My teacher allowed me to bring my 2600 at school

[PitfallHarry2600]

Okay, I'm going to make a presentation about the 1983/4 video game crash in my economy class, and my teacher allowed me to bring my Atari 2600 at school with E.T. (you probably know why) and another game, such as one of the first, successful games with a text label or a game that was a "victim" of the crash. But because I don't want to risk my precious Mangia' cart , I want you to recommend me a text label game that everybody could enjoy (my classmates and I are age 15-18)

Thanks in advance

 

--Some stupid teenager who wants to get a good grade

[accousticguitar]

Combat

[+Random Terrain]

. . . and my teacher allowed me to bring my Atari 2600 at school with E.T. (you probably know why) . . .

 

Because it's your favorite game?

 

www.randomterrain.com/atari-2600-memories-et.html

[sqoon]

That is great. How many in your class or grade level even know what an Atari 2600 is?

 

My suggestion: Asteroids

[flammingcowz]

Something that is really addicting and fun, like Kaboom! or something that shows off what the Atari can do

[Rybags]

Beat 'em and Eat 'em.

[Zach]

Warlords or Medieval Mayhem. Four-players means maximum participation.

[keilbaca]

If you want simple wow factor, go with Kaboom! Its fast, its addicting, its simple yet very fun, and if you practice up enough and get to the high levels, you can really show off what kind of speeds the Atari can do.

 

Medieval Mayhem wouldn't be a good choice, being he wants to show off what it originally can do. It would work great however to show off what it can do now, 30 years later.

 

Asteroids has too much flicker, especially that I am guessing that they will be using an LCD TV.

 

Berzerk or Space Invaders are both good ones, as it does display a lot of characters with no flicker. If you want a technologically advanced looking game, check out Solaris. That game looks like an NES game, and it came out after the crash.

[+Random Terrain]

Warlords or Medieval Mayhem. Four-players means maximum participation.

 

Teacher: "Did you bring enough paddles for the whole class?"

 

PitfallHarry2600: "No ma'am."

 

Teacher: "Well, spit them out."

 

PitfallHarry2600: "Sorry. I was hungry."

[Trinity]

MS Pac-Man.

 

The girls will love you!

[atari181]

I would say, Space invaders, it was released and was the first big hit for Atari.

[PitfallHarry2600]

Beat 'em and Eat 'em.

lol

[sukotsu9]

Asteroids has too much flicker, especially that I am guessing that they will be using an LCD TV.

There's an important point there: are you looking to live demo the Atari in class? It may not hook up to a TV at school unless it is an older LCD with RF input. It'd crack me up if they still had a CRT type TV on an aluminum rolling shelf in the library somewhere. That'd be the ultimate demo.

[PitfallHarry2600]

Asteroids has too much flicker, especially that I am guessing that they will be using an LCD TV.

There's an important point there: are you looking to live demo the Atari in class? It may not hook up to a TV at school unless it is an older LCD with RF input. It'd crack me up if they still had a CRT type TV on an aluminum rolling shelf in the library somewhere. That'd be the ultimate demo.

They do have an old TV, so I guess it won't be a problem

[PitfallHarry2600]

Added a poll, you may now vote for the game YOU want me to bring to my class. Your votes will be taken into consideration until June, 1st

And besides that, thanks for the many replies

Edited April 25, 2012 by PitfallHarry2600

[SlowCoder]

It's cool that your teacher will allow you to bring in a game system. Hopefully your classmates will have an opportunity to play also. Of course, you should dress in authentic '83 clothes to further enhanced your presentation.

 

I recommend Combat and Warlords as a demonstration of the joysticks and paddles. Maybe it would also be a good idea to bring a couple of well-known titles that can be recognized by the music, e.g. Donkey Kong, to further show Ataris influence in the gaming world.

 

When is this happening?

Edited April 25, 2012 by SlowCoder

[Tin_Lunchbox]

15 to 18 year olds study economics in Switzerland? Well, good.

 

You are bringing a video game into class so I'd be real careful to make sure you make the history and economics the focus of your presentation. It's not some kindergarten or first-grade show and tell. You might turn off everything and just speak for your conclusion.

 

Economic concepts of the crash... was it market saturation, changing consumer preferences, a failure to innovate? Did Pacman and ET really have some causal relationship to the crash or were they merely symbols of Atari (and others?) ignoring quality for the sake of a money grab.

 

You've got ET, you could also bring Pacman as an example of a terrible game. Then perhaps you want a really good game of the time, like Ms. Pacman. For contrast. I don't know how long your presentation is, but you could bring one of the original 2600/VCS games like Combat or Target Fun. Good luck!

[flammingcowz]

Asteroids has too much flicker, especially that I am guessing that they will be using an LCD TV.

There's an important point there: are you looking to live demo the Atari in class? It may not hook up to a TV at school unless it is an older LCD with RF input. It'd crack me up if they still had a CRT type TV on an aluminum rolling shelf in the library somewhere. That'd be the ultimate demo.

 

I was in high school 4 years ago and the only TV's they had were the CRT's on a metal cart with a VCR and power strip built in to the cart. I assume they'll always have those

[esplonky]

Berzerk all the Way, or you could compare E.T. to Howard Scott Warshaws other work by using Yars' Revenge!

[esplonky]

or Pepsi Invaders

[the.golden.ax]

A harmony cart.

[PitfallHarry2600]

Sorry for all Berzerk fans out there, but I'm ashamed to say that I don't own the game...

And I won't take a Harmony cart because I want to show some original carts

[PitfallHarry2600]

15 to 18 year olds study economics in Switzerland? Well, good.

 

You are bringing a video game into class so I'd be real careful to make sure you make the history and economics the focus of your presentation. It's not some kindergarten or first-grade show and tell. You might turn off everything and just speak for your conclusion.

 

Economic concepts of the crash... was it market saturation, changing consumer preferences, a failure to innovate? Did Pacman and ET really have some causal relationship to the crash or were they merely symbols of Atari (and others?) ignoring quality for the sake of a money grab.

 

You've got ET, you could also bring Pacman as an example of a terrible game. Then perhaps you want a really good game of the time, like Ms. Pacman. For contrast. I don't know how long your presentation is, but you could bring one of the original 2600/VCS games like Combat or Target Fun. Good luck!

I know about all this, I made several other presentations in that school and I always had good grades. I just want to demonstrate an actual 2600 in my finale and show off some of the good/bad games they made. And my teacher actually allowed me to demonstrate it so it is a great opportunity to show my class my 2600

And yes, we study economics (Law is included in these lessons), and it is mandatory. Maybe the teachers want us to bacome bankers in the future XD

Edited April 25, 2012 by PitfallHarry2600

[PitfallHarry2600]

or Pepsi Invaders

If I had the game, I would brag about it...

[PitfallHarry2600]

It's cool that your teacher will allow you to bring in a game system. Hopefully your classmates will have an opportunity to play also. Of course, you should dress in authentic '83 clothes to further enhanced your presentation.

 

I recommend Combat and Warlords as a demonstration of the joysticks and paddles. Maybe it would also be a good idea to bring a couple of well-known titles that can be recognized by the music, e.g. Donkey Kong, to further show Ataris influence in the gaming world.

 

When is this happening?

Oh I still have plenty of time... I'll do it in June