PreCrash vs. PostCrash vs. Modern Homebrew.

[A Sprite]

Ignore gems like 'Karate' and no offense, every hack that can't be sold as a separate game. Which era's game library for the 2600 is the overall best for quality and variety?

Edited November 27, 2007 by A Sprite

[mimo]

Ready to get shot down in flames, but I think pre-crash. 1982 is the best year IMO

[Rom Hunter]

Although, some brilliant VCS games were created post crash, I think the pre-crash library offers the most fun.

 

Especially the Activision games.

 

[Lord Helmet]

I like the Atari silver label era. I guess that means just barely pre crash.

[homerwannabee]

I believe the best games are neither precrash or postcrash, but rather during crash games 1983-1984. Some good examples of during crash games are Tapper, Pitfall II, H.E.R.O

[Atarifever]

Post crash. My favorite time in Atari history is from the launch of the 7800 and Atari Jr., to when the 7800 stopped being supported. Secret Quest, Radar Lock, Save Mary (released or no, that is a great game programmed at that time, and is my personal favorite pizzle game of all time), Solaris, BMX Airmaster, etc. These games are just incredible, and are the best demonstration of exactly what the 2600 was capable of.

[Christophero Sly]

Most of my favorite games are pre-crash.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Christophero Sly

[ianoid]

Although I love those first 40 Atari releases nonuniformly, I prefer immediate pre-crash when the 3rd party stuff from Activision and Imagic came out. I spent alot of time with those games.

[accousticguitar]

Most of my faves are precrash, though the modern Adventure hacks are great too.

[Foxsolo2000]

I believe the best games are neither precrash or postcrash, but rather during crash games 1983-1984. Some good examples of during crash games are Tapper, Pitfall II, H.E.R.O

 

Have to agree on this one. Those three titles alone make for a good argument for the case

[shadow460]

Pre crash. Starpath was pre crash, and they pushed the 2600 to a new level then. They weren't alone, as Activision and to an extent Imagic also pushed the hardware.

 

Most of my 2600 games are pre crash. In fact, I think Winter Games, Summer Games, and Solaris might be my only post crash titles. IMO, the best companies produced most or all of their games pre crash. Those are folks like Activision, Imagic, Starpath, and Parker Bros. Mattel's offerings aren't half bad, either. CBS offered some good titles, too, and so did Sega.

 

Hardware-wise, I think post crash is better but that dives into the realm of other consoles.

[Ryanw]

I agree with some people said about Activision. The Activision games were the most fun on the 2600, especially River Raid and of course Pitfall.

[HP Atari King of Michigan]

I also agree that PreCrash had the most memorable games, but the PostCrash 2600 games are far superior.

[Feralstorm]

I'd say pre-crash, if only for sheer volume of games. There may have been a lot of crap, but there was also a lot of great games along with them. Post-crash and homebrew games squeezed more out the system, but pre is where the bigger nostalgia hit lies. Half of the post-crash games might have been pre-crash if they'd been done a little quicker, for that matter.

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

Post crash- Solaris, Secret Quest, Ikari Warriors and more are good looking games and enjoying!

[+atari2600land]

I find myself playing my homebrew games more than anything else. Post-crash games, while graphically astounding, pale in comparison to games like Strat-O-Gems and the 2005 Minigame Multicart. I guess it's because almost all the arcade conversions are used up, so homebrewers have to think up of new stuff, which comes out cool. I'll be buying LadyBug for 2600 as soon as the holidays are over, too.

[Lord Helmet]

While I stated earlier that I like the silver label era games the most...currently I play more homebrews than anything...just because they are new and I haven't played them to death for 25+ years.