Adventure (Review, Easter Egg & More)

[nosweargamer]

Adventure is one of my favorite games of all the time. So much so, that I wanted to start a thread on it.

First of all, if for some reason you aren't familiar with the game, you can check out my review below.

[nosweargamer]

And here's the famous Easter Egg and how to get to it:

[nosweargamer]

But even the artwork is great. The classic orange box is awesome, but I also enjoy this original, black Atari manual:

 

I can't even tell you why I like this artwork so much, but it might be the fact that the dragon is smiling holding a key. There is something bizarrely wonderful about Atari art that is missing from modern day box art.

 

I would also like to think the Atari catalog art was inspired by the game as well. A very nice, more serious take on the game:

[Rowsdower70]

Hey we FINALLY agree on one!

[nosweargamer]

One thing I mentioned in my review, is how much Adventure has in common with The Legend of Zelda.

I never heard of it being an influence on Zelda, but they have so much in common, you would think it was.

 

For instance:

 

Both games have square shaped heroes (to me Link seems pretty square shaped in the first game) who start the game going through an entrance on the first screen to get a sword (I didn't realize this until after my review):

 

Also, both games have dungeons/castles with mazes inside (on the harder variations on Adventure) and both use keys (specific keys in Adventure and in sometimes specific in Zelda)

Edited July 26, 2016 by nosweargamer

[nosweargamer]

Also the items:

 

Both games have items to retrieve things far away (Magnet/Boomerang)

 

Both games have items to cross into new areas (Bridge/Stepladder)

[nosweargamer]

And in both games you have to deal with bats

 

And Dragons

 

And the goal of both is to retrieve a shiny object

[RickR]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Adventure is my favorite 2600 game.

[atarifan95]

I absolutely love this game. I like exploring all the chambers, and collecting things. And the duck-dragons are just so hilarious. This game is good for both the fun factor AND the humor factor (though the humor was unintentional).

 

There's a reason this game is included on nearly every Atari compilation game.

 

Fun fact: On the port of the game for the Jakk's Pacific 10-in-1 joystick, the Easter Egg was removed, and replaced with the word, "TEXT." I don't know if that was mentioned already, but I find it kind of funny (especially considering that it was the first version of the game I played, and it was before I knew that the games on the joystick weren't the original versions, so when I went looking for the Easter Egg, I was greated by "TEXT," and I was like, "What's this trash? I want to see the Easter Egg!" LOL. Still a fun little joystick to play games on though). It's also easier to find the "dot" because the darkness in the labyrinth is black instead of the original grey color, so you can easily see the dot when you enter the labyrinth.

[RickR]

Oh man, the 10-1 says "Text"?  I need to try that.  A picture of that should go on Fail Blog.  Good find!

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I'll have to put Adventure on my 2600 wish list.  Awesome review and easter egg!

[atarifan95]

Oh man, the 10-1 says "Text"? I need to try that. A picture of that should go on Fail Blog. Good find!

Apparently, this information has come to Wikipedia as well (the information wasn't on there back when I made the discovery).

 

Here's the link, where they have a picture of the 10-in-1 version of the Easter Egg:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_(Jakks_Pacific)

 

You just have to enlarge the picture, and you'll see the word "TEXT" at the top of the screen (in really tiny letters. What a joke).

 

But yeah. Fail blog should definitely include that. Haha.

Edited July 26, 2016 by atarifan95

[RickR]

Oh my.  Thanks for the picture.  Given that this is one of the most famous Easter Eggs, that's pretty sad.

[Atari Adventure Square]

Loved your review and truly agree with your rating, NSG.

This one meant a lot to me back in my whippersnapper-cube days and as a grown square today.

 

Yeah, played it daily, along with some of my top ten for quick star-mastery starship captain action and bird-plane-man-hero picking up bridge pieces (coincidence? I think not).

Adventure has always been the most satisfying, in random mode.

 

Just like life, you never know where the things you need are, or if they are out of your reach for good.

You get a hold of that special thing which will bring you closer to your goals, only to have unstoppable forces bear down on you and either stop you cold, or rob you blind (or both).

 

But once you get ahead and can open the right doors, even lock up your feared flying klepto away for good, stop feeding the ducks with a healthy dose of swordplay, and then find that shiny cup of life - its very magical essence flashing unlike anything else around you - well then, you are just a step away from your reward as the game offers a pleasant techno-rave and ends the struggle with the promise of a happy ending, the moment the Magic Chalice is brought through the Golden gates.

 

Yes, this tiny but epic victory will always be worth the journey of switching on and resetting yourself back into the ride.

It's a perfect simulacrum for existence itself, therefore I will always be an Adventure Square, whether I'm typing on a keyboard, riding the subway, or gazing at the stars.

 

I'm sure there are many Pitfall Harrys out there. I've met some and they are fantastically cool.

But they are (and have to be) always on the move. And they know where they are going, where things are.

I have been known to just sit there and sigh as one of the dragons (usually Rhindle, who does lots of cardio) gulps me up and also sits there, slowly digesting me, or simply relaxing on a full stomach after a hard day's chase.

 

Sure, we got the magic to reset the entire kingdom back to life.

But sometimes a good sit is worth a thousand snores.

 

ehh...what was I talking about?

Oh yeah, thanks for spreading the word, NSG.

 

Also makes sense to observe that Zelda took the mantle for the next gamer set who liked their adventurin' a bit more spritey.

I was mesmerized by its ride, when I got the chance to travel this other kingdom.

And its success as a franchise brings me such joy (even though I haven't caught up with the many releases) because it means we are not alone in adopting a view of life as an adventure to conquer.

And as such, it makes this big old randomized world a bit cozier, in shared like-mindedness.

 

Everybody play a Game 3 today, and find your Chalice.

[RickR]

The connection from Adventure to Zelda is cool! Great post, well stated. I never thought about that before.

[Rowsdower70]

Adventure was the game that made me want a 2600.    I had my Intellivision which had some great ones I wouldn't have traded, I just found out that day that one console could never be enough for one man.

[nosweargamer]

btw, was Adventure the first non sport game on the 2600 that you could actually beat/complete?

[Rowsdower70]

I don't know if any score based games had a "kill screen" mechanic before it, but it has to be the first game where the goal was to complete it rather than get a high score.   
Haunted House was after Adventure I'm pretty sure.

[Ballblaɀer]

You could bust the house in Blackjack, although that doesn't have the same "beat/complete" connotation that I think you're getting at.  Superman (December 1978) came before Adventure, so I think that'd be the first one.

[Rowsdower70]

I totally forgot Supes!   Good call BB.

[fergojisan]

Well, to nitpick, Superman used some code from Adventure and was released before Adventure was.

 

Thanks for the video Phil, wonderful job as always. Adventure and The Legend of Zelda are my top 2 video games of all time; I started playing Zelda because of Adventure.

[AtariBrian]

I love adventure!!!  Here is what I have, does anyone know any other versions? 

[AtariBrian]

Oh man just came across evil magician returns one and two!! http://atariage.com/forums/topic/139348-evil-magician-returns-adventure-type-game/page-3?&&do=findComment&comment=1710218

[atarifan95]

I love adventure!!! Here is what I have, does anyone know any other versions?

"Suicide Adventure." In that version, the mazes are harder, and the dragons are AGRESSIVE! They appear constantly onscreen from the very start, and chow you down in seconds. I've never finished that version, because it's hard. I don't know if it was released as a cartridge though.

 

There's also "Haunted Adventure," also known as "Return to Haunted House." It's basically Adventure with a Haunted House theme to it. The dragons are replaced with ghosts, the bat with the bat from Haunted House, and the sword with the scepter. Also, the chalice is replaced with a skull. You can find this game on the Flashback 4.

 

Edit: Oh and the Flashback 4 also includes a game called Adventure II, which is unrelated to the 5200 game of the same name.

Edited July 28, 2016 by atarifan95

[Arenafoot]

I love adventure!!!  Here is what I have, does anyone know any other versions? 

 

from my master list of Atari 2600 homebrews/hacks:

 

1 Adventure 2 Many

Adventure 1K (demake)

Adventure34

Adventure4WI

Adventure Country

Adventure Hell

Adventure Plus - you have

Adventure SI

Adventure w/ hot air balloon

Adventure w/ invisible dragons

Adventure w/ multicolor sprites

Alternate Adventure

Another Adventure - you have

Back to the Future II Adventure

Bedraggled

Dragon Attack

Drakon Croisade

Duck Attack  - you have

Epic Adventure - you have

Evil Magician Returns

Exorcise

Haunted Adventure: Boo!

Haunted Adventure II: Redemption

Haunted Adventure Trilogy

Magic Show

Missadventure Revised

Suicide Adventure

Suicide Adventure II

Suicide Adventure III

Undersea Adventure

Zelda

 

(bold print are titles that were actually printed/made in cart form)