Opry99er Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Okay... I have been admiring (from afar) some real bizarre simulatiom games on multiple systems for a while now. Came across Space Shuttle at a local shop and looked it up. It came with a console overlay (4 or 6 switch) and is apparently (according to the guy at the shop) a "weird simulation game with no arcade value." This sounds cool. Any of you play this one regularly? What are your thoughts on it? Is it worth playing these days, or is it one of those "technological marvels" from BITD that falls flat these days? I am interested in the game, but the guy didn't have an overlay and if I decide to buy the game and source the overlay, I want to make sure it's not something I play for 5 minutes and then say "meh..." So, if youre a fan, why? And if not, please explain. Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emehr Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 I bought this back in the day (late 80s) and mine didn't come with an overlay. I didn't discover until years later that they usually did. Maybe they stopped including it with the late 80s re-iussues. You don't need it to play, just write down what each console switch does or put post-it notes on your Atari. It's basically for opening/closing the cargo bay doors and raising/lowering the landing gear. I think there was another function but I can't remember it. Anyway, I loved it. I'm a fan of simulations and this one was pretty deep, especially for a 2600 game. The inclusion of using the console switches gave it a tactile feel. It really felt like I was doing important work. You launch, stay on a trajectory as you gain altitude and leave the Earth's atmosphere, dock with a satellite or something, then re-enter the atmosphere (again, maintaining a trajectory) and land. There may be more but that's the gist of it. You get a sense of accomplishment when you land. You definitely need to jot down a cheat sheet of the important parameters you need to maintain. Talking about it makes me want to play it. I haven't played it in years. I guess it would hold up okay nowadays. The visuals got the job done and the sound effects did their job well too. It's worth completing at least once, especially if you like simulations. There was really nothing else like it at the time and hasn't been much since. The NES got a space shuttle game but I haven't played it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 Sold... But I need the overlay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Innit Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Best played with a six switcher if you don't want to reach around the back of the console for the difficulty switches used for the cargo doors and landing gear. Playing on a 2600jr is a pain with those terrible sliding switches. Below is my copy with unused overlays. The game is in my all time top 10 Atari 2600 games. One day I will dock with the satellite for the sixth time..........one day. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RichG1972 Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 Best played with a six switcher if you don't want to reach around the back of the console for the difficulty switches used for the cargo doors and landing gear. Playing on a 2600jr is a pain with those terrible sliding switches. Below is my copy with unused overlays. The game is in my all time top 10 Atari 2600 games. One day I will dock with the satellite for the sixth time..........one day. Too bad you couldn't reproduce the overlays for those of us who do not have them sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=221855740022&alt=web Repros for $1.99 6 switch only though... I need a 4 switch version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sramirez2008 Posted August 30, 2015 Share Posted August 30, 2015 One of my favorite games. I have a cart, manual and set of overlays for my 6 switch. You should get the game, you won't be disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philflound Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-space-shuttle-a-journey-into-space_7486.html You can see what you need here for which switch does what. I sold this game complete in box, pretty nice condition too for $30 a couple of weeks ago. Phil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted August 31, 2015 Author Share Posted August 31, 2015 Wow... REALLY need a copy with 4 switch overlay... Thanks to everyone for the info and impressions of the game. Definitely on my short list now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p.opus Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 The game is a bit short on replayability, I mean you can only dock with a satellite so many times. But it was a brilliantly complex simulator for its time. If I remember, it had different skill levels. On skill level 1 it was like a guided tour. The player could survive all sorts of bad things. However on the higher skill level, you had to follow procedures pretty closely. It even simulated overheating of the shuttle bay if you forgot to open the cargo doors. If you screwed up AOA during re-entry or went too far off course you would burn up on re-entry. It was pretty brutal and a successful mission at the highest difficulty was not easy to do. It is amazing what they packed into the cartridge given the system limitations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Steve Kitchen on "Computer Chronicles" in 1984, discussing Space Shuttle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4JaYzRGh2U (Skip forward to about 3:30) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sramirez2008 Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Steve Kitchen on "Computer Chronicles" in 1984, discussing Space Shuttle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4JaYzRGh2U (Skip forward to about 3:30) Wow, it took 13 months of programming. Thanks for the video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davyK Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 (edited) Space Shuttle is a splendid game. One of my favourites on the 2600 and it's a really nice change of pace from the usual type of game you get on the console. Would have been nice to have a few different missions but given the price of cart sizes and the fact that it's a bit of niche game then that wouldn't have been practical. Edited September 1, 2015 by davyK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78001987 Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Loved this game when I got it back in the day. I spent hours trying to complete it on the hardest difficulty. Great simulation. It's nice to have the overlays if you're a completion it's, but you don't need them to play it. I do believe there are decent quality scans of it here at AA in the 2600 manuals section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sramirez2008 Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Cart with manual and 4/6 switch overlays: http://www.ebay.com/itm/252074726587 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 Great memories of this one. I even sent a letter into NASA (I was always doing that) saying I finished the game. They sent me one of those cutaway isometric drawings of the shuttle! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zonie Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Using the console switches in both Space Shuttle and StarMaster were brilliant. No need for that shitty "video touch pad" which was just a repackaged keyboard controller, and again repackaged again as the kid controller. I always wondered why no cartridges came with extra buttons on the cart themselves (other than the dip-switches on the multi-carts). A hyperspace button for Defender would have been nice. Having it on the end of the cart would have been fine. Atari did figure it out with Raiders, however, Using the second stick to manage your inventory was a good idea, and then HS, Inviso, and Smart Bombs on the second stick with Stargate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p.opus Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Using the console switches in both Space Shuttle and StarMaster were brilliant. No need for that shitty "video touch pad" which was just a repackaged keyboard controller, and again repackaged again as the kid controller. I always wondered why no cartridges came with extra buttons on the cart themselves (other than the dip-switches on the multi-carts). A hyperspace button for Defender would have been nice. Having it on the end of the cart would have been fine. Atari did figure it out with Raiders, however, Using the second stick to manage your inventory was a good idea, and then HS, Inviso, and Smart Bombs on the second stick with Stargate. I have never been a fan of the second joystick being used to extend functionality. A joystick is held using two hands. There is no simple way to pickup the second stick in the heat of battle. At least with the console switches, or even the "Star Raiders" controller, you can quickly hit a button with one hand and continue. I've tried using the second joystick on stargate, and it is such a PITA that I find myself simply avoiding using smartbombs and invisio. Indiana Jones is a little better because you usually have a break in the action to bring up your inventory. double joystick has always been kludgey for me. Stargate could have just as easily those functions to Color/BW and the difficulty switches, but by that time, the fours and Jr. were the dominate consoles and those switches were no where near as convenient as they were on a sixer. (which is why if I have a choice I will always own a sixer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.