Jump to content
IGNORED

Here we go . Atari 2600 vs Intellivision


atari5200dude82

Recommended Posts

i like both systems and own both. i see alot of people mention burger time which is great on both but no body talk about diner the sequel to burger time 5 years and still not see all of the mazes) this game rocks and its easy to pick up and play and

its exclusive to the intv as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the INTV but have no real nostalgic draw towards it. In fact, I'm happy enough to play to just play Intellivision Lives compilations...

 

The VCS, on the other hand, just begs me to play the games on the real hardware. I suppose it's because the games are just so closely tied to the hardware that any emulation (however good) adds a layer of abstraction that just loses something. Still, I do always keep a copy of Stella on my netbook!

 

I find it a bit of a strange comparison between the Intellivision and 2600 as they are different generations. A more interesting comparison, for me, would be the 2600 and the Vic 20. Especially after the above mention of Batari BASIC. Both are pretty much the same era, both have BASIC and both are swamped with arcade conversions of the time. Maybe I should start that thread! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't used an Intellivision very long, bought my first one this year, I have more experience with the Colecovision. Despite this I am seeing a steeper learning curve with the INTV especially without manuals for games like Utopia I'm lost while 2600 games tend to just naturally be intuitive even with the first try but how could it not be with only Move & Shoot.

 

Graphics wise I think the INTV is competent but it is definitely restrictive compared to the 2600, I have to cite Mattel's policy of no multiplexing as a clear example of tying the hands of game developers. There is an awful lot of graphics used over and over again which does get monotonous as in the fonts and the running man. I think the INTV could have done more than it did back in the day, just look at Donkey Kong original versus the awesome homebrew that's surfaced now.

 

The 2600 joystick is adequate and fairly comfortable and the INTV Robot Areola ^_^ works well IMO but the button layout is awful on the INTV, I swear a 4 armed alien designed it since that's the only way I think I could use it well. Still when I turn the INTV controller horizontal and hold it like a gamepad its quite comfortable, perhaps future homebrew could support this or maybe a new controller with a reconfigured button circuit so old games played better.

 

Anyway I'm going to have to give my vote to the Atari 2600 even though I like the INTV. :)

 

Don't EVEN bring DK into this argument... That was Coleco's doing to show their competitors as >Inferior< to the ColecoVision, or should I bring up Chase the ChuckWagon, Plaque Defenders, Pac-Man, ET, or more terrible VCS titles?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't used an Intellivision very long, bought my first one this year, I have more experience with the Colecovision. Despite this I am seeing a steeper learning curve with the INTV especially without manuals for games like Utopia I'm lost while 2600 games tend to just naturally be intuitive even with the first try but how could it not be with only Move & Shoot.

 

Graphics wise I think the INTV is competent but it is definitely restrictive compared to the 2600, I have to cite Mattel's policy of no multiplexing as a clear example of tying the hands of game developers. There is an awful lot of graphics used over and over again which does get monotonous as in the fonts and the running man. I think the INTV could have done more than it did back in the day, just look at Donkey Kong original versus the awesome homebrew that's surfaced now.

 

The 2600 joystick is adequate and fairly comfortable and the INTV Robot Areola ^_^ works well IMO but the button layout is awful on the INTV, I swear a 4 armed alien designed it since that's the only way I think I could use it well. Still when I turn the INTV controller horizontal and hold it like a gamepad its quite comfortable, perhaps future homebrew could support this or maybe a new controller with a reconfigured button circuit so old games played better.

 

Anyway I'm going to have to give my vote to the Atari 2600 even though I like the INTV. :)

 

Don't EVEN bring DK into this argument... That was Coleco's doing to show their competitors as >Inferior< to the ColecoVision, or should I bring up Chase the ChuckWagon, Plaque Defenders, Pac-Man, ET, or more terrible VCS titles?

Whoops sorry about the DK INTV reference, I know that's a sour point with all INTV fans since they really got shafted unfairly. I was only comparing the original DK-INTV version to homebrew DK2-INTV version in regards to the INTVs potential as a graphics platform and not comparing DK-2600 DK-Coleco to DK-INTV.

Besides both versions of DK on both systems (Coleco version excluded.) were extremely held back simply from the small cartridge size they were limited to, so they both could have been better.

 

Hey now the 2600 did get a lot bad games but that generally happens when you have the more popular game console(Suckerpunch lol). Still the whole industry was new then so they had an excuse unlike Nintendo letting the Wii be a dumping ground for shovelware, they know better now or at least they should.

 

For the record ET is very hard to enjoy and this is coming from someone that can appreciate its few strengths and its quality to development time ratio. As far as Pac-Man 2600 being crap I can't disagree in retrospect but I played it for hours when I was 6 and it never bothered me back in the day how inaccurate it truly was. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had an Inty growing up, my neighbors had a 2600. They were both great. In fact, I ended up getting a 2600 of my own a couple years later from a friend who traded it to me for some pirated Apple ][ games I had.

 

These days I definitely play the 2600 more (actually, I play the 5200 more, but that's another story) but I still have a lot of fun with the Inty. The controllers pose no problem for me - my hand doesn't cramp, and I find them pretty responsive and accurate. Games like Thunder Castle and Night Stalker hold up really well. Yeah, a lot of Inty games do feel slow (Space Hawk for one), but on the plus side the system just has so many unique, quirky games in its library.

 

If I had to pick one, I'd go 2600 because I'm more into the quick, twitchy, pick-up-and-play games these days and it certainly has quantity, but I'd miss the Intellivision.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I'm sweating through "Enduro," 40 cars away from completing Day 5, and I'm thinking, "there's absolutely no way this could be played on an Intellivision."

 

I'm carefully winning at "Sea Battle" and I'm thinking "there's absolutely no way we could be playing this on a 2600."

 

And I suppose that sums up what makes each of these systems, existing as they did at the same time, so great. Each was a super machine at doing it's own thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was glad to have had both systems. No 70's/80's gaming experience was complete without having played both. I tended to use the VCS when I wanted action games, and the Intellivision for strategy & thought type games. Sure there was some overlap in material, but the general divide stands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Over the past year I got into the Intellivision but overall I think the VCS blows it out of the water in terms of shear fun and enjoyment.

I still struggle with those awful Intellivision controllers while I can play for hours on end using either a paddle, joystick, or Starplex.

 

Plus the VCS has a ton of nostalgia value the Intellivision cannot compete with for me.

Edited by tremoloman2006
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course it is. That's what makes it fun. Also, Coleco wins nothing. Unless you're a fan of Donkey Kong and obscure arcade ports like Mouse Trap and Slither. It was almost a crime the games that ended up on that system. Looping? Pepper II? Who even played those in the arcade? Though War Games made the system worth owning on its own. And Turbo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course it is. That's what makes it fun. Also, Coleco wins nothing. Unless you're a fan of Donkey Kong and obscure arcade ports like Mouse Trap and Slither. It was almost a crime the games that ended up on that system. Looping? Pepper II? Who even played those in the arcade? Though War Games made the system worth owning on its own. And Turbo.

 

I played Pepper II endlessly in the arcades back in the day. We also had Looping but it was too hard for me being 10 years old when it came out. I love it on the 2600 though - great port!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In an Atari vs. Intellivision contest, ColecoVision wins.

 

Of course it is. That's what makes it fun. Also, Coleco wins nothing. Unless you're a fan of Donkey Kong and obscure arcade ports like Mouse Trap and Slither. It was almost a crime the games that ended up on that system. Looping? Pepper II? Who even played those in the arcade? Though War Games made the system worth owning on its own. And Turbo.

He was probably talking about ColecoVision Expansion Module #1.

 

Oh, wait... There is the Intellivision System Changer too!

 

Poor Atari that 'only' plays Atari... (which is what everyone wants to play, right? ;))

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally, I feel like the Intellivision is 95% of the way to being a killer system. The 2600 was a system designed by a hardcore game company and the Intellivision lacks that arcade feel. Of course, I don't think Atari was thinking straight with the 5200 either. If you're going to make people dump their entire game collection and start over, you can't just give programmers a nicer environment to work in, you have to give gamers something to make them sh*t their pants. Some sort of sprite cannon like Maria should have been in the works at all these companies after the 2600. I feel like most of the 2600 follow-up consoles were just lazy textbook designs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We know that 5200 wasn't the original intended successor to the 2600. When Sylvia was cancelled they had to come up with something quick, so the Atari 5200 was based on the 8-bit computer hardware.

 

Anyway, regarding Atari 2600 vs Intellivision, there are good games on both systems. Neither one has K.C. Krazy Chase.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Space Fury was another excellent game. Point being, every system had its strengths and weaknesses. And Coleco as a second gen system really shouldn't be compared to the 2600 anyway.

Colecovision is third Gen, and seen here in EG, mentioned as 'third wave'

eg82_zpsae0e84fc.jpg

 

Some German book, mentions 'third Generation'

TelespieleReport84CBSColeco_zpsdc2e4001.

Edited by high voltage
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...