What 2600 games are like Berzerk

[disjaukifa]

Just as the title suggest, what other Atari 2600 games are there that are like Berzerk?

[Lord Thag]

Marauder is a good clone, and one of the better, rarer titles. Room of Doom is 'berzerk-ish'.

[johnny_boy]

I guess you could say Venture shares some of the same traits as Berzerk.

 

Too bad you're limiting the topic to the 2600, else I'd say Space Dungeon for the 5200. Also, as most of everyone here knows, Robotron was directly inspired by Berzerk, except with the tension level turns up to eleven, plus an extra dose of crack. Williams' most intense game, to me anyway. Too nerve-racking for my tastes.

[disjaukifa]

I guess you could say Venture shares some of the same traits as Berzerk.

 

Too bad you're limiting the topic to the 2600, else I'd say Space Dungeon for the 5200. Also, as most of everyone here knows, Robotron was directly inspired by Berzerk, except with the tension level turns up to eleven, plus an extra dose of crack. Williams' most intense game, to me anyway. Too nerve-racking for my tastes.

 

Actually I have a 5200 coming in the mail so games like that for the 5200 are also welcome. I just don't have the 5200 yet

[Matthew]

Dark Chambers

[Schizophretard]

The way you die in Space Cavern is like Berzerk.

[CRTGAMER]

I guess you could say Venture shares some of the same traits as Berzerk.

 

Too bad you're limiting the topic to the 2600, else I'd say Space Dungeon for the 5200. Also, as most of everyone here knows, Robotron was directly inspired by Berzerk, except with the tension level turns up to eleven, plus an extra dose of crack. Williams' most intense game, to me anyway. Too nerve-racking for my tastes.

 

Actually I have a 5200 coming in the mail so games like that for the 5200 are also welcome. I just don't have the 5200 yet

For the 5200 there is Berzerk and Robotron versions. Agree with johnny_boy, look for Space Dungeon which has twinstick capability of Robotron and multi room of Venture.

Edited September 5, 2011 by CRTGAMER

[Rom Hunter]

Marauder:

http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-marauder_16947.html

 

Great game.

 

Really like the invisibility feature.

 

[disjaukifa]

Marauder:

http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-marauder_16947.html

 

Great game.

 

Really like the invisibility feature.

 

 

Yeah I was playing it a little bit last night and I enjoy it, though I need to go back and read the manual and figure out what I was suppose to be doing

[Chris++]

Yes sir, Marauder rules.

If you have a ColecoVision or MAME, absolutely try out Frenzy. While the beautifully cruel simplicity of Berzerk is compromised in that sequel, it involves so much variety that it practically buries Berzerk, in my opinion.

Edited September 5, 2011 by Chris++

[disjaukifa]

Yes sir, Marauder rules.

If you have a ColecoVision or MAME, absolutely try out Frenzy. While the beautifully cruel simplicity of Berzerk is compromised in that sequel, it involves so much variety that it practically buries Berzerk, in my opinion.

 

I've tried Frenzy and its almost to complex for me at the moment, I'm still trying to master Berzerk. I tried a bunch of hacks of Berzerk last night, my favorite being Doctor Who: Dalek Invasion. Nothing special just different graphics, though if they could speak like Daleks it would be golden!

[Chris++]

I can understand that, definitely; I admit that I forgot to mention how mind-buggeringly difficult Frenzy quickly becomes.

 

I agree that there are some awesome Berzerk hacks available here. PacZerk is priceless.

[+RevEng]

If you haven't tried it yet, check out Nukey's 2 Player Berzerk hack.

 

Even if you're just playing the solo variation, it has more mazes, the robots shoot diagonally, the player death flashes in rainbow colors like the arcade, and if you have an AtariVox it speaks like the arcade game.

[lanatrzczka]

The way you die in Space Cavern is like Berzerk.

 

Interesting point. I don't often hear about Space Cavern. Quite the same effect, yes? My Space Cavern is one of my Original Collection items that I bought as a kid with my allowance money. Box and everything still look good 30 years later. Sigh... not eveyone understands...

Edited September 5, 2011 by lanatrzczka

[Torr]

not to derail the topic, but I just recently got Space cavern in a lot from eBay. Had never heard of it before. Quite the unknown little gem I say, well, maybe not a GEM... but close...

 

But back ON topic... well, kinda. Berzerk clones. I used to have a game for the C64 that was VERY much like Berzerk called

, but it rocked because it had C64 graphics & sound. You were this little guy running from room to room with electrified walls, blasting baddies, much like Berzerk, but it wasn't just random room after room, there was a set maze made of interconnecting screens you traveled to find all 12 Zodiac symbols (hence the title I guess) Eventually you would fight a boss. I never did meet the boss though. Edited September 5, 2011 by Torr

[BrianC]

But back ON topic... well, kinda. Berzerk clones. I used to have a game for the C64 that was VERY much like Berzerk called

, but it rocked because it had C64 graphics & sound. You were this little guy running from room to room with electrified walls, blasting baddies, much like Berzerk, but it wasn't just random room after room, there was a set maze made of interconnecting screens you traveled to find all 12 Zodiac symbols (hence the title I guess) Eventually you would fight a boss. I never did meet the boss though.

 

Zodiac looks more similar to Shamus on Atari 800, which also took quite a bit from Berzerk and has a set maze of interconnecting screens.

Edited September 6, 2011 by BrianC

[AtariLeaf]

I think Tron Deadly Discs is a little like Berzerk.

[Cynicaster]

Yes sir, Marauder rules.

If you have a ColecoVision or MAME, absolutely try out Frenzy. While the beautifully cruel simplicity of Berzerk is compromised in that sequel, it involves so much variety that it practically buries Berzerk, in my opinion.

 

Again, not a 2600 game but we played Tazz-Mania recently in the MAME HSC and it's very Berzerk-like. I didn't care for it much at first but once you start getting the hang of it, it grows on you.

[disjaukifa]

Yes sir, Marauder rules.

If you have a ColecoVision or MAME, absolutely try out Frenzy. While the beautifully cruel simplicity of Berzerk is compromised in that sequel, it involves so much variety that it practically buries Berzerk, in my opinion.

 

Again, not a 2600 game but we played Tazz-Mania recently in the MAME HSC and it's very Berzerk-like. I didn't care for it much at first but once you start getting the hang of it, it grows on you.

 

Thats what happened with me and Berzerk . . . and now Mr. Do!'s Castle which I really hate admitting. That game could have been so awesome . . .

[Chris++]

I agree with your assessment of Mr. Do!'s Castle. It could have been a terrific enhancement of the Space Panic concept. I'm curious as to what your opinion is, regarding what keeps Castle from being great. My 2K is that it's just too difficult.

[disjaukifa]

I agree with your assessment of Mr. Do!'s Castle. It could have been a terrific enhancement of the Space Panic concept. I'm curious as to what your opinion is, regarding what keeps Castle from being great. My 2K is that it's just too difficult.

 

In all honesty the game is very simple, once you have figured out the pattern of moment and the solution to each level its simple. I think there are only 4 levels in the game. The music is simple but addicting and helps to break up the silence that bothers me such as Galaxian and even Berzerk.

 

What makes the game so freaking annoying is the collision detection, if that had been improved I think this game could have been a huge success not only for Parker Brothers but for the 2600 as well. Yes the graphics leave much to be desired, but honestly they are good enough, though having them improved would be nice.

 

The game is difficult because of the collision detection, but the concept behind the game and the gameplay is actually well thought out. Its a maze of ladders and you have a way of getting more lives as well. I wish someone could hack this game/ or make it from scratch and be improve on its flaws.

 

The more I play the game and I get use to the quirks the game has the better I'm getting. Here is the last game I played on it last night:

 

 

[Chris++]

Damn! Good score!

Thanks for the input. I even think the arcade and C64 versions grow difficult too quickly, but it might just be that I don't try to figure out patterns. I have the most fun improvising...which of course means Mr. Do! dies a lot when I'm controlling him, the poor guy. My real issue is with the ludicrously abrupt speed increase of the bad guys.

[disjaukifa]

Damn! Good score!

Thanks for the input. I even think the arcade and C64 versions grow difficult too quickly, but it might just be that I don't try to figure out patterns. I have the most fun improvising...which of course means Mr. Do! dies a lot when I'm controlling him, the poor guy. My real issue is with the ludicrously abrupt speed increase of the bad guys.

 

I had to read the manual for the game to figure out the increase in speed and why knocking down certain bricks change the enemies. There's a slew of things you need to keep in mind and once you formulate a strategy, the game becomes fun and playable. It's not intuitive, my first couple of games I didn't even break 1,000 points. Also my solution is not the only solution to the game. There are other solutions people have come up with that seem to generator more points faster, but I like the solution I came up with, it seems to be working well for me.

[littleman jack]

There are Shamus conversion carts floating around out there for 5200. I really like that one. It's like Berzerk, with a little more complexity (finding keys and treasures, unlocking doors, etc.)

[Schizophretard]

Marauder:

http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-marauder_16947.html

 

Great game.

 

Really like the invisibility feature.

 

 

I played it for the first time last night because of this thread. You are right. It is a great game. I like the invincibility feature, that there is an end to the maze by destroying the power center, and that there is a time limit. I was confused about why the robots kept disappearing though. I read the manual on your site. Now I understand that the reason they kept disappearing is because the Marauder doesn't have x-ray vision and therefore can't see through walls. That is a clever feature and makes a lot of sense, so now I like that feature also. I also didn't understand why the robots and the Marauder look odd. I read the Video Game Critics review and he explained that it is because you are viewing the maze from an overhead perspective. That is another clever and cool feature. It seems like the programmer played Berzerk and thought,"This game is cool but doesn't make a lot of sense. Why is everyone laying on the ground or is the bottom of the screen the ground and they are floating? Why can everyone see through the walls? Do they have x-ray vision? Why doesn't this maze have an end? Why are the only time limits a bouncing smiley face and a bug in the programming? I have to fix this." I like that. I don't understand why the Video Game Critic gave it an F but gave Berzerk an A and why it wasn't even brought up in the 18 pages of the top 100 thread. Maybe I haven't played it enough?