10/7/2006: Atari 5200: Beamrider, James Bond 007, Mario Bros.

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Adamant1
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

10/7/2006: Atari 5200: Beamrider, James Bond 007, Mario Bros.

Postby Adamant1 » October 9th, 2006, 8:17 pm

Okay, gotcha. I never played the 5200 version either (didn't even know there was one), but I've always liked the 2600 game.

Comparing the game to other versions on other consoles, if you've played them, might also be something to add to your reviews. Nothing too in-depth, but like in this case, noting that this version is worse than the 2600 due to the controls.

Zenzerotron

10/7/2006: Atari 5200: Beamrider, James Bond 007, Mario Bros.

Postby Zenzerotron » October 10th, 2006, 12:26 am

I agree with Dave's reasoning completely.

Activision&Imagic games really pushed the 2600's hardware to beyond it's limits; while their 5200 ports had little care put into them. 5200 ports were (perhaps) gaming history's first case of  straight-dump/lazy-ports.


Alienblue

10/7/2006: Atari 5200: Beamrider, James Bond 007, Mario Bros.

Postby Alienblue » October 10th, 2006, 6:41 am

...it wasn't just the 5200, Activision games for almost ALL non-2600 formats (INTV, Colecovision & computers) looked pretty much identical to the VCS games. There WERE a couple of exceptions-like 5200 Pitfall2 had a whole second level, and 5200 River raid had baloons, tanks and different scenery. But most games had only slight background improvements, if that! -I don't think it was so much being LAZY, though, as NOT wanting to outshine the 2600 too much, since that was the system that made them their fortune. One exec was quoted as saying the purpose of translations was simply "to bring the game to X system, a game that people would otherwise not be able to play!"

John-boy

10/7/2006: Atari 5200: Beamrider, James Bond 007, Mario Bros.

Postby John-boy » October 10th, 2006, 10:42 am

Zenzerotron, how can ANY system be pushed beyond it's limits. Technically impossible. What  you mean is that Activision managed to create games that are technically excellent and beyond what many thought possible.

Zenzerotron

10/7/2006: Atari 5200: Beamrider, James Bond 007, Mario Bros.

Postby Zenzerotron » October 10th, 2006, 5:40 pm

Yeah Yeah John-boy, I won't mention a game like "Pitfall 2" which had the special sound-chip inside of it, because it was techincally impossible for the Atari 2600 to produce music/sound like that on it's own........

John-boy

10/7/2006: Atari 5200: Beamrider, James Bond 007, Mario Bros.

Postby John-boy » October 11th, 2006, 1:42 am

well, that didn't push the system beyond it's limits did it? It changed it! duh...

If I get a 2600 catridge and put some PS2 chips inside it am I pushing the 2600 beyond it's limits?

Alienblue

10/7/2006: Atari 5200: Beamrider, James Bond 007, Mario Bros.

Postby Alienblue » October 11th, 2006, 4:31 am

Zen, you beat me again! Pitfall 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Starfox and Virtua racing (Genesis) were all games "impossible" to do on the systems as they were; special hardware had to be added to the carts to make them work! CBS's RAM-plus chip games for the 2600 are in this catagory as well. You can say a game goes beyond the systems ability if special add-ons or hardware are needed to play them.


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