Missing Arcade-Classics on the 7800

[Mister-VCS]

Here is my most wanted list:

 

Missile Command

Moon Patrol

Pole Position (1)

Crystal Castles

Paperboy

Defender

[+GoldenWheels]

Joust 2

 

(OK, OK, not a classic by any means. Sure would love to see a home version though!!!!)

[Mister-VCS]

Joust 2

 

(OK, OK, not a classic by any means. Sure would love to see a home version though!!!!)

 

There is a CD for Windows Computers - Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits

[+save2600]

Isn't Defender on the way?

 

I'd love to see Turtles, Zookeeper, Bagman, Moon Patrol and Kaos someday.

[+GoldenWheels]

 

There is a CD for Windows Computers - Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits

 

Yeah I admit do I have it on one of those Midway Classics collections for the PS2...I really want a real cart on some real (old) hardware though.

 

(As a Joust fan I also wish the game was just 100x better than it is....)

[Jaynz]

Well, just from the Atari Cart line-up..

 

Kangaroo

Pengo

Battlezone

Galaxian

Millipede

Phoenix

Vanguard

Crystal Castles

Qix

Stargame

Tempest

Gravitar

Jungle Hunt

Missile Command

 

 

Note that some of these are being worked on as homebrews already, and that these are games that Atari came out with for other systems... while (thanks largely to Bob and others) the 7800 library is becoming quite impressive, the 1980s had many, many games that will trip the nostalgia buttons for many of us. We'll never run out of games to want.

[VectorGamer]

There's just too many for me to post...but one game in particular I'd like to see that hasn't been ported to ANY system is Tazz-Mania

[+save2600]

Surprised to see Missile Command repeatedly mentioned here. Very simplistic graphics/gameplay and is already on a ton of systems most of us own, including even the Intellivision now! You'd think the modded 2600 version with Trak-ball support should be more than good enough for this game. For substantial change, not like the 7800 controller could properly deal with the 3 discrete missile bases anyway. Would much rather see effort being put into better, more original games you rarely see anywhere else than the same old stuff re-hashed and thrice baked.

[78001987]

 

Yeah I admit do I have it on one of those Midway Classics collections for the PS2...I really want a real cart on some real (old) hardware though.

 

(As a Joust fan I also wish the game was just 100x better than it is....)

Do you mean Joust 2 from the Arcade, or the existing 7800 version of Joust?

 

I ask because I always thought 7800 Joust was widely considered the best home console version of the game ever...

 

my list:

 

Paperboy

Rampart

Crystal Castles

i, Robot

Spy Hunter

Gauntlet

Donkey Kong 3

Defender

Star Wars the Arcade Game

APB

Ghosts n Goblins

Time Pilot

Gyruss

Track & Field

Punch-Out!

Zaxxon

Edited January 6, 2016 by 78001987

[VectorGamer]

Would much rather see effort being put into better, more original games you rarely see anywhere else than the same old stuff re-hashed and thrice baked.

 

I agree. There are a lot of arcade games that haven't been translated anywhere or just one system.

 

For your time:

Spiders

Magical Spot II

Stratovox

Megatack

[Inky]

Here is my most wanted list:

 

Pole Position (1)

Doesn't Pole Position 2 negate the need for Pole Position, seeing as PP2 has the original Fuji track?

 

Anyway, I was thinking about this topic the other day, and games I want to see are

 

Sinistar

Space Dungeon

Pac-Land

Elevator Action

Zookeeper

Rampart

Time Pilot

Gyruss (must have a Pokey / Hokey)

Contra

Gradius

Crazy Climber

I, Robot

Edited January 6, 2016 by Inky

[+save2600]

Spiders reminds me of another great and potential dual controller game (akin to the option for Robotron) I'd love to see on the 7800: Black Widow.

 

Mr. TNT is another great arcade classic often overlooked, but I guess it's on the C64 and maybe the A8?

 

[Inky]

Surprised to see Missile Command repeatedly mentioned here. Very simplistic graphics/gameplay and is already on a ton of systems most of us own, including even the Intellivision now! You'd think the modded 2600 version with Trak-ball support should be more than good enough for this game. For substantial change, not like the 7800 controller could properly deal with the 3 discrete missile bases anyway. Would much rather see effort being put into better, more original games you rarely see anywhere else than the same old stuff re-hashed and thrice baked.

I'd like to see a missile command two players at the same time.

[78001987]

Would much rather see effort being put into better, more original games you rarely see anywhere else than the same old stuff re-hashed and thrice baked.

It's funny - I read this comment a lot on this board, and while I agree with the principle - it never seems to bear out in real life. 99% of "original" ideas in retro console homebrew games seem to be either complete re-treads of existing games done sloppily, and with slightly different graphics and names; or completely unplayable crap nobody wants.

 

Case in point - the 40,000 hacks of stupid horror movie "games" released by SalemFrost. The original wave of 1984-87 Atari/3rd party shovelware was bad enough. I don't understand why people support it here as "homebrew" 30 years later.

Edited January 6, 2016 by 78001987

[+GoldenWheels]

Do you mean Joust 2 from the Arcade, or the existing 7800 version of Joust?

 

I ask because I always thought 7800 Joust was widely considered the best home console version of the game ever...

 

 

I mean Joust 2. A game I badly WANT to like but....oh my. I just can't.

 

I considered 7800 Joust (A game I have played the crap out of) the best home console version as well, until I got a 5200....now I am really torn. Though the graphics suffer a bit detail wise, the sound is better IMO on the 5200 and the "feel" of the game, the gravity etc, is JUST right. Until playing it, I thought the 7800 one was just right....but I find the 5200 version...more righter?

[+save2600]

It's funny - I read this comment a lot on this board, and while I agree with the principle - it never seems to bear out in real life. 99% of "original" ideas in retro console homebrew games seem to be either complete re-treads of existing games done sloppily, and with slightly different graphics and names; or completely unplayable crap nobody wants.

Well to be clear, when I use the phrase "more original", talking about existing games that (for whatever reasons) aren't on most developers' radar. Stuff like Zookeeper, Turtles, Bagman, Kickman, Kaos, Black Widow, etc. Not talking about *original* games in the literal sense or as in "new".

 

And yes, some of the aforementioned are derivatives of something or another (nearly everything can be related or compared to at this point), but they're damned good ones and dare I say more original than most of the games that quickly come to mind when polled in threads like this. That said, was kind of surprised that Bob chose to do Defender for the 7800. Great game, but one we've already got across a large variety of platforms. Be awesome if Stargate were included, but do not think that's part of the deal like Berzerk/Frenzy. Hell, either way, not going to stop me from purchasing - just saying.

[Shawn]

Qix would be great to have for the 7800.

[Jaynz]

Surprised to see Missile Command repeatedly mentioned here. Very simplistic graphics/gameplay and is already on a ton of systems most of us own, including even the Intellivision now! You'd think the modded 2600 version with Trak-ball support should be more than good enough for this game. For substantial change, not like the 7800 controller could properly deal with the 3 discrete missile bases anyway. Would much rather see effort being put into better, more original games you rarely see anywhere else than the same old stuff re-hashed and thrice baked.

That's your personal taste. I disagree and I like the game, and wouldn't mind a dedicated 7800 version. But I listed it because it was a major Atari title that didn't show on the 7800 explicitly. Thus, it's 'missing'. Besides, there are features in the arcade game not present on the 2600 version we all know about, such as the satellites, MIRVs, and so on.

[Jaynz]

Well to be clear, when I use the phrase "more original", talking about existing games that (for whatever reasons) aren't on most developers' radar. Stuff like Zookeeper, Turtles, Bagman, Kickman, Kaos, Black Widow, etc. Not talking about *original* games in the literal sense or as in "new".

People want more of what they know. And while "Missile Command" may not seem *original* to you, it's a recognizable bit of nostalgia to a lot of people, certainly a lot more than Kickman or Turtles. This isn't a statement of how good or bad the games are, just what will stick in people's minds. Why do you think Pac-Man games are still being made, 35 years after the original was released?

 

Great game, but one we've already got across a large variety of platforms. Be awesome if Stargate were included, but do not think that's part of the deal like Berzerk/Frenzy. Hell, either way, not going to stop me from purchasing - just saying.

Some of what Bob does is just to see what he can do, and Defender is an amazing programming challenge for early systems. Besides, it's also one of those 'super big titles' notably absent from the 7800 lineup. It would be like skipping Asteroids.

[The Usotsuki]

Gaplus, Mr. Do! and ZZYZZYXX.

[+save2600]

People want more of what they know.

 

 

I understand that to a point - especially when you're talking about catering to a wider audience, such as the mainstream Flashback clientele that want to see familiar games packed into their consoles.

 

But we *here* are the clientele for *these* games. Not the mainstream. We here have all the Defenders, Asteroids, Missile Commands, Pac-Man's, etc. we could ever dream of. Never ending supply... between the 2600, 5200, A8, C64, TI-99, ColecoVision, etc., etc., etc. That's all I'm trying to say.

 

I do agree that Defender is a "heavy hitter" though and can see where some might get a little more excited than I to see it on the 7800. All I'm saying is that it would just be nice to see a different variety of games, using such brilliant talent and taking better advantage of the 7800's capabilities.

 

Re: why Pac-Man games are still being made after all these years, believe it's due to the nature of people wanting to push limits (Dintar816, Nukey, etc.) to see how much better their version can truly be. And/or because some wanted to play it on a different (and their beloved) system such as the ColecoVision and that too, the author was possibly inspired in part to see how much better it could be done than AtariSoft's versions for the TI-99. I enjoy making such comparisons myself AND playing on different platforms for a variety of reasons. Again, don't get me wrong... I'm sure there's room for yet another Missile Command and I too would probably purchase if not just to support Bob. My personal feeling on the subject is just that I'd rather see *different* games being ported, before the likes of stuff we've got going on several different, yet similar, platforms already. Most of these wishes are just pipe dreams anyway and I know that, but if some of these seeds aren't planted, probably never stand a chance to see any of them come to light.

[Jaynz]

But we *here* are the clientele for *these* games. Not the mainstream. We here have all the Defenders, Asteroids, Missile Commands, Pac-Man's, etc. we could ever dream of. Never ending supply... between the 2600, 5200, A8, C64, TI-99, ColecoVision, etc., etc., etc. That's all I'm trying to say.

Maybe, but we're still going to disagree on what games we want. But, even then, I don't agree with the exclusionary mindset. If I get the time off to learn 7800 programming, would you really begrudge me making Missile Command or GORF or Phoenix rather than Turtles or Gaplus? Or would you begrudge Pac-Man collection even though Atari had already made Ms. Pacman for the 7800? And just because I might make Phoenix doesn't mean that someone else wouldn't tackle Gaplus eventually... it's not like there are corporate masters telling us what we can and can't homebrew.

 

My personal feeling on the subject is just that I'd rather see *different* games being ported, before the likes of stuff we've got going on several different, yet similar, platforms already. Most of these wishes are just pipe dreams anyway and I know that, but if some of these seeds aren't planted, probably never stand a chance to see any of them come to light.

Yet we have a damn good version of KC Munchkin. I think we'll be okay in hitting those 'obscurities' as we go.

[+save2600]

Maybe, but we're still going to disagree on what games we want. But, even then, I don't agree with the exclusionary mindset. If I get the time off to learn 7800 programming, would you really begrudge me making Missile Command or GORF or Phoenix rather than Turtles or Gaplus? Or would you begrudge Pac-Man collection even though Atari had already made Ms. Pacman for the 7800? And just because I might make Phoenix doesn't mean that someone else wouldn't tackle Gaplus eventually... it's not like there are corporate masters telling us what we can and can't homebrew.

 

 

Oh never mind... you're way over-thinking and needlessly complicating this!

 

And no doubt, Bob's done a wonderful job picking the random obscure title! Nobody's arguing that. Have K.C. Munchkin too.

[Jaynz]

Oh never mind... you're way over-thinking and needlessly complicating this!

Nah, I'm just not pleased when a fan says "I don't want the games that YOU want, so no one should make them and should totally make the games I want instead." And while that wasn't as bluntly stated as such, that's really what the point was... In my opinion, make and play want you want, guys. More will come.

 

One thing I love about the 7800 community is how open and creative it's been as a whole (in no small part thanks to Bob's very generous spirit).. I really don't want to see us turn into the cliquish community like we see down the board a ways.

Edited January 6, 2016 by Jaynz

[+Cafeman]

Super Zaxxon

Congo Bongo

Reactor

 

Personally, i'd have liked to have seen ports of Activision and Imagic games on 7800.