Greatest 2600 'special effect'

[Gregory DG]

quote

In my honest opinion, California Games had a great title screen, good graphical effects and great sound as well.

 

What's even more impressive about California Games is this quote straight from the programmer, Peter Engelbrite:

 

"California Games [for the] 2600 was created by two programmers and a musician in 1 ½ months." - Peter Engelbrite.

 

Wow!

 

Of course, if you have a copy of my 2001 Year End Issue, you would have known that already.

http://www.ataritimes.com/yearend/

[liveinabin]

Gotta add one to my own thread here.

I got my first ever copy of Yars Revenge this morning (hows that for behind the times ?). WOW! Every visual effect, from the Quotile force field, to his shield where the holes you make shift around, his eventual explosion and those sound effects!! I'm impressed, I always thought Activision games had the graphical edge, full marks to Atari (though I guess I'm not telling you anything you didn't know when you were

[bcprs1]

I always liked it when the ship takes off in Atlantis after the city blows up.

 

Also, I also love the warp sequence in Solaris. Kewl stuff.

[KAZ]

I'm gonna revive this thread, just cuz it looks cool.

 

You know that is what I like about Atari I think, I couldn't quite put a finger on it before, but it is actually the crude full screen graphical stuff, and the metallic technological sounds that are so appealing.

The games are so in your face, and have vitality. Like you die, and you hear a godawful hellish noise like none you've heard, and you just have to smile.

 

That and the fact that you CAN'T continue, so it is all about high score, unlike many games that invite you to cheat your brains out.

 

As for special effects, I vote for Yar's Revenge too, but I will mention one that someone already mentioned, but a little differently:

 

Demon Attack's sound effects are WAY cool, I love how the sound goes from really low pitched, to really high pitched. Just listen to it closely, it really has a dark quality to it.

[Ze_ro]

quote:

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Originally posted by -^Cro§Bow^-:

Funny you mention the scrolling rainbow trick. As that is my favorite effect in any 2600 game.

---

 

I have to admit, I love this effect too. I think it's awesome that they used this with the Atari logo on the 5200 start-up screen too. Funny, considering it's a fairly simple effect compared to most of the stuff everyone else has mentioned...

 

--Zero

[Stroxalarb]

I know it's not fantastic, but I like the revolving Gonzo head in Muppets: Pigs in Space game. It's the only effect I've seen in a game where something looks almost 3D by spinning that way..........really cool

[NE146]

Lots of great effects mentioned.. But how about in Moonsweeper when you touch a planet and the surface comes to view. I thought that was pretty neat

[rasty]

For "simple but effective", I like Laser Blast's lasers.. I know it's just so basic, but it really gives the idea.

 

On the advanced side, Escape from the MindMaster's scroll when advancing is impressive to say the least!

 

Rasty.-

[utamav91]

Midnight Magic...the things that spin when a ball rolls underneath them

[Inky]

I don't remember the name of the game, but it's game where you have 2 guns at the bottom of the screen. If you push forward, the ground beneath you moves forward, and if you push back, it scrolls backward. It's a fun one, and that effect I think is quite convincing.

 

Oh.. Earth Dies Screaming. That's the one.

[mos6507]

As much as the 2600 gets a bad rap for its graphics, its wide palette separated it from other machines like the Intellivision, which could never do a game like Enduro. Just not enough gradations.

[bcprs1]

My favorite has to be the warp sequence from Solaris. One other effect I really love in Solaris is when you enter the Corridors. That has to be one of my favorite parts of a video game. If that is my favorite, the Cobra ships appearing has to be the worst. Although the effect is really cool, you know you are in for a battle when they fly in.

 

[ 04-22-2002: Message edited by: Secret Quest ]

[Tempest]

I always liked the Neutral Zone effect from Yars Revenge. Not only does it look cool, but it's sneaky how HSW used random bits of code for the effect.

 

The Voice in Quadrun is also worthy of mention. You've got to wonder why they didn't try stuff like that more often?

 

Tempest

[Ranthulfr]

Dark Chambers has great fade in / fade out visual effects.

 

Secret Quest has some charming sounds.

[DuckandCover]

I'd have to vote along with several that mentioned Haunted House. I thought the howling wind and the lightning really set the spooky mood.

 

I know this'll mark me as a simpleton, but I remember as a kid thinking that the last sequence of Star Wars: ESB, where the horizon is rocked by an explosion when you've been defeated, was pretty incredible.

[moycon]

Its funny someone else mantioned Soccer... When I was a kid I thought the "roar" of the croud and the fireworks were top notch!!!!

[Joey Kay]

yeah...

 

Solaris all around is a stunning game - lots of good special effects.

 

However, although it's not graphically amazing, I like the title screen in Dig Dug -very arcade-esque! I think I like the sequence (not graphics) better than the 7800 Dig Dug.

 

Cheers!