Article: The 10 Worst Atari 2600 Arcade Game Ports

[VectorGamer]

http://www.ethioplanet.com/vybes/2009/11/19/the-10-worst-atari-2600-arcade-game-ports/

 

Why do I have a feeling that this is going to be a long thread?

 

Some comments:

 

Amidar Yes, brutally slow is the biggest offense.

 

Gorf I seem to be of the minority that actually likes the port. I did back in the day and still do today. It has the same number of screens as the ColecoVision version and some eye candy is missing. For me, not being able to move up and down is forgiving.

 

Breakout I'm not getting the inclusion of this cart.

 

Defender I would have moved this one up to #4

 

Pooyan No comment - I don't own it

 

Tutankham I have yet to procure the ColecoVision version which was said to be "brilliant." But I do have the 2600 version and I think I've played it once or twice and the game play is frustrating.

 

Congo Bongo No comment - I don't own it yet

 

Donkey Kong It was a HUGE disappointment when it was released. I played it a few times over the past several months and it is probably better now than it was then simply cuz the shock factor has worn off.

 

The positives about this game is Mario looks pretty good considering the platform and the pace of the game is also pretty good.

 

Negatives: Kong looks horrible - nothing shocking here. Have you noticed that he only stomps his feet when you climb a ladder? Interesting...the fireballs are pretty lame on the second screen as all they do is move horizontally as the sneakers do in Fast Eddie. The obligatory complaint of only two levels.

 

I would consider swapping this game with Amidar. Amidar is frustratingly slow and that game could have been much better.

 

BurgerTime This should be number one. Man is it horrible. I played it for 20 seconds and never again. It's funny when you see the quality of another burger game like Pressure Cooker versus this piece of crap.

 

Pac-Man It's better than BurgerTime because you can make out what the graphics are. But, as we all know, a lot of us felt duped when we paid good money for this piece of garbage.

[Atari Dogs]

Are you taking the point of view of someone at the time the games were released or someone now looking backwards?

 

For all the criticism Pac-Man and Donkey Kong get. I did play them a fair amount back in the day. There was a big revolution in programming games between 1981 and 1983. Maybe this topic should be games that need to be re-imagined in 2010.

 

What is wrong with BreakOut?

[Frizo]

What is wrong with BreakOut?

 

Yeah, seriuosly? I love break out. Even though I wasnt born in the 80's, but more late 90's, I love this older stuff. And BreakOut totally deserves a place somewhere NOT in the worst games list.

[BrianC]

What is wrong with BreakOut?

 

Edit: I read the site. Breakout got on the list because of the way the 2600 version does angles, not due to the two stages thing. Definitely has no place on a worst ports list, though.

Edited November 23, 2009 by BrianC

[VectorGamer]

Are you taking the point of view of someone at the time the games were released or someone now looking backwards?

 

 

If this is in regard to my comments, it could considered both since my opinion on Donkey Kong has changed slightly over the years but the rest are the same as they were at the time of their release.

[The_Laird]

Nothing at all wrong Breakout especially for a 1978 game.

 

Gorf and Pooyan were both pretty good I thought and although its slow I actually liked Amidar too.

 

There are far worse arcade conversions like Zaxxon (good but nothing like the original), Super Cobra (jerky and ugly) and Reactor (blocky mess)

[BassGuitari]

Double Dragon, anyone?

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and defend Defender and Pac-Man. I guess that, by definition, they ARE "bad ports," but they're fun games regardless. To me, anyway.

 

My only problem with Donkey Kong is its brevity (only two screens? NEXT.). I think it's pretty good otherwise, all things considered.

 

Never had a problem with Gorf or Amidar. However, my experience with those games is limited (I think I've only played my copies of these games long enough to make sure they work), and I've never played the arcade versions.

 

Pooyan plays about the same as other versions that I've played, just blockier. But I've never been a big Pooyan fan on any platform, anyway. It makes an unusual addition to a 2600 collection, at least.

 

Burgertime is...well...kind of bad. I haven't played 2600 Burgertime in some time, but I don't remember it being a particularly un-fun game to play. It was sorely lacking in various areas, though.

 

Congo Bongo: again, I've never been a fan of this game regardless.

 

I haven't played Tutankham enough to comment one way or the other.

 

Breakout definitely does not belong on this list, however.

[Vic George 2K3]

My comments:

 

Amidar: I actually enjoy playing this version of the game, seeing that I never played the arcade original until M.A.M.E.

 

Gorf: Could be better. Rather simplistic.

 

Breakout: Super Breakout for the 2600 was better.

 

Defender: Stargate for the 2600 was better in everything but the controls.

 

Pooyan: Haven't played it much to comment.

 

Tutankham: Arcade version was better.

 

Congo Bongo: Haven't played it much to comment.

 

Donkey Kong: A masterpiece compared to the crap job done for Donkey Kong Junior for the 2600.

 

BurgerTime: Haven't played it much to comment. Graphics are terrible.

 

Pac-Man: Quintessentially outdone by Ms. Pac-Man and Jr. Pac-Man for the 2600.

[VectorGamer]

 

 

Donkey Kong: A masterpiece compared to the crap job done for Donkey Kong Junior for the 2600.

 

 

 

You're right - they should have put that horrible DK Jr. on the list instead of Breakout

[atarian63]

Dont get Pooyan being there. Yeah it's not perfect but not too bad either. I occasionally still play it.

[uglyclone]

The only game on this list I'll say was absolutely horrible was burgertime. The others were at least fun to play in my book. I've spent countless hours playing Defender and Pac-Man on the 2600. Let's be honest though the arcades and the home console market were miles apart at the time. That's the reason we spent so many quarters at those places. If we could get the same experience (graphics,gameplay etc.)at both the arcade and at home we wouldn't need arcades at all.

[AtariLeaf]

I hate these kind of articles. It seems 9 times out of 10 when someone writes an article about the 2600 its negative, like this one. Considering the limitations of the hardware I'd say some of these ports are pretty damn good. And of course it wouldn't be a complete article without bashing pacman and/or ET. I'd just like these "writers" to come up with an original thought on the 2600 instead of these moronic lists.

[jeremysart]

Defender playable at best it is still a fun title, although I have seen better ports.

 

 

Congo Bongo HAH! Funny thing about this one, of all the Congo Bongo ports, this is the only port to not say "The Official" above the title on the cart/ box. It is absolutely terrible with the joystick or on a large tv, it seems only playable on a small window in an emulator using the keyboard.

 

Donkey Kong Have to admit, was one of my favorite games as a kid.. although it is far from the arcade, or even the colecovision port, it is still fun and somewhat challenging. Plus, gotta love those sounds

DK does look sort of like a giant gigerbread man though

 

 

BurgerTime Even though I played this title as a kid, before seeing a real port of the game (coleco, intv or nes) I never knew what the hell was attacking me. I can only say that this is just straight bad quality control, and I feel sorry for whoever may have paid full retail.. what a gimmick!

 

Pac-Man Claimed to be one of the games that helped the game crash, which can be understood from its outrageous retail price, but as someone who didnt pay for it, and played it growing up, it is tolerable at best. Don't think I could really consider it pac-man, but still a fun maze game. Now Mrs. Pac-Man was another story, they actually tried on that one.

I was very impressed however with the Intv port of Pac-Man, which even had the cut scenes.

Edited November 29, 2009 by jeremysart