the_wizard_666

The original crash happened before my time. That said, aside from a handful of sales/trades over the years where I pulled items from my collection to either help someone else or just get something I wanted for something I wasn't so keen on, there hasn't been anything remotely in the "purge" category. I still have my original NES Action Set (first console), my original carts, and every system I've acquired since then, save my original Game Boy unit, which crapped out on me at a time when I had a spare to replace it with and give the busted one to a friend for parts. Even if I haven't given a console any play time in years (my poor Dreamcast hasn't been played since '02, save as a CD player when my stereo crapped out, just as an example), I just can't bring myself to part with something that I highly enjoyed for a time and would like to revisit at some point in the future. It doesn't hurt that 95% of my trades and sales ended up being regrets, and only about half have been repurchased since then, so it makes me less inclined to do so. Anyway, while technically my collection was nonexistent at the time of the crash, it has survived through my teen years and early adulthood, before I had fully committed to collecting games. Being that I'm probably younger than the median age range on AtariAge, I'm thinking that this is more or less in line with the intent of the topic, which is why I figured I'd post it. Plus, I'm new here, so I figure it couldn't hurt to share a bit of info about myself that might be relevant. Plus I haven't slept for a couple days and it makes me want to ramble for some reason. So yeah

Really? I rather enjoy it. Personal preference I guess. But even if you think it sucks, how much is based on the game itself and how much is on the use of the Pitfall name? It's flawed, sure, but is it really THAT bad?

I'll say that, to me, the games do suck, but it's not because I don't like the ports. It might be blasphemy in some circles, but I'm not a big fan of the arcade versions either. While I appreciate their historical value, they're just not my cup of tea. Hell, your points about Space Invaders and Defender I can 100% agree with despite my opinion on the games themselves. As for Pac-Man, maybe the nostalgia helps keep in perspective the fact that despite it's flaws, it was a serviceable port that, while not being anywhere near 100% accurate, it at least brought the arcade feel into your living room. It's far from perfect, but it's still Pac-Man.

So many games that spring to mind that fit that criteria. Would Contra Force be as bad if it didn't have "Contra" in the title? How about Super Pitfall? Final Fantasy Mystic Quest? I don't think any of them lives up to the franchises that were seemingly tacked on to boost sales, but none of them were, in my opinion, terrible games. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

I'm going a bit out in left field for this one and saying The Mutant Virus (NES). It's got an awesome B-movie plot, pretty sweet cutscenes, and a unique concept. Using Conway's Game of Life as a basis for a shooter was a pretty cool idea, but unfortunately the sketchy controls, high difficulty curve, and seemingly random levels of effectiveness of your attack hampered what could have been a phenomenal game. As it is, I do still like the game (although I'm definitely in the minority here), but it definitely could have done with a bit more time spent in development, if only to smooth out some of the wrinkles.

From most recent to least: Elite: Dangerous (XBO) - Slowly inching my way to the farthest depths of space. Shadowrun (360) - Finally unlocked the last couple achievements in the game. Yes, I'm a bit of an achievement whore. What of it? Nobunaga's Ambition (NES) - Spent a few days and knocked out the win thanks to my nearly unbeatable ninja assassins. Can't believe I took out the titular character with one! I'm now 6/9 for NES Koei releases.

I don't feel like I should list a top 20 list as I've only really played around 30 or so games so far, but as someone with little experience with the system (my first console was an NES in '89, and my first 2600 didn't come until around the turn of the century), I figure I could make a short list of the games I've enjoyed so far...so here goes I guess: In no particular order... The Activision Decathlon - I played this with a couple friends and (thankfully) a Track & Field controller. I'm not much for sports games, especially the ones that require such levels of manual dexterity, but I really enjoyed my run at it. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - I'm not sure if this was the first 2600 game I played, but it's the first one that left an impression. I'm not sure what it is, but I very much enjoy blasting the AT-ATs straight to hell. Any time I fire up my system, Empire ends up in the rotation. Demon Attack - Although I was spoiled by having the PCjr version for years before getting the Atari version, I must say that even though I feel it's the worst version of the game, it's still one of my personal favorites (so far of course). I also was extremely impressed by the graphics, which just blew away my expectations of what could be done visually on the 2600. While I doubt it'll remain high on my list as I progress through the library, it's a game that I'll always have a soft spot for. Dig Dug - Kind of like Demon Attack in that I've played superior versions over the years, but I still appreciate it for what it is. It doesn't hurt that I've always loved Dig Dug though, but again, it's a very well done port. Freeway - I fired this one up one day with the intention of playing for a few minutes to see how it was. 3 hours later I was still playing it. A very simple concept, but also a very engaging game. I don't see this one dropping down the list any time soon. Galaxian - Yet another one of the titles that, while playing "better" versions previously, I just thoroughly enjoyed playing the 2600 port. As with Dig Dug, I'm just a fan of the game in general, and was impressed with what they coaxed out of the hardware to pull off the home version. M*A*S*H - While I'm not a huge fan of the game as a whole, I do have to list it because of the "Operation" levels. For whatever reason I really dug them. The helicopter levels didn't do much for me, but the surgery stages felt like something I couldn't play elsewhere, and I always love games that offer something unique. Planet Patrol - This one's a weird one to me, in that the individual components are nothing new or special, but the package as a whole was one I thoroughly enjoyed. And that's about it for now. I'm sure many of these will not make the final cut once I've played enough to confidently list my top 20 titles, but I'm sure a few will stick for some time.

I have to say that this isn't unique to the Atari. I've primarily been an NES guy and I feel the same way when I see the same lists for the NES. Maybe there's a touch of nostalgia glasses in a few cases, but in many cases the games are ones I only discovered in adulthood and had no idea people didn't like them until I asked about them. I think it comes down to people not giving a game a fair shake before judging them harshly, and frankly it's a reason that I don't rely on lists of terrible games. While some deserve the criticism, most are just not given the proper chance to grow on a person. Incidentally, I'm curious what some of those games are for the 2600 that you love that others don't. With the NES, I tend to love the more underappreciated titles, and since I have little experience with Atari, it'd be nice to know a few offbeat places to start. I've got a couple hundred games in my collection, so I'm sure with a few titles I'd find at least one on my shelf to get started with

Maybe it wasn't so much to attract fans of the movies so much as to make the movies relevant again for a future VHS rerelease? I mean, a 30 year old B movie license probably won't drum up a ton of interest in the game from non-gaming sources, but I would imagine that if someone liked the game and then happened upon a movie with the same name, they might be more inclined to check it out. Perhaps it wasn't so much about drumming up interest in the game as it was about maximizing revenue from multiple sources on a license that would otherwise be stagnating.

Okay, so I haven't taken the time to read through the responses, but I have to say that I don't think either Pac-Man or E.T. would rank in the bottom ten titles for the system. Both are highly flawed, but they're not unplayable trash either. As for the topic itself, I'm ashamed to admit I haven't played much on the 2600, although I haven't found any real stinkers. Of what I've played, I'd rank Defender, Centipede, and Space Invaders as the bottom of the barrel, but those aren't due to poor quality so much as me just not enjoying the games all that much. Of course, maybe I'll find something terrible to add soon...kinda getting the itch to play some Atari again...

Well, the one I have hooked to my main unit is an official 2600 adapter, so without confirming I would assume the specs line up properly. The second one is marked as a 9V DC 100mA output. I guess that is causing it then?

Hi everyone! I've been a long time lurker here, but when doing some repair work on a console I found something weird that I just can't figure out, so I signed up to ask the pros! So here's the story - I have a Vader that needed a new video cable, so I replaced it. Big whoop. I tested the system out with the power supply from the system I have set up, and it worked great. However, when going through my box of power supplies to find one to put with it, I found one that, when used, boots the game with a different colour palette than the one I've already got hooked up. I was testing the system with a copy of Blueprint (I just grabbed a random cart, and that was the one I grabbed). The only thing I can think of is that the power supply has a lower output than the standard one, but I'm not sure why it would change the colours in that case, rather than not booting the game. From what I can tell the game works properly, but the colors are different. Now, a reason for the above situation would be cool to know, but the big thing I need to confirm is whether or not I should use this adapter with the system or not. I appreciate any insights and tips that you guys can provide.