+Cafeman Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I agree with most of those (I haven't played all those), with a few comments: Super Cobra - it is pretty hard but retains most of the coin-op features doesn't it? I can see it being on this list but I could also see some gamers loving it back in the day. Pigs in Space - one of the worst? no way, it has great use of the muppets Pigs/Gonzo cast, good animation, and 3 types of gameplay. I think this is a lot better than, say, Laser Blast (which gets too repetitive too early). Realsports Baseball - I enjoyed this quite a bit back in the day. However I know sports games are always the ones likely to age the quickest, maybe it is sucky compared to the whole library. And one big disagreement: Reactor - No way! This is the one game I am sure isn't one of the worst. I love the 2600 port of this and I've read positive statements from many other fans. The coin-ops unique gameplay was ported well IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herbarius Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I really like that website, just the fact the Video Game Critic reviewed almost every Atari 2600 game you'd come across normally... Also the reviews are informative and entertaining to read, despite their shortness... However, I find his ratings a bit random at times. Some games get a straight F, while others get something like B or C, although you'd expect similar ratings for both. Sometimes games seem to get better ratings for nostalgia, despite him complaining about various issues, while on other games he seems to base an F rating on a single, seemingly minor complaint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 I really like that website... However, I find his ratings a bit random at times. Some games get a straight F, while others ... while on other games he seems to base an F rating on a single, seemingly minor complaint. He sure isn't afraid to rate a game with a big royal "F" if he hates it. Not to beat an old horse but one "F" review was for Atari 5200 Star Raiders. Now, to me, I recall a burning desire to play this game when it was first only on the Atari 8bit computer line because so many people seemed to love it. It seemed so advanced and fun; EGM rated it #1 on the computer games list for over a year straight. When I finally played it on 5200, I saw why everybody loved it, even though by then it was a few years old. To me, there is no doubt it is "A" game. So you can imagine my surprise as I pleasantly browsed the VGC 5200 reviews to find he gave it an "F"! There were other "F" reviews that I thought the man had imbibed an incorrect mushroom, or perhaps had played too much of a new-system game and chugged down too much Tequila or JD before trying an older system game and giving it the undeserved F. I mean, just how can he be giving THAT game an F?? Is the man suffering bipolar, and Star Raiders was played on a downer week? Or is his mother-in-law visiting, putting him in a foul anti-Star-Raiders mood? But I guess its a case of "to each their own", eh? : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PressureCooker2600 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 This is a list of the worst Atari 2600 games according to the Video Game Critic. Oink! by Activision Journey Escape by Data Age Airlock by Data Age He deserves to burn at the stake for listing these games. He's just a cheap hack/one-trick pony anyways.....so it doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PressureCooker2600 Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 Ooops......sorry about that. I was mistaking the VGC for that loser Angry Nintendo Nerd. Apologies to VGC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S1500 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I always liked that site. No multi-page views to go over like the typical cookie cutter video game sites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velcro_SP Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I'd never put Reactor on that list - it's one of my favorite 2600 games. Also, I happen to like Stellar Track - but my videogaming days stretch back far enough to remember playing the computer game it was based on, so there's a strong nostalgia factor there. I also liked Stellar Track. It's a rare 2600 strategy game. To criticize the Videogame Critic for a moment, he or she doesn't appear to have actually learned how to play the game. "I don't have the patience to master the confusing, non-intuitive user interface." Pretty cheeky to flunk a game that one decided one didn't have the patience to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianC Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I found some reviews at the site to be a bit inconsistent across different systems. Q*Bert is a good example. Q*Bert for 5200 and 800 are nearly identical aside from controls, but the 5200 version is praised for its graphics, while the Atari 800 version is criticized for them. Colecovision Q*Bert gets an A- despite having some of the same things that were complained about in other versions, like having to rotate the controller (why was this more of a problem for Atari than CV?) and the see through eyes. Odyssey 2 version also has an A-. The Intellivision version's description sounds somewhat more positive than other versions, but still gets a B. NES version gets a C- simply for not showing the high score after game over. Atari 2600 version also got a B, for similar reasons to the 800 version. I agree with half of the ratings, but a few of them (like Reactor) make me shake my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Starship, SlotMachine, SlotRacers are all awesome games. Cannot agree with the list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectorGamer Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Ooops......sorry about that. I was mistaking the VGC for that loser Angry Nintendo Nerd. Apologies to VGC. I never understood how that Angry Video Game Nerd could reach celebrity status and is signing autographs at gaming expos...I mean, he's just a gamer like you and me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 (edited) By understanding exactly *why* you are following this thread will aid you in determining why he has celebrity status. Something about him stirs up that religious type of following. See? And by you posting, helps make that the case just a tiny bit more..! Ohh yeh, the kidlike surprised commanding voice that tells you it is so. So then it becomes so! And all the stupid swearing is attractive to the degrading youth of society these days. So I looked up a video and and have determined that the commentary is pretty much worthless. Build your own list of games to avoid. Edited June 10, 2009 by Keatah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
else Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Not to beat an old horse but one "F" review was for Atari 5200 Star Raiders. So you can imagine my surprise as I pleasantly browsed the VGC 5200 reviews to find he gave it an "F"! He long ago revised his Star Raiders review (way back in 2002 according to his copyright date). He now gives it a C+..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectorGamer Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 By understanding exactly *why* you are following this thread will aid you in determining why he has celebrity status. Something about him stirs up that religious type of following. See? And by you posting, helps make that the case just a tiny bit more..! Ohh yeh, the kidlike surprised commanding voice that tells you it is so. So then it becomes so! And all the stupid swearing is attractive to the degrading youth of society these days. So I looked up a video and and have determined that the commentary is pretty much worthless. Build your own list of games to avoid. Hmmm...then I guess I will take a stab at it and be the polar opposite and create my own cult following... Nah... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnight magicman Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I disagree with a few on the list: E.T. Reactor Quadrun With all three of these games, I feel like it's just a matter of taking the time to learn how to play them. With Reactor & Quadrun it's a matter of techniques & getting used to patterns. With E.T. it's a matter of figuring out the strategy needed to aquire all the pieces. People have a tendency to hate games they can't just pop in & play & enjoy the very 1st time. The 1st several times I played these games I had no idea what was going on. Now, Reactor & Quadrun are 2 of my faves & I'd rank E.T. in the same category as Raiders of the Lost Ark (in fact, I find E.T. to be much easier). Swordquest - Fireworld & the rest of the swordquest series I've always felt it was plain stupidity to rate the Swordquest games based off of pure gameplay. It's not what the series was about. Are they mega hard? Yes. That was the point. The games are pure trial & error & take a ton of patience & pure luck in the case of some clues. Conceptually, I feel like the Swordquest series was a unique & cool idea & as a comic book fan I loved the idea of using one in conjunction with playing an atari game. Also, we are all here to an extent because of our love of Atari history & 80's retro stuff. The story(s) behind this series is far too interesting & nostalgic to simply pop Fireworld in & mock it's cheap looking graphics & laugh @ how you don't know what's going on. Also, I always had a tendency to become obsessed with figuring out a game I payed my hard-earned $25 for & I never gave up on Fireworld. Last year, after owning the game for 25 yrs, I sat down with a pencil & paper & the comic & FINALLY got all the clues. One of my most memorable gaming moments. Peace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herbarius Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I never understood how that Angry Video Game Nerd could reach celebrity status and is signing autographs at gaming expos...I mean, he's just a gamer like you and me I think it's something about the character. Like you said, for one thing you get the impression it's just a "gamer like you and me" who gets frustrated at annoying game elements that frustrated "the every gamer"... But he's not just that, he's not a realistic representation of "the average gamer", but he's a little over-the-top, almost like a caricature. People can identify with him and at the same time laugh at him, I think that adds a lot the mix. Also note that saying the Angry Video Game Nerd doesn't sign autographs at gaming expos is like saying Captain Picard is signing autographs at Star Trek Conventions. Don't confuse the actor and his role. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stvd Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I can't comment on the whole list but some of them are pretty decent games. There are far more games not on the list that should be before any of these....... Pac-Man by Atari Laser Blast by Activision Super Cobra by Parker Bros. Sky Skipper by Parker Bros. Reactor by Parker Bros. Pooyan by Konami Oink! by Activision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadrunner Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I like Journey Escape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GameGirl420 Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I agree with Basic Programming...everytime I try to play it,it's like broken or something. I'd like to meet someone who actually did something worthwhile with that. Anybody ever actually program anything with Basic Programming?lol On the contrary,I don't agree with the E.T. choice either.... E.T. is a groovy game. It's actually not that hard to beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason73 Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 I almost bought Pigs in Space a couple of weeks agao at a toy shop. Is it really that bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opeygon Posted June 14, 2009 Share Posted June 14, 2009 a lot of these are all time favs of mine. i mean oink?! thats a classic. great two player action 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakeboy Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 One great thing about the VGC is that he is willing to listen to his readers when they disagree with his reviews. If you think he missed the boat on a particular review, you can leave feedback on his forums, and many times he'll take it into account and perhaps re-review the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+batari Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I almost bought Pigs in Space a couple of weeks agao at a toy shop. Is it really that bad? This one has mixed reviews, but I personally think the rating is fair on this one. This game is an excellent example of great graphics and poor gameplay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Ks Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 I almost bought Pigs in Space a couple of weeks agao at a toy shop. Is it really that bad? This one has mixed reviews, but I personally think the rating is fair on this one. This game is an excellent example of great graphics and poor gameplay. Tell me about it . It has great graphics but it's games are shameless rip-offs of others like Space Invaders, Cosmic Creeps, and Vanguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnapCraft Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I don't think Oink deserves an F. I like it. I agree, Oink! isn't that bad. Come on, breakthrough in reverse? It's very creative. VGC is good, but he misses the point sometimes. I still can't forgive him for ripping Triple Action on Intellivision. Yes, the biplanes. That mini-game rules! You can steer out of a nose-dive! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osbo Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 (edited) Real Sports Baseball isn't that bad...it was OK back in the day but I prefer to play sports on the PS1 or PS2. Sports games on the classic consoles aren't my cup of tea. How about Activision's Tennis, Boxing and Decathlon? Those games are a ton of fun if you ask me. Same with Atari's Basketball, and Volleyball, I used to play those games with my friends, tons of fun and good memories. Activision's Laserblast its an endurance test, go head and score a 1.000.000, takes forever! Reactor its another great game, he is way off in his list. Edited June 16, 2009 by Osbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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