also. It feels like the controls have a slight lag, making jumps alittle too difficult.

I guess if I played both games more, I would feel better about the controls. It's not that I dont like a challenge. My favorite classic is Gravitar and that game takes some time to get use to the controls. Although difficult, the controls in Gravitar feel "spot-on" compared to the other two.

[NE146]

I totally agree on Tron. That game was a turd even back then.

My vote goes to Sinistar. It's a classic, and it's absolutely overrated. The only thing good about that game is it's atmosphere with nice sound & graphics. But the gameplay (i.e. pushing a stick around, mashing the fire button and hoping you don't get shot) just fell short in comparison to Defender, Joust, & Robotron.

It was the first Williams-developed game that you couldn't really get much better at with practice.

[Bojay1997]

I totally agree on Tron. That game was a turd even back then.

My vote goes to Sinistar. It's a classic, and it's absolutely overrated. The only thing good about that game is it's atmosphere with nice sound & graphics. But the gameplay (i.e. pushing a stick around, mashing the fire button and hoping you don't get shot) just fell short in comparison to Defender, Joust, & Robotron.

It was the first Williams-developed game that you couldn't really get much better at with practice.

Wow, Tron and Sinistar are still two of my favorite classic games today. In fact, every time I am at a classic arcade event, they are where I spend all of my time. I think the audio really sucked me in on both.

[DreamTR]

Dragon's Lair. As much as I like the game, all it boils down to is a movie.

[Bojay1997]

Dragon's Lair. As much as I like the game, all it boils down to is a movie.

I would agree and extend that to all classic laser games. Don't get me wrong, I loved laser games at the time they came out and have a huge collection of RDI stuff, but ultimately, they are very, very basic games that get old immediately after you beat them or watch someone else do it.

[iloveguns]

i would agree on Tron too..

[Kid Fenris]

All of them.

Except Pengo.

[DreamTR]

I would agree and extend that to all classic laser games. Don't get me wrong, I loved laser games at the time they came out and have a huge collection of RDI stuff, but ultimately, they are very, very basic games that get old immediately after you beat them or watch someone else do it.

Yeah, they're neat to watch, but the gameplay on them is really simplistic. The ones I like that have actual gameplay like Inter Stellar and MACH 3 I don't think should be in the same category..

[Ed Oscuro]

Hmm. Gorf and Dragon's Lair are good choices, but I'd have to go with Pac-Man or Space Invaders first. Gorf and DL are fairly niche games in their popularity - when compared with PM and SI which are absolutely everywhere.

What about Mario Bros? Kanye West aside...

SI isn't so bad though (Minivader is pretty cool actually, although definitely for the enthusiast).

[Kid Ice]

I never cared much for Battlezone.

[boatofcar]

Hmm. Gorf and Dragon's Lair are good choices, but I'd have to go with Pac-Man or Space Invaders first. Gorf and DL are fairly niche games in their popularity - when compared with PM and SI which are absolutely everywhere.

What about Mario Bros? Kanye West aside...

SI isn't so bad though (Minivader is pretty cool actually, although definitely for the enthusiast).

Why do you think Pac Man and Space Invaders are overrated?

[stargate]

Wow, some blasphemy here. Sinistar was my favorite and I still feel one of the best arcade games ever made. The sense of urgency, panic, and fear was almost too much to bear. RUN COWARD !!

Gorf and Tron also rock.

I always thought Mario Bros. was a horribly boring game.

And Time Pilot. I could never get the hang of the game and the controls just seemed back assed to me. Plus it was boring (IMO).

[Ed Oscuro]

Why do you think Pac Man and Space Invaders are overrated?

Because I don't have much fun with them.

[gepeto]

Pacman and space invaders let you at least enjoy your quarters. Gorf was a great game. It offered variety. and different badges. I couldn't get into tron and qbert like alot of people.

[DreamTR]

at Pac-Man, Space INvaders, and Mario Bros for being even mentioned. For their time, they were amazing games, and honestly, if you grew up during the arcade heyday, you know what I am referring to.

[stargate]

at Pac-Man, Space INvaders, and Mario Bros for being even mentioned. For their time, they were amazing games, and honestly, if you grew up during the arcade heyday, you know what I am referring to.

I disagree on Mario Bros. I grew up in the arcade heyday, born in 1970, lived less than a mile from a local arcade and there every day after school. Pac Man and Space Invaders rocked, but I never got into Mario Bros. In fact, it was never really that popular of a game in the arcades I frequented.

Maybe I need to give it another chance on Mame.

[boatofcar]

I disagree on Mario Bros. I grew up in the arcade heyday, born in 1970, lived less than a mile from a local arcade and there every day after school. Pac Man and Space Invaders rocked, but I never got into Mario Bros. In fact, it was never really that popular of a game in the arcades I frequented.

You can't fault Mario Bros. on control, graphics, or sound, though. I suppose you can fault it on "fun factor," but that wouldn't make it overrated...