jmccorm Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Can you suggest some Atari 8-bit games with good or great attract modes? Attract mode has a more specific meaning on the coin-op side. It is often where you see the game demonstrate itself with actual gameplay (either on rails, or in a computer vs computer demonstration) in an attempt to pull in a player. Great examples: Archon, Archon II, Spy vs Spy III: Artic Antics [Actively plays Computer vs. Computer.] Good examples: Boulderdash II, Jumpman, Protector II, Pitfall II [Actual gameplay.] Poor examples: Jumpman Junior, Mail Order Monsters, MULE [Visually interesting, but no gameplay.] Bad examples: The Last V8, Zork [shows game screen, but is static.] Can you recommend a few more games with good or great attract modes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I use Encounter! at shows. 3D baby! Mario Bros. XE Battlezone XE Rescue on Fractalus has a demo mode ((Demo Droid ) hit option at title ), so does Ballblazer - Pit comp against comp 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Westphal Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Crystal Castles .. might .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Ms. Pac-Man and Dig Dug come to mind. Tep392 did implement the attract mode from the arcade in the Pac-Man Arcade for Atari 8-bits that we worked on together. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Karateka is another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 The Atari version of Choplifter, Blue Max, and Commando. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggn Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Draconus Ninja Commando Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Beef Drop, Track & Field, Bristles, Lode Runner, Space Harrier, Crystal Castles (confirmed), Bruce Lee. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Berzerk, but the guy doesn't even move around, he just stands in one place and fires in different directions. Blaster, BBSB, Dark Chambers, Flip & Flop, Java Jim, Missile Command+, Astro Chase, Manic Miner, Jungle Hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Thag Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 The new Bosconian homebrew has the best attract mode I've seen on the system. It's amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Realm of Impossibility is good, too; it shows brief gameplay scenes intercut with screens depicting the game rules, spells, etc., with lots of music. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Rainbow Walker, Goonies, International Karate (WKC), One on One, Fort Apocalypse, Pondering About Max's (have to select section first), Micro League Baseball (have to select "Demo" mode). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 HERO, Encounter, Leader Board, Galaxian (just keeps killing your non-moving, non-firing ship), Into the Eagle's Nest, Master of the Lamps (no gameplay though), G.A.C.C.R.R. (but seems to go blank if you leave it too long, needing a button press to get going again). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MrFish Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Qb, Xagon, Millipede (has that little thing with the spider), Robotron 2084, Clowns & Balloons, Kangaroo, Pole Position, Pooyan. Well, it looks like this could go on forever. I'll have to sleep In general, it looks like most arcade ports or arcade-like games tend to have them in order to look more like the real thing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 StealthRampage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 (edited) What ??? No One mentioned Bounty Bob Strikes Back yet ?? The high score table is the niftiest one I've ever seen. I remember being mesmerized.....how did he program the logic behind the birds moving around the characters in such a seemingly chaotic way, still ending up with the correct table ?? And of course the way of entering your name was brilliant too.... Loved it.....it seemed so pointless but touches like that were great IMHO..... OK maybe not exactly attract mode but still something happening outside of the actual game.... Edited January 5, 2018 by Level42 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikor Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Hmm, Hans Kloss - during game, after long pause he's smoke cigarettes 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Post What ??? No One mentioned Bounty Bob Strikes Back yet ??The high score table is the niftiest one I've ever seen. I remember being mesmerized.....how did he program the logic behind the birds moving around the characters in such a seemingly chaotic way, still ending up with the correct table ??And of course the way of entering your name was brilliant too....Loved it.....it seemed so pointless but touches like that were great IMHO.....OK maybe not exactly attract mode but still something happening outside of the actual game.... See post #9 BBSB is listed... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAM Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Can you suggest some Atari 8-bit games with good or great attract modes? Attract mode has a more specific meaning on the coin-op side. It is often where you see the game demonstrate itself with actual gameplay (either on rails, or in a computer vs computer demonstration) in an attempt to pull in a player. Great examples: Archon, Archon II, Spy vs Spy III: Artic Antics [Actively plays Computer vs. Computer.] Good examples: Boulderdash II, Jumpman, Protector II, Pitfall II [Actual gameplay.] Poor examples: Jumpman Junior, Mail Order Monsters, MULE [Visually interesting, but no gameplay.] Bad examples: The Last V8, Zork [shows game screen, but is static.] Can you recommend a few more games with good or great attract modes? Disagree strongly about MULE, that title sequence and music is one of the best on the Atari! I'd watch it for ages, trying to figure out how they did the letter fill for the main title! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baktra Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 River Raid. It keeps scrolling, so if you are patient enough, you can see many many bridges without actually playing the game. The bad thing is that it still shows BRIDGE 1 in the status bar, so you have no idea how far the scrolling advanced. Try with Altirra and keep F1 pressed. Pastfinder. Plays several levels over and over. Not bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClausB Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Star Raiders. Survives to this day in various screen savers and in nearly every episode of Star Trek. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Post See post #9 BBSB is listed... Yeah...overlooked the abbreviation....at least I mentioned why it's so cool;) Hands up who made "accidental" mistakes in entering your name while playing it/showing it to a friend just to demonstrate the cool "delete" mechanism ? Watched a video of it today and realized the credits screen has the birds (pigeons ?) put up the letters too, but that didn't impress me, even though that was already cool.....what really struck me the way the pigeons sort around the letters and numbers already on the board and also using new ones when needed....exacly that "algorythm" was what I found mesmerizing and I kept thinking how that was programmed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoestring Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Dropzone is definitely up there even though it has no gameplay in the attract. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DrVenkman Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 No one mentioned JOUST? What the heck is wrong with you people? (*DISCLAIMER*: JOUST was my absolute favorite cart for my 800 back in the day, though much easier than the more arcade-accurate 7800 version). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a8isa1 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 My only thought was Henry's House. Great attract mode but no actual game play so I guess it doesn't meet your criteria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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