Despite the play, the Atari 2600 version is preferred

[Unbeliever]

Well, recently I picked up an arcade copy of Ms. Pac-man for my Xbox 360 through the Live marketplace. Despite it's "perfect" to the arcade, I still prefer the 2600 version over this one. Why? Probably the main reasons are:

 

Easier in general

Seems to play smoother than my Xbox version with the thumb sticks (joystick preferred)

Slower pacing to the game at earlier levels

 

So in this instance, the Atari 2600 version wins out (for me, anyway). Anyone else experience an Atari 2600 game that you prefer over the arcade version? Your experiences with Ms. Pac-man on the Atari 2600 versus some of the other versions you might have played either in the past or currently.

 

Let me know which ones you like and why. I'm curious as to what versions of this great game people are playing these days.

Edited January 15, 2016 by wolfpaw1966

[Ransom]

I like a lot of the early VCS ports better than the arcade originals because of all the variations. That would include all the ports from day 1 through Space Invaders, at the least.

[maiki]

Regarding this, I wish someone (or me) would edit the Sega Genesis version of MS Pacman to prevent from scrolling vertically... otherwise it is more than a perfect port of the arcade game

[toiletunes]

...if you have a four-way joystick. I keep one handy Just to play this, because the 8-way gamepad will not go where I tell it.

[Mountain King]

I have always enjoyed Tutankhamun on the Atari 2600 over any other version including the original arcade.

[Christophero Sly]

I always reach for 2600 Ms. Pac-Man over other versions as well.

[Nutsy Doodleheimer]

These are what I prefer the 2600 version over it's arcade counterpart.

 

Space Invaders: The aliens are much easier to shoot and also you got the bug to have the cannon shoot it's laser out twice. I usually don't opt for that as I like to play a legit game. This is one of the best arcade ports.

 

Asteroids: I enjoy the arcade version of Asteroids but the 2600 version is just plain awesome. The Jaws sound effect gets right to your mind as you are shooting everything in sight and is a cue for losing a life and especially playing this alone in a dark room. I like that it is colored.

 

These are my picks. But as for Ms. Pac-Man. It is a damn good port on the 2600 and a huge improvement over it's predecessor. I think it is a tad on the easy side while the arcade version gives you a better challenge. But that is my opinion. Nonetheless it is a smooth and well played game.

[Jason_Atari]

I have always enjoyed Tutankhamun on the Atari 2600 over any other version including the original arcade.

 

Yeah i love the 2600 port also, the arcade version is hard as hell

[Papa]

There are quite a few games I and my wife prefer on the VCS/2600. She likes Pacman a lot. I'm sure she likes the VCS one better than the original or the other 'superior' ports. I think Asteroids on the VCS is the best. I prefer Ghostbusters on the VCS over the NES version by far (NES puts too much emphasis on driving....meh), and the Master System has vertical proton streams which are a bit of a put off for me (although I like the Master System version better than the NES one, too). I like Pole Position on the VCS (no steering wheel required), and as a kid I would have totally picked Donkey Kong for the VCS over the arcade or other versions as I could actually play it continuously for quite a while! There are plenty of great Atari games when you consider the options and fun factor and forgive the often single color 'sprites' and less graphics.

[+KaeruYojimbo]

There are a lot of really great 2600 ports, but not a lot that I prefer over the arcade. The only one I can think of off hand is Ladybug. Maybe Juno First, but I've only played the arcade version a couple of times. Berzerk is pretty close. Arcade Ms. Pac-Man (especially the turbo version) wins hands down over the 2600 though.

 

I really like Bump n Jump, Moon Patrol, Tapper, Jr. Pac-Man and Road Runner on the 2600, but most days I'd rather play the original arcade versions.

[+Random Terrain]

I like these more than the arcade versions:

 

Solar Fox

Lock 'N' Chase

[sloth-machine]

The reason I prefer most 2600 arcade ports compared to the actual arcade (Dig Dug, Crystal Castles, Missile Command, Pole Position, Asteroids, etc) is from the nostalgia of playing the games at home as a kid. I didn't get to frequent the arcades back then, so the Atari was my home arcade. I could play these awesome games in comfort of being alone, taking my time to soak them in.

 

In an age of easily accessible MAME, I still prefer my 2600 to play these classic arcade games. In a way, the actual arcade seems foreign to me.

[Unbeliever]

The reason I prefer most 2600 arcade ports compared to the actual arcade (Dig Dug, Crystal Castles, Missile Command, Pole Position, Asteroids, etc) is from the nostalgia of playing the games at home as a kid. I didn't get to frequent the arcades back then, so the Atari was my home arcade. I could play these awesome games in comfort of being alone, taking my time to soak them in.

 

In an age of easily accessible MAME, I still prefer my 2600 to play these classic arcade games. In a way, the actual arcade seems foreign to me.

I'm kind of the opposite to this, having arcades all around and a brother that went down frequently and dragged his litte brother along. During High School, the local arcade was easily accessible uptown so I would frequent that (Putts Alley it was called). However, I had an Atari 2600 for most of my younger life, so the appeal of Atari remained despite frequenting the arcades during my youth.

 

I could play a great game at home and really suck at the arcades. lol

[+RichG1972]

I have always enjoyed Tutankhamun on the Atari 2600 over any other version including the original arcade.

I think THIS is the game you are referring to Mountain King, notice there is no UN on the name?

 

[maiki]

I believe the UN is missing because it would not fit onto vertical monitor in the arcade machine... But the Atari 2600 is horizontal... :-)

[bigfriendly]

I'm typing under the influence of Crown Royal but I can't think of any 2600 game that I liked better than the arcade counterpart. As a 12 year old in 1982 what I did like was the fact that I could play all day long without feeding quarters into the machines at Aladdin's Castle in Eastdale Mall. The games were not quite as good but they were free! My parents typically paid for them though:)

[Unbeliever]

My library wasn't large as a kid, since my parents also paid for them until I got a little older to start odd jobs and whatnot. Then I bought my own, but usually it was a few months before I could save enough money to get one. I would decide what game I really liked in the arcade, see if Atari had it's counterpart, then get that. Later on, I would start exploring the world of Activision, with my first title being Pitfall.

[MeneerJansen]

I always liked 2600's Phoenix better than the arcade version. The arcade doesn't even have better graphics in my opinion. I was addicted to 2600 Phoenix, but did not like its arcade counter part. Maybe wasted a coin or two on the arcade version. Donkey Kong however...

 

And I liked Atari's Ms. Pac-Man as much as the arcade version. But now-a-days (i.e. lpayoing Ms. Pac-Man for free as much as I like, just like 2600's Ms. Pac-Man) I like the arcade version much better. More so now I finally learned how the ghosts AI works (see this brilliant link, Ms. Pac-Man's ghost AI is basically the same as Pac-Man's). See video of how to "fool" the ghosts:

Does anybody know if that's possible on the Atari version? I.e.: are there "safe spots" where the ghosts will not "see" you when you're in there?

[+RichG1972]

My library wasn't large as a kid, since my parents also paid for them until I got a little older to start odd jobs and whatnot. Then I bought my own, but usually it was a few months before I could save enough money to get one. I would decide what game I really liked in the arcade, see if Atari had it's counterpart, then get that. Later on, I would start exploring the world of Activision, with my first title being Pitfall.

Oh my father's Atari library as far back as 1985 was at that time well over 100 cartridges, I think by that time he either HAD the 140 or close to it, I know as of 1988-89 he was still getting Atari games before the house fire. And by 1991 he was at the 140 mark easily and to my knowledge Dad got HIS Atari in 1981

[4Ks]

Atari 2600 has always been the ultimate arcade machine in my eyes just for the sheer amount of coin-op ports it has. A significant portion of its library are ports, and most of them are pretty good. Even the bad apples are at least interesting in a technical sense for the shortcuts devs had to take to fit an originally pretty sizable game into 8kb or less.

 

And yeah, Ms. Pac-Man is one of the 2600's prize horses. Not only is it an extremely impressive port, most of the mazes are original designs and the game is balanced perfectly for the lower clock speed of the 2600.

[Unbeliever]

Missile Command is another I prefer over the arcade version simply because it's easier to play. And yes, I know there's a TB version out there, but I still play it with the 'stick. I love this game personally, and play it at least two or three times a week. I know it's arcade counterpart is much more "flashy", but the Atari 2600 gets the job done. Great game and holds up well to this day.

[Noah98]

Space Invaders on the 2600 looks better than the arcade original and is more fun!

[Cynicaster]

I realize there is no accounting for taste, but I’m always astounded that anybody would prefer Atari 2600 versions of classic games over the arcade originals. And I say that as somebody who grew up playing the Atari 2600 versions almost exclusively. I know arcade games are hard as f*#k, but IMO that’s more of a positive than a negative; when a game consists of conceptually simple, skill-based play mechanics, then the game needs to be difficult and short to be any fun. Otherwise, it’s just repetitious and perfunctory.

 

Now, my 10 year-old self would probably have something to say about arcade games being too difficult and draining all of my money too quickly, but now, with the combination of MAME being available and my not having to live on a $5 allowance when I find a good retro arcade, the number of “credits” I burn on difficult games is irrelevant.

 

IMO, this discussion almost becomes moot if you let nostalgia into consideration, because at that point, the different versions are being compared more in their sentimental value than in their actual merits as games.

 

There are some great ports on the 2600, and I still play the system all the time, but when I do, I’ll take a “2600 original” game any day of the week over a crude, watered-down translation of an arcade game.

[Unbeliever]

Well, you have many points. Yes, part of it for me anyway is the nostalgia factor for the game in question. I have to admit that the Atari 2600 arcade games have a special place in my heart, due to the fact that I couldn't always go to the arcade. And besides, I loved "hogging" the game at home and didn't have to worry about someone putting a quarter up to take a turn. Consider me selfish in that respect.

 

I think the simple concept of being able to play the arcade "port" at home was also appealing. Yes, we all know they weren't exact copies of their arcade counterparts. That much isn't in dispute, but the fact is you could play them AT HOME! It was a miracle! Well, maybe not to you, but I was colored impressed.

 

Another valid point you made was the difficulty of the arcade games. Absolutely. They were designed not to be "easy", depending on the game (were any of them easy? Not to me!). I really was awful at arcade games. Hell, playing the exact replicas on my Xbox 360 still prove that fact well enough that I SUCK. So yeah, the Atari 2600 versions were much easier and much more enjoyable in this respect. I could play them longer and actually feel like I'm accomplishing something.

 

So in this case I prefer the arcade ports on the VCS over the originals for the reasons I stated above. No, before this is misread, I'm not offended or upset. Your opinion is well respected and appreciated. I was looking for the other side of the coin (pun intended) on arcade games versus translations.

[Ransom]

I realize there is no accounting for taste, but I’m always astounded that anybody would prefer Atari 2600 versions of classic games over the arcade originals. And I say that as somebody who grew up playing the Atari 2600 versions almost exclusively. I know arcade games are hard as f*#k, but IMO that’s more of a positive than a negative; when a game consists of conceptually simple, skill-based play mechanics, then the game needs to be difficult and short to be any fun. Otherwise, it’s just repetitious and perfunctory.

 

Now, my 10 year-old self would probably have something to say about arcade games being too difficult and draining all of my money too quickly, but now, with the combination of MAME being available and my not having to live on a $5 allowance when I find a good retro arcade, the number of “credits” I burn on difficult games is irrelevant.

 

IMO, this discussion almost becomes moot if you let nostalgia into consideration, because at that point, the different versions are being compared more in their sentimental value than in their actual merits as games.

 

There are some great ports on the 2600, and I still play the system all the time, but when I do, I’ll take a “2600 original” game any day of the week over a crude, watered-down translation of an arcade game.

 

I understand where you're coming from, but I would argue that the numerous game variations Atari included with their early ports gave many of them greater longevity and play value than the original arcade games.