Daughter Discovers Atari

[iratanam]

I've always taken a beating from my daughter over playing all of the old Atari games that I do, Seldom do I ever touch a nexgen system. I would always here things like, "OMG dad what are you playing, is that an actual game?" or "Dad, the 1980's called and they want there games and cassette deck back."

 

Well to make a long story short as they say....While playing Megamania for a couple hours, I got a phone call. I left the system on and went to take the call returning about a half an hour or so later to find my daughter sitting there playing. When I asked here what she thought she was doing playing something so old, her only response was...."Dad, you need to get more Atari games.

 

Kenny

[aftermac]

That's awesome!

[homerwannabee]

Megamania is definitely an great game to introduce the Atari 2600 system to.

[Red 5]

Have her try to guess what the items are that she's shooting at.

 

From memory (and hacking the game) I think they are Hamburgers, Cookies, Bugs, Tires, Diamonds, Irons, Bow Ties and Dice, in that order.

(I am 90% sure that's right.)

 

Megamania is easily in my top 10 of favorite Atari games.

Your daughter has great taste!

Edited September 4, 2008 by therealred5

[Chickybaby]

Congrats and that's a great thing! Always good hearing about someone who has become a convert!

I don't remember how old she is offhand.

[nathanallan]

Excellent! I love hearing stories like this!

 

Nathan

[Recycled]

My 7 year old daughter wants my extra 2600.

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

My 7 year old daughter wants my extra 2600.

 

Time to say goodbye!

 

(to your daughter)

[Recycled]

My 7 year old daughter wants my extra 2600.

 

Time to say goodbye!

 

(to your daughter)

 

 

I think the graphics are kinda off with it though.

[iratanam]

Congrats and that's a great thing! Always good hearing about someone who has become a convert!

I don't remember how old she is offhand.

 

 

She just turned 16. And Loving Megamania & Demon Attack. She flipped out when I answered her question on how long until you get to the end, she's having a hard time understanding why there is no game endings. I've been telling her that back then we didn't play for an ending, we simply played to get the highest score that we could and to pass time.

Edited September 4, 2008 by iratanam

[homerwannabee]

Congrats and that's a great thing! Always good hearing about someone who has become a convert!

I don't remember how old she is offhand.

 

 

She just turned 16. And Loving Megamania & Demon Attack. She's flipped when I answered her question on how long until you get to the end, she's having a hard time understanding why there is no game endings. I've been telling her that back then we didn't play for an ending, we simply played to get the highest score that we could and to pass time.

Actually Megamania does have an end. Once you hit 999,999 the game would totally stop.

Edited September 4, 2008 by homerwannabee

[iratanam]

Congrats and that's a great thing! Always good hearing about someone who has become a convert!

I don't remember how old she is offhand.

 

 

She just turned 16. And Loving Megamania & Demon Attack. She's flipped when I answered her question on how long until you get to the end, she's having a hard time understanding why there is no game endings. I've been telling her that back then we didn't play for an ending, we simply played to get the highest score that we could and to pass time.

Actually Megamania does have an end. Once you hit 999,999 the game would totally stop.

 

Be a long time before she hits that score, I don't think she's broke 20,000 yet, she makes it to the diamonds (Board 5 I believe) with one or two ships left and they quickly take her out.

[Recycled]

Some copies (I don't know if all) of Demon Attack blank out once you reach a certain score. I've done it with mine.

[fiddlepaddle]

Congrats and that's a great thing! Always good hearing about someone who has become a convert!

I don't remember how old she is offhand.

 

 

She just turned 16. And Loving Megamania & Demon Attack. She flipped out when I answered her question on how long until you get to the end, she's having a hard time understanding why there is no game endings. I've been telling her that back then we didn't play for an ending, we simply played to get the highest score that we could and to pass time.

 

I never understood this "end of the game" thing. I always assumed that games would and should keep working (and getting harder) indefinitely, even if it only meant they cycled through levels again (like Space Invaders). Pinball machines don't "end". Part of the attraction to arcade games was that theoretically you could play forever on one quarter. Of course, once games were turned into movies, that mindset went away.

[moycon]

AWESOME story!!

 

I think Atari should release a new console with the exact same specs as they had when they launched the 2600 and just continue where they left off. Hell it worked like a charm for Nintendo, so why not. Look at all the kick ass homebrews that have been released in the past few years. Many of them surpass modern games and stories like this just prove that all the more.

 

Giga Atari....I'd buy one. (Probably more than one)

[carmel_andrews]

Well. if the 2600 version of Activisions river raid is like the A8 version...it goes up to level 999 and then goes back to 1

[iratanam]

Seems she favors the Activision/Imagic stuff over anthing else, finding her playing alot of Fishing Derby also now...Dunno why on that one, I was never a big fan of it.

 

Kenny

[ComputerSpaceFan]

Some copies (I don't know if all) of Demon Attack blank out once you reach a certain score. I've done it with mine.

 

Any way to tell which copies of Demon Attack do this and which don't? Back in the day I had the version that did stop after a certain score and now I want to get that version again for my collection (sold mine way back when). It would be good to get the version that ends but I don't know how to identify those versions. Any ideas?

[mimo]

Some copies (I don't know if all) of Demon Attack blank out once you reach a certain score. I've done it with mine.

 

Any way to tell which copies of Demon Attack do this and which don't? Back in the day I had the version that did stop after a certain score and now I want to get that version again for my collection (sold mine way back when). It would be good to get the version that ends but I don't know how to identify those versions. Any ideas?

Play the game until you reach a certain score, if it blanks out at that point you have the version that blanks out at a certain score

[RJ]

After wave 84, the screen blanks & you're done. IIRC the manual mentions it, pretty sure thats how I knew about it (& did it once!)

[iratanam]

Seems she favors the Activision/Imagic stuff over anthing else, finding her playing alot of Fishing Derby also now...Dunno why on that one, I was never a big fan of it.

 

Okay I take that back, might be she just likes the shooters. She's been playing Phoenix and Galaxian alot here the last couple days too. Looks like I'm going to have to buy another Atari so I can play now. Emulation just isn't the same.

 

Kenny

[the.golden.ax]

Seems she favors the Activision/Imagic stuff over anthing else, finding her playing alot of Fishing Derby also now...Dunno why on that one, I was never a big fan of it.

 

Okay I take that back, might be she just likes the shooters. She's been playing Phoenix and Galaxian alot here the last couple days too. Looks like I'm going to have to buy another Atari so I can play now. Emulation just isn't the same.

 

Kenny

 

 

Get a 7800. They play 2600 as well. My oldest kids (7 and 10) are hooked on Food Fight.

 

I have plenty of systems, so if you are ever looking for a 2600/7800 PM me.

 

AX

[Chickybaby]

Seems she favors the Activision/Imagic stuff over anthing else, finding her playing alot of Fishing Derby also now...Dunno why on that one, I was never a big fan of it.

 

Kenny

 

Probably because you don't like it.

 

I like shooters as well and he's right about the 7800, food fight is one of my very favs. There's also Galaga, purr, and all of PacManPlus's games - PacMan collection, space invaders etc - they are fricking amazing!

 

ps - There's also beef drop, b*nk, space duel, and asteroids deluxe for the 7800 that IMO whup @$$.

Edited September 10, 2008 by Chickybaby

[iratanam]

Seems she favors the Activision/Imagic stuff over anthing else, finding her playing alot of Fishing Derby also now...Dunno why on that one, I was never a big fan of it.

 

Kenny

 

Probably because you don't like it.

 

I like shooters as well and he's right about the 7800, food fight is one of my very favs. There's also Galaga, purr, and all of PacManPlus's games - PacMan collection, space invaders etc - they are fricking amazing!

 

ps - There's also beef drop, b*nk, space duel, and asteroids deluxe for the 7800 that IMO whup @$$.

 

Should have said that earlier, it is on a 7800 that she is playing them on. I agree with Beef Drop and most of the others, esp PacmanPlus' games, need to buy the carts though, only have them on rom.