2020/5/20: Atari 2600: Math Gran Prix, Panda Chase, Desert Falcon

[VideoGameCritic]

Posted a new set of Atari 2600 reviews for Math Gran Prix, Panda Chase, and Desert Falcon.
Desert Falcon is a re-review but same grade.
Feedback welcome.

[Zack Burner]

You mentioned in Math Gran Prix if there's anyone who likes to play educational games. Guess I'm the only one having grown up when educational software were all the rage in the 90's with stuff like Math Blaster, Oregon Trail, and my favorite Math for the Real World where you help a rock band achieve fame by answering math problems.

[scotland]

For Desert Falcon, I think you want 'keel over dead' and not 'keep over dead'. Just an opinion, but the last clause in the last sentence ', and that's quite bad.' might read better as ', and that is quite bad' to better align with the earlier 'musical score isn't bad'. I shudder that Desert Falcon was what Atari made in 1987 for all those Atari Jr owners out there.

I like the inclusion of the box art for Math Gran Prix. Next stop, I've got your number on the Odyssey 2!

[BlasteroidAli]

It must be Christmas with all these reviews coming. Thanks alot.

I know it must be time to give Fatal Run 2600 an A plus. Will look at these stunning titles in a bit. Math Gran Prix... wow it just sounds so exciting.

[C64_Critic]

I certainly can't say I enjoyed educational games in general, but if you consider Agent U.S.A to be an 'educational' title, there's at least one that I had fun with. It taught me geography, time zones, and how viruses spread (I had no idea I was prepping for 2020 at the time).

[LuckyMan]

Nice reviews! Not really the best of the bunch, huh?

[goldenband]

Always pleased to see new Atari 2600 reviews! You're slowly chipping away at the remaining North American games, while the review of a PAL-originating game is a nice treat.

Desert Falcon has always been unappealing to me, though I'd hoped it had some hidden merit, but it seems like Zaxxon meets Riddle of the Sphinx without the better parts of either game.

I didn't realize Panda Chase had a little bit of ambition; too bad it's not better fulfilled. I kind of like Parachute, from the same company.

Speaking of unreviewed 2600 games, I've been playing Assault a little bit this year. The other Bomb games are trashy, but this one's sort of like Space Cavern on steroids. What's also interesting is that it has a kill screen, so it doesn't go on forever. Unfortunately Bomb games are known for having their ROMs and/or PCBs go bad, so getting an original cart isn't a good idea for this one.

[Shiznute]

You mentioned in Math Gran Prix if there's anyone who likes to play educational games. Guess I'm the only one having grown up when educational software were all the rage in the 90's with stuff like Math Blaster, Oregon Trail, and my favorite Math for the Real World where you help a rock band achieve fame by answering math problems.

This! Not to mention, Number Munchers and Where in the World is Carmen Santiago?

[envytomdead]

I guess i'm one of the few who really likes Desert Falcon. The 7800 is superior but I have grown to like the 2600 version and probably play it more because its on the flashback portable. My biggest criticism of the 2600 port is that it is a little on the easy side. Besides the arrows that are being shot at you, there is only one additional enemy on the screen where as the 7800 has swarms of enemies. Although the treasure placement is predictable in the 2600 version, getting the treasure doesn't really change the flow of the game like it does on the 7800 so when the levels start to speed up there is a nice pace.