IGN retro's Top 10 Atari 2600 Games from Activision

[8th lutz]

http://retro.ign.com/articles/868/868566p1.html

 

10.) Spider fighter

9.) Robot Tank

8.) Dolphin

7.) Chopper Command

6.) H.E.R.O

5.) Barnstorming

4.) Kaboom!

3.) River Raid

2.) Pressure Cooker

1.) Pitfall!

 

My biggest complain about the list is not having pitfall II on it. I bought the game in 2004. I don't under why the game wasn't even an honorable mention. The author said Frostbite would've been ranked number 11.

 

The only thing I can think of is he never played the game.

Edited April 23, 2008 by 8th lutz

[Inky]

No Pitfall II?

[homerwannabee]

Any top 10 Activision list without Pitfall II is not legit.

[Mirage]

From the article: "You strafe over a series of randomly generated rivers (no two games are the same)..."

 

 

Huh? My understanding was that there is a random generation routine built-in for space savings, so they could fit more screens in, but they are always the same (since it's not really random, it always has the same seed). Right?

[A.J. Franzman]

From the article: "You strafe over a series of randomly generated rivers (no two games are the same)..."

 

 

Huh? My understanding was that there is a random generation routine built-in for space savings, so they could fit more screens in, but they are always the same (since it's not really random, it always has the same seed). Right?

You are correct.

[accousticguitar]

Any top 10 Activision list without Starmaster is bogus!

[Parrothead]

Any top 10 Activision list without Starmaster is bogus!

 

I'll second that. Starmaster was great!

[borntorun]

Barnstorming ahead of HERO?

Omission of Pitfall II and Starmaster?

I have to agree with everyone who's posted so far.

 

Also, Keystone Kapers would have been near the top of my list. That's one of the games that brought me back to the 2600.

Edited April 23, 2008 by borntorun

[Mayhem]

Yeah no Pitfall 2 and Starmaster... even Retro Gamer had P2 as their #1 2600 game in a recent issue

[+atari2600land]

What? No Freeway? *ducks tomatoes* I happen to like that game.

[Godzilla]

no space shuttle, no private eye, no starmaster, no pitfall II, no ghostbusters, no (etc) the man making this list must know crack (not pots,) because he had to be doing some to make this list.

[Inky]

At least he had Chopper Command, so all is not lost.

[ls650]

No Beamrider?

[godzillajoe]

I guess I'm in the minority that thinks Pitfall 2 is deadly boring.

 

And the first Pitfall though it LOOKS great loses major points for being a timed game.

 

Now THAT'S an idea for a hack, remove the timer.

[CrazyChris]

Didn't they only make about ten games.

[oesii]

I agree about Pitfall II and I don't think Barnstorming or Spider Fighter belong anywhere near a Top 10 Activision list. So there's some room to move PF2 in.

 

My dark horse for this list would be Dragster and I know Christophero Sly would agree with me

[Ben_Larson]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Enduro yet...

Edited April 24, 2008 by Ben_Larson

[nester]

Just remember, they could only fit 10 games on there. They can't fit all your favorites on there!

 

If I was making the list, I would have substituted Frostbite for Robot Tank or Chopper Command, but I was happy to see Pressure Cooker so high on the list!

 

I never did like Starmaster all that much either so I didn't miss it much.

[Dr. Morbis]

Didn't they only make about ten games.

Actually, they made over 40, and like 80% of them are great. The only true turd is Laser Blast IMHO.

 

Some Travesties:

-HERO below Barnstorming (as mentioned)

-NO Pitfall II

-NO Frostbite

-NO Enduro

 

Credit where it's due:

-For ranking Pressure Cooker so high. It's easily one of the best games on the system but almost never gets the credit it deserves, here on AtariAge or elsewhere, and THAT is a crying shame...

[crunchysuperman]

No Enduro? This list fails!

[Rom Hunter]

Big time.

 

That list is complete nonsense.

 

According to our site's top downloads:

 

1: Enduro

2: River Raid

3: Pitfall!

4: Keystone Kapers

5: H.E.R.O.

6: Tennis

7: Seaquest

8: Frostbite

9: Chopper Command

10: Decathlon

11: MegaMania

12: Grand Prix

13: Skiing

14: Pitfall II

15: Kaboom!

16: Boxing

17: Ghostbusters

18: Freeway

19: Ice Hockey

20: Beamrider

21: Spider Fighter

22: Laser Blast

23: Fishing Derby

24: Dragster

25: Robot Tank

 

Makes a lot more sense.

 

No StarMaster though...

 

Edited April 24, 2008 by Rom Hunter

[accousticguitar]

No StarMaster though...

That's just sad. Would it help if I downloaded it about a hundred times?

[Impaler_26]

Barnstorming and Dolphin in the Top 10??? This List is a bad joke!!

[joeybastard]

I'd toss Barnstorming, Spider fighter and Dolphin for Stampede, Frostbite and Beamrider. I'd also replace Pitfall with Pitfall II since it's superior game based on the same concept/play mechanic.

[cvga]

I'd drop Barnstorming, Robot Tank, Dolphin, Spider Fighter, and Chopper Command

 

I'd add Beamrider, Enduro, Pitfall II, Starmaster, and Keystone Kapers

I'd keep H.E.R.O., Pitfall, Kaboom, Pressure Cooker, and River Raid

 

Honorable mention to Megamania, Frostbite, and Decathalon

 

1. Beamrider

2. Pitfall

3. H.E.R.O.

4. Enduro

5. Pitfall II

6. Kaboom

7. Starmaster

8. Pressure Cooker

9. River Raid

10. Keystone Kapers