Recent pickup while out of town: Mario Bros, Karateka, Fight Night

[Stevaside]

Mario Bros:

SO glad I finally got the 7800 version of Mario Bros!...Very fun game, a huge improvement over the 2600 version that I just could really never get into....Seems close to the arcade from what I remember (Friend's neighbor in the 90's had a cabinet in his garage & I vaguely remember playing it once or twice)....To me this is one of those addictive games that as frustrating as it gets, I have a hard time quitting.

 

Fight Night:

Seem to have always heard mixed opinions on this 1. I havent done much other than try the training mode quickly & couldn't figure out the controls off the bat, will have to check out a manual online when boredom strikes in the near future

 

& finally

 

Karateka:

Sooner or later I had to get it,so I could experience by myself the years of endless negative publicity, and my long term goal is to have a complete NTSC collection as well. With an open mind, I popped it in, watched the intro story...game begins & cannot for the life of me figure out how to attack...the only straightforward control seems to be right=to dash to the right..I know there's more to it, but the buttons seem to do nothing lol...I always expected one to kick & one to jump when pressed alone, at least...After the 1st enemy whipped my ass 3 times in a row, I gave up...Another that I'll have to come back to due to awkward controls...This one I'm more motivated to learn than Fight Night because I'd like to see how damn bad it actually is when I know what I'm doing haha

Edited July 17, 2014 by Stevaside

[Paul Westphal]

Try the XE version of Mario Bros. It doesn't look quite as sharp as the 7800, but it has all the intermission screens, and plays great.

[Jinks]

One button does run other fight stance. You attack by moving the directionals when in fight stance.

If your running or not fight ready. The enemies drop you with one shot.

[Lynxpro]

Try the XE version of Mario Bros. It doesn't look quite as sharp as the 7800, but it has all the intermission screens, and plays great.

 

Is the XE version any different than the 5200 version? I heard it might be a port of the 5200 version, actually. Either way, both have POKEY audio and the 7800 version does not.

[Trebor]

Is the XE version any different than the 5200 version?

 

XE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ8TGPbC5ag

 

VS

 

5200:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-LM0gEh_M4

 

XE is just a tad better

 

IMHO, the XE port is the best available under an Atari system (For now). The 7800 port - although good - should have been even better. Hopefully, we'll see even more refinements from the 'hack' version.

 

The closest to Arcade accurate goes to the 1993 re-release "Returns"/"Classic" version of Europe - (Game B specifically) for the NES - Which is basically the 'Original Mario Bros.' mode of the FDS/Japan only 1988 release "Kaettekita Mario Bros." minus the in-between advertisements.

 

This:

 

Not This:

 

Nintendo got it right this time around, unlike the botch job with the Original Edition/Pie Foundry Donkey Kong "re-release" in trying to make a NES port more like the Arcade.

 

For the 7800 version to meet or exceed it, the requirement would possibly fall within the magnitude of changes Perry masterfully incorporated to Donkey Kong in bringing us XM/PK. Essentially, you're re-programming the entire game, including redoing/enhancing all graphics (Thanks again Marco ) and heavy utilization of the 8-bit's POKEY sound.

[Paul Westphal]

Sculptured software re-worked Mario Bros, Crystal Castles, and the unreleased Commando for the XE. They should have done this with all their games, and have them create new ones for them. Bruce Lee was also finished. Lance at video 61 was telling me the XE was selling like hotcakes, but Jack did not want to support it. The same kind of thing happened to the Jag ( sans the sales part ), when Sam - the Jag's main advocate- had his heart attack, Jack pulled 1.5 million from the Jag account and sold it off. I guess there were 16 titles in development for the jag at the time of the heart attack...

[Trebor]

Sculptured software re-worked Mario Bros, Crystal Castles, and the unreleased Commando for the XE. They should have done this with all their games, and have them create new ones for them. Bruce Lee was also finished. Lance at video 61 was telling me the XE was selling like hotcakes, but Jack did not want to support it. The same kind of thing happened to the Jag ( sans the sales part ), when Sam - the Jag's main advocate- had his heart attack, Jack pulled 1.5 million from the Jag account and sold it off. I guess there were 16 titles in development for the jag at the time of the heart attack...

 

The guys at Sculptured Software knew (know?) their stuff. The XE Mario Bros. is a very good arcade port and what they did for Commando on the 7800 has me salivating to think what they could have accomplished with the other released and unreleased games - of course for the XE, but especially the 7800.

[Paul Westphal]

Sculptured software + pokey ( or gumby ) + bank switched carts = love.

[The Usotsuki]

Sculptured did the SNES version of MK2. Dunno most of their other ports, but that was excellent, much better than the other ports done by Probe. </semi-ot>

 

I figure if I see Sculptured on a program it's probably pretty well done.

[Lynxpro]

Sculptured software re-worked Mario Bros, Crystal Castles, and the unreleased Commando for the XE. They should have done this with all their games, and have them create new ones for them. Bruce Lee was also finished. Lance at video 61 was telling me the XE was selling like hotcakes, but Jack did not want to support it. The same kind of thing happened to the Jag ( sans the sales part ), when Sam - the Jag's main advocate- had his heart attack, Jack pulled 1.5 million from the Jag account and sold it off. I guess there were 16 titles in development for the jag at the time of the heart attack...

Jack didn't like video games. It was evident how uncomfortable he was about how people loved the C64 for the games at the C64's anniversary discussion at the Computer History Museum.

 

Say whatever about Sam, he did like video games and during the Jaguar era, he seemed like he wanted Atari Corp to embrace Atari Inc's roots. They did try to recruit ex-Atari Inc game programmers to code for the Jaguar...

 

As for the XE "selling like hot cakes", well, I don't think that's accurate. The 7800 sold almost 4 million consoles; I doubt the XEGS came anywhere close to it.

 

Do any of those Sculptured Software reprograms require 64K?

[Lynxpro]

What cheeses me off about Atari Corp to this day is how they'd cancel projects that were either completed or 90% done and wouldn't release them. All of those titles that were like that for the XEGS and the 7800 should've been released even after the systems were dropped. Corp could've mailed offers to the registered owners. So much for shrewd businessmen.

[Paul Westphal]

Well, the XEGS was selling 'well' until it was dropped...that is..steady... Had it had continued support, the numbers would have obviously increased. I think all the sculptured titles required 64k, which is what they should have done early on, even though it would have isolated a few 400/800 hold outs.

[Stevaside]

Try the XE version of Mario Bros. It doesn't look quite as sharp as the 7800, but it has all the intermission screens, and plays great.

Nice....isn't it the same case with Donkey Kong that the Atari 8-bit computer version was the only one to get all the arcade levels?

[Stevaside]

One button does run other fight stance. You attack by moving the directionals when in fight stance.

If your running or not fight ready. The enemies drop you with one shot.

hahaha well that explains it...Thanks for pointing that out to me, I might go back & try it tonight

[Paul Westphal]

No. All the xe games have grey case with blue label, except for eastern front..some of those had old cases with blue labels. There were about 4 different xe case variations, depending on where they were made. The donkey kongs were the same program in different cases.

[Stevaside]

No. All the xe games have grey case with blue label, except for eastern front..some of those had old cases with blue labels. There were about 4 different xe case variations, depending on where they were made. The donkey kongs were the same program in different cases.

No I didnt mean the actual case of the game I meant it looks like another example of a game that kept more from the arcade on the Atari computer version compared to the 2600/7800. As in I heard the Atari Computer DK kept all the levels from the arcade & you were saying Mario Bros kept all the intermissions.

[Paul Westphal]

Yeah. Generally speaking, and I'm definitely a 8 bit guy, the computer versions were almost always better than their siblings. Commando is better on the 7800 with the pokey though. Had they released the 7800 when they planned, and gave it full support, things would have been quite different for Atari. A planned laser disk player would gave been revolutionary. If you look at the side of the first run 7800's, there is a port for it...

[Stevaside]

I remember that XE commercial on TV when I was a kid but I believe I already had my 7800 at that point...It did look cool tho.....&I know man,to this day it angers me so much how bad they fucked the 7800 up & how much better its legacy could have lived on...Even tho I got a NES shortly after & I love & collect for that system as well, the 7800 has a huge place in my heart & is probably the most sentimental system to me....Many memories of me & my sister playing it for hours on end every day in our childhood...I had the 2600 for years before but I was so young, my memories alot fuzzier...We had a fair share of 2600 carts we'd play on our 7800 too tho

[gamecat80]

Very cool game pickup. Mario Bros. is one of my favorite games and the 7800 version looks and plays very well.

 

 

XE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ8TGPbC5ag

VS

5200:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-LM0gEh_M4

XE is just a tad better

IMHO, the XE port is the best available under an Atari system (For now). The 7800 port - although good - should have been even better. Hopefully, we'll see even more refinements from the 'hack' version.

 

The XE version looks good, but the sounds are kinda annoying and Mario looks weird. Say what you will about the 5200 version, but

keep in mind that version was released the same year as the arcade and 2600 versions. I think it's a great version of Mario Bros. for it's time that still holds up pretty well. I played the crap outta it when my 5200 was still working.

 

The Atari 7800 Mario Bros. is quite good as-is, but would be awesome if it had intermissions and POKEY sound.

[Stevaside]

Very cool game pickup. Mario Bros. is one of my favorite games and the 7800 version looks and plays very well.

 

I've been playing all night, just taking a quick break here..lol....Telling you, I cannot put this one down! So addicitive, definitely one of the funnest in the entire 7800 library I'd say, at least that I've played so far. And challenging as well....it's been a long time since I remember an Atari game that had me constantly swearing & pounding my fists on my bed hahaha Really getting into it.

 

 

 

The Atari 7800 Mario Bros. is quite good as-is, but would be awesome if it had intermissions and POKEY sound.

 

Yea, I'm not all that familiar with the arcade version so it doesn't bother me as much I guess....If I was it would piss me off a little for sure. Always hated when stuff was left out of arcade ports that had no reason to be

[Stevaside]

One button does run other fight stance. You attack by moving the directionals when in fight stance.

If your running or not fight ready. The enemies drop you with one shot.

Ok well went back knowing the right way but the controls are just awful....Now I totally understand...I didn't care to keep trying, but out of curiosity what happens after you beat the 1st dude? lol...Is there at least decent variation in the game with levels & enemies?? Doubt I'll ever find out by playing, pretty sure this game is about to go back on my shelf for eternity =P For comparison, I'd like to try the Apple II & Atari Computer versions which from what I understand were good games, even considered classic

[Trebor]

...out of curiosity what happens after you beat the 1st dude?

http://youtu.be/w-EEL9v6eps?t=1m28s

[Stevaside]

http://youtu.be/w-EEL9v6eps?t=1m28s

haha well that sequence was kinda cool, next level looks alright..,,that dual death tho, funny shit