Night Driver Thoughts?

[YANDMAN]

My paddle controllers have never been very useable despite my attempts at resurrection. I picked up a mint set a few days ago and happily set about some paddle action.

Of all the paddle games i own ive spent the most time playing Night Driver, i know the game catches a lot of negative reaction but i actually find it quite fun, at least once you get used to the corners.

 

I wondered on what this game seemed like at release, i certainly didnt have an Atari back then and nor did many of my friends so i never got to experience it.

 

I can only assume it must of been pretty ground breaking to be able to take a first person cruise at home.

 

So for those of you that did experience it what are you or where your feelings toward the game and the general experience?

[Keatah]

I loved this game back in 1980. Somehow it was special to me in a way I can't exactly define. Almost mysterious. And for the longest time we tried figuring out a way to go off-road - to no avail.

[+save2600]

Yeah, there's always a bit of mystery when driving in the dark.

 

Great primitive racer actually. Pretty clever effects, using minimal graphics and the sense of motion for the time was excellent. Still kind of is.

[YANDMAN]

Thanks for your feedback, yeah i imagine this must of been pretty darn sweet back at launch and as you say it still is

[Rhomaios]

I only wish I knew this game at launch. I still would love to play a cab of it, but those aren't common, apparently.

 

Night Driver is the only game I really like from pre-1980 2600. I'll echo what others said: it's a dark and mysterious racer, and has an elegant simplicity about it.

[fiddlepaddle]

I always used to play the coin op when it first came out, and loved it. I was really amazed when I found out it was available on the 2600, and enjoy playing. I'm still a lot better on the coin op, though.

[VectorGamer]

I liked the simplicity of the arcade game along with the sound effects. I would like to see a home brewer develop Night Driver Arcade to best replicate the arcade game along with the various skill levels.

[YANDMAN]

I liked the simplicity of the arcade game along with the sound effects. I would like to see a home brewer develop Night Driver Arcade to best replicate the arcade game along with the various skill levels.

yeah i agree this would be cool, I know the car in the arcade was an actual on cabinet graphic but i always thought could somebody hack the car to look better, i think the car sprites that you face are actually very nice along with their horn sound.

[+Cafeman]

I always found the game really cool, and I still enjoy playing a few rounds.

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

Love this game. And Is a pretty addicting game. With the sensitive controlling with the paddles it should more be called "Drunk Driver" The cars look like McDonalds Big Macs too.

[TrekMD]

I enjoyed it when I got it way back when. I still think the game is fun but I'd love to see a graphical hack of it to make your car look better.

[Ransom]

I liked the game in the arcades and loved it at home.

[BassGuitari]

I love Night Driver. Can't say what it was like in 1980 since I wasn't even born until 1985, but I loved when I first got it in 2000 or 2001, and still do. I always wondered if you actually crash into houses and trees or if they just disappear if you crash near them. Also: where is Night Driver going? He's not racing anyone, technically. So where's he going and why the hurry?

Night Driver is the only game I really like from pre-1980 2600.

IIRC it was released in 1980, or at least that's when it first appeared in catalogs. Odd that it took three or four years to port the arcade game (from 1976) over to the VCS, but better late than never.

I've played the arcade version in emulation, and an actual 280 Zzzap arcade game (very similar to Night Driver), and I think the VCS version is better. Not as smooth, maybe, but faster, more exciting and more playable overall, IMO. Color and roadside objects are nice, too.

[Yoss]

I enjoyed it when I got it way back when. I still think the game is fun but I'd love to see a graphical hack of it to make your car look better.

 

I always thought of it as a simplified car too. Seems like I've also read that it might actually be intended as a hood ornament. That does make a lot of sense, but after seeing it as a car for a few decades, it's hard to think of it any other way.

[Turbo-Torch]

It was the very first game I bought for my 2600 and still one of my favorites.

I used to play the heck out of it in the arcade and really liked the cockpit version even though I was a bit short for it at 8 or 9 years old.

 

For those complaining about how the car looks...

the arcade version didn't have a car...it had a sticker! Often missing too.

the arcade version was black & white

the arcade version didn't have oncoming cars

the arcade version didn't have trees and houses

 

The oncoming cars (I still say they are Ford Pintos) with horn beeps are my favorite part...they even crumple up when you hit one!

 

And this was all done in 2K! But would you expect anything less from Rob Fulop?

[Rhomaios]

IIRC it was released in 1980, or at least that's when it first appeared in catalogs. Odd that it took three or four years to port the arcade game (from 1976) over to the VCS, but better late than never.

 

I think you're right. I think I was fooled because my copy of Night Driver says © 1978, but the back of the box for the text version says 1980. Wikipedia also says 1978, but perhaps the editor was confused by the same thing as I was. No idea where 1978 comes from.

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

 

[+sramirez2008]

yeah i agree this would be cool, I know the car in the arcade was an actual on cabinet graphic but i always thought could somebody hack the car to look better, i think the car sprites that you face are actually very nice along with their horn sound.

 

I agree, the horn sound was cool.

[ComputerSpaceFan]

Okay I'm probably going to get a lot of flack for this but it's time for me to be the voice of dissent.

 

I love the coinop original. Absolutely adore Night Driver. And I was very pleased when I saw it for the 2600 in my game store way back when. Luckily I was able to try before I buy and I'm so glad I did because back then I thought the 2600 version was terrible. Such a lame port of the original. It doesn't feel like driving, it feels more like sliding around weird white posts in a slushy dark world and I couldn't last more than twenty seconds without crashing. No thanks! I shouted.

 

Fortunately the years have smartened me up and I think what Rob Fulop accomplished is a work of genius, but I will say even though I have Night Driver, I still don't like it.

 

As I posted before, I would love to know if someone could make a version closer to the original coinop. Clearly things like changing gears would need to be handled differently ... I dunno, use the joystick in Port 2 maybe? But surely in this modern realm of Asteroids remakes, Halo adventures, and Donkey Kong and Pacman versions so close to their arcade originals, SURELY someone can make a 2600 port of Night Driver that more closely runs the frame rate and smooth driving seen in the original hardware?

[YANDMAN]

The interesting thing about the game is that the beautiful 2600 artwork is based on a GT2 race and features Porsche 911's as does the overall design of the original arcade cabinet, the arcade flyer even says you can select different 'tracks' and the on screen car sticker is that of an open top Le man /Can-Am style car so this is actually a race car simulator that was altered for the home version to make it more interesting.

[VectorGamer]

For those complaining about how the car looks...

the arcade version didn't have a car...it had a sticker! Often missing too.

the arcade version was black & white

the arcade version didn't have oncoming cars

the arcade version didn't have trees and houses

 

The oncoming cars (I still say they are Ford Pintos) with horn beeps are my favorite part...they even crumple up when you hit one!

 

And this was all done in 2K! But would you expect anything less from Rob Fulop?

 

Less is more. Rob Fulop obviously decided that the coin-op game could use some sprucing up so he added all this stuff.

 

I played the arcade game a lot when it came out and Funspot has an upright that I play whenever I visit. I love the graphic simplicity of the game and the sound effects are awesome.

 

 

I agree, the horn sound was cool.

 

I hated it.

[BassGuitari]

 

I hated it.

Quick PSA: Honking can be turned off with the left difficulty switch.

[san-d-2000]

Love this game!

[AtariTexas]

I've always enjoyed this game!

[ledzep]

It's a primitive looking game on a primitive system. Still, I grew up with the 2600 when it was new, I remember thinking it was a cool game to play, maybe because it was like the arcade game yet had a little more to offer? No idea.

 

I have a special love for all those early games - Space War, Air-Sea Battle, Indy 500, Street Racer, Combat, etc., I remember playing Star Ship at someone's house and not knowing what the fuck was going on but still loving it. Surround was an early favorite, too. Even the weird ones I never owned or really played, like Outlaw and Slot Racers I intend to buy eventually because they represent that early time in my gaming life when I thought videogames like those were amazing, how little did I know what was coming, even on the weak 2600. Later games like Canyon Bomber and Defender and Missile Command and Adventure made those early games look like animated LEGOs. It is a unique experience to go through those games from the beginning, I'm not sure how modern young fans of the 2600 can tolerate them compared to the much better games that came out later for it.