Squad Challenge - Super Breakout (Atari 2600)

[Justin]

 

 

 

Super Breakout
Atari 2600
Controller: PADDLE CONTROLLER / KEYBOARD / PLAYER'S CHOICE
Difficulty Level: Game 5, Difficulty B
Play on: Real Hardware / Dedicated Console / MAME / Emulation OK! ✔
Squad Challenge ends 11:59 pm PST May 15th, 2020

 

 

Objective

Play for the highest possible score using the difficulty settings defined in the challenge. Post a photo or YouTube video of your score in this thread. Scores must be achieved between May 1st through May 15th, 2020. Screen captures are not allowed as they are more easily manipulated for falsified scores. Multiple submissions are permitted. The player with the highest score at the end of the competition is the victor!

 

Eligibility

Anyone can join in. All players are welcome!

 

Play Rules

Games may be played on real hardware, Flashback or emulation, using any controller or keyboard, following all rules and game settings defined in the challenge. Choosing between real hardware or emulation, and choosing which controller to play on is part of formulating your strategy. Enhancements, rewinds and hacked versions of this game are not allowed.

 

Difficulty Level

Game 5 (Double Cavity Breakout), Difficulty Switches set to B (Standard Full-Size Paddles). The Double Cavity playfield contains room for two "cavities", each of which contains a ball. When the game begins, the balls bounce inside each cavity but are held captive for the for the time being. When the player breaks through to the cavities, the balls are released into the playfield and set into play. Game 5 also provides two Paddles on the screen at once, the same as in Double Breakout.

 

Fair Play

Your integrity is everything. Players should play fairly, be honest, and have fun! Falsified scores will result in your immediate removal from the site. It goes without saying that we will not allow cheats, hacks, cartridge frying, enhancements, rewinds, deceitful photo manipulation, subterfuge, or any other unfair advantage. Everybody hates a cheater.

 

More

To review detailed rules on how to play, please visit the High Score Squad page here: 

 

 

Message

Welcome to our 78th Squad Challenge! We're getting back to basics with one of my favorite games of all time, Super Breakout on Atari 2600! Super Breakout may be “the most Atari” of Atari games. There’s beauty in its simplicity. A ball & paddle smashing bricks. The analog feel of a good set of paddle controllers smoothly moving that paddle across the screen delivers a hand/eye connection to the game unlike any other. We're setting our Difficulty Switches to B for the full-size Paddles and playing Game 5, which is Double Cavitiy Breakout! Game and PDF Instructions are provided below. We last played Super Breakout in a Squad Challenge back in 2016, but with less challenging Difficulty Settings. Playing on Game 5 will be a lot of fun! We're still keeping things light and breezy as we deal with this Coronavirus situation and get back into the swing of things in the forums, so kick back, relax, break out your set of Paddles and put on classic game of Super Breakout. I hope you guys are ready for a new season of High Score Squad and good luck to everybody participating! 

 

NOTE: Upcoming Squad Challenges will be simple and straightforward until the site issues are completely resolved. We'll dive deeper with some fun Squad Challenges this summer. Thanks for playing, and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super Breakout.pdfSuper Breakout.bin

[Atari 5200 Guy]

Time to break out Junior and some paddles.  See you guys on the game grid.

[greenween]

Great choice!! This will be a fun one for sure.

[RickR]

Oh what fun!  I need to get out a real cartridge for this one.  The harmony cart is kind of a pain with paddles hooked up!  Is it just me? 

[TrekMD]

OK, I tried this on emulation using a mouse.  I learned two things:  (1) I'm very rusty playing Super Breakout and (2) this needs to be played with a paddle!  A mouse is no substitute!  Here is the measly score I got but it is a start.  🙂

 

[RickR]

1,067.  I had to fix my paddles.  They were jittery, but now smooth.  I had forgotten how difficult and unforgiving this game is.  Sheeeee whiz!

 

[chas10e]

1,469

After selecting game #5,  if you find don't like the tone of the ball hits, hit the reset button again (and again) til you find a tone you like.

[Justin]

My High Score: 1,694

LOVING this game! Great to have you guys jump in on this.

[RickR]

1349.  And a bonus shot of my Jr.  It's got a composite out mod, which is nice. 

[RickR]

I'm posting a score with my son.  RickR Jr.  442

 

[Kid A]

Pretty sure I gotta clean my paddles to play this one!

[RickR]

1,691.

 

[Gianna]

My score so far!

 737

[Kid A]

1864

[chas10e]

13 hours ago, Kid A said:

1864

Wow you really got the jitter ouuta them paddles -or- is that score WITH the jitter :P

Is that a real nintendo TV ? oh nvm I see the Sony label Trinitron I'd imagine 😉

[greenween]

1,170 

[greenween]

1,832

Edited May 5, 2020 by greenween

[Kid A]

7 hours ago, chas10e said:

Wow you really got the jitter ouuta them paddles -or- is that score WITH the jitter :P

Is that a real nintendo TV ? oh nvm I see the Sony label Trinitron I'd imagine 😉

Actually remembered I bought a 2600 lot that came with paddles. Tried them and they worked great!

[RickR]

My paddles are branded "Gemini".  I don't think they go with a Coleco Gemini...I think they were made by the company that designed the Amiga computer.  They made 2600 controllers to raise capital.  In any case, they are identical to Atari paddles.  The Pots are a tiny bit different.  Just like Atari paddles, they were filled with de-electric grease that had gone bad. 

[greenween]

My wife had never played before. She's already hooked! 546 after a few tries.

[RickR]

I played a little today, but wasn't able to beat my high score.  But I am curious about a few things.

• I ended a round with a brown ball.  Guess what happens?  The ball turns blue.  The two new balls in the cavities are brown. 
• I wonder what happens if you end a round with more than one ball going.  Do you see 4 on the next round?  Has anyone ever done this?

[chas10e]

From what I recall , the ball in the beginning is always blue & the captive balls are always brown even in MULTIBALL !!!

To bad you can't shoot jackpots :P

[RickR]

1,744. 

[RadioPoultry]

Score: 1401

It's been ages since I played a game with paddles. I had to clean up my paddles, too. I never really noticed how the game scores before,  but you definitely get more points for having multiple balls bouncing at once. 

[RickR]

The best advice I can offer is to try and break the cavity balls out from the TOP of the screen.  Because that will give you more time with double scoring.