DuckandCover

Not a pointless post at all. In fact, it gets to the heart of why most of us are here: love for these great games. Funny, I came home pretty cratered from work last night, and a few rounds of Stampede helped lift my spirits. Still, the old 2600 hasn't gotten nearly enough use over the last week, so I know where I'll be burning some spare hours later on...

Great strip, Warren! Funny stuff! P.S. I also think an AA comic strip page is a good idea. We've got a lot of talented folks around here.

That is strange. I just downloaded the Commando ROM from this site a few weeks back, when I realized I hadn't bothered to snag it previously. Wonder what happened? And...uh...what in the world is Duck Fighting?

Great strip, Moycon! Wonderfully demented stuff!

Congratulations, Paul! It's great to see 2600 programmers getting the attention they deserve!

There's nothing like playing the games on the console itself! I've got a 4 switch woodgrain that gets a lot of use. Cool thing is, I just got a new 25" television (courtesy of my girlfriend) so my games look better than ever. Every once in a while, such as when I was playing to compete in the Activision Quest, I would use an emulator (Z26 is my favorite). I did so mainly for the ease of capturing screenshots. Still, it just isn't the same...

My parents were kind enough to buy me a 2600 for my birthday one year, and along with the system, they had bought me a Superman cart. I still spend a lot of time cleaning up Metropolis.

2600: Stampede 800XL: K-razy Shoot Out Odyssey 2: Attack of the Time Lord PC: Catechumen Cool thread!

It is amazing to realize how solid the game play of some of those early titles was. Even with the advent of online multiplayer gaming, nothing quite captures the magic and fun of duking it out with a friend on one the early 2600 titles, like Dodge 'Em or Pele's Soccer.

Some of my hard fought scoring battles on Activision's Ice Hockey have led to a few hand cramps. Still, it's worth it when you finally beat the computer.

It took me a while to get my hands on a copy of Frankenstein's Monster, and I was pleasantly surprised when I played it. That single screen packs a lot of challenge! Definitely not a game you get bored with quickly. If you like platform games, you need to get your hands on a copy. Well worth the hunt. I've noticed that several people have named 20th Century Fox carts. I've always felt that company's games were underrated as a whole. Sure there were some stinkers in the catalog, but there were also several great games. Glad to see Turmoil mentioned. I love that cart's fast, frenetic action. Bank Heist has long been one of my favorite 2600 maze games, and I think it gets overlooked quite a bit. I'm also a fan of Crypts of Chaos. Granted, it's one of those "you have to read the manual to figure it out" titles, but once you get the hang of it, it's a blast. I've spent many happy hours exploring the crypts, hacking monsters and stealing treasure. E.T. is not nearly as bad as many people make it out to be. Now the Swordquest games...yuck!

Hmmm....I'd definitely agree with Private Eye. I always thought that game was outstanding, and somewhat overlooked. Great graphics and great challenge. There are still cases on that cart I've yet to solve... I've often felt that my favorite Activision cart of all time, Stampede, was underrated. From what I understand, the game didn't sell all that well back in the day (I guess a lot of gamers weren't interested in ropin' steer). I've always thought that was a shame, because in terms of game play I've always felt the cart was both unique and outstanding. I still find the game addictive today. I've also had the perception (perhaps the mistaken perception) that some of the Activision sports titles, such as Boxing and Ice Hockey, never got the attention they deserved. As far as 2600 sports games go, those are two of my favorites. Skiing is a pretty fun challenge as well.

"The Count" is my favorite of the old Scott Adams adventure titles (Adventureland is a close second). Even with its limited desciptions and two word parser, The Count manages to evoke a real sense of dread, especially as the third night draws closer. The VIC-20 was the first machine I ever played any of the Adams games on. Just an aside. If anyone is interested in playing any of the old Scott Adams games on PC, they can be downloaded from Scott Adams' website. Just click on "Classic Games Downloads". You can also play them online at iFiction.

My vote would have to go to Amidar. I never could quite grasp the concept behind playing a gorilla being pursued by angry natives on one level, and then playing a paint roller being chased by rampaging pigs on the next. Pretty bizarre stuff. To boot, I remember the first time I heard the title of the game, I thought it would be some kind of space shooter, not...well, what it was.

With the different variations and challenges, Super Breakout is definitely worth having, especially if you're a fan of Breakout. It's a strong improvement over the original. I've never played the 5200 version, but I can't imagine trying to play Super Breakout with a joystick. Of course, I generally can only play 2600 paddle games on the console itself, not in emulation. I've never been able to accept the mouse as a stand-in for a paddle.

I remember really enjoying Video Pinball as a kid, and I still find it amusing, but Midnight Magic is a far superior game, in my opinion. I never got my hands on a copy of MM until I started collecting as an adult, and I was pretty impressed by all that it offered. I still burn plenty of hours with MM on a fairly regular basis. I've never played Bumper Bash, but all this talk about the cart has certainly made me curious...

My quests for high scores have not led to a great deal of success, but I've had an enormous amount of fun trying. I figured that's why we're all in this hobby: because we enjoy it. If others don't like attempting to crack records, then let 'em leave it to the record crackers. For me, I'm generally pretty thrilled anytime I surpass my personal best on a given game.

The Infocom packaging was really incredible. The different items that came with each game really added to the experience and immersion. I got a couple of the Infocom collections for PC, and while the games are awesome, they lose some of their magic without those gray, lined boxes. I also kinda liked the old black boxes Atari shipped their 8-bit carts in. Of course, that's probably just nostalgia talking. Still, I recently got my hands on Defender and Star Raiders, new in the box. Having those new carts took me back.

I purchased a Slik Stik on Ebay about a year ago, and it's become my controller of choice for all my 2600 and 8-bit games. I like it far more than the standard Atari joystick. Pretty sweet creation, General!

Like many here, my love of video games started with the 2600, and with all of the subsequent advances in technology, I have not found many games that match the game play of the best 2600 carts. For me, the best 2600 titles set the benchmark for incredible, addictive game play, and I think only some of the more exceptional offerings through the years have matched them. Granted, there is a "magic" to the 2600 that one either perceives or doesn't. For me, that magic has captivated me most of my life. I think most of the aversion younger players have is based on the graphics of 2600 games. They're so used to amazing eye candy, they get stuck on the blocky looks of Atari carts, and never see the amazing play mechanics of those games. I ran across an interesting tidbit in the second part of Earl Green's article on classic game programmer Bob Harris from Classic Gamer Magazine #6: It seems as though some of the Atari titles have a creative spontaneity inherent in their design that is missing from some of the more modern games. Not to say I don't enjoy the modern titles. I do. But I love the energy and game play of these early efforts. They've always been magic to me. Awesome statement, Kale. Couldn't agree more.

I hope that some helpful soul that attends CGE will be kind enough to post what Todd demonstrates about his Barnstorming technique/pattern for the rest of us folks that can't attend. This conversation has really piqued my curiousity. I don't doubt the integrity of TG, but I really trust the collective technical knowledge of the users here, so I'd like to know how Todd accomplished that score. If a tape of the score exists, it would be very revealing.

Seems like I've been stuck in the 100's for the past year or so. Of course, part of that has been attributable to having to devote a lot of time to other things besides cart collecting. Just lately, I've had a resurgence. In the last month I've come across twelve unique additions to my collection. So, things are looking up!

I really enjoy the 2600 port of Time Pilot. Part of my love for it is based on nostalgia, but taken on its own, it's a pretty solid game. It's a good test for the reflexes, and I like the variations in the different levels. One of the better 2600 Coleco carts, in my opinion.

Wow, Stan! You definitely humble the rest of us! Outstanding job! Congrats!

Pretty incredible achievement, Stan! Congratulations!