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Games that should be redone


Thomas Jentzsch

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The Atari 2600 has a huge library and many a really good. But there are some games who did not use the full potential by far and wasted a good game idea.

 

Name your top 3 (or less) of existing Atari 2600 games who deserve a remake most.

 

Mine:

Miner 2049er (both!)

Zaxxon

 

BTW: I got the idea from the Videogamecritic when he complained about Miner 2049er's speed.

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Most of the games I think should have gotten a redo have already gotten one. Most of the rest strike me as good enough on the 2600 that new versions wouldn't be unwanted, but it's hard to work up enthusiasm for redos of them.

 

But my vote is for Space War.

 

As a child, I wanted the Space War cartridge so bad. I wasted so many quarters on the Cinematronics arcade machine, sometimes just playing with the various game options it provided. I thought the cart would be just as good, but there was never the chance to buy it.

 

It was one of the first games I tried in Atari emulation over a decade ago. I have to say that I was crushingly disappointed. The Atari cart wasn't trying to be a port of the Cinematronics game. It was just trying to be Atari's Space War. And it wasn't even good at that.

 

After seeing Star Castle and Space Rocks, I can't help but fantasize about what a new version of Space War would be like on the 2600.

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Man, I agree with you regarding Space War. I played the hell out of this game when I was a kid--the big standup version with two players side-by-side. And all the buttons to select options. What a great game! Would love to see a version of that on the 2600 with the same options, and maybe some more. You'd need a nice menu for all the settings, but obviously that can be done (Medieval Mayhem and Space Rocks are good examples).

 

..Al

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Moon Patrol (the car is ugly and the physics are all wrong)

Up'N'Down (why didn't they zig-zag the streets the same angle as River Raid did with the river valley)?

Q*Bert (real movements instead of disappearing/reappearing should be doable, and the background should be cleaned up, it's a mess)

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Good call on Q*Bert. It's another 'nearly' game to my mind. :)

 

Also, I was randomly following links and ended up over at Video Game Critic. I read the review for Night Driver and I agree. The car graphics are just horrible. That would be an easy fix for someone with know-how to make a great game look pretty...

 

EDIT: Oh, and honourable mention goes to ET.

Edited by PFL
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I vote for Sky Diver. Everything happens on one screen and I think it would be really cool if it spanned a taller vertical playfield so the goal is off the screen at first. An arrow can point you in the direction of the goal and, of course, wind direction. The guy would be able to rotate as he free-falls so he can take advantage of drag and gain horizontal speed as appropriate for the rotational angle. Each jump would last a bit longer than the original game and it would be more suspenseful since you don't see the goal right away. As usual, the later you wait to pull the cord, the higher the score.

 

Also, Q*Bert. :)

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I absolutely agree with Miner 2049er. I even deleted those 2 games from my list for the poor gameplay (it is especially too slow to be accepted). Zaxxon is fine for me. Plays, looks OK. Another games that need complete reconstruction are those from Parker Brothers, especially Amidar and Tutankham. Great potential (especially Tutankham) but poor execution - they are still playable for me though. And there is one game called War 2000 from Home Vision. I believe it is a beta only since later levels seem to be totally unplayable. Another great potential for perfect shooter but clearly not finished and polished. And many more games obviously...

 

1. Miner 2049er

2. Tutankham & Amidar

3. War 2000 (Home Vision)

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If somebody redoes Q*bert, please get rid of the crevice between the cubes down the middle of the screen.

 

- Jr Pac Man: make it a horizontal scroller like the arcade version

- Megamania: Give us paddle controller option

- Crackpots: Give us paddle controller option

- Donkey Kong: At least give us the elevator screen or pie factory levels

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Burgertime - one of my favorite arcade games (and I love it on the TI and INTV), but would be nice if there was a playable, more arcade like version for the 2600.

Gorf - more screens, slightly better graphics, planet shield, etc.

Tutankham - actually like the 2600 version for what it is, BUT... instead of hacking what's there, game should totally be redone using todays sophisticated programming techniques. Add to that, the ability to fire in 4 directions. I know, I know - the arcade just fired horizontally, but who cares. Game would be more fun if you could shoot vertically as well. The Intellivision version could REALLY benefit from that as well. ;)

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Outer Space. No doubt. There's a great pseudo-3D target shooter in there waiting to get out, including with improved but generally faithful soundtrack. But ignore the lunar lander variations.

 

I'd also say Casino, but with higher-def cards, and please keep in the poker solitaire selection.

 

A faster-pace and improved gfx Activision Boxing.

 

It's near impossible to craft a better Atari Chess artificial intelligence, but the graphics could be made full-screen.

 

Super Breakout with simply more angles on the paddle strike ball dynamics, see what happens.

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