1/20/2007: Atari 2600: A-VCS-Tec Challenge, Ladybug, Sky Skipper

[Alienblue]

Yes, you are right, I was wr...um...unright.

Sorta. I still think Parker Bros was an average 2600 producer compared to Imagic and Activision, but they certainly were better than Apollo or Data East. Spiderman, Q*bert and Frogger 2 were all ok. But they REALLY made better games when they started making computer/ Colecovision and Atari 5200 carts. Popeye on the 2600 is pretty ugly, but shines on CV and 5200.

I should just keep my big eyes shut.

[Zenzerotron]

I consider the 2600 version of Popeye, like Miss Pacman, to be a completely alternate version of the actual arcade game. I don't think that's a bad thing at all, interesting actually. I own the NES version and the 2600 version, and it feels like having two seperate games, a good thing I tell you.

One publisher that gets alot of crap, but I think is great, is CBS Electronics. Besides the awesome "Solar Fox", even their bad games, like "Blueprint" are so freaking weird, I like them anyway. "Tunnel Runner" was ahead of it's time, it doesn't get enough fanfare.  The only truely crap game they made was their completely botched translation of "Gorf".

Apollo had a talent for making completely boring games. It's an easy feat to make terrible games, but it takes a certain talent to make games that aren't actually bad, but somehow bore you to tears. I own a fair helping of Apollo games, and they're all completely boring.

[Alienblue]

This is getting off topic, but... I thought the 2600 Ms. Pac-man was EXTREMELY close to the coin-op, compared to, say, 2600 pac-man or Donkey Kong. All 4 screens (only altered a LITTLE), all prizes, etc... Parker's 2600 Popeye (and O2 Popeye for that matter), were destined to fail in my eyes because the GRAPHICS were what MADE the coin-op. 2600, no can do!

Solar Fox was always one of my favorite games, as was Wizard of Wor. CBS rocked. The 5200 Blueprint was even better!

Apollo was created to make money, period. They didn't care about games. At first the company consisted of a manager and teenage programmer. Their first game, SKEET SHOOT, is actually more primitive than PONG and more like a barely ready demo!

[Zenzerotron]

You know Alienblue, there's a Space-Zap clone  homebrew  called "Vault Assualt" which I own, which you should own as well.

Actually, there's at least a dozen 2600 homebrews out there you should own.....

[Alienblue]

Zen... I do own Vault Assault (the harder version); it is a fantastic game.

You are right though, I should own the rest of your games.

Please send them ASAP.

[Cybergoth]

Just thought to mention that it's "Lady Bug" not "Ladybug".
(All versions, not just 2600.)