Retro Games That Grew On You

[nosweargamer]

Name a retro game you didn't like at first, but after playing it more, it ended up being one of your favorite games.

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Wow...that's a tough one.  I have a few.  Well...there's E.T. on the 2600 but we all know that story.  The first time I played it, though, I didn't have any reading materials and there was no such thing as the internet like we have now.  So I had no way to "Google" the instructions to the game and got frustrated because I couldn't figure out the game or what I was suppose to do.  After watching YouTube videos on the game and getting new and loose copies of the game, it became one of my most played 2600 games.  

 

Solaris.  When I first got this game after getting my first Junior console when I was 16 this was what I got with part of my second paycheck.  Even with the instructions I found the game frustrating.  Today, however, I have to give it credit as it really pushed the hardware to its limits.  It's a well thought out and developed game, controls are solid, and the game is massive for a 2600 title.  The game is very tough, though, but has to be one of few 2600 games that has a story and an ending, meaning the game can be beat.  High recommendation.

 

On the 5200 it would be Popeye.  One of the last few 5200 I would get before the NES came out.  Out of all of the games I had at the time Popeye became one of my least favorites on the system.  Not too long ago I got Popeye on the 2600 and, wow, that game is horrible.  Laster I picked up Popeye again for the 5200 and I like it much better.  Popeye on the 5200 grew on me the more I played it.  Like most 5200 titles it remains loyal to the arcade original.  Easy to pick up and play.  Another high recommendation. 

 

Last one...Commando on the NES was and remains one of my least favorites on the most popular late 80's console.  The game didn't look bad, and sounds were OK, but the controls just seemed a bit off and sloppy at times.  Then I got Commando for the 7800 and I really started enjoying the game.  Controls are tight, sounds are actually good, and graphics look better than the NES version.  One of my top 5 7800 recommendations.  Asteroids on the 7800 takes my number one spot.  

 

So...E.T and Solaris on the 2600, Popeye on the 5200, and Commando on the 7800.  The only one that is questionable is Commando because it was the NES version I disliked.  I still do.  I never knew the 7800 got it until recently.  So I can't say I disliked the 7800 version because I never had it before.  But, if I would have known then, and had the option, I would have bought, and recommended, the 7800 version first.

[Atari Creep]

Tough one indeed. 

 

I would have to say Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes. Such a fun and busy game. HATED it so much at first until I figured it out!!!! 

[RickR]

Chopper Command.  Originally, I just thought it was a dumbed down version of Defender.  I think we had it as a squad challenge a few months ago, and I really enjoyed it after spending some time with it.  It's a great looking game, with very little flicker.  And it does ramp up in difficulty pretty well. 

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I'm going through a similar thing now with Space Shuttle on the 2600.  It's not that I don't like the game.  On the contrary I find it amazing that so much was crammed inside a 2600 cartridge and done on a machine that had a lot less memory than the space shuttle it was based off of.  What is frustrating is how accurate everything has to be in order to succeed.  If you are off just a tiny bit it really throws the game off balance.  And I keep hitting the wrong console switches to activate/deactivate shuttle functions and that only makes matters worse.  I'm sure once I get the hang of it more it will most likely become one of my favorites.  It's so danged technical and touchy that it is has a rather large learning curve.

[Starbuck66]

Tutankham on the 2600... when I first tried it, I thought it was frustrating and almost unfair. But for some reason, I kept coming back to it, and started to figure out how to progress and get better scores. Now it’s one of my go to 2600 games!

 

Donkey Kong 3 on the NES is another one I didn’t enjoy at first, likely because it has so little in common with the first two games in the series. I think it was one of your video NSG covering the game that made me come back to it and try it again. Now I really enjoy it, not as much as DK or DKJr, but it’s still fun to play.