Atari5200 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 (edited) "Stop the humanoid, stop the chicken" It's time for Berzerk. one of the best common games for the 5200 in my opinion. As always, emulation is ok, any control scheme is ok, default difficulty or higher, post screen shots if you got them but not required. The competition will end 11-03-2007. Lets blast some robots Leaderboard: Final update 1. Rayik: 28440 2. Noahsmybro:10910 3. Cafeman: 8020 4. rxd: 7640 5. Phanton: 4910 6. BydoEmpire:2900 7. Mike5200:1910 Edited November 5, 2007 by Atari5200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 I can never break 3000 points in this game. It's too random, too arbitrary... sometimes you'll have only three robots in a stage, and sometimes there will be eight of them. Sometimes the robots will be placed at a fair distance from you, and sometimes they'll fry you the second the stage begins. Sometimes you'll have enough time to kill all the robots in the maze, and sometimes Evil Otto pops out before you even get your bearings. I realize that Berzerk is an important part of gaming history, and that the 5200 version is the best home conversion available... but is it fun? That's a totally different question. I really wish there was a 5200 version of the sequel, Frenzy, because it's a much better game; more complex and with far fewer cheap deaths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuzaxeman Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 I can never break 3000 points in this game. It's too random, too arbitrary... sometimes you'll have only three robots in a stage, and sometimes there will be eight of them. Sometimes the robots will be placed at a fair distance from you, and sometimes they'll fry you the second the stage begins. Sometimes you'll have enough time to kill all the robots in the maze, and sometimes Evil Otto pops out before you even get your bearings. I realize that Berzerk is an important part of gaming history, and that the 5200 version is the best home conversion available... but is it fun? That's a totally different question. I really wish there was a 5200 version of the sequel, Frenzy, because it's a much better game; more complex and with far fewer cheap deaths. cmon jess, don't be doggin berzerk. it's frustrating but still an amazing game and pretty freaky when that ball goes after you..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PressureCooker2600 Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Dude.....Berzerk is one of my all time favorite games. I've never really heard anyone diss it. Next to Pressure Cooker, it's my favorite 2600 game. I haven't tried the 5200 version so I can't wait to give it a go. I've never tried Frenzy.....how much of a change is it compared to the original? P.S. Where are the leaderboards.....or are there none on this HSC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BydoEmpire Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 (edited) I loved 2600 Berzerk - one of my favorite games on the system. I always liked Frenzy much better in the arcade, though. I almost picked up a boxed copy of 5200 Berzek a couple months ago but passed. Silly me, I should have KNOWN it was coming up in the HSC!!! 2900 in an emulator after a couple games. Pretty solid port - the voice is cool. Edited October 23, 2007 by BydoEmpire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoahsMyBro Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 I remember loving Berzerk in the arcades, and not really liking Frenzy. Other than that, I don't have any memory of Frenzy at all. And I think the 5200 Berzerk is excellent. As for the HSC, I managed to hit 10,910 tonight. Hopefully I'll have time later in the week to improve on that, but I've committed to a Bump'N'Jump challenge over the weekend, so I'll probably put time into that instead. Sometimes life can be so hard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted October 23, 2007 Share Posted October 23, 2007 (edited) Your appreciation of Frenzy depends on how willing you are to accept new play mechanics in a classic video game. I think the new features in Frenzy complement the rather bare-bones gameplay of Berzerk nicely... you've got walls you can destroy, walls that deflect your shots, new robots, an Evil Otto you can actually kill (but only briefly), and minor objectives in each stage. The game really shines on the ColecoVision thanks to a nifty soundtrack and greatly improved character artwork... when you aim your weapon, it looks like you really mean business, unlike the arcade version where you just point your gun like it was a remote control on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Edited October 23, 2007 by Jess Ragan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rxd Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 7,640 the first time I tried on my 5200 with my rebuilt controller. But honestly that's a total fluke, that's by far the best score I've ever gotten in the 25 years I've had the system. I never even got the bonus player at 5,000 before that I remember! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rxd Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 Your appreciation of Frenzy depends on how willing you are to accept new play mechanics in a classic video game. I think the new features in Frenzy complement the rather bare-bones gameplay of Berzerk nicely... you've got walls you can destroy, walls that deflect your shots, new robots, an Evil Otto you can actually kill (but only briefly), and minor objectives in each stage. The game really shines on the ColecoVision thanks to a nifty soundtrack and greatly improved character artwork... when you aim your weapon, it looks like you really mean business, unlike the arcade version where you just point your gun like it was a remote control on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Actually I prefer Berzerk over Frenzy alot more myself. I played them both in the arcade back in the day, have them both on my Mame cabinet and have Berzerk for my 5200 (2600 also) and Frenzy for my ColecoVision. Frenzy is a good game but I don't know, I like the simplicity of Berserk better. But the ColecoVision is a very good port of the game though, but I'd rather play Berzerk on the 5200 any day of the week.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayik Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 I'm going to have to break out the 5200 for my favorite game of all time. In the past I've reached 28K on the 5200 and over 40K on an arcade machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Helmet Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 I like Berserk on just about every platform it has ever been released on. Definitely a classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 8,020 so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess Ragan Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 How are you getting these crazy-ass scores?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 Here is my strategy. You have to play it safe at all times. Losing a life is the worst thing. 1. Try to kill every robot in every room - this is how you get bonus scores. Sometimes you get up to 110 points if there were 11 robots in the room, for example - you won't score much without destroying lots of robots and getting lots of bonuses. But this doesn't mean you shoot them all. The strategy is to trick robots to shooting other robots, or to bump into them destroying each other. Or to run into an electrified wall. Otto heads straight for you and I use him sometimes to kill that final standing robot, if possible. 2. But don't risk your life. As soon as Otto appears, head for an exit if you aren't already there. You have enough time in mostly every level to play around with the tracking robots, safely hiding behind the wall and moving up/down or left/right to trick them into destroying themselves. But you have to get a feel for when you've spent enough time there! 3. Once the robots start to shoot fast, you have to quickly seek cover and quickly shoot the whatever 1 or 2 robots are already lined up to aim at you. Watch for diagonals (don't put yourself in that position!). Robots shoot from the right side when they shoot vertically, so use that to YOUR advantage and not theirs. Also, if you move upwards and there is a robot tracking you on the other side of a wall, you can shoot overtop the wall hitting the robot's head before the robots shot will clear the wall. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayik Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 First game in years - 28,440. Done on an original 5200 using a sega genesis joystick with a homemake masterplay interface. By the time I found our camera, the screen was color cycling. If I have time, I'll try to do better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rxd Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 Now that is an impressive score... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phuzaxeman Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 First game in years - 28,440. Done on an original 5200 using a sega genesis joystick with a homemake masterplay interface. By the time I found our camera, the screen was color cycling. If I have time, I'll try to do better. super score! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 That Kills my 4620....Im going for higher though i doubt I'll get near 28G's + and my next high Im taking a pic. The controller was killin me on this game. I dug out my matserplay and added my Kraft Palm style Joystick and I got much better quickly because like Jess, I couldnt break 3000 without it. Wish I did that before tonight. Anyhow, a few more games and then bed. the Kraft Joystick I think is one of the best anyhow but its really special on this game because it shoots diagnolly so well. Cheers! and Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BydoEmpire Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Man, this is a tough game to play w/ the keyboard. I sould have picked up the cart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKE5200 Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Probably would do better if i had more time. 1,910 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 What do i have until midnight tonight? or is this week over? Im off to try to beat that crappy score but this game is one of the hardest ever made IMO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 (edited) I was just about to finally break 5000 when a frickin robot got Carl Lewis on my tail. I mean I was about out the door and assured of 5000 but no, the bot got Barrys juice! & they screwed me! Anyhow, heres a screenhot finally. My 1st one and you can even see my legs in the pic reflected which I thought was neat so Im posting poth pics and heading back to atleast beat 5G's! Cheers 4910 BTW! Edited November 4, 2007 by Phantom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BydoEmpire Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 This is one tough game to play w/ the numeric keypad! Tried a few more games but haven't broken 3k. I played it on a mame cab last week and I suck at the arcade version, too, but not this bad. Great port, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari5200 Posted November 5, 2007 Author Share Posted November 5, 2007 Congrats to Rayik on winning this weeks HSC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BydoEmpire Posted February 29, 2008 Share Posted February 29, 2008 Too late for the HSC, but the game finally clicked with me - you need to worry about and concentrate on dodging enemy fire more than trying to shoot the robots. I love making little "breakthroughs" or strategy discoveries in games - I nearly tripled my previous high score. The game has definitley grown on me (I also ended up getting a real cart so I could play w/ the joystick). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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