Favorite Variations - Video Olympics

[BassGuitari]

What's everyone's favorite Pong sport in Video Olympics?

I haven't dug into this cartridge in some time, but my wife and I really got into Basketball a few--10?(!)--years back.

Plain ole' Pong is always good since it can be played against the computer, which is nice since willing human participants are getting harder and harder to come by these days.

I think 4-player Foozpong (w/ Catch) has some amazing possibilities.

[G-type]

I don't think I can play pong because the paddles are too close to the edge of the screen and my TV's overscan cuts them off.

[onthinice]

Growing up this cart was a lot of fun to play. Have not tried it in years so can't recall my favorite sport. Agree. It is harder to find others who would play now. Can't complain that was a selling point for the Atari 2600. Family gaming. Glad the 5200 and 7800 changed that.

[+jeremiahjt]

Great topic! Played it at a family gathering with four players recently. If you want a quick game, four-player Pong and Super Pong are both good choices. If you want a slightly longer game, Soccer and Foozpong are both good since it is more difficult to score. Basketball and Volleyball would be at the bottom while Hockey, Quadrapong, and Handball are all in the middle. Those last three are still fun to play, just not as much as the others.

[BassGuitari]

Great topic! Played it at a family gathering with four players recently. If you want a quick game, four-player Pong and Super Pong are both good choices. If you want a slightly longer game, Soccer and Foozpong are both good since it is more difficult to score. Basketball and Volleyball would be at the bottom while Hockey, Quadrapong, and Handball are all in the middle. Those last three are still fun to play, just not as much as the others.

Great reply! I'm actually a little envious that you got the four-player experience. Now the followup: speed-up, whammy, or catch? And standard paddles and small paddles?

[+jeremiahjt]

Great reply! I'm actually a little envious that you got the four-player experience. Now the followup: speed-up, whammy, or catch? And standard paddles and small paddles?

I think the standard paddles are small enough. Usually do not play catch on any of those and honestly most of the time we forget to use the button for speed-up or whammy.

[agb]

I liked all of them. Hockey was my favorite. Problem I had was I and the people I played with can only win if they had the right side paddlers. The left would always lose. Did others have same issue?

[Torr]

I'd have to say the Pong variations with CPU opponent!

 

But really though me and my son and nephew have a time with this once a year or so, break it out and go thru all the games.

And I know the basketball one is always the most frustrating... so definitely not that one!

 

Really, I'm surprised it has ANY AI, since most 2 player games of that period were strictly 2 player games.

So why did they put AI in just ONE variation...

Even if it wasn't that smart, a simple AI tracking the "ball" for any variation should have been doable...

Edited May 13, 2017 by Torr

[BassGuitari]

I'd have to say the Pong variations with CPU opponent!

 

But really though me and my son and nephew have a time with this once a year or so, break it out and go thru all the games.

And I know the basketball one is always the most frustrating... so definitely not that one!

 

Really, I'm surprised it has ANY AI, since most 2 player games of that period were strictly 2 player games.

So why did they put AI in just ONE variation...

Even if it wasn't that smart, a simple AI tracking the "ball" for any variation should have been doable...

The really early 2-player games like this are begging to be hacked to include 1-player versions. Combat, Street Racer, Video Olympics, Football, Slot Racers, Space War, etc. would have new life, and maybe more people would see how good some of those games really are.

[Torr]

The really early 2-player games like this are begging to be hacked to include 1-player versions. Combat, Street Racer, Video Olympics, Football, Slot Racers, Space War, etc. would have new life, and maybe more people would see how good some of those games really are.

 

Now that you mention it, even if it meant increasing the ROM size or making it only work on emulators, I'm surprised it hasn't happened already...

Or maybe it has and we don't even know!

I, for one, don't keep up on the hacks/homebrew scene.

 

I must say there are a few in the AA store I keep eyeing tho...

 

And now that I think of it... is or was basketball an olympic sport?

[BassGuitari]

 

And now that I think of it... is or was basketball an olympic sport?

It was and is.

[+jeremiahjt]

I am having a game night for my wife's family on Saturday and guess what game we will be playing. You guessed, or at least you should have, Video Olympics. I am going to give out prizes too. I will let you know how it goes.

[BassGuitari]

I am having a game night for my wife's family on Saturday and guess what game we will be playing. You guessed, or at least you should have, Video Olympics. I am going to give out prizes too. I will let you know how it goes.

Cool, looking forward to hearing about it!

[Tangentg]

the soccer ones attract me the most. can't wait to try them when i get back home next month

[+jeremiahjt]

The Video Olympics game night was a success! Technically it was a surprise baby shower for my wife's sister, but that only took about 15 minutes. The rest of the time was spent playing the Video Computer System. We played four different games and crowned a tournament winner for each game. I decided to keep it simple and only play the four-players games that had Speed-Up. We had 6 teams: the Ataris (my wife and I), Block, Ewoks, Djokovic, Cherries, and No. The Ataris were actually undefeated, but I took us out of the running since I was the one that provided the prizes.

 

Pong game 5 was won by Djokovic (my wife's parents) and Pong game 7 was won by Block (my nephews). Block also won Super Pong game 11 and the Ewoks (wife's brother and his wife) won Foozpong game 21. Of those four, game 7 was the most popular and game 21 was the least. Although game 21 did feature two 21-20 semifinal scores.

 

I let each winning team pick a cartridge from my extras since all the winning teams have a 2600 that I gave them at home. My brother-in-law picked Vanguard since my inventory shows I have a loose double, but I could not find it tonight. My in-laws could not agree on a game. My father-in-law wanted Air-Sea Battle and my mother-in-law wanted Super Breakout. In the end I gave them both. My nephews did not have any idea what they wanted since they have only played games they own. I let them try some of my extras and the 13-year old chose Spider-Man and the 11-year old chose Enduro.

 

We all had fun and my wife and I dominated the competition. If we do this again I will try the Soccer and Hockey versions.

Edited May 21, 2017 by jeremiahjt

[BassGuitari]

That's awesome! Very cool that people can still have fun with something as primitive as Video Olympics.

I love that you call it the "Video Computer System" btw.

[davyK]

Quadrapong.

 

It's just a pity Atari only implemented 2 vs 2. A 4 player versus mode would have been excellent.

Edited May 21, 2017 by davyK

[+jeremiahjt]

I liked all of them. Hockey was my favorite. Problem I had was I and the people I played with can only win if they had the right side paddlers. The left would always lose. Did others have same issue?

Since I saw this before we had game night I decided to keep track of which side won. For Pong game 5 the right side edged out the left side 4 to 3. That was the only game that the right would take the crown. The left side won Pong game 7 by doubling up the right side 4 to 2. In Super Pong game 11 the left side tripled the right side 3 to 1 and Foozpong game 21 ended in a 2 to 2 tie. Overall the left side had 12 victories and the right side had 9.

 

I would also like to add for full disclosure, we were playing on a 7800 ProSystem. I have not been able to find another loose 2600 ac adapter since I gave my in-laws a 2600 system so we were not fully authentic.

[Deteacher]

I always liked volleyball. That was a lot of fun to play.

[agb]

Since I saw this before we had game night I decided to keep track of which side won. For Pong game 5 the right side edged out the left side 4 to 3. That was the only game that the right would take the crown. The left side won Pong game 7 by doubling up the right side 4 to 2. In Super Pong game 11 the left side tripled the right side 3 to 1 and Foozpong game 21 ended in a 2 to 2 tie. Overall the left side had 12 victories and the right side had 9.

 

I would also like to add for full disclosure, we were playing on a 7800 ProSystem. I have not been able to find another loose 2600 ac adapter since I gave my in-laws a 2600 system so we were not fully authentic.

jet

 

Jeremiahjt, thanks for posting your left right results. I find your outcome very interesting since I could only win with the right paddle. I always thought that was true for everyone.

Edited May 26, 2017 by agb