10 Best Activision games for Atari 2600

[Metal Jesus]

 

Activision made some of the BEST Atari 2600 games & here is my Top 10 favorites.

 

What other 2600 game developers did you also enjoy? Imagic, Parker Bros, Froggo, etc...

[retroillucid]

I really enjoy Parker Brothers games too

[LidLikesIntellivision]

Well, Imagic won in his recent poll here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/219699-favorite-2600-game-company-poll/

 

I voted for M-Network, if you make a video of M-Network, I guess it's good to compare their games with Intellivision versions Mattel did!

 

Parker Brothers have many iconic games too!

 

 

I'm not sure why but I think Imagic is best for classic gamers who played Atari and Parker Bros will be better for newer players who didn't play any Atari.

[godzillajoe]

Cool vid. Now I have to watch the Dreamcast Hidden Gems and pull that baby outta moth balls.

[AtariLeaf]

After watching Metal Jesus videos for a long time, HERO being number 1 was never in doubt. In fact I think it's his favorite 2600 game period IIRC.

[Metal Jesus]

After watching Metal Jesus videos for a long time, HERO being number 1 was never in doubt. In fact I think it's his favorite 2600 game period IIRC.

 

Funny you mention this, because it was in the back of my mind when making the video: How do I get long time fans to watch the whole video when they know what #1 will be. That's the reasoning behind the Collector's section at the end, and then followed up with the Honorable Mentions.

 

BTW: I've been watching your videos for years now. I don't often post a comment, but I watch almost every single one you upload

[+cvga]

Nice video. Makes me want to give Spider Fighter another chance. For me the following games would also be in the top 10...

 

Beamrider

Kaboom!

Pitfall

Megamania

 

replacing...

 

Seaquest

Robot Tank

Spider Fighter

Pressure Cooker

[famicommander]

My favorite third party is probably Activision (odd to say that considering how much I hate their current incarnation), but for my money Atari made the best 2600 games. Yars' Revenge is my all time favorite 2600 title.

[zylon]

Kaboom!, Enduro, & Seaquest would be my top 3.

[TrekMD]

Great video and great choices as well! I do also prefer Pitfall II over the original version.

[Lynxpro]

 

Funny you mention this, because it was in the back of my mind when making the video: How do I get long time fans to watch the whole video when they know what #1 will be. That's the reasoning behind the Collector's section at the end, and then followed up with the Honorable Mentions.

 

BTW: I've been watching your videos for years now. I don't often post a comment, but I watch almost every single one you upload

 

I hear you on the Activision 2600 cartridge label art.

 

What really cheeses me off is when stores like Dimple proceed to slap their price tags on top of the Activision [or Atari] labels which totally screws them up if you intend to remove them. Is it so hard just to put the price tag on any other part of the cartridge that doesn't have any labeling or artwork? Sheesh.

[retrorussell]

Damn, there's a lot of games I never played, some I never heard of.

I would have put Pitfall II at #1 overall, with H.E.R.O. being close. Others definitely on my top 10 would be Megamania, Keystone Kapers, Pitfall, Starmaster, Tennis, and River Raid. You have Laser Blast as an honorable mention; I thought that one was awful. Some people like it, but it was far too repetitive for me. Good video.

[high voltage]

Very cool, but I have to agree with the other post, Beamrider, what a classic, should be in there.

[AtariLeaf]

Maybe it's the Canadian in me but I love Ice Hockey. Hands down my favorite sports game on the 2600.

[JacobZu7zu7]

Maybe it's the Canadian in me but I love Ice Hockey. Hands down my favorite sports game on the 2600.

 

That one is excellent.

[JacobZu7zu7]

My top 15 best: Not sure about the order, but I do like Stampede the best.

 

1. Stampede

2. Pitfall

3. Frostbite

4. Starmaster

5. Beamrider (difficult to rate only played emulation)

6. River Raid

7. Pressure Cooker

8. Dolphin

9. Grand Prix

10. Kaboom!

-

HERO, OINK, Megamania, Ghostbusters, Seaquest ... probably round out the top 15.

 

My top 5 worst:

 

1. Barnstorming (snoopy would like it)

2. Private Eye (get the map out)

3. Freeway (a timed game based on traffic??)

4. Spider Fighter (way too easy for me)

5. Laser Blast (too simplistic and minimal)

[Lentzquest]

Nice video but it's sad that Beamrider doesn't even get a mention. It should be number one by a longshot

 

I'm glad the Activision Anthology got a mention. Although I've noticed on the Game Boy Advance version that many of the games are way easier than the original 2600 carts. Chopper Command and Beamrider immediately spring to mind. I'm not sure why. I think they might be slowed down a bit or something. I haven't yet had a chance to try the home console versions.

 

For future videos I'd love to see some top 10s of the Atari 1st party releases, perhaps limited to silver label releases, red label releases, or pre-silver label releases.

[108 Stars]

My favorite Activision game didn't even get mentioned, it's Ghostbusters. It's so amazing how the complex C64 game got squeezed on a VCS-cart with little dumbing down. Such a complex game involving different aspects of the movie. Starting a business and making money, having an overworld map of New York, driving sequences with Ecto-1, Ghost catching (instead of ghost-shooting like less accurate GB games such as the Genesis one had) and finally even a confrontation with the Marshmallow Man. I played it for countless hours as a kid and still occasionally play it today, it still stands as a remarkable movie-adaption.

 

After that Pitfall and H.E.R.O would probably follow for me. I never got into Pitfall 2 very much though thanks to the complex maze... I must try it again someday, but so far I always preferred the more straight forward part 1.

[+LS650]

I was just playing Skiing last night. It's a simple game, but I like it.

 

I also enjoy Enduro, Sky Jink, Stampede, Starmaster, Beamrider, Boxing, Chopper Command, Freeway and Ice Hockey - in no particular order.

[AtariLeaf]

Nice video but it's sad that Beamrider doesn't even get a mention. It should be number one by a longshot

 

I'm glad the Activision Anthology got a mention. Although I've noticed on the Game Boy Advance version that many of the games are way easier than the original 2600 carts. Chopper Command and Beamrider immediately spring to mind. I'm not sure why. I think they might be slowed down a bit or something. I haven't yet had a chance to try the home console versions.

 

For future videos I'd love to see some top 10s of the Atari 1st party releases, perhaps limited to silver label releases, red label releases, or pre-silver label releases.

 

They do play slower, I noticed that too:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHsIC7sP26o

[clem84]

Is it true that all Activision games will have label in horrible condition because of the glue? I was looking to get into Atari collecting and I usually like to have my games in mint condition but that will probably be impossible for Activision games. Anyone here have 2600 games from Activision with perfect labels?

[+cvga]

You can find Activision carts with good labels although lots (most) of them suffer from Actiplague due to the glue they used.

[Lentzquest]

Yeah, it's pretty random but there are some good looking Activision labels out there. My Ice Hockey, Kaboom, Stampede, and Skiing carts have pristine labels, but the rest I have of that style all have the characteristic actiplaque. It's one of those things where I've always got a stray eye out for a good label upgrade if I'm someplace that has 2600 cartridges for sale.

[iesposta]

If I had ANY perfect Activision labels, I would immediately remove them with Naptha/Zippo Lighter Fluid.

It will not damage the label.

Then you can wet the glue side with Naptha and wipe with a clean paper towel, and repeat until all the glue is off.

It will quickly dry/evaporate and will not be sticky when all the adhesive is gone.

Any damage/darkening before the glue is removed will remain.

 

Reattaching the label I have no experience with.

I have made labels on heavy copier paper and used a spraycan adhesive, but that is not sticky enough.

 

Or there was a thread about creating replacement Activision labels. Just remove your terrible ones with Naptha and stick a new one on.

[Cynicaster]

This was a cool video, MJR. Frostbite got some love, so I'm happy.

 

Regarding the labels, every single one of mine looks like it has been stored in a bag of McDonald's french fries except this weird blue-label Keystone Kapers I had given to me a few years ago.

 

I've always wondered... if one were to open a factory sealed Activision cart today, would it still have the Acti-plaque problem? Anybody know?