Pick 3 games to define the 7800 Library

[toiletunes]

I'll go first-

 

XEVIUS: The 7800 was capable of good arcade ports and many moving sprites, but the ports were mostly older games. Also, some games require 2 buttons, which can be tricky if you don't like the stock controller.

 

JINKS: The 7800 could sound better than the 2600, but often sounds worse. This is confusing, since they used the same audio chip. Also, the exclusive games could get pretty strange, frustrating, or both.

 

F18: There wasn't much third party support. Also, you have your pick of flight sims.

[accousticguitar]

Centipede is the best two player co-op game ever on the 7800!

[Rhomaios]

Now or then?

 

Then:

 

Xevious

Ikari Warriors

Alien Brigade

 

Now:

 

Centipede

Food Fight

Ninja Golf (not that I think it deserves this spot, but it's here from popularity)

 

Of course, I think homebrew has shaken things up quite a bit!

[Rex Dart]

Ninja Golf - Gnarly 80's Attitude

Robotron 2084 - Awesome Arcade Ports

Jinks - They Can't All Be Winners

Edited October 23, 2014 by Rex Dart

[Mister-VCS]

Galaga, Xevious and Desert Falcon

[godzillajoe]

Food Fight, Galaga and Xevious if only because they didn't have 2600 counterparts like a lot of the other 7800 games.

[Trebor]

Alien Brigade, Midnight Mutants, Ninja Golf.

[VectorGamer]

Pole Position II, Robotron:2084 & Asteroids

[ZippyRedPlumber]

Donkey Kong, Mario Bros. & Scrapyard Dog

[78001987]

Joust - by far the best home version of the Arcade game on any system.

 

Impossible Mission - a very decent looking and playing port of the classic Computer game, unintentionally marred by being literally impossible due to rushed production.

 

Skyfox - a game they advertised heavily that never materialized.

 

The three defining aspects of the 7800:

 

Classic Arcade ports done better than any other system, great Computer games ported but rushed and lacking, and awesome looking vaporware that never actually existed.

[Jinks]

define it? pp2 and asteroids pack in and built in. and probably centipede.

Not my favs but if I was to guess would probably be what a kid would remember the system for.

All other games would be too rare = ninja golf or not fully compatible due to no coupler produced = robotron

Edited October 23, 2014 by Jinks

[BassGuitari]

I think there are roughly three distinct categories of 7800 games: belated ports of arcade classics, ports of computer titles, and the later games that attempted (successfully or not) to bring the 7800 out of the past. I guess I'd pick one from each category.

1.) Galaga

2.) Winter Games

3.) Midnight Mutants

Though I suppose somewhere in between would be ports of more recent arcade titles, like Commando and Xenophobe.

(If the question is "pick the three best 7800 games," my gut says Commando, Xevious, aaaaaand...I dunno, pick one from the "arcade classics" category. )

Edited October 23, 2014 by BassGuitari

[Shaggy the Atarian]

I agree with Trebor's list above although I know that given the huge love of arcade ports for the system you would want to bump the list up to four to include something like Galaga or Centipede.

 

But personally I enjoy the quirky/weird/exclusive stuff that wasn't on any of the other Atari (or competitor) systems. If a system is defined solely by ports then I think that means the library was poor, even if they were good ports. But the 7800 has some good stuff, those three games are particular examples.

[Rhomaios]

I agree with Trebor's list above although I know that given the huge love of arcade ports for the system you would want to bump the list up to four to include something like Galaga or Centipede.

 

But personally I enjoy the quirky/weird/exclusive stuff that wasn't on any of the other Atari (or competitor) systems. If a system is defined solely by ports then I think that means the library was poor, even if they were good ports. But the 7800 has some good stuff, those three games are particular examples.

The question wasn't "what are you top 3 games" though. Otherwise, I'd have a very different list.

[DracIsBack]

Midnight Mutants, Xevious, Commando

[Shaggy the Atarian]

The question wasn't "what are you top 3 games" though. Otherwise, I'd have a very different list.

 

I didn't say it was, not sure where you are getting that from. They define the system for me - oddballs that when people give them a chance tend to cause the system to get that association.

Edited October 23, 2014 by Shaggy the Atarian

[Rhomaios]

I didn't say it was, not sure where you are getting that from. They define the system for me - oddballs that when people give them a chance tend to cause the system to get that association.

Fair enough. I thought your post was implying that these were your top three.

[Shaggy the Atarian]

Fair enough. I thought your post was implying that these were your top three.

 

Not anymore than anyone else in the thread - aside from their quirk I also think they pushed the system pretty well. If I was going to show off the 7800 to someone unfamiliar with the system, I think those would work best at achieving that definition of what the console is. They are fun, they look good, they have the pick-up-and-play quality of 80s arcade titles. If we were talking the NES, users would probably pick titles like Super Mario Bros 3 or CastleVania 3 since those games helped define that console for many other titles (influencing other games and so on)

 

I agree with you on the homebrews - once Crystal Quest is out, that will certainly be something to help define the system, if it is allowed to count as that is setting the bar for homebrew developments to reach/surpass.

[NIKON]

I can think of more than three but if I have to pick just 3..

 

1. Asteroids..4 difficulty levels..two player co op and head to head

 

2. Centepede..Same as Asteroids

 

3. Scrapyard Dog... Although nothing really innovative it does have tight controls and it offers a challenge

[Hydro Thunder]

I'm going with a "what defines it now for me" approach, as it's easy to get lost in "what defined it for the populace back in the day" and things of that nature. What I think of most when I want to get some 7800 on would most likely be:

 

1. Food Fight. Whole reason I bought the system. No version for 2600 or 5200, or to my knowledge for any other system. Loved it in the arcade, loved the home version to pieces. Especially the "Let's See that Again!" with that catchy music. I just eat it up (ba dum bum. booooooo)

 

2. Ninja Golf. Funny, interesting, cool...just a great product all around. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but it's also an excellent and well designed game to play with lots of replay value and interesting mechanics, along with excellent graphics. And that box cover....

 

3. Robotron 2084. Incredible arcade port. Like so many others that make me love the system; this one is a particular joy to play with two europads with the joystick attached to the thumbpad.

 

Along those lines, games I treasure in my 7800 library: Joust, Centipede, Crossbow, Ms Pac-Man, Galaga, Alien Brigade, Commando, Xevious, Asteroids.

Not to mention all of the wonderful homebrews.

[Mister-VCS]

The bad: Planet Smashers...

[Jinks]

The bad: Planet Smashers...

ok we get it your having a bad 5200 feeling left out kinda day. Dont worry buddy keep at it that controller might work someday!!

[Lynxpro]

ok we get it your having a bad 5200 feeling left out kinda day. Dont worry buddy keep at it that controller might work someday!!

 

It'll work long before you get a 7800 Trak-Ball to rival Dan Kramer's 5200 Trak-Ball Controller.

[AtariLeaf]

Non-homebrew, I'd say Centipede, Asteroids and Food Fight

[S.BAZ]

First time I ever saw a 7800 I saw (and played) Asteroids & Ms. Pac-Man. so I always think of those two games when I think of the 7800

 

next I gotta say Robotron!