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Games are rated relative to other games for the same system.

Odyssey 2 Reviews P-R

P.T. Barnum's Acrobats
Grade: C
Publisher: Magnavox (1980)
Posted: 2024/12/1

screenshotThis type of game somehow found its way onto every classic console. There are two "clowns" bouncing on a teeter-totter, launching one another to pop rows of moving balloons overhead. P.T. Barnum's Acrobats may be a shameless Circus Atari (Atari 2600, 1977) knock-off, but it offers few interesting tweaks.

For one thing, the balloons are actually round! This may sound obvious, but back in the early days that was not the kind of thing you took for granted! Prior to 1980 all video game balloons were square and we liked it that way dammit!

To begin each round you hold in the button to make a clown walk to the edge of a platform and jump off. I like this little sequence because it adds a bit of drama. That clown must feel pretty nervous peering out through the TV glass only to see me with a controller in one hand and a beer in the other. There's little margin for error in this game, especially since the entire teeter-totter is only eight pixels wide!

When you hit that sweet spot your clown goes shooting into the air to the sound of a shotgun blast! He sometimes clears the screen, as if this game just couldn't be contained by CRT technology. When making contact with balloons the physics gets a little funky, and not in a James Brown sort of way. The clowns tend to get sucked into balloons, leading to long chain reactions. This is what you want. A clown can also be trapped above the balloons, racking up crazy points a la Breakout (Atari 2600, 1977).

If you fail to catch your clown, he splatters onto the floor, yet still manages to struggle back to the ladder for his next attempt. Gotta respect that work ethic! You get 10 lives which seems excessive but the controls are very touchy. I thought the Odyssey had analog controls? And unlike the Atari game, you can't "flip" the teeter-totter with the press of a button.

Adding an element of unpredictability are variations that provide stationary or random barriers. If you own the voice module, the commentator guy gets really worked up, shouting stuff like "Mercy!", "Look out!", and "Incredible!" Periodically he'll experience an orgasm, moaning "Ahhhhhh!"

Your score is limited to three digits but the game has a built-in mechanism to handle "roll over" conditions, placing a red line above the score. Wouldn't it have been easier to just place a 1 in the front? Oh well, Acrobats may not be the most original title but the balloons are round and that commentator seems to find it entertaining enough. Note: I'm told an alternate version of this game features nervous jumpers (knees knocking), square balloons, and a more graphic death animation. © Copyright 2024 The Video Game Critic.

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Recommended variation: 6
Our high score: 604
1 or 2 players 

Pachinko
Grade: C-
Publisher: Magnavox (1980)
Posted: 2024/12/1

screenshotPachinko reminds me of the Plinko game from the television show The Price is Right. A contestant would step on a ladder and drop a round chip down a tall board full of pegs. The chip would jostle around on the way to the bottom before settling into one of the buckets labeled with a dollar amount. There was no skill involved but it was mesmerizing to watch.

This Odyssey 2 game is more interactive, pitting two players head-to-head. One controls an orange man on the left and the other a red guy on the right. Moving side-to-side on your half of the screen, you swing a bat at two bouncing balls to make them bounce around.

Buckets around the screen display fluctuating point values. When a ball lands in one, points are awarded to the players of the corresponding ball color. The first player to reach 100 wins.

There are a few obstacles scattered about like spinners that deflect the balls. There's also a green dude who will grab a ball in motion, slowly walk it over to the center of the screen, and drop it back down. Brian was supremely annoyed at this guy, exclaiming "That little sh*t keeps grabbing my balls!!"

There's really not much in the way of strategy. Balls move at predictable 45-degree angles so you can't really aim. In my experience the best you can do is keep knocking them around so they circulate as your color.

Still, it's kind of fun watching your points rack up. When the buckets go from 2 points to 10 points, miraculous comebacks become possible. Pachinko may be 90% luck but there's something strangely compelling about it. © Copyright 2024 The Video Game Critic.

1 or 2 players 

Pick Axe Pete
Grade: A
Publisher: Magnavox (1982)
Posted: 2022/7/22

screenshotI recently used an actual, full-sized pickaxe for the first time in my life. It was trying to remove some small stumps and the amount of effort required to effectively wield that thing was exhausting! Clearly I'm not chain gang material. Anyway it reminded me of this game. Pick Axe Pete may look like a poor man's Donkey Kong (Atari 2600, 1982) but there's much more to it than meets the eye.

The instructions do a lousy job of explaining the objectives. Pete begins in the center of the screen automatically swinging his axe up and down. Colorful doors release random boulders which are a hell of a lot of fun to smash, thanks in part to the explosive sound effects. You can freely traverse the seven-story screen by dropping down gaps and climbing on randomly-appearing ladders. Your axe disintegrates after a while, but you can sometimes retrieve a new one on the bottom of the screen.

There's also a key that occasionally floats to the top, and this is your ticket to the big time. If you can snag the key and enter a doorway, you'll earn a bonus and watch a magnified Pete perform calisthenics before being transported to a new screen. Most look pretty similar, save for the pitch-black stage that's super hard.

The game never really clicked with me until I realized what it was really all about. The secret is you need to be an escape artist. There's a reason why the manual highlights your ability to duck, jump, and slide. When you're without an axe, these moves are your only means of survival. And the fact that you only have one life makes narrowly cheating death all the more exhilarating.

If you're not sold on Pick Axe Pete just try to achieve a score of 100. You'll struggle mightily but the game has an infectious "one more time" quality that keeps you hitting reset. In addition, its random nature makes it feel like a new challenge each time. There's a reason why so many Odyssey 2 fans name Pick Axe Pete as their all-time favorite. © Copyright 2022 The Video Game Critic.

Our high score: 220
1 player 

Piggyback Planet
Grade: C-
Publisher: Cardoso Games (2013)
Posted: 2013/8/25

screenshotIt's always exciting to see how much power today's programmers can squeeze out of ancient consoles. Piggyback Planet contains two elements you rarely (if ever) see in an Odyssey 2 game: multiple screens and a huge (albeit blocky) boss. On the first screen you move a ship along the left edge, shooting at enemy ships flying up and down the screen. The audio is sparse but glistening blue stars provide a nice backdrop. Holding in the fire button engages auto-fire, and if you find a good spot you can pick off aliens without even moving.

Aliens do fire back, but their missiles are so big and slow that they're not really a factor. You can activate a shield, but it's so unnecessary I always forget I have it. The second screen features a massive boss ship that consumes the entire right half of the screen. It unleashes huge laser blasts and hurls heat-seeking rings toward you in predictable patterns.

You destroy "Big Boss Blu" by shooting him 25 times in his clearly-defined weak spot. The next time bosses convene for a conference I would suggest that one of their sessions be entitled "Hiding your Weak Spot: A Secret to Success".

The battle can get pretty intense because you only have one life, so one false move means game over. On a technical level Piggyback Planet is exceptional, but its gameplay could benefit from some fine-tuning. The first screen doesn't get challenging until the second or third waves. The boss fights are extremely repetitive as you alternate between shooting his weak spot and dodging his attacks.

The difficulty is too low, and the early waves just seem to drag on. The boss destruction scene is underwhelming, and I have no idea what the title of this game means. Piggyback Planet has enough razzle-dazzle to attract Odyssey 2 fans, but the bottom line is that this game could have been a lot more fun. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.

Our high score: 324
1 player 

Pocket Billiards
Grade: F
Publisher: Magnavox (1980)
Posted: 2001/3/1


screenshotYou know a pool game is bad when both players root for each other to make the shot. But not as an act of support - only to bring this God-awful train-wreck of a game to an end! Before you remind me that this is just the Odyssey 2, I should let you know that I HAVE played a very GOOD pool game on the Atari 2600 (Trick Shot)!

The graphics and sound effects here are minimal. The physics and shooting angles are completely unpredictable and grossly inaccurate. For some reason, the balls tend to roll either up-and-down or side-to-side. Every shot is soft; you can't even shoot the cue ball the length of the table! There are two game variations, eight ball and rotation, but both are two-player only. This is one sorry game. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

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2 players 

Popeye
Grade: D+
Publisher: Parker Bros (1983)
Posted: 2002/6/25

screenshotI know these Odyssey games tend to re-use the same character shapes over and over, but no way is that generic "man" shape going to pass as Popeye! Even worse looking is Bluto - that big, blocky, green thing looks more like Frankenstein. This is one sad-looking version of the popular arcade hit. I didn't even recognize this game. At least Olive Oyl looks somewhat respectable (in a pixelated kind of way), and the things she tosses do look like hearts -- if you tilt your head a certain angle.

There are some tiny stairs on the lowest level, but to reach the higher platforms you'll need to utilize the "elevators" (which look like division signs) moving vertically on each side of the screen. Although the graphics truly suck, the gameplay really isn't a far cry from the original game. You move across platforms, collect hearts, eat spinach, and punch Bluto off the screen every now and then.

Bluto at least makes an effort; he jumps around, swats at you, and throws things, but overall he's not too bright. You can loiter around the bottom level collecting hearts for quite a while before he finally gets a hold of you. Unlike other incarnations of Popeye, this has only one screen. Reaching new screens was a major appeal of the arcade game, so this shortcoming is a major flaw.

Parker Bros. managed to incorporate the part where you can drop a bucket on Bluto's head, but it's difficult to execute and really not worth the effort. Also included is a two-player mode where the second player controls Bluto. The sound effects are decent and include a nice rendition of the Popeye theme. Popeye for the Odyssey is hideous for sure, but if the graphics don't scare you off you're in for a fair amount of arcade action. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Recommended variation: 9
Our high score: 467
1 or 2 players 

Power Lords
Grade: C
Publisher: Magnavox (1983)
Posted: 2002/2/23

screenshotPower Lords looks pretty exciting at first, but there's really not much to the gameplay. The screen features a huge volcano in the center, with a big cobra lurking in the crater. Meteors rain from above. You control a little red ship trying to shoot a white star that periodically appears on the volcano. You'll also need to avoid the meteors and attacks from the snake. Unless you stun him, the cobra will try to blast you with lasers that shoot from its eyes. It's a pretty impressive graphic effect for the Odyssey 2.

Another nice effect is the lava that pours out of the volcano when it erupts. You can move your ship off one side on the screen and appear on the opposite side, and you'll want to utilize this strategy to maintain your distance from the cobra. A gravitational ray kicks in during the later stages, adding to the difficulty. I love the nifty graphics, but they can't hide the mediocre gameplay. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Our high score: 5778
1 player 

Q*bert
Grade: A-
Publisher: Parker Bros (1983)
Posted: 2001/7/6


screenshotI'm surprised the Odyssey 2 got a version of this arcade favorite. I'm even more surprised at how well it turned out! The graphics are certainly a step down from most other home versions, but at least none of the gameplay elements have been sacrificed. All the balls, enemies, and flying disks are here. There's even the little intro before each level to demonstrate what you need to do. The blocks are rectangular, not diamond shaped, but otherwise the game looks fine.

The characters are nicely drawn and the animation is much smoother than most other home versions. There are several game variations, including some two-player modes. My biggest beef is that Ugg (one of the nasties you have to avoid) often appears without warning on the bottom edge of the screen, resulting in some undeserved deaths. Otherwise I'm pleased with this fine translation. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

1 or 2 players 

Quest For The Rings
Grade: B+

screenshot
Quest for the Rings boxHere we have one of the defining titles for the Odyssey 2 system. Half board game and half video game, Quest for the Rings is essentially the unlicensed version of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Designed primarily for co-op play, two brave warriors embark on a perilous quest to track down ten rings.

This has to be the most elegant game packaging I've ever seen. Its shiny black box adorned with gorgeous artwork might as well be a treasure chest! Contained therein is a folded game board, plastic game pieces, metal tokens, a keyboard overlay, and one Odyssey 2 Master Strategy Game Cartridge (TM). Most impressive of all is the oversized gold manual that provides background lore and walks you through the game. The whole package screams of quality.

Each player can select from four unique character classes! The warrior is armed with a sword and the wizard fires slow-moving projectiles. The phantom can slowly pass through walls and the changeling can become invisible. Note that these last two have no offensive capabilities but pair up nicely with one of the others.

The board depicts a fictional continent of various cities and ports. Wait a minute - does that say Dire Straits?! As you advance around the board, pieces on each town specify a dungeon/monster/ring combination that you enter via the keyboard. Dungeons may have normal walls, shifting walls, invisible walls, or volcanic walls. You'll battle combinations of orcs, giant spiders, pterodactyls, and fire-breathing dragons.

You descend into each dungeon via a mildly-irritating "time warp" sequence. You then find yourself in the center of the screen-sized dungeon, monsters converging from all angles. You can only attack from the side, making you susceptible to danger from above or below. Since you move only slightly faster than these creatures, you have no choice but to team up. With one guy luring the monsters away, the other can make a dash for the ring! But that's easier said than done.

Quest is designed to let a "dungeon master" challenge two players by systematically entering each dungeon configuration via the keyboard. You track your turns via a little marker, which is pretty tedious. But you can pretty much play any way you want. You can simplify the rules, use your own figures, or play against time instead of turns. You can even ditch the board altogether and let the CPU generate random dungeons for you.

The dragons put the hollow ducks in Adventure to shame, and being swallowed by one is a sight to behold. As your guy is being scarfed up into the dragon's mouth, you can see his legs still twitching! When a spider consumes you, it looks like you're getting sucked up into its body! Gross! I don't recall such elaborate death sequences in any other classic game.

Quest for the Rings is more of an "experience" than a video game, with rich lore and a social component that really adds to the fun. With is quality craftmanship, random dungeon configuration, and formidable challenge, the possibilities are endless with this one. © Copyright 2023 The Video Game Critic.

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1 to 5 players 

Robot City
Grade: A-
Publisher: Magnavox (19??)
Posted: 2002/6/25

screenshotIt's a crime that this Odyssey game was never released, because it's remarkably good! You control a jackhammer/helicopter-looking thing moving around a generic maze. The object is to destroy four wandering tanks that can fire at you. So far it sounds like every game you've ever played right? Well, wait - there's more! Each tank is protected by a shield that surrounds it on all sides except for the back! You need to sneak up behind these guys to take them out.

That's not so easy, because the tanks tend to rotate whenever they reach an intersection. Once shot, a destroyed tank forms an impenetrable barrier which alters the maze and may force you to alter your strategy. But the best part of Robot City is how you can lure the tanks into shooting each other (like Berzerk!). This adds a layer of complexity you won't find in most Odyssey games.

Each stage has a short "intro screen", in which the stage number is introduced by a large (but pixelated) tank. It's a nice touch. The initial stage is somewhat slow and methodical, but the pace picks up in a hurry. The sound effects are pleasing to the ear, and they change with each stage. You'll find Robot City on the Odyssey 2 multicart. Don't miss out on this one. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Our high score: 160
1 player 


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Screen shots courtesy of The Odyssey 2 Homepage, Classic Gaming.com, MobyGames.com