Publisher: Nichibutsu (1983)
Reviewed: 2016/10/6


Its sparse title screen simply reads "Frisky Tom" (with no copyright), so I was surprised to discover this is actually a fully functional game! The game screen is an elaborate maze of blue pipes crawling with rats. These rats chew off elbow joints which inexplicably cause the pipes to
back up. Shouldn't it cause the pipes to
burst? Anyway your job is to collect the parts that fall to the bottom of the screen and climb the pipes to reinsert them. Upon restoring a joint it's neat to watch the water resume cascading through the pipes. You can knock off roving brown rats for points, but steer clear of red rats which are deadly to touch. The idea of climbing a maze of pipes is a unique concept but the controls are suspect. Tom can only move in four directions and it's remarkably slippery when moving side-to-side. Upon completing a round you're rewarded with a brief image of a woman taking a bath in a red bikini! Maybe this game should have been
Peeping Tom? In later rounds the red rats drop on you like heat-seeking missiles and the collision detection is brutal. The game eventually locked up on me. Frisky Tom is a marginal title but it's actually one of the more playable prototypes for the 5200. © Copyright 2016 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 8,300
1 player
Publisher: Parker Bros (1983)
Reviewed: 2002/4/17

Here's a perfect example of a great arcade game nearly ruined by those bizarre Atari 5200 controllers. As everybody knows, the object of the game is to navigate a traffic-filled street and then cross a stream of logs and crocodiles. The graphics here are very close to the arcade, although your frog looks more like a spider when he faces sideways. Although some music plays before and after each game, the catchy in-game melody is conspicuous in its absence. There are two speed settings. The gameplay seems less forgiving than most Frogger games, and the turtles don't give much notice before diving. Although at first this appears to be a respectable version of the arcade hit, the control is problematic to say the least. Since the joysticks do not auto-center, you have to press the button in conjunction with pushing the joystick in order to hop. This is to prevent extra, inadvertent hops, but it makes it awfully hard to change directions quickly. Frogger of the 5200 is playable, but it's far more enjoyable on other systems. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.
Recommended variation: fast
Our high score: 7975
1 or 2 players
Frogger II: Threeedeep!
Grade: A
Publisher: Parker Bros. (1983)
Reviewed: 2002/12/31

In the first Frogger, your frog simply wanted to cross the street and pond. This time his journey will take him from the bottom of the sea all the way up into
the frickin' clouds in the sky! Yes, this is one ambitious amphibian. I'm happy to report that the nasty control issues I experienced with the first 5200 Frogger are much less severe in this edition. I think that's because Frogger II is a less frantic game, relying more on deliberate leaps instead of quick hops. The action takes place over three screens: underwater, the water's surface, and up in the sky. Underwater you'll encounter an array of colorful fish along with dangerous crocodiles and barracudas. You'll have to deal with the water current, though a friendly sea turtle will give you a ride on his back. Once you make it to the surface, you'll encounter rows of whales, hippos, ducks, and shark fins. This stage plays like the original Frogger, as you hop your way towards inner tubes at the top of the screen. The mother duck is your ticket to the sky screen, where you can bounce off clouds and hop between birds. This screen also features some fantastic creatures like pterodactyls and fire-breathing dragons! There's plenty of eye candy in Frogger II - every animal is finely detailed and nicely animated. Frogger II is a real winner for the 5200. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.
Recommended variation: 1
Our high score: 12232
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Atari (1982)
Reviewed: 2008/5/3
Recommended variation: 3
Our high score: KJP 15160
1 or 2 players
Publisher: CBS (1983)
Reviewed: 2011/6/18
Our high score: 8970
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Atari (1984)
Reviewed: 2000/12/28

Unlike the horrible Atari 2600 version, this Gremlins game is not only fun to play, but it conveys the spirit of the movie. The first thing I noticed was the ominous musical theme, which embodies the dark (yet playful) spirit of the film. At the start of each level, the screen is populated with Mogwai, Gremlins, food, and water puddles. If a Mogwai touches food or water, it transforms into a Gremlin. When a Gremlin touches water, it splits in two! The object is to grab all of the Mogwai and place them in a pen in the corner of the screen. Meanwhile you'll need to destroy the multiplying Gremlins using a sword. The gameplay is frantic and fun, with each level growing more intense. Walls and furniture begin to appear in the advanced levels, adding structure to the screen. The graphics are outstanding, featuring detailed, well-animated characters. Check out the gremlin tossing food out of the fridge! You can even select your starting level. Gremlins for the 5200 is a real gem, and one of the few original titles for the system. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Publisher: Parker Bros. (1984)
Reviewed: 2013/1/21

Gyruss fans are always asking me to give this Atari 5200 translation another chance, but whenever I do I just find more things to complain about. In the arcades this was a truly original space shooter. Instead of aliens approaching from the top or sides of the screen, they emerge from the center with the help of some nifty scaling effects. Your ship moves in a circular pattern, shooting into the distance. Gyruss borrows several elements from Galaga, including the "double-shot" power-up and the "chance" bonus stages. Realizing the 5200 controller offered 360 degrees of circular movement, the developers incorporated it into the control scheme. Well, just because you
can do something
doesn't mean it's a good idea! Moving your ship around is not the intuitive experience the developers envisioned. It tends to move in fits, stopping and starting unpredictably as you struggle with the joystick. And bad controls aren't the only problem. Thanks to the super low resolution graphics, the aliens look like shapeless blobs. Their missiles blend in with them, making it almost impossible to see them coming. Unlike the arcade game, aggressive play is punished, not rewarded. The up-tempo musical score is terrific, but music by Bach is too good to be wasted on this sloppy effort. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 37,800
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Activision (1984)
Reviewed: 2004/7/16

H.E.R.O. was an interesting little adventure game for the Atari 2600, but on the 5200 it's a major letdown. Assuming the role of a rescuer sporting a propeller backpack and laser goggles, you must navigate mineshafts to save injured miners. To complete each stage, you'll need to blow up walls with dynamite and shoot small but deadly creatures. The levels get longer and more difficult as you progress, and some rooms are pitch dark so you'll need to feel your way around. The characters and objects are plain looking (and small like the 2600 version) but the underground walls have a more realistic, granular texture. Unfortunately, the wobbly Atari 5200 proves to be a serious liability, preventing you from navigating the narrow mineshafts with precision, causing many undeserved deaths. H.E.R.O. isn't a bad game, but the 2600 version is more playable. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 18030
1 player
Haunted House II 3D
Grade: D+
Publisher: Mean Hamster (2002)
Reviewed: 2002/10/26
Publisher: Parker Bros. (1984)
Reviewed: 2006/10/7

Wow, I really can't get over what an absolute piece of [expletive] this game is. Not only is it terribly unpleasant to play, but the entire concept behind it is idiotic. It's hard to believe someone actually gave the "go ahead" to this ill-advised project. James Bond 007 begins with an incredibly shabby intro that borders on embarrassing. First you see a huge James Bond character getting into a tiny yellow car. Next, the car's wheels inexplicably begin to blink, and then the car shrinks down even smaller. The accompanying theme song is decent, but the visuals look positively half-assed. The intro is followed by a nausea-inducing first stage that perfectly embodies the game as a whole. Looking like a half-baked Moon Patrol knock-off, you jump over craters will shooting blue "diamonds" floating in the night sky. Bomb-dropping satellites fly just overhead, but inexplicably, you
cannot shoot them! Soon you find yourself moving over water while doing the same damn thing, except now you have to deal with shooting divers. If you're sadomasochistic enough to complete the stage, you can expect equally brain-dead gameplay in the stages to come. Each level is supposedly based on a different Bond film, but they all look and play pretty much the same - crappy! Did Parker Bros. really think the Bond license alone would justify this inexcusable tripe? I'm still waiting for them to issue a formal apology to the gamers of the world. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 7900
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Atari (1983)
Reviewed: 2000/12/28

In this eccentric arcade classic you control a warrior armed with a lance, flying around the screen atop a flapping ostrich. There are several floating platforms and a lava pit located on the very bottom of the playfield. You "joust" other flying warriors by colliding with them, and victory goes to the warrior whose lance was higher at the point of impact. It sounds overly simplistic, but it works remarkably well. Two players can cooperate to clear each wave together (the best way to play), or engage in cutthroat competitions. There's not much to criticize about this version (which is identical to the Atari home computer version, by the way). It delivers all the sights and sounds of the arcade, plus four levels of difficulty as well. The hand of the lava troll only has three fingers, but now I'm nitpicking. The 5200 controller is the only drawback, with slow response and a fire button that's not conducive to constant tapping. Overall this is a rock-solid translation of an old arcade favorite. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.
Recommended variation: skilled
Our high score: 46850
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Atari (1984)
Reviewed: 2003/5/26

Jr. Pac-Man stars in a remarkable game, although he's often overshadowed by his parents. In this innovative spin-off, the mazes are so big that they don't even fit on a single screen! That's right, as you move junior around, the screen scrolls sideways to display the current section of the maze. You'd think this might slow down the action, but in fact Jr. Pac-Man is faster than Pac-Man or Ms. Pac-Man. The scrolling is relatively smooth, and our little hero zips around with unabashed youthful exuberance. The graphic quality of the mazes and ghosts is comparable to Ms. Pac-Man, but these huge labyrinths are far more satisfying to clear! Instead of fruit bouncing around there are little toys, although they're often difficult to discern. The only thing missing are intermissions! Jr. Pac-Man is only available from www.atariage.com, so I recommend you head on over and buy a copy right away. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 26080
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Atari (1983)
Reviewed: 2014/8/25
Our high score: 16,600
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Activision (1983)
Reviewed: 2001/5/5

Like most ports of their other Atari 2600 titles, Activision didn't bother sprucing up Kaboom! for the 5200. They just slapped some blocky buildings in the background, and as you catch bombs, the game plays notes from Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture (otherwise known as the theme to the Bad News Bears). The only other addition is a "pitch and catch" mode, which allows a second player to be the mad bomber - not a big deal. The 5200 joystick has analog capabilities, so the control is respectable -- but there's really no substitute for a good paddle controller. I'm a pro on the 2600 version, but I couldn't get very far on this one, and didn't find it nearly as fun. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 837
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Atari (1983)
Reviewed: 2014/8/25
Recommended variation: Advanced
Our high score: 7,700
1 or 2 players
Publisher: Activision (1983)
Reviewed: 2001/5/5

While I love the Atari 2600 version of Keystone Kapers, I wasn't impressed with this adaptation. That graphics are nearly identical to the 2600, except for some additional background department store items which have no bearing on the gameplay. I was expecting Activision to at least add a few new obstacles, but no, this is the same game. Happy music plays incessantly, but fortunately it can be turned off. The control is fine until you try to take the elevator. It was difficult enough to line up your man in the 2600 version, and it's nearly impossible here! One nice feature is the ability to select your starting level. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.
Our high score: 26000
1 player
Koffi: Yellow Kopter
Grade: C
Publisher: R.W. Lloyd (2002)
Reviewed: 2004/8/17
Recommended variation: normal
Our high score: 5145
1 player
Looney Tunes Hotel
Grade: NA
Publisher: Atari (1983)
Reviewed: 2016/10/6

Having reviewed just about every official release for the system I now find myself descending into the deepest, dark bowels of the Atari 5200 library. Yes, I'm referring to the world of unreleased prototypes - conveniently found on my handy multicart. Looney Tunes Hotel stands out in this wretched hive of scum and villainy, mainly on the strength of its big-name license. The title screen boasts a large Bug Bunny face overlooking a parade of characters. Actually these "characters" are weird monochromatic shapes that require quite a bit effort to discern. It's a good thing subtitle names are used to identify Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, and the Tazmanian Devil. Taz looks like a giant purple
frog for Pete's sake! Start up a new game and you're presented with a grid of generic doors, prompting some serious eye-rolling on my part. Some doors contain up or down arrows, transporting you between floors. Playing the role of Bugs Bunny you'll try to avoid the roving Elmer Fudd and a bomb-rolling Yosemite Sam. Doors left ajar allow you to take cover from enemies and bombs. When a bomb comes to a stop you can pick it up and place it in doorway, ala Spy Vs Spy (Atari XE, 1984). If you think it all sounds perfectly
awful, you'd be right! The game is no fun at all and the point system makes no sense. Confusing, awkward, and just plain ugly, Atari did us all a favor by pulling the plug on this mess. © Copyright 2016 The Video Game Critic.