The Video Game Critic

Here are two mean Odyssey 2 homebrews that aren't too bad! Your comments are welcome.

If anybody has a better screenshot for Forbidden Lands (without the arrows) please let me know.

Also, I updated the Atari 2600 review of Mean Santa, changing its grade from D+ to C-.
http://videogamecritic.com/2600mm.htm?e=08658#rev3991

Just one minor nit with the Forbidden Lands review: you say that the O2 has analog controls, but I'm pretty sure it's an 8-way digital.

LS650 wrote:it's an 8-way digital.

I think you are correct. If I recall correctly, the assembly is a rod going through two rings sandwiched over a large diameter spring, which is durable and responsive. The bottom ring rests on contact pads on the PCB, which has nothing more than the circuits going to the wire housing, so its digital.

My guess is that the Intellivision controller uses a similar design, except its basically just the bottom ring on a spring sitting over the sensor pads on the PCB. So instead of using the rod and spring assembly to manipulate the bottom plate, Mattel allowed direct manipulation of the bottom plate and spring by your thumb. Mattel and other handhelds used buttons with small rubber pads or bumpers inside with spring like properties.

You can see the idea changed one step further with the Nintendo D-pad.

Thanks for the excellent feedback guys. I changed the wording of the review to say it was the "springy feel" of the controller that made it hard to turn with precision.

Also, Mark Jewell provided me with an arrow-free image for Forbidden Lands.