Atari 7800 Games RANKED

[+Pac-Lander]

Hello Friends!

 

I present my Top 33 Atari 7800 games (THAT I OWN)...obviously there are omissions because of this! The rankings are based on a variety of factors - fun factor, graphic achievement, animation, sound achievement, game control, game design, depth and replay-ability.

 

A couple of notes:

 

• This list includes original releases and homebrews.
• Impossible Mission is criminally underrated on the 7800, likely because the version released was literally "impossible". Now that it's been fixed, it has vaulted all the way up to #2! Excellent mix of strategy, platforming, puzzle solving, timing, graphic achievement on the 7800 and animation.
• 1-16 are all top flight 7800 games, 17-25 are middle of the pack, and 26-33 get into the ''broken" or "semi-broken" category. I realize Sirius is a salvage of old code, and absolutely fills the side-scrolling shooter hole in the 7800 library, but is next to impossible to play through, and because of it, the fun factor suffers.
• I've never quite understood the ranking of Food Fight in the top 10 of a lot of 7800 lists I've seen, let alone top 5. It's a fun game, but it's single screen, repetitive gameplay and so-so graphics are not a great showcase of what the 7800 is capable of. As it stands, it is still better than similar titles like Robotron and Dig Dug, and the ranking reflects that.

 

Without further ado, here's the list!

 

 

1. Rikki & Vikki

2. Impossible Mission (solvable version)

3. Crystal Quest

4. Mario Bros.

5. One-on-One Basketball

6. Commando

7. Ikari Warriors

8. Joust

9. Ms. Pac Man

10. Plutos

11. Xevious

12. Donkey Kong PK

13. Donkey Kong Jr.

14. Galaga

15. Centipede

16. Pole Position 2

17. Dark Chambers

18. Desert Falcon

19. Food Fight

20. Dig Dug

21. Robotron: 2084

22. Double Dragon

23. Xenophobe

24. Choplifter!

25. Rampage

26. Sirius

27. Touchdown Football

28. Scrapyard Dog

29. Hat Trick

30. Karateka

31. Fight Night

32. Super Huey

33. Realsports Baseball

Edited April 11, 2019 by aaron1677

[Jinks]

Guess you need more homebrews....

[thursday83]

Yeah, uh, yeah. You're going to catch a lot of flack and/or negative retorts for this list, potentially....and I'll start with that Touchdown Football shouldn't even be in the list. (And that you shouldn't rank this list until you at least have the full set of original releases....). But, good on you for making a ranked list, it's a fun topic, and could spur on some other members' lists that could be cool to check out as well. Everyone has their opinion! Jinks is funny. Ok, overall thanks!

[thursday83]

Not to mention - but Jinks already pointed out - you are severely lacking in Bob DeCrenzendo's (sp) games. Like, most of them. They would immediately change your top 15, you gotta check em' out, he singlehandedly revitalized the 7800 years ago, due to his appreciation for the system and programming, and the love of original arcade classics. And all the Pac-Mans.

Edited April 12, 2019 by thursday83

[+sramirez2008]

Not to mention - but Jinks already pointed out - you are severely lacking in Bob DeCrenzendo's (sp) games. Like, most of them. They would immediately change your top 15, you gotta check em' out, he singlehandedly revitalized the 7800 years ago, due to his appreciation for the system and programming, and the love of original arcade classics. And all the Pac-Mans.

 

Revitalized and revolutionized

[+sixersfan105]

You lost me at One-on-One at #5. And Robotron is criminally low. Most of the other rankings I disagree with, too. But it's cool that you made a list. I guess?

[+save2600]

Ouch, you guys are harsh!

 

He's got a great collection started here and some great brews: Rikki, Bentley Bear and DK PK. Not to mention most all of the other great staples from the original lineup. Homebrews aren't exactly cheap. I'm sure he'll be adding more as interest and budget allows.

 

That said, I've got the excellent Pac-Man Collection for sale/trade. OP, if you're Stateside, hit me up if you'd like to add its distinction to the collective. Also have Tower Toppler and a handful of other 7800 goodies...

[+Pac-Lander]

Ouch, you guys are harsh!

 

He's got a great collection started here and some great brews: Rikki, Bentley Bear and DK PK. Not to mention most all of the other great staples from the original lineup. Homebrews aren't exactly cheap. I'm sure he'll be adding more as interest and budget allows.

 

That said, I've got the excellent Pac-Man Collection for sale/trade. OP, if you're Stateside, hit me up if you'd like to add its distinction to the collective. Also have Tower Toppler and a handful of other 7800 goodies...

 

 

Thank you!!!

[+Pac-Lander]

You lost me at One-on-One at #5. And Robotron is criminally low. Most of the other rankings I disagree with, too. But it's cool that you made a list. I guess?

 

One-on-One is incredible. It's easily the best sports title on the ProSystem, and quite possibly the best one on one basketball game ever made at the time. I can't count the number of hours spent playing this with friends (and in particular my brother), going back and forth. I remember wanting a decent basketball title on the 2600 and then when this came out for the 7800, the massive leap One on One took over other basketball games on the 2600 was truly jaw dropping.

 

It's a fantastic game and one of the flagship titles on the system.

[+sixersfan105]

I'm glad you like it and have had good memories playing it, but calling it the best sports title on the 7800 isn't saying much. Pretty much all Atari sports titles were horrendous. But putting it above gems like Commando and frankly even the arcade ports you have in the late teens/early 20s, is questionable at best. But hey, your rankings are your opinions, and we're all entitled to them.

[MrBeefy]

I'm glad you like it and have had good memories playing it, but calling it the best sports title on the 7800 isn't saying much. Pretty much all Atari sports titles were horrendous. But putting it above gems like Commando and frankly even the arcade ports you have in the late teens/early 20s, is questionable at best. But hey, your rankings are your opinions, and we're all entitled to them.

Mean 18 is really good. Ninja Golf is well Ninja Golf...

[+sixersfan105]

Mean 18 is really good. Ninja Golf is well Ninja Golf...

Yeah Mean 18 is well done for sure. I'm not a fan of golf video games but it's definitely a good title. And yes, Ninja Golf is hard to call a sports title hahaha

[+Pac-Lander]

I'm glad you like it and have had good memories playing it, but calling it the best sports title on the 7800 isn't saying much. Pretty much all Atari sports titles were horrendous. But putting it above gems like Commando and frankly even the arcade ports you have in the late teens/early 20s, is questionable at best. But hey, your rankings are your opinions, and we're all entitled to them.

I love that you called this out! Yes, most of the sports titles were bad, but thats not the reason One on One is ranked so high.

 

One on One - if you had had two good payers - transcended the system. The control was above and beyond anything Nintendo or Sega had done to that point in gaming history. It wasnt an arcade port, it was a home computer port done right.

 

One on One was Electronic Arts' best-selling game, and second best-selling Commodore 64 game, as of late 1987.

 

InfoWorld in 1984 called One on One "perhaps the most talked-about sports game of the new year". The magazine praised its portrayal of the two players' individual styles, backboard shattering, crowd noise, and instant replay, concluded that "One On One delivers the goods: a realistic simulation of a lively sports matchup". Computer Gaming World in 1984 called One on One "incredibly realistic" and predicted that it would be one of the year's best sports games. The magazine cited the "absolutely fantastic" graphics, simple controls, and the instant replay as positives, only criticizing the lack of clarity of ball possession under the basket and lack of overtime. St.Game stated "This is the sports game of 1984", noting the realistic feel of the two players' playing styles. While noting the inability to stop dribbling to fake out the other player, the magazine concluded that "Highly addictive, thrilling, sometimes frustrating, and always involving are ways to describe One-on-One. It's a winner". Ahoy! in 1986 called the Commodore 64 version "a must-have", praising its graphics and gameplay.

 

One on One needs to be celebrated as a major achievement for the 7800, if for no other reason than it can absolutely point to it as a player vs player benchmark in sports gaming history that to that point, no console game had exceeded.

 

And it was on the 7800.

 

Thats why its ranked so high.

Edited April 13, 2019 by aaron1677

[+save2600]

7800 One-on-One just seemed a little bit dated by the time it came out is all. I remember enjoying and playing it for the Apple ][ back in '83/'84. And yes, it even played well on *that* system with its clunky analog controller, distorted chirpy sounds, et al.

[+sixersfan105]

7800 One-on-One just seemed a little bit dated by the time it came out is all. I remember enjoying and playing it for the Apple ][ back in '84/'84. And yes, it even played well on *that* system with its clunky analog controller, distorted chirpy sounds, et al.

My thoughts exactly. Key date there in your and the OP: 1984. I know the original plan was for the 7800 to come out around then, too, but by 1987, it was pretty dated and there are many games that look better on the 7800.

 

Again, it's great that you're a fan, but it's simply a port of a computer game that was done pretty well. Still better off putting it in the 20s or so, but to each his own.

[Flojomojo]

I'd put Karateka over the tedious, pointless grind of Rampage. I like your placement of Impossible Mission, though. The c64 Mini has both IM games on it, and I had forgotten how solid they were.

[+davidcalgary29]

I'd put Karateka over the tedious, pointless grind of Rampage.

 

Oh good god no.

[Flojomojo]

Rampage is a boring slog. Karateka is too, but at least it ends.

[+Pac-Lander]

Rampage actually has controls that work through. Kareteka is semi-broken.

[+sixersfan105]

Rampage actually has controls that work through. Kareteka is semi-broken.

100% agreed with you there on Karateka. Meanwhile, the A8 version of Karateka controls as it should and is quite playable.

[+cvga]

 

One-on-One is incredible. It's easily the best sports title on the ProSystem, and quite possibly the best one on one basketball game ever made at the time. I can't count the number of hours spent playing this with friends (and in particular my brother), going back and forth. I remember wanting a decent basketball title on the 2600 and then when this came out for the 7800, the massive leap One on One took over other basketball games on the 2600 was truly jaw dropping.

 

It's a fantastic game and one of the flagship titles on the system.

 

Cool list. I have no issues with it. Even though my ranking would be different, you've certainly given this a lot of thought. Great job!

 

I love one-on-one basketball also. Probably because it was one of the first games I bought for my Commodore 64 as a kid. I loved the replays, breaking back board, janitor and Larry Bird.

 

I also think it's fine that you ranked the games you own. It will be easier to place new games in the list when you acquire them.

[+GoldenWheels]

 

• I've never quite understood the ranking of Food Fight in the top 10 of a lot of 7800 lists I've seen, let alone top 5. It's a fun game, but it's single screen, repetitive gameplay and so-so graphics are not a great showcase of what the 7800 is capable of. As it stands, it is still better than similar titles like Robotron and Dig Dug, and the ranking reflects that.

 

 

Not to make this a thread about Food Fight....I agree 100%. I'm constantly surprised so many like it, so much.

 

OTOH, I'll say it as I always do...the 7800 has the absolute best version of Joust ever made. Better than the arcade, by a lot (which I would also say about the 8 bit version, actually).

 

My top 5 OGs:

Joust

Robotron 2084

Galaga

Commando

Xevious

 

My top 5 Homebrews:

Crazy Brix

Beef Drop

Froggie

Pac Man Collection

Rikki and Vikki

[DracIsBack]

Rampage is a boring slog. Karateka is too, but at least it ends.

 

Rampage you can at least punch another player. Karateka is more like ... tap the joytick. Wait two seconds. The player on the screen kicks. Repeat. That's my biggest disappointment in history

[DracIsBack]

100% agreed with you there on Karateka. Meanwhile, the A8 version of Karateka controls as it should and is quite playable.

 

Yeah. And the has all the intermissions, doors to kick down etc. The graphics aren't pared down, the hawk looks like a hawk.

[DracIsBack]

You seriously placed Touchdown Football over Scrapyard Dog? I'm sorry, but have you lost your marbles? :-) Scrapyard Dog has some challenges in that it's a little too difficult, but it also has a lot of variety, playability and depth to it. The only thing I can say nice about Touchdown Football is that it has a nice title screen.