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Atari 5200 Guy

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  1. Atari 5200 Guy

    Diggin' With Dig Dug

    By Atari 5200 Guy,

    Grab that joystick, mash that button as we go on a journey digging underground to collect vegetables, pump up Pookas, and dropping rocks on Fygars.  This is Dig Dug -- the strategic underground arcade digging game that took the video game industry by storm in the early 1980's.  Released by Namco in Japan, the game was brought to America and Europe by Atari's arcade division.  It wouldn't be long after that when Atari's console division made home versions of the game for the Atari 2600, 5200, and 7800 consoles.  All three versions capture the essence of the game but which one stands out the most?  
    That is the purpose of this writing.  I sat down over the weekend and played all three versions of the game to answer my own question of which one was the better Dig Dug.  Fans of the game and Atari consoles might have a personal favorite because it was probably the one they played growing up.  I get it, I know that way of thinking very well as I, too, grew up on Atari's Dig Dug for my first Atari console.  But I went in to this being completely biased and taking mental notes on what I liked and didn't like about each version on an individual basis.  I also kept mental notes on which one I was playing the most.  This one is more for my own personal satisfaction.  It is in no way saying which one is better for everyone, everywhere.  The answer I came up with may surprise you.  But it would be foolish to give the answer away first thing and make for a very short blog post.  So I will start off with the version I grew up with first.
      
    The 5200's Dig Dug is the version I grew up with.  I spent many hours on this game without reading the instructions of course.  Then again I'm sure those of us who had an Atari did a similar thing...in goes the cartridge, in the trash went everything else including instructions.  If only I had read those instructions but more on that later.  The 5200 version gets points for looking more like the arcade with the exception of the single-colored sprites or characters. 
    Everything else looks good.  The game play is definitely here and the sound effects that make Dig Dug enjoyable are also present and done very well.  Having grown up with the 5200 allowed me to gain an appreciation for the system so the controller was nothing new to me.  The controls worked fine, no issues.  However I could easily understand how this game would be a flop if and when a controller decides to stop working properly.  
    The 5200 was marketed as an at-home arcade system and its ports of the then-popular arcade hits were nothing short of a miracle and Dig Dug still holds up well on this console.  On a more personal note I think the game would have been a bit better with multicolored characters.  At least Fygar looks like a dragon.  I just wish that the Pookas had their iconic yellow masks.
    Now...on to the next version I played.
     

    Dig Dug on the 7800 gets points for the much improved graphics...and the characters finally look like their arcade cousins.  The game play is smooth, graphics are good, sounds are OK, and the controls works.  The only thing about this Dig Dug I don't like has nothing to do with the game but more with the controller.  The 7800's original controller is so uncomfortable that playing this game for any kind of enduring high score run is almost impossible.  This is easily eliminated by using a Europad controller or even the standard 2600 style controller.  Using any kind of controller besides that 7800 controller would be a blessing in disguise.
    However, to stay true to my original concept of trying Dig Dug using all original hardware I hung in there.  I found myself playing this one a few times before reaching the point my hands simply couldn't take it any more.  I had fun with this version and the 7800's Dig Dug can be fun.  It's a real shame that this was not released when it was ready and when it would have mattered.  What I did notice was how quick the game was unforgiving.  It didn't take long for three or four monsters to turn into ghosts and come after me.  Usually within the first and second rounds.  I simply couldn't do as good on the 7800 version as I could on the 5200 version on the default settings.  And we have now reached the final version of Dig Dug I tried.
     

    Dig Dug on the 2600 was one I remember playing after years of owning the 5200 Dig Dug.  At first glance the game doesn't look as good as its 5200 and 7800 siblings.  The characters look OK, the controls are good, the sounds are as good as they can be (which the 7800 has the exact same sounds), it's just the dirt, or what is suppose to be dirt, is just thin solid bars.  There is a little bit of flicker which is understandable considering the hardware and memory limitations.  But the game play is what is all about when the 2600 is in the spotlight.  To my surprise the 2600 Dig Dug holds its own.  And considering the large amount of various controller styles for the 2600 I can see how anyone could sit and do a decent high score run on this system with very little to no fatigue.
    I have to say what impresses me the most about this version is how colorful it seems over the others.  Bright, solid, vibrant colors that are easy to look at.  They don't appear dull, dark or dingy like the 5200 and 7800 versions can sometimes appear.  It's just an overall fun experience.
     
    Now, to the section that was hard for me to decide...which one ranks above the others.  The 5200 I am sentimentally partial to so that would normally rank it above all others.  If it was the only Atari Dig Dug I had I would be satisfied with it.  It does play well for what it's worth.  The 7800 version looks remarkably better but I do wish they would have done different sounds instead of just copying those from the 2600 version.  And if I was stuck with the original 7800 controllers there's no way my hands could tolerate lengthy amount of game play.  I'd have to use a different controller.  The 7800 controllers are just not balanced well.  With that being said...
     
     
     
    ...the 2600 version wins this round.  I have to be honest here because the 2600 took a really long time to capture my heart.  It was very much ignored, overlooked, frowned upon during its production run and even years after.  Trying to be biased for this game on the 2600 was not easy for me to do.  When I played it before I wasn't sure why I was playing it or if I even wanted to play it.  Over the last few years I have slowly discovered all the games I missed that ended up being a lot of fun.  And that's what the 2600 was about...fun.  It wasn't about the graphics or sounds...it was all about the game play.  And Atari nailed it on the 2600 version of Dig Dug.  It's colorful and after a while the appearance of the dirt just starts to blend in.  It's a formula that just works, pure and simple.
    To my surprise I found myself playing Dig Dug on the 2600 more often than on the 5200 and 7800 systems.  The 2600 keeps proving to me time and time again what its true nature is.  It's a game machine where it is not always about how the game looks but how the game is played.  And Dig Dug on the 2600 plays very well.  And it would be easy to do a long running high score attempt on it without worrying about fatigue or sore hands.  The 2600 has a lot of character for a simple machine and Dig Dug fits in very well into its library of arcade ports.  Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to return to my 2600 to play some more Dig Dug.
    Oh...I almost forgot!  Getting back to those instructions.  It wasn't until I recently picked up a new copy of Dig Dug for the 2600 where I learned how to get those vegetables to show up.  All I had to do was drop two rocks.  I sat down to read the instructions and that's when I discovered it.  I've had Dig Dug, buying it new in box as well, for the 5200 for at least ten years now and I've never read the instructions or I would have known that tip a lot sooner.  OK...back to more Dig Dug.  Have Fun!!
  2. Atari 5200 Guy
    Well...here it is; my 5200 game rating list. This list will grow as I obtain and review 5200 games. Just like the 2600 list I have going this list will show how I rank the 5200 games I come across.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    5200 Game Ratings
    Moon Patrol Ms. Pac-Man

     

    October 17, 2016: Ms. Pac-Man on the 5200 is a solid title but does suffer from a few aspects that differ from the arcade smash hit. One of the ghosts is not colored correctly and the sounds seem to fall a bit short for my tastes. Controls are actually good and very responsive. However, as much as I love Ms. Pac-Man I would play Moon Patrol more often so the Queen is currently defending 2nd place.
     
    September 30, 2016: Moon Patrol is a great arcade port the 5200 received. The multi-scrolling background, the enemies, and the moon buggy's animation across the bumpy terrain are very well detailed and close to the arcade. Sounds are good and close to the arcade but at times will seem flat in comparison. Since this is the first game I reviewed on the 5200 it is the only one on the list at the moment. There will be more games reviewed soon. This game will give your 5200 controller a decent workout.
  3. Atari 5200 Guy

    Atari 5200 Thoughts

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Atari 5200
    The Atari 5200 has been my all-time favorite console for a very long time.  However modern times have not been kind to it.  The machine itself is fine and I don’t mind the RF hook up it received but the controllers have a poor working ratio when not used often.  Which is weird considering most other systems can tolerate months without being used.  The Atari 5200 controllers, however, are a double edged sword. If you don’t use them once a week they fail, if you use them too often they can fail.  It’s hard to find a happy place sometimes.  However the controllers are not what this is about.  I’m just setting up the logic behind my thoughts.
    When it was in production the idea of full analog controllers sounded good… on paper.  Once shown to the public it wasn’t all bad but it was clear that the 360 degree controllers to beat out Intellivision just wasn’t the right answer.  Super Breakout was also considered a poor choice for a pick-in game but it was the only 4-player game ever released for the console. While I loved playing the game when I woke up that Christmas morning to a 5200 sitting in my living room I never found another four player game.  Even as I child I questioned Atari’s decisions.
     

     
    I never had issues with my original Atari 5200 because it got played every single day for hours on end.  Being an only child living where the only time you seen friends was at school made the 5200 my best friend.  I endured and learned how to harness those controllers on a per game basis because each game reacted differently.  Each game approached the analog controls differently. It was a “how well does this work with this game” thought process when getting a new game.  Sometimes the analog controls were great, sometimes they were OK, other times it was like “blah”.  I still say the Atari 5200 port of Pole Position was the best port made because of the analog controls.
    While I now know there were controller “solutions” those were never seen in my area by my mother or me.  So the standard equipment was it.  Which leaves me to the thoughts I have today that I think might have helped the 5200. Ignoring the lack of self centering joysticks, what if Atari gave two controller options where there was a choice of the analog controllers we all know and the option to pick up all digital joystick controllers which would have shared the same controller design?  Another option could have been to include a cable adapter that would accommodate the use of a standard Atari 2600 controller combined with the 5200 controllers.  Similar to what the Wico does.  There were so many things they “could” have done when they knew the original controllers were going to be an issue.
     

     
    Regardless, the 5200 is a great example of how something advanced doesn’t always plan out.  It does showcase some of the best arcade game translations of the time.  It is easy to see all the hard work that went into the system and its library of games. Some of the loved arcade games of the time were represented faithfully on the 5200. Games that easily come to mind are Qix, Joust, Space Dungeon, and Defender.  The unreleased Sinistar is impressive work as well.
    I’m sure I’m missing a few things and I know the truth behind the 5200 costing Atari millions of dollars. I just hope newcomers to the 5200 will find enjoyment and the help they need to keep it interesting.  It still has a lot to offer.
     
  4. Atari 5200 Guy
    Before I start going into details I need to be clear about what this post is about. This is not a journalistic review of the console nor am I going to repeat, or try not to repeat, the memories of this console as I have already done that. Nope. This is more about the what and how that wood-grain console has worked its way into my heart in a short amount of time. So...here we go.
     
    As mentioned in the post I made called 2600 Memories I never gave the 2600 a fair chance. My first console was the 5200 which I thought blew the 2600 out of water at the time. Then the NES came along and I was blown away. The poor 2600 never caught my attention for long when I would find one. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy the games I played it was the fact that they didn't hold my interest for very long. Of course, I've already mentioned that.
     
    Since the arrival of a 4-switch Woody I have had a hard time not wanting to play the system. I've had a Junior model before I acquired the Woody model but it just didn't catch my interest as much for some reason. It wasn't the games. We all know the variations in the consoles is not going to change the games. But there is something about that 4-switch Woody that is appealing. From the insertion of the cartridge, plugging in the controller required for the game to be played, using those shinny chrome switches, to holding the joystick that only offered one fire button, there is a need to satisfy this video game crave. Sounds wild I know but that's the only way I know how to explain it.
     
    The 2600 wood-grain design is distinctively associated with the "Atari" name. As is the letters V, C, and S and the number 2600. When you see the wood grain it's hard not to think of Atari, VCS or 2600 and vice versa. What has really captured me is the amount of good games that have made it to the 2600. Most of the games I never knew of simply because it was Nintendo's section or no video games at all for a while. I never knew the 2600 was still being produced for years after the NES became a hit. And even during the NES' popularity Atari was still making 2600 games that I would never hear of until long after Atari was sold off. Only one store in my hometown sold anything Atari and that's where I discovered the Junior model. But if you think about it, the Junior model was already no longer being produced by the time I found it so it might have been a store trying to help sell off some leftover stock for Atari. Who knows.
     
    Since the arrival of the 4-switch Woody 2600 my interest in the console has grown so much that the 2600 has found a permanent home in the living room. Normally game systems get used for a bit and then put back in the bedroom on a shelf I have for storing consoles. The 2600 remains attached, plugged in, ready for use. Not a single day has went by where I didn't play a game on it even if it was at the end of the day. I am beginning to wonder if the 2600 has managed to surpass my feelings about the 5200 that has more sentimental value than the 2600 in any shape or form. I can not be certain just yet but I do know I am enjoying every game for the 2600 I have been blessed with.
     
    My journey with the 2600, full-force, had only started about a year ago. I am discovering for the first time what this console was all about when it was top-dog. And I am liking everything about the system. The controller variations, arcade-style games, and a few days with Adventure really changed the way I thought about the 2600 years ago. This is a very capable, constantly able to change, piece of gaming hardware. It's no wonder why it has be crowned the king of all consoles. For me? It has become a number one favorite surpassing the NES and my beloved 5200. Since owning the 4-switch my 4-port 5200 has not been used hardly at all. I'm constantly wanting to see what other games are out there...although a bit too late in the game. Now I wish I would have held on to all the hardware, controllers, and games my Mother and I found decades ago. Oh well, live and learn.
     
    I owe the Atari.IO members more thanks than I can ever give. Because of you guys I have been able to give the 2600 a much needed chance to show how much it could really entertain. So, thanks to StormSurge for the console and thanks to everyone here who has become my Atari family. The 2600 is truly a remarkable system. It just goes to show that graphics and sounds are not everything...it's all about the game play.
  5. Atari 5200 Guy

    Salamander (Famicom)

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Famicom Game Reviews
    When I first got into emulators I, like many others, discovered computers could play NES games.  I also discovered that some of the game ROMs I was looking at I never heard of before. When did the NES get Gradius II, what was Parodius? And what was Salamander?  I ended up getting what I thought were NES games I had never heard of. In hindsight, and unbeknown to my mind, I was getting Famicom games.  When I fired up Salamander I had no idea that I had unintentionally grabbed what we got (us USA gamers) as Life Force; one of my most top-favorite NES games of all-time.  It looked a bit different to me but I hadn't played Life Force in such a long time I thought that I might had just forgot.  And I didn't get Life Force when I grabbed Salamander so I had no way to compare.
    For those that don't know, Salamander/Life Force is a 2D shoot 'em up developed and published by Konami and ported to many Japanese systems.  This game continues the Gradius series and uses the same ship, known as the Vic Viper, with all its glory. The arcades and NES system received it as Life Force but there are a few differences between the Famicom and NES versions of the game. Why the name and parts of the game were changed is not 100% clear.
    My first experience with this game was on the NES way back in the late 1980s.  I found it at K-Mart, on clearance, for $10. As soon as we got home (a 2-hour drive) the package came open and in went the game.  I spent the next couple of hours playing and getting to know the game.  By the next day I had it all figured out and beat it.  This is Life Force:

    As the game progresses the player picks up capsules.  The number of capsules collected determine the power up item the player can obtain.  Speed, Missiles, Ripple, Laser, Options, and Shield.  I'm not sure how many times you get Speed but there are two missiles, two lasers, and two options.  I believe Ripple is once and I know Shield is once.  The game is comprised of 8 levels, one or two of which are exclusive to the NES/Famicom.  Now...take a look at Salamander.
    Do you notice anything different?  Look closely.  The HUD display at the bottom is completely different and more detailed whereas Life Force's HUD is more primitive.  But there's one more feature Salamander has that Life Force doesn't.  Options. I mentioned in Life Force the player can have 2 Options flying with them. In Salamander it's 3 Options.  I was surprised to discover these differences when I played Salamander for the first time.  Does it make a difference?  Not really.  The HUD on Salamander is more eye catching and the extra option can help.  Once the player gets that third option, however, the game really starts to bog down.  That is something that Life Force doesn't have.  At least not on the same scale.
    So how do I feel about Salamander?  I love it!  While the few things I've pointed out are different it is still the essentially the same game.  Same levels, same music soundtrack, nothing else different.  I have not yet noticed if the game is harder or not.  And I've been playing this game a LOT lately.  I just love everything about it.  If someone were to ask me my favorite NES game I'd pick this one.  If someone were to also ask me what I felt was the best game soundtrack I'd have to pick this one as well.  It's one of those games where everything just fits together perfectly.  I don't have Life Force for the NES but I managed to nab Salamander for my Famicom.  I couldn't be happier.
    Konami is well known for their NES games including Contra, Gradius, and Castlevania series.  For me, Life Force/Salamander is my favorite from them and, as I've said before, my number one all-time favorite NES game.  And now it has become my top-favorite Famicom game.  I'm probably going to need new control pads before too long from the amount of time I spend playing this game.  If you've never played it you should.
  6. Atari 5200 Guy
    Video games were once considered a novelty and a source of entertainment.  No one knew how long they would last or where they would take us.  Most of the older generation of gamers will most likely be able to tell stories of lining up quarters on popular arcade machines as a marker of when it would be their turn at the challenges awaiting them.  I'm one of them.  Feeding those machines quarter after quarter for a few minutes of entertainment never felt like enough.  Sometimes it wasn't enough to feed that need to see what was next or what all a single game had to offer.  It was commonplace to spend as much as possible on a single game, usually totaling about $20 in 1980's money.
    Then the home video game market boomed and, after some more waiting, popular arcade hits could be played at home as best as was possible.  Then came the crash and the rebirth of home gaming thanks to Nintendo's Famicom and Entertainment System.  Arcade games continued to make the transition from arcade hit to home smash for as long as video game consoles and computers have been around.  And that's a long time.  However those same transitions had to do a few things; remain faithful to the arcade, stay within the restrictions of any console or computer they were being made for, and maintain the game play in all of its glory.  Sometimes it worked while other times it didn't.
    Here we are many decades later and video games have literally taken over the arcade business.  It almost seems like it became more profitable to make games for play on a home console than it was to build an expensive arcade machine that played a single game.  People were more likely to buy a $30 - $50 game than they were to spend $1 on a single game play.  That might be a bit opinionated but it almost has some truth to it at the same time if you stop to think about it.
    Enter the Micro Players by My Arcade.  For the around same price as a single console game, or less, one can own a miniaturized version of some popular arcade games.  The catch?  These small arcade games are repackaged games that once graced the NES/Famicom consoles.  It actually makes sense considering the internal workings of those consoles has been shrunk down into a single integrated circuit that can be used in almost any application where the NES hardware is needed or wanted.  Honey I Shrunk Our Nintendo might be the best way to put it..
    While they are not 100% arcade accurate they do come close.  Each one sports decor that is inspired by the arcades which looks very nice.  The power switches on these light up to mimic the quarter slots popularized by arcade machines.  While the control panel does sport an NES-style setup it does have a joystick handle that can be removed.  The backsides contain a volume control and headphone jack as well as the battery compartment.  The speaker is also back here.  If you don't want to use batteries there is a USB plug on the back as well.  On the front is a 2.5" color LCD screen to show the action of the game which works and looks really good.  
    So, what games can you get in this small arcade setup?  Well, let's see.  Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man are available as are other Namco favorites like Dig Dug, Galaga, and Galaxian, the latter of which was only released on the Famicom.  There are a few Data East titles including BurgerTime, Heavy Barrel, and Bad Dudes to name a few.  And it looks like My Arcade picked up the rights to make these small arcades based on Taito games as their web site shows Bubble Bobble and Elevator Action.  Also newly advertised are Rolling Thunder (limited to 5,000) and Mappy.  And if you watch their E3 video they show Konami's Contra and there's a huge sign showcasing a Space Invaders model.  After doing a bit of research it looks like Contra may be using the actual arcade game with a connection to another Contra Micro Player allowed to have some co-op fun.  What little I seen about Space Invaders looks like it, too, may use the arcade game.  I hope they stick with the cabinet styling that was shown for Space Invaders.  That looked very much like the original arcade.  
    By now it sounds like I am excited about these.  For the most part I am but there are some that I simply can not force myself into buying.  Namely Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man.  While most are cool these two would have been better if they were not NES titles.  The sounds and colors are not that great.  These are two I would have rather seen real arcade ROMs being used.  Even the Tiny Arcades by Super Impulse are using more accurate game play and sounds and they are much smaller.  All the other games are close enough for me to enjoy and I'm really looking forward to the Contra and Space Invaders releases.  
    For what it's worth the My Arcade series of Micro Players are entertaining and fun to collect.  They can provide many hours of game play and a trip down memory lane for those of us that remember the original NES games.  From a personal standpoint it is easier for me to obtain the NES games I missed or can't find through buying these Micro Players as it is about the only way I can find them without paying a huge price as some are rare these days.  I look forward to the Space Invaders and Contra models while I enjoy the Galaxian, Karate Champ, and Bad Dudes models I currently own.  I know they are not for everyone but I find them entertaining and that's enough for me.  Gotta collect them all!
    For my collection these are a nice welcome.  With these maybe I can have my own personal arcade that's made for those who don't have much space.  An original arcade takes up a decent amount of floor space while these smaller arcades can sit on top of a shelf.  Imagine have a bunch of these setup like you would expect to see in a real arcade...all of them on and ready to play at the push of a button.  No quarter required.  Novelty or not I'm glad someone thought these up as I think they are too cool to pass up.  My only hope is that My Arcade does more than just Konami's Contra as I would not mind giving a Micro Player a home that has Life Force/Salamander on it.  That one is my personal favorite.  Imagine if they custom made one for Sunsoft's Blaster Master!  Oh...or if they actually used real arcade ROMs for games that never made it on a home console or computer?  
    What if Sega got on board and My Arcade Micro Players started having a line up including OutRun, Space Harrier, and After Burner?  Who else is there?  SNK.  You can't forget their games.  They gave us the Ikari Warrior series and Guerrilla War.  Those reading this that own these do you enjoy them?  Do you collect them to play or collect them just to collect them?  Are their any titles you could think of that would make great additions to the My Arcade line up?  I'll end it here and leave the imagination open for comments.  Besides, Galaxian is calling my name.


  7. Atari 5200 Guy
    Once a year one of the largest gaming events sets the stage of what's to come.  And XBOX has always put on a good showing with exclusives, releases of popular game franchises, XBOX firsts and much more.  This year the concept behind XBOX's E3 show seems to be more about finally bridging the gap between console and PC gamers.  But more on that later.  Here are the highlights I found most interesting ... so far.

    Sega is bringing one of the most popular RPG franchises of all time to the XBOX One console and PC.  Phantasy Star originally started on the Master System decades ago and has since been declared one of Japan's best role playing games for a lot of reasons.  And most RPGs today got their influence from Sega's RPG franchise.  Unlike Phantasy Star releases before it, Phantasy Star Online 2 on XBOX One is getting released first in the western part of the world.  Offering cross-platform gaming between XBOX One and PC gamers Phantasy Star Online 2 looks to be setting the stage and standards for other RPGs to follow sometime in 2020.

    Forza has been XBOX's response to PlayStation's Gran Turismo series since the original XBOX console.  It has since reached seven Motorsport releases and spawned four Horizon releases.  Considered one of the best simulated racing/driving games Forza Horizon 4 is getting a rather unusual expansion pack.  Forza and Lego have teamed up to offer the Forza Horizon experience on a Lego brick level.  Next week, Forza Horizon 4 gets a Lego expansion pack called Lego Speed Champions.  What impressed me about this was what was presented on XBOX's E3 stage during the expansion reveal.  Check out this image below.

    That, my friends, is a life-size replica of a McClaren Senna that made it's debut appearance during the Forza Horizon 4 expansion pack revealing with working lights and doors open.  That's some impressive work.

    Halo is coming back but not how you would expect.  Along with game releases XBOX revealed a new console code named Project Scarlett.  A video introducing the starts of Halo Infinite was shown.  A few more game trailers and then the new console was mentioned.  The new XBOX is slated for a holiday 2020 release with Halo Infinite being released with it.  While there may not be a new Halo coming to XBOX One there is one coming next year for those that plan to pick up the new XBOX next year.

    The one reveal that I was waiting on the most was Gearbox's Borderlands 3 showing which showed more game play footage.  Revealed at the end of the trailer was final proof that turned a rumor into a reality.  Owners of Borderlands 2 (Steam) and Borderlands the Handsome Jack Collection (XBOX/PS) received a new DLC expansion called "Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary" that ties the story line between Borderlands 2 and the upcoming Borderlands 3 game.  This expansion DLC is available for free from now (June 9) until July 8.  The expansion includes a new weapon tier beyond Legendary and the character level cap has been upped to 80.  New players to Borderlands 2 will automatically be bumped up to level 30 to enjoy the new DLC.  Also, XBOX One owners can now get Borderlands Handsome Jack Collection for free.  What better time to dig into the Borderlands series than now?

    One thing that XBOX has been committed to for a while now is creating a friendly online gaming experience no matter how or what you play whether it be a computer game or on an XBOX console.  XBOX Game Pass is XBOX's way of getting to play games without having to pay for each game.  Similar to how Netflix relates to movies Game Pass allows XBOX owners to download and play over 100 games through a subscription service.  If you like the game and wish to purchase it while it part of the Game Pass service you can at a discounted price.
    This year at E3, Game Pass is now available for Windows PC so PC and XBOX gamers can play together in a cross platform atmosphere.  $15 per month nets a Live Gold, XBOX Game Pass, and XBOX Game Pass for Windows all in one package deal.  Not a bad price considering just the Game Pass alone on XBOX is $10 a month.
    Other highlights include a new Minecraft spin-off called Minecraft Dungeons.  From what footage I watched it seemed like a Diablo-style game done in the art style of Minecraft.  Up to 4 players will be able to join a co-op and go exploring.  For those that like scary games there was footage shown on a new game called Blair Witch.  Too scary for me.  And Keanu Reeves made an appearance to showcase a game he is in called Cyberpunk 2077 which looked like a lot of fun!
    Those were my favorite highlights of E3 on June 9th.  If you watched it be sure to share your favorite highlights as I would love to hear your thoughts and favorites about what was shown.
  8. Atari 5200 Guy

    Discovering The Atari ST

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Atari ST
    Long story short, I've had my Atari 1040 STe for a few years now but I've never had the urge to do anything with it. Over the last few days I've attempted to find something to spark my interest in it of which I have found a few things. Most of which are games but at least I found something.
    As a music machine it simply can't be beat in my opinion.  The native MIDI feature of the Atari ST line is very solid and I use Sweet 16, a program I'm very familiar with from the Windows 98 days. This much has kept my interest in the machine. I only wish I had a more capable music keyboard to take full advantage of the ST and software.
    Games?  I have found many but I own only two published games; Space Station Oblivion and Super Cycle.  The rest have been dependent on the images I found online.  Most of those don't play well on a NTSC system so I have had hit and miss results. Nevertheless I have found a small library of games I enjoy playing or have tried, liked, and plan to dig into deeper sometime.  A few I was already familiar with from the early MS-DOS days on a 386 system which helped.  Populous was a nice find but the ST gets bogged down a lot as the game progresses...something I can tolerate but also something I am not use to happening in that game.  Railroad Tycoon I spent countless hours on during my 386 days and while I have the images of that game for the ST I have yet to find one that wants to play.  SimCity is a classic and fun on anything that can handle it and the ST is no exception.  There is no difference between the PC and ST versions that I can find. Really well done.
    New contenders I've found are Super Cycle a fun Hang-On style game, Buggy Boy has become a favorite, Nitro is a neat racing game, Spellbound is a beautifully done adventure game but it will make you pull your hair out, and I found a bunch of popular Sega arcade hits. Some good, some not as good as they could have been. And I've only started my journey.
    Which brings me to a somewhat puzzled conclusion: I love my Atari STe.  But I've never ran into a computer that was all over the place before. That is when it came to game software.  I'm trying to figure out why the ST seemed to be a short fad in the US while it dominated in other countries.  If you viewed ads in ST magazines games were plentiful. But the games I downloaded are mostly for PAL systems even when the same title was ported over to American Atari ST owners.  Where are those images?  I browsed ads in lots of START magazine publications as a guide to find what games actually made it over here and 9 out of 10 times the game images I have found are for PAL systems.  It's been fun trying to find them but hectic to say the least.  And some images are in the STX format only which I have not found a way to put those images back on a disk.  It's not that I'm making these disks to sell them...I just want to play them in real hardware and this is the only way I have found most of the games made.for the ST computers.
    It's been said that software publishers didn't trust Atari once Jack Tramiel took over because he would stop supporting a system without warning.  Whether that is true or not who knows.  I can understand that but in the computer world a publisher had full control over their product.  It would be like no one making software for the 386 because the 486 was a couple of years away from a public appearance
    At the end of the day the ST has grown on me.  Some games were weird but then again those 386 days were no different. Hidden gems?  I'd have to put Spellbound on that list so far.  It's a side scrolling adventure puzzle solving game where you can play at your own pace but it is unforgiving.  You only have one life.  The only thing about my STe I've noticed is a lack of support for the features it had including the Jaguar controller ports.  I have yet to find any games that used those.  Otherwise my STe and I are getting to know one another.  My next adventure?  Finding a C development environment so I can make my own games on it.
    If you have an Atari ST I'd like to hear what your favorite apps and games are on it.  Maybe discussing those games someone is stuck on can bring back those days when help was a school yard away.
  9. Atari 5200 Guy
    After all the life changes happening as of late I finally managed to sit down and play a video game on real hardware.  I decided to hook up my STe and the game I picked to play was Lotus Turbo Challenge.  Granted I have not seen this game since the Genesis days so it was nice to see it again.  

    The first thing I noticed were the graphics. To me they seemed to be better than those on the Genesis but on par with those IBM PCs equipped with EGA graphics adapters.  Those were the good ol' days.  Every screen pays tribute to the exotic Lotus sports car.  Screens detail exterior and interior designs and features, there's a 360 degree rotating render of the car, and power house tech sheets for you car buffs.  At its roots, however, LETC is a basic and simple racing game.
    The objective is really simple...place 10th or better to advance to the next race.  Should you cross the finish line in 11th place or higher then the game ends.  Do not pass GO, do not collect $200. Lotus on the ST I believe has nine tracks to race on with pit row.  It offers split screen racing for two players to have fun.  The game offers multiple music tracks to listen to while racing or you can simply turn them off.  The beginning of each track has information about that track including lane closures and pit requirements.

    The visuals of Lotus are very impressive in my opinion and remind me a lot of how Top Gear on the Super Nintendo looked like.  The controls are simple to use with a couple of control options to choose from and is controlled by a joystick.
    Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge became an instant hit then and it is easy to see why.  It's a nicely made racing game that is easy to pick up and play for one or two people.  Searching EBay for physical copies turned up very little.  Only a few were available from outside the USA.  Prices ranged from $16 to $115 at the time I did a search.  For STe owners this game got a recent upgrade in graphics and sounds and is available on Atari Mania.  This one is a classic!  So grab a buddy and lay asphalt.
     
  10. Atari 5200 Guy
    The FPS/RPG series Borderlands has become a favorite modern game with my wife and I.  In anticipation of Borderlands 3 coming in September I decided to do a video series on Borderland 2 to revisit the game and to showcase the game in its raw form.  There is no commentary as I lack the equipment to capture both at present time.  The first of this series starts in the video posted below.  More will follow when time allows.
    Parental Warning:  The game play presented in the video below has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB.  It may/may not contain content inappropriate for young viewers.  Parental guidance is advised.  
     
    The second part of this series is being figured out how to present.  Over an hour of the game I captured has the game's audio missing.  Instead the software switched on me to capture the mic instead.  Because of the copyrighted content it captured from the living room TV I may just have to do a text commentary of what happened.  I can't go back and capture it again and have it match up with the rest because of the random nature of the game.  Loot is never the same in the loot crates.  Any suggestions appreciated.
  11. Atari 5200 Guy

    Top 10 Favorite Consoles

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Top Favorites
    I remember answering a question asking that if I was stranded on an island what game system would I wish was with me.  Or something like that.  I had some figuring to do as to what systems were my favorites and also had games I could play that I wouldn't get bored with or spend too much time on if power was limited.  I had a few other factors to consider as well such as power requirements and how it connected to a screen. All of that played an important role to my final decision.
    The overall end result was that I gained personal knowledge on what my favorite consoles were in a specific order. Since then, however, I have added a few new members to the collection which has changed that list.  Would you like to know what systems in my collection are my top 10?  Here we go...the end result may surprise you.
     
    #10 - Original PlayStation
    I jumped on the PlayStation after almost a year after it was released.  I had a Saturn alongside it but it soon became clear who the more serious contender was.  Saturn was getting games but only a handful were of any personal interest.  PlayStation had tons of games that I enjoyed playing from Sony Rally Cross, Destruction Derby, and then Gran Turismo came along.  It also rekindled my enjoyment in RPG games with the Final Fantasy series.  It's graphics have not held up well but the games are solid entertainment.
     
    #9 - PlayStation 2
    Yea...one of the best selling, if not the first, consoles of all time is not exactly number one on my list.  Great machine, lots of good games, some of which are still budget friendly, and plays original PS games as well.  I do enjoy it but the only reason I picked up a PS2 way back when was because of Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec. But it sort of took a step back in my opinion.  After playing GT2 on the PS and having over 400 cars to pick from going to GT3 with only roughly 200 cars just felt odd. I also tagged in FF X which was a lot of fun as was Portal Runner.  So why did PS 2 and PS make bottom of my list?  It wasn't the games.  It was costs of initial setups.  While there were 3rd party alternatives, memory cards for those machines were not cheap by any means and regardless of brands in most cases.  And Sony seemed to have the most expensive cards on the market that never came down much in price.  Great console but expensive accessories.
     
    #8 - GameCube 
    Just like the PS2 there was only one reason I was after a GameCube...Metroid Prime.  That game was absolutely awesome!  The visuals and sounds were very impressive and easily one of the best looking games on the system.  But the memory cards required to save game progression, again, keep this one at the back of the pack.  Neat little system though.
     
    #7 - Sega Master System
    Sega's first console to hit U.S. shores wasn't bad but wasn't too impressive either.  It was great to finally be able to play those Sega arcade hits starting from the mid eighties in your living room.  OutRun was the sole reason I wanted one.  And once the systems and games hit clearance bins I started grabbing.  Most games I had were arcade ports, some were originals.  I still say the Master System did a better job with Double Dragon than the NES did but that's my opinion.  The Master System's sound chip is very distinguished and unmistakable.
     
    #6 - XBOX
    The original XBOX surprised me the second I started playing a store demo.  Built like a tank this machine meant business and it showed in every game produced for the thing.  It was extremely nice to finally have a disk based system with no memory cards required.  Forza, RallySport Challenge, Burnout series, Jade Empire, and, of course, Halo showcased the system well.  There were other titles too that did the same but those are what I remember most.  Microsoft making a game console...who would have guessed?
     
    #5 - Atari Jaguar
    The Jaguar should have been better supported.  But even with mediocre library of games it got it is the sexiest system in my collection.  I have lots of fond memories with Cybermorph and Iron Soldier.  Wolfenstein 3-D was entertaining if missing some levels and Tempest 2000?  Don't even get me on that game.  I can spend a whole day on that game without a care in the world.  Want me to become invisible?  Put me on Tempest 2000.  
     
    #4 - Atari 2600
    Of course the 2600 is on this list.  Literally tons of games and fun dominate this console.  Controller options galore and I believe the 2600 was the only console to have paddle and driving controllers.  Not very many games used them but they were there.  This is also the only console synonymous with the name Atari.  Just say Atari and people that have lived it think of the 2600.
     
    #3 - Super Famicom
    When the Super NES there was only one game that interested me... F-Zero.  That was the only game I was after.  Super Mario World came second place.  Then Zelda came out and I lost a few months of my teenage years with that game.  Top Gear made for a great unexpected 2-player co-op game while Gradius III and Super E.D.F. became most played shoot 'em ups.  
    About a year ago I imported its older brother, the Super Famicom.  I never understood why the design changed so much between the two. I remember seeing the SFC in Nintendo Power magazines and loved the design.  When they finally showed the model Americans would get I was confused.  Even when their internals were identical the quality between the two are like night and day. The SFC has a better build quality and feel to it.  Even putting the games in it has a more satisfying experience over the SNES. The only main downside is the curved shape of the carts makes them difficult to stack and they lack end labels.  Otherwise I prefer the SFC over the SNES.  Something about its chubby appearance is more appealing to me.  I only have two games for it, Super Mario World and Darius Twin but it gets played more often than my SNES...and it has F-Zero.
     
    #2 - Sega Dream cast
    The only console I would pre-order along with Sonic Adventure would become my favorite Sega system of all-time.  Sega rekindled my faith in them with the Dream cast and it was one helluva adventure I will never forget.  Subscriptions to the Official Dreamcast magazine started long before I would get my system and game.  But it was a wait well worth waiting for.  With all it had to offer I never expected it to have such a short shelf life.  Easily Sega's best system.  Favorites include Tokyo Xtreme Racing series, Virtually Tennis, Sega Bass Fishing, Skies of Arcadia, Grandia II, Shemue, and Sega Swirl. Thank you, Sega, for that little system.  It's still one helluva ride.
    And now drum roll please....
     
    #1 - Famicom & Atari 5200
    Two consoles now share the number one spot.  There simply was no way I could choose between the two. The 5200 started my gaming career (might as well be as much as I play video games) when I was 7 years old at least.  It's design still mesmerizes me to this day and I never once had issues with my controllers up to the NES when I was 13.  Count it...that's six years.  Of course that's different today mainly due to age.  Time has not been too friendly to my 5200 controllers.  They are getting old.
    The Famicom, on the otherhand, has really grown on me.  If that was the only console I ever had I would be content with it.  While it might not make much sense to some why I would pick it over the NES, which I owe a lot of gratitude to for keeping me off the streets, it has become one of the most played systems in my collection.  I have seven games for it...eight if you count the disk version of Metroid.  It is neat to experience the games Americans never got like Gradius II and Parodius while seeing the differences between games from both parts of the world like Salamander.
    I turn to the 5200 for memories of famed arcade hits that makes up most of its game library.  My sentimental feelings with the 5200 will never change and make it impossible for me to knock it off the number one spot.  It just has an overall incredible experience that simply can't be found anywhere... Not even in emulation.  The Famicom's small size and odd design make it appealing and fun to experience.  And playing the games we didn't get add to that experience.  It is very hard for me to put it down when I have it setup to enjoy.  I didn't see any reason why both couldn't share the number one spot.  My game room, my rules, right?  This way I can enjoy both sides of video game history.
    Favorite 5200 games are Star Raiders, Space Dungeon, Sinistar, Pole Position, and Qix.  Favorite Famicom games are Salamander, Parodius, Tetris, Route 16 Turbo and Gradius II even when I suck at it.
     
    Those are my top ten favorite game consoles...at least at the time of this writing.  My choices are based on great memories I had with them.  Those that didn't make this list are not because I don't like them or play them. I went by the wow factor I got from a system while they were in production. It really is that simple.
     
     
     
  12. Atari 5200 Guy

    Revisiting Gran Turismo 2 (PlayStation)

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    PlayStation Reviews
    Today when I checked the mail there was a package in there containing a game I have not seen since the Y2K debate.  This is one PlayStation game I bought as soon as it hit store shelves along with a guide book.  Being a huge fan of the first Gran Turismo this was one game I was highly excited about.  So getting it in the mail was an exciting moment for me.  A game that has eluded me many times was now in my hands, complete and ready...no...begging to be played.
    I spent many months on this game before I traded in all my PlayStation stuff and I might have achieved 50 percent completion.  As time moved on and Forza came out the whole Gran Turismo thing for me sort of faded. Booting up Gran Turismo 2 and seeing the menu screen took me by surprise...again. But this time in a bad way because for the life of me I could not remember the layout of the game's navigation screen.  I had not seen it in so long that it took a while to find my way around again.  Once I spent some time on it the memories started coming back.  Took a while but came back.
    All the tracks in the game were nice to see again. High Speed Ring I remember well.  That's one track that has managed to stay with the series since the first game and I know it has appeared in GT3 and GT4.  Red Rock Valley and Tahiti Road I had forgot about and had to learn all over again.  Those races I discovered under the Sunday Cup, practically the only races available, except for two tracks in the Clubman Cup races, that don't require a license.  
    And that's another thing! The license tests. I got so use to Forza and not having to worry about obtaining licenses to participate in races later on in the game that I completely forgot how difficult getting those licenses were.  I just obtained my B-Class license after having to do most of the tests multiple times just to get a bronze award but, hey, whatever works.
    The one aspect of the game that took me a while to adjust to was the graphics. Granted I could put the game in the PS2 to help out but, I'm old school and the PlayStation needed some exercise. It's funny...

    ...these graphics were once considered top notch.  While the PlayStation games have lived on the system as a whole just has not aged well at all.  I believe it was said that GT2, with as much as they put into it, still didn't make full use of the system's capabilities.  Even if the game does not look as good as it once did it is decent enough and doesn't discourage this old dog from enjoying an old friend's visitation.
    I'm very grateful to see this game in my collection.  This time it's here to stay.  I want to try to get that 99 or 100 percent completion.  I'm hoping I can get most of my favorite old cars back.  I'm starting off with a car I didn't get before...a '91 Nissan Skyline GTS-t Type M with a few mods.  I'm a huge fan of the Skylines so that was a no brainer. But I'm not going to get those cars if I'm sitting here writing this.  My journey begins again with a game I have not seen in decades and I'm looking forward to it.

  13. Atari 5200 Guy

    To Mod or Not to Mod?

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Famicom
    That is the question.  I received a NES Classic Mini which makes it the second one in my collection. It has a controller and that’s it.  No box or anything.  My other one remains little used and stays in its box with all original packaging material.
    I have been debating whether or not to mod the thing by adding more games to it.  I don’t know how many different ways there are to mod it, if it’s an easy process or more trouble than it’s worth.  But it would be nice to see the games I grew up playing that are not part of the original 30 games like Lunar Pool, Zanac, Guardian Legend, and more.
    So if it was you with two NES classic minis would you mod one?  If so what would you use and what games would you add?  
     
    Also…is there a limit to the number of games that can be put on it?
  14. Atari 5200 Guy

    Magneto Bugs (A8 Game)

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    A8 Software
    Magneto Bugs is a one player, dot munching, maze game.  The objective of the game is to get as many of the white dots as possible while avoiding the bugs in the maze.  As you move you leave behind red dots that can attract the bugs.  This game is played with a joystick controller.

    I have spent my weekend trying out this game along with two others I picked up.  I kept coming back to this one.  While it might look like a Pac-Man clone it is far from that game.  The back of the package mentions that there are two mazes but I don't think the publisher actually played the game beyond a short test run.   This game appears to generate mazes randomly as I have not seen two mazes look alike. And these mazes have dead ends and if a bug is chasing you it's curtains.  
    One of the most interesting features has to be the magnifier box.  This box follows your player and is your view window to where you are.  I believe this is only game I have come across to use this feature this way.  I really like the opening tune that was used in a lot of Looney Tunes shorts.  And when you get caught the game says something that I have yet to figure out what it is saying.  You do get to rack up points as you progress and you are timed but this timer keeps track of how long you last.  Complete a maze and it's on to another maze.  You get one life.
    Despite how simple it looks and sounds I found this game to be very addictive.  The real challenge of the game is trying to get all those dots without trapping yourself in a corner or dead end.  As many times as I have played this game I have managed to complete only one maze...just one!  My only gripe is I grabbed the Main Street Publishing version which was a budget title.  It shows as there are no instructions even when the package mentions full documentation and they put the disk inside the shell without a sleeve to protect it.  Then again you get what you pay for.  The game is fun and I would recommend it.  Oh...one more thing...this game was previously released as Tumble Bugs by Datasoft...the same people that made Pole Position, Dig Dug, Moon Shuttle, and others for the A8 computers.
     
  15. Atari 5200 Guy
    Oh man.  Where to start?  I reckon I should start at the beginning.  Star Raiders, as any Atari gamer would know, is the iconic first-person space action adventure game published by Atari in 1979 on their Atari 8-bit home computers and later porting it over to the 5200 and 2600 game consoles.  It is the game that defined that genre which others would follow.  Star Raiders II (the published one and the one that did not get released) took the basics and attempted to improve on them.  Solaris for the 2600 soon followed along with a ST port (of which I have yet to play)...all of which maintained the core essence of the game.
    Enter the 2011 port of Star Raiders for XBOX 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC.  After having this game pinned to my 360's dashboard for many years I finally broke down and bought it.  And, I have to admit, I might have made a mistake.  Once the game installed I thought i was going to experience a familiar game.
    For what it is worth the game does look good with modern visuals that are to be expected of modern consoles.  But that is where the good points end.  The sound effects department is very lacking and the game did not keep the first person perspective.  This game stickes with a third person perspective with your ship front and center.

    The Galactic Map is still here but its purpose is not the same as it has been in previous installments.  In all of the other SR games before there was, in essence, a timer that moved things around on the map.  The sole purpose of that game was to defend your starbases from Zylon enemies before they were destroyed.  All previous SR games kept this formula and while this modern SR has Zylon enemies they seem weak.  Very weak.  The bigger Zylon ships are nice models but trying to destroy them is very time consuming and almost frustrating.  The smaller Zylon ships don't even care to come at you.  You spend more time chasing them down than them chasing you down.  The action is simply missing.

    Your ship can morph into three different styles and can be upgraded but I saw no point in the upgrades.  The styles can be changed on-the-fly during missions but the controls to each style makes it hard to learn those controls.  I maxed out my upgrades already but I didn't notice any difference from the first weapon to the last one.  It wasn't like I could kill enemies quicker or home in on targets better.  They seem like a waste of time and feel even more like they have no real purpose.  And each mission I have played so far feels the same as the one before it.  Your weapons also have a limited amount of energy.  Should they run out you then have to run to a recharge base.

    Star Raiders on the 5200 is my number one all-time favorite game.  It has a formula and play style that is solid and simply works.  If this modern game had been called anything else it would have been an OK game but it carries the Star Raiders badge.  Unfortunately those who made the game must not have ever played the original.  Yes, Zylons are still after destroying mankind and there are references to Solaris which is the name given to your home base but it does not have the formula that made the original so important and memoriable.  Everything you knew or thought you knew about Star Raiders was completely ignored and left out of this SR.  In all honesty I woukd not even place this game in the same catagory as all other SR games.  Even the 2600's Star Raiders is far better than this.
    I've tried to be biased as much as possible with this game as I could.  But when you are given the name of a game that is held dear to those that remember that name you better make damn sure you live up to that name.  This game doesn't in my opinion.  I'm going to try to keep playing it because I want to try to get my $5 out of it.  To those who haven't bought this game yet and are considering it...run.  Run as far away from this game as possible.  If you do get it don't go into the game thinking you are playing Star Raiders.  Somebody bootlegged Star Raiders and fluked it up.  I cannot recommend this game when it tries to be a Star Raiders game and fails miserably.
    This game has got me so frustrated I think I'll drag out my 5200 and ST and play those Star Raiders instead.
  16. Atari 5200 Guy

    Atari 7800 Top Favorites

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Atari 7800
    My first 7800 was received in the early 1990s...long after the company stopped making them.  What games I got with it was pretty much all I ended up with.  I admit I had mixed feelings about the system because I wanted to like it, I wanted to enjoy the games, but the controllers were keeping me from doing so.  Often times I forced myself to play it, enduring hand cramps for a couple of hours, just to play it.  The only game I found I liked using the joystick on was Ms. Pac-Man. That's it. So I played that one the most only because it didn't hurt my hands as bad.  And no matter what anyone says...Atari systems before the Lynx and Jaguar, had a sound that is unique to an Atari. I know that doesn't make sense to most but that sound is, in its own way, attractive.  More attention getting than some others.
    Today I have a Frankenstein 7800 in need of a shell with a self-made A/V mod. I try very hard to maintain an original spec integrity with all my systems but this 7800 just wasn't having it.  My library of games is sitting at a lovely 20 games whereas my first library didn't even reach 10 games.  But those system and games came from 3 family members I miss dearly.  What I have now has replaced those initial games plus games I never seen before on the 7800. I am missing Ballblazer, however, which I once thought was a 7800 exclusive title.  Boy was I wrong.
    For fun I thought I would tell what 7800 games have become my favorites over the years.  The 7800 has come very close to replacing my 5200 as number 1 console but not yet...even if it is getting more attention than my 5200.  Anyway...here is my list.  No particular order.
    Asteroids - Asteroids just simply looks stunning on the 7800 and I feel is easily one of the best games on the console.  The visuals are stunning and greatly enhanced by the random atmospheric sounds combined with the fire shots and rock explosions going off in the forefront.  Add a second player for some interesting competition or work together to last as long as possible.  It really is interesting how a simple.game has a lot to offer.  This one is my top favorite.
      Dark Chambers - I am guessing this was suppose to be the 7800's answer for a Gauntlet clone? Maybe trying to compete with Zelda (yeah, right)?  Either way I enjoy the game as it is a nice break from the single screen arcade games once in a while.  It's fun to explore the levels, too.
      Ms. Pac-Man - I have to admit for having only 2 sound channels this game sounds really good. It plays better than the 5200/A8 ports as well.  Everything loved about the Queen of Video Games is here right down to the intermissions.  Another personal top favorite.  This one gets played as much as Asteroids...and, yes, I still use the standard 7800 joystick on this one.
      Xevious - a weird vertical scrolling shooter that I never understood.  However it was one of the initial titles I ended up with and did try to enjoy.  I own this same game on the Famicom and must say that I like the 7800 version better.  It just looks more eye pleasing.  Also, the 7800 version is a bit more forgiving. I really like the fact I have one button for both guns and bombs.  Both versions are fun but I would give the win to the 7800 on this one.  Nicely done, Atari.
      Commando - I don't care for the NES version but play the heck out of the 7800 version.  It is amazing how different these 2 really are. The 7800 feels closer to the arcade to me. I thought the title screen, however, was a bit much but that's a minor thing.  At least even that is more detailed than the other one. 
      Donkey Kong - I'm ashamed to admit I am not a huge fan of DK but I am a lesser fan of DK JR.  However something about playing DK on the 7800 is just pure enjoyment.  I know Atari licensed it from Nintendo, and I know the 7800 trying to compete with the NES just wasn't happening, but to me this was Atari slapping Nintendo in the face.  I only seen 3 of the four mazes present in the 7800 port but those are faithfully present here.  Some arcade animations are missing but, hey, it's still Donkey Kong. Who doesn't like that great big ape?  I didn't at one time but I do now.
      Ballblazer - Across all three Atari platforms this title was on are identical.  Granted the XE and 5200 versions have a little extra but the heart of the game remains unchanged. I found this one addictive.
      Galaga - I'm more of a Galaxian fan but when it comes to the 7800 Galaga fills the bill. I have to admit that the 7800 version is nicely done and I prefer these sounds over the arcade sounds.  This is a 7800 exclusive as no other Atari consoles ever got this game.  Not officially anyway.
      Pole Position II - This pack-in game was a wise choice. Its four tracks helped keep this game from getting boring too quickly. So pick your track and get ready for a race...the Atari way.
  17. Atari 5200 Guy

    Famicom Game Ranking

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Famicom Game Reviews
    I'm making a blog entry for the Famicom games I own.  I'm going to start ranking them based on how much I play the games.  I can't go by like because I simply like all of them.  Alright, here we go!
    Salamander - pure and simple shooter with a unique story behind it and an awesome soundtrack. I also like the distinctive transparent blue cartridge. Route 16 Turbo - developed by Sun soft of Blaster Master fame this arcade style maze game is simply hard to put down once you start playing it. It's that addictive.  Parodius - another shooter by Konami but this one is more of a cute em up.  Konami took a bunch of their well known characters and threw them in a large bag...and shook it up.  This was the end result. Very fun to play but can be a bit challenging Family Circuit - despite being in all Japanese this is a fun top-down racing game and the first one I've seen like it where the player can change a lot about their car characteristics.  It even has endurance races that can last a while. Gradius II - the sequel to a popular shooter franchise was very impressive with levels that seem to have no vertical or horizontal limits. Very fun to pick up and play but if you are not familiar with it you won't last ten minutes. I've lasted maybe 12 minutes. Tetris - Famicom's Tetris is different than what Nintendo released on the Western NES.  While not as colorful the game stops between levels to add up bonus points resulting in a break for the player. Something the NES version doesn't do.  The music is also different. Ill be back later to add the others.
  18. Atari 5200 Guy

    Famicom Impressions

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    First Impressions
    It's been a year now since I bought my Famicom, Famicom Disk System, and a few games.  I just double checked my purchase history and I bought my Famicom, as JUNK, February 14th, 2021.  It took a week to get here which was impressive. And I'm probably not going to say anything about it people already know but I've got to speak my mind about it.
    My Famicom discovery really started when I discovered emulators a few decades ago.  I found a NES emulator and a ton of games.  What I didn't realize at the time was that some of the games were not American releases.  I found one board-like RPG game that I liked but to this day I still can't remember the name of it. I also discovered Gradius II and Salamander.  After playing those I started wishing there was a way to Import a Famicom but places that carried them at the time were very pricey.  
    Fast forward to modern times and thanks to EBAY I was finally able to obtain one.  In decent shape but needed work. Same with the disk drive, needed a belt.  The games worked fine...just needed cleaning.  My library is small but is of games I either already knew or found interesting.  Of course Super Mario Bros. is here, Clu Clu Land and Dr. Mario, and I managed to snag up Gradius II and Salamander. Parodius was a recommendation from I believe one of Metal Jesus' YouTube videos. Route 16 Turbo I got because of the car on the label.  I wanted a mystery game.  Might as well do it right. The only FDS game I was after was Metroid.  I wanted to experience the difference on a personal level. And one complete game I found really cheap was Tetris.
    So was my investment worth it?  Most definitely! For the price of a cheap modern game I managed to pick up a console.  I had to spend time fixing it but now it's working great.  I especially like the smaller design because it doesn't require a whole lot of shelf space when I have to put it away.  I also never have to worry about losing controllers either.  It's a pleasure to use.
    The disk system took more work than I was expecting to fix only because the belt had to be replaced I found so many different ways to do it.  I eventually settled on my own way which is a combination.  It fits perfectly fine under the Famicom. It's batteries have been in it for almost a year and still going strong.  I didn't use a replacement belt for it, I used a hair tie.  Yep...a hair tie.  It works fine.  
    The games? Salamander will always be my number one pick when it comes to the Famicom because it was ported over as Life Force for our NES...and that game is my number one NES favorite.  It is interesting to see differences between the two.  In Life Force the title screen is good, the score display works, and you can have two options. In Salamander, however, the title screen has more graphics, the score display is better explained, and you can have 3 options.  Otherwise the game is the same.  Gradius II I wish we would have got but I can see why we didn't.  It's a very difficult game.  Looks and sounds good but I can get through the first level.  And I've beat a lot of NES shooters including Life Force numerous times. Clu Clu Land, SMB, and Dr. Mario are no different than what we got here in the States, nice additions to have around. Tetris is Tetris but this Tetris was different in looks and controls.  It took me a while to get use to it but once I did it was a nice change.  The mystery game surprised me the most.  A simple Venture-style game that is loads of fun to play.  I'd call it a hidden gem.  Parodius I thought was way out in left field.  Everything this has it throws at you.  Neat game and I play this one a lot   And lastly Metroid. I can finally save my game on that one but only after I did.  So if I'm doing really good and need to shut it down I have to kill myself to save my game.  The subtle differences in music and sounds is minimal but does enhance the game play efforts.
    The Famicom has left a very positive impression the first year I've owned it. I play this more than I play the NES which has more games. It's a good system and getting to experience things we didn't get has been nothing less than exciting.  And my journey is just starting.  I'm very happy with my investment and I only hope that I can find more games for it soon. If you have been thinking about getting one I would recommend it. Do research first for games that would interest you.  Then go hunting.  Highly recommended.
     
  19. Atari 5200 Guy

    F1 (Atari ST)

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Atari ST
    This review will be short because this is Vroom's younger brother.  If you haven't read it already I would suggest going and reading my review of Vroom, then come back here.
    F1 has new tracks and a few new menu items.  Missing is the lap timer.  It no longer tracks your lap times.  Tracks include Monaco, Spain, and many more that are part of the F1 World Championship...in 1993, making this an official FIA licensed game.  The animation is still as smooth as Vroom, sounds are the same, cars are the same, tracks are done up very well.
    Those who play and like Vroom will feel right at home with F1.  Now, get out there and win the F1 World Championship!

     
  20. Atari 5200 Guy

    Tempus

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Atari ST
    Tonight I thought I would research applications in attempts of finding anything to allow writing programs for the Atari ST.  I do enjoy writing small programs every now and then.  I turned to some magazines to see what turned up before having to turn to Google.  Doing a Google searched turned up a recommendation for an app called Tempus.  The only one I have on hand is version 1.10 but there are other versions out there.
    What grab my interest right off the bat were the file types it supported out of the box. Along with standard text files Tempus also supports C, Basic, Pascal, S, and Assembly files and a few more.  All of those file types are used to program an ST.  The S files I know were used in developing 7800 games so it may be possible to use a single machine to develop for multiple systems.

    I was loving the colors until I went messing around, clicked on the Fuji logo, and found the Control Panel.  Once I clicked on that the app turned black and white.  I haven't found a way to get the color back.

    I have not messed around with it yet as I am trying to locate the manual to it.  It does look to be self explaining which helps...it's those extra fine details that I might need to know about. Why am I posting this without using the app first?  To let other ST owners become aware of it.  Once I learn more about it I will add an update here.  For now, though, I need to hit the books.
  21. Atari 5200 Guy

    First Time Playing Crossbow

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    A8 Software
    I have had this game called Crossbow in my collection for a while now.  It is for the XE computers.  Tonight, I played it for the first time.  Keep in mind that I have never played this game before let alone heard of it. How did I do?  I got 478,000 points.  I have no clue if that is good or bad because it doesn't take long to start racking up points in this game.

    Did I enjoy the game?  Oh yes!  I even played a second game but did not do as well.  I have yet to discover how to reach the Evil Master.  But I have to admit that this is a really nice piece of software.  The graphics look really good, especially the environments.  The sounds are good and I swear the friends dying is almost digitized.
    I believe this is one of the most active light gun games I have ever played on any console.  Well...almost.  Gumshoe on the NES required a lot of trigger pulling as well but on the Atari this one is easily one of the more trigger-happy games on the system.  That I'm aware of.  One characteristic aspect if the game that I find a bit odd is the cartridge design.  I use to seeing the small gray ribbed edges.  The Crossbow cartridge is different.  Then again it might have done that way because of the XE computers and where their cartridge slots are.  I use an XEGS so I tend to forget about the XE computer design.

    Regardless of the cartridge design it is probably one of the best light gun games on the system.  Im glad to have it.  Y'all need to play this one.
  22. Atari 5200 Guy
    I have tried many games.  Some with great success, some with not so great results.  Overall I have come to a conclusion on how I see the ST computers.  Close to the end of the ST production run I was heavy into the 386 computer scene.  Good old' MS-DOS commercial and shareware games kept my time occupied.  I never knew nor heard about Atari making ST computers at all.  Atari simply didn't exist.
    In hindsight that was a good thing.  I managed to learn the IBM PC side of computing.  Games I had and would read about were very much hit and miss.  A ton of weird games that made you wonder why you even wasted time on them when you had better games.  Countless nights figuring out the latest SSI release or finding those hidden areas in Wolfenstein 3-D. Breaking into buildings and tapping phones in Covert Action or building the biggest railroad empire in Railroad Tycoon.  Those PC games gave me knowledge I needed when I finally approached the ST. 
    That might sound weird to some but the whole reason why I asked for a 386 in the first place was to learn how to program games.  I had QuickBASIC for that.  So to warm up to the ST I wanted to explore what games it got.  I was surprised to see many of those old IBM games I played on the ST.  My research started with five games: Space Station Oblivion, which I have yet to really get into, Super Cycle (beat this one one week after I got it), SimCity, Buggy Boy, and Test Drive.  The first two I bought, the last three are disk images.  The time between playing those until I pulled the ST back out a few days ago is about two years.  I was serious this time.  I was either going to find games I liked or were at least interesting or the ST was simply going to be a collection item.  I don't see the point of owning a system if I'm not going to enjoy it.
    I've found at least 30 games I enjoy on the ST, only a few I remember from the 386 days.  I wake up in the mornings and I want to play the ST.  I don't want to go to bed because I have to turn off the ST.  The ST has grown on me fast.  Games like Vroom, Goldrunner, Nitro, Spellbound...all make the ST worth having around.  But just like those old 386 games the ST was also plagued with weird games.  But also like the 386 the early games felt like learning tools with most of them not that great.  It's to be expected since it can take a while to learn a new system and to pull all the tricks out of it.
    The ST is a fine system but, unfortunately, was not as well received here in the U.S. as it was in the U.K. and other countries.  I first had to resort to STart magazines to see what all the American ST got.  I ended up resorting to ST Action, a UK-based magazine that reported ST games in great detail.  Once I read a few of those I had a list of games to go find. I quickly became an ST sleuth hunting down what works and what doesn't.
    At the end of the day I have a strong connection to my STe now. I also know know what games I want to keep an eye out for in the wild should I ever get that lucky.  The ST turned out to be a nice machine.  Maybe not as well received as the XL/XE line but still a great staple. I love my ST.
  23. Atari 5200 Guy

    ST Virus (Not a Review)

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Atari ST
    I thought about making this just a standard forum post but decided instead to make it a blog post.  This way I have a document on my findings while learning more about the ST.  And now...the rest of the story (I miss Paul Harvey).
    I was doing research trying to find out if Konami actually went through with releasing some games on the ST computers.  One issue of ST Action mentioned it but the next issue that was to continue the story was missing.  My research turned up something more and I landed on Vigilante.  I also seen the disk label:

    This disk image (thanks to Atari Mania) says something about a virus warning.  Now, I can somewhat understand a virus in the IBM and Apple world of computers because they were a bit more popular in our portion of the world.   But an Atari computer getting a virus?  Is it possible?  Can it destroy the computer? 
    I'm going to keep reading those ST magazines to see if anything turns up.  In the meantime if anyone here has more knowledge about those viruses I'm sure that other ST owners here, including myself, would like to know about them p!ease.
  24. Atari 5200 Guy

    VROOM! Literally

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    Atari ST
    While going through some ST game images I came across the words "Vroom".  No explanation. I have already seen some weird games on the ST so far so why not.  Couldn't be any worse than some I've tried so far, right?  In goes a blank disk, on it goes Vroom which I assumed was some sort of racing game with motorcycles.  Disk done and to the ST I go.  Insert disk, power on.
    Once I saw the title screen and heard the music my spidey senses started going off.  What did I just feed my ST?  Where did all this fancy stuff come from? I grabbed the controller and figured out how to navigate the menu selections.  Start Game!  First track is Fuji.  Nice.  All those years of playing Pole Position should serve me well, right?  Wrong.  Remember the tight hairpin left turn most have went too fast around and ate a billboard?  This game splits it into two short turns!  And there's hills and single lane sections and cars stop or slow down unexpectedly in front of you.  I must have a sick sense of humor because I would sometimes hit a car in front of me or a sign, go airborne like K.I.T.T., only to land and break my car or crash into another sign or a tree.  At times it was comical.
    This game is absolutely beautiful and comes with digitized sounds and music.  Controls are simplistic since you really only have five switches to worry about when using the joystick.  The mouse is used for some race modes of which I have yet to try out.  My only issue is that the game's colors are for a PAL system and are a bit off on a NTSC system.  Those with a TV/Monitor capable of handling the cycle differences might be OK with the faded color look.  Those without such a display might not be able to enjoy the game.  Speed?  This game is fast!  The ST doesn't slow down at all or at least I never noticed it.
    So grab your ST and go VROOM!  I highly recommend this one.  I may have just found my reason to keep my ST out.

    I forgot to write the rules to the game.  Silly me. They are actually simple.  The far right bar in the HUD display is your fuel.  There is a little black line on that bar showing your fuel level.  Keep an eye on it because if you run out then it's game over.
    Races are won by passing the required number of cars per track.  The first track requires 8 cars to be passed.  Each track after that increases the number of passes by 3.  An easy way to tell is to watch your HUD display.  It will display cars of two colors: green and red.  Green cars are the required cars and reds are extras.  Try to maintain at least one red car in you pass count before you cross the finish line.
    Learn the tracks.  Sometimes going slow through the curve portions and then opening it up on straights can benefit you.
  25. Atari 5200 Guy

    Decision In The Desert (A8)

    By Atari 5200 Guy,


    A8 Software
    When it comes to Microprose games I immediately think of those 386 PC days when I spent countless hours on Railroad Tycoon, Covert Action, and Lightspeed.  I never knew that Microprose really started with the C64 and Atari computers making tons of WWII based simulation/strategy games that I missed.  So I started collecting just Microprose games for my XEGS.  Today I write about one of those games called Decision In The Desert.
    I'm not familiar with any of Microprose Commander Series games.  This was a first time experience for me.  Yes, I tried it before but I only viewed the demonstration, I never tried to play the game on my own.  And, I have to admit, I find the game fun but a bit confusing and overwhelming.  Then again I've only played one game and I could not tell you if I won or lost.

    If I was playing as the Brits then, sorry gents, I have more training to go through.
    One thing I have learned about Microprose is their attention to detail.  The on screen graphics are absolutely brilliant, colorful, and well designed, the sounds are pleasing to the ears, and the controls give the player complete control over the game play.  But it doesn't stop there.  The included manual is crammed full of details about the history the game is based on as well as discrete details on how to get the most out of the game.  The 55 page manual is very well written with details from loading the game, key legends for the terrain and unit types, list of keyboard controls, and stories behind each scenario.  The manual alone could take a few days to go through.
    Microprose was one developer that might not have pushed computer hardware to its limits but they definitely defined the simulation and strategy genres for others to follow.  Their Commander Series is no different.  With game play based on real life WWII events, Decision in the Desert is one title that deserves a chance by newcomers and revisited by veterans to the series. 
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