Which Atari 7800 games are to one you love most, and why these?

[Atarifever]

On 8/21/2019 at 11:35 PM, Giles N said:

 

I’m absolutely aware that, say, Food Fight is a much better game than Double Dragon (7800), so they’ll probably swap some day.(Or Food Fight will move upwards in one way or another). But I’m just more interested in beating (!) Double Dragon right now.

 

 

By now someone has told you about the "back-elbow" trick I assume.  Cousin Vinnie called it the "Over the Shoulder" technique.  His site is gone, but not forgotten in the Wayback Machine.  Enjoy. 

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20031111154158/http://www.bigfishusa.com/7800/doubledragondc.html

 

I use this all the time and finish the game pretty much every time I play it.

Edited August 28, 2019 by Atarifever

[Giles N]

1 hour ago, Atarifever said:

By now someone has told you about the "back-elbow" trick I assume.  Cousin Vinnie called it the "Over the Shoulder" technique.  His site is gone, but not forgotten in the Wayback Machine.  Enjoy. 

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20031111154158/http://www.bigfishusa.com/7800/doubledragondc.html

 

I use this all the time and finish the game pretty much every time I play it.

I’m getting on.

 

Pretty much, I felt it all became easier when I use common kick as I would use standard punch in the arcade.

 

Yeah, people say ‘elbow’ and backward-flykick.

 

They aren’t always easy to pull of at will.

 

But I’m getting on.

 

Had a hard time getting past level 1 until I began using moving up or down to an enemy and then use 3-4 standard kicks, and now I’ve gotten to level 3 at least.

 

Thanks for input.

[Atarifever]

6 hours ago, Giles N said:

I’m getting on.

 

Pretty much, I felt it all became easier when I use common kick as I would use standard punch in the arcade.

 

Yeah, people say ‘elbow’ and backward-flykick.

 

They aren’t always easy to pull of at will.

 

But I’m getting on.

 

Had a hard time getting past level 1 until I began using moving up or down to an enemy and then use 3-4 standard kicks, and now I’ve gotten to level 3 at least.

 

Thanks for input.

If you just continue to hold up, the enemies all stop moving or stop attacking and move into position to be back elbowed. It's a glitch that allows for crowd control.

[Giles N]

10 hours ago, Atarifever said:

If you just continue to hold up, the enemies all stop moving or stop attacking and move into position to be back elbowed. It's a glitch that allows for crowd control.

Ok, 

Sounds like glitch... but isn’t that a somewhat boring way of getting through it?

 

Or does some action still happen?

[Atarifever]

44 minutes ago, Giles N said:

Ok, 

Sounds like glitch... but isn’t that a somewhat boring way of getting through it?

 

Or does some action still happen?

If you mess up, they tend to gang up on you mercilessly for a bit. Also, the timer means you sometimes have to hurry it up more than that.  Not the most exciting way to play, but not lacking in challenge, and, I believe, the only way to actually finish that version of the game. 

[Giles N]

Just now, Atarifever said:

If you mess up, they tend to gang up on you mercilessly for a bit. Also, the timer means you sometimes have to hurry it up more than that.  Not the most exciting way to play, but not lacking in challenge, and, I believe, the only way to actually finish that version of the game. 

Ok... if its that hard... then ok... sure I hear ya...

 

My own ‘techniques’ are

1) go up or down to an enemy, then use normal kick 3-4 times so the enemy gets knocked down

2) fly-kick from a particular distance 

a) standard bad-guy can be hit with several flykicks landed on them as the rise up again

b) on big guys - you need greater distance so the flykick won’t be blocked

3)using punches, headbutts etc to ‘surprise’, ie break up on the AI trying to hit you between kicks and punches

4) line up enemies so they are horizontally on same level, then use multiple flykicks on all of them

5) corner one badguy and use standard kick repeatedly

 

[toiletunes]

I love a good driving/fighting game so Fatal Run tops my list. So much to like here, managing your money, doing repairs, getting upgrades, seeing people explode, progressive difficulty, and an actual ending. There are things I would improve (enemies tend to rubberband and it could use better turning graphics) but it's exclusive and very playable as is.

 

I've been getting into Alien Brigade, a fun quirky shooter with joystick and light gun support.

 

Ninja Golf is a must own. Planet Smashers is a good generic shooter but it needs music. Lots of quirky exclusives.

 

Robotron, Ms Pac-Man, Donkey Kong Jr, Rampage, Food Fight, Pole Position, Love the arcade ports to death.

 

and Dark Chambers.

 

 

[The Strangest]

Another vote here for Food Fight. I'm young so I have no nostalgia for it, I popped it in and was blown away at how much I enjoyed it. I don't think I'll ever sell my 7800 because it's the only way I can play that game right now.

 

Galaga is one of my favorite arcade games of all time so I'm still looking for a nice copy of that one.

[Giles N]

22 hours ago, toiletunes said:

I love a good driving/fighting game so Fatal Run tops my list. So much to like here, managing your money, doing repairs, getting upgrades, seeing people explode, progressive difficulty, and an actual ending. There are things I would improve (enemies tend to rubberband and it could use better turning graphics) but it's exclusive and very playable as is.

 

I've been getting into Alien Brigade, a fun quirky shooter with joystick and light gun support.

 

Ninja Golf is a must own. Planet Smashers is a good generic shooter but it needs music. Lots of quirky exclusives.

 

Robotron, Ms Pac-Man, Donkey Kong Jr, Rampage, Food Fight, Pole Position, Love the arcade ports to death.

 

and Dark Chambers.

 

 

Agree with much here.

 

Fatal Run is a cool game.

 

I haven’t ‘run’ through it yet.

 

But looks and plays good so far.

 

Yes, Ninja Golf is a must-have.

 

I thought the silliness would not be my thing, but I got it and love the humorous take on the karate/kung-fu/ninja-craze of the 80ies.

 

I don’t see you mentioning Scrapyard Dog...

 

For me I’ve gotten to really love the game, even though its very(!) hard...

 

And yes, there are some exclusive stuff to be found on the 7800.

 

Whether I’d call them quirky or just exclusive titles is another matter.

 

 

Edited August 30, 2019 by Giles N

[Giles N]

20 hours ago, The Strangest said:

Another vote here for Food Fight. I'm young so I have no nostalgia for it, I popped it in and was blown away at how much I enjoyed it. I don't think I'll ever sell my 7800 because it's the only way I can play that game right now.

 

Galaga is one of my favorite arcade games of all time so I'm still looking for a nice copy of that one.

Young, like, born when?

 

Yes, I think Food Fight is one of those arcade games that only was ported for the 7800.

 

But if you’re into good ports, Ms Pac Man, Dig Dug, Joust and Robotron 2084 are very solid ports from this ‘generation’ of arcades (82-85).

 

Many have debated whether Xevious is better on NES than the 7800.

The 7800 version is anyway a lot of fun, but Xevious is of course, not very unique as it was ported to like everything back then.

 

Pole Position 2 is another arcade-port.

Its not that close to the arcade (at all), as Food Fight, Ms Pac-Man, Joyst and Dig Dug, but I really enjoy it.

 

And I think its one of the best home-console-ports (not arcade-emulation/arcade-on-new-system) of this game.

But I don’t think that many home-systems had a version.

 

Galaga is good fun on the 7800.

 

But I’m not so much into the arcade and all the ports that I can say which one version is best.

 

The 7800 version plays very smooth and fine, and have chuncky sound-effects and this little short Galaga-music theme as you come to new sections of the game.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Giles N

[Giles N]

Actually... one of the best reasons why buy an Atari 7800 is the line-up of unique games, found on no other system or almost no other system.

[The Strangest]

19 hours ago, Giles N said:

Young, like, born when?

 

Yes, I think Food Fight is one of those arcade games that only was ported for the 7800.

 

But if you’re into good ports, Ms Pac Man, Dig Dug, Joust and Robotron 2084 are very solid ports from this ‘generation’ of arcades (82-85).

 

Many have debated whether Xevious is better on NES than the 7800.

The 7800 version is anyway a lot of fun, but Xevious is of course, not very unique as it was ported to like everything back then.

 

Pole Position 2 is another arcade-port.

Its not that close to the arcade (at all), as Food Fight, Ms Pac-Man, Joyst and Dig Dug, but I really enjoy it.

 

And I think its one of the best home-console-ports (not arcade-emulation/arcade-on-new-system) of this game.

But I don’t think that many home-systems had a version.

 

Galaga is good fun on the 7800.

 

But I’m not so much into the arcade and all the ports that I can say which one version is best.

 

The 7800 version plays very smooth and fine, and have chuncky sound-effects and this little short Galaga-music theme as you come to new sections of the game.

I was born mid-90’s. I didn’t play any Atari growing up unless you count occasional arcade cabinets here and there, but my parents had an Atari at some point.

[ZylonBane]

On 8/29/2019 at 8:43 PM, The Strangest said:

Another vote here for Food Fight. I'm young so I have no nostalgia for it, I popped it in and was blown away at how much I enjoyed it. I don't think I'll ever sell my 7800 because it's the only way I can play that game right now.

MAME is a thing, you know.

[Giles N]

32 minutes ago, ZylonBane said:

MAME is a thing, you know.

MAMA can teach us much about gaming history.

[Giles N]

2 hours ago, The Strangest said:

I was born mid-90’s. I didn’t play any Atari growing up unless you count occasional arcade cabinets here and there, but my parents had an Atari at some point.

But you found Food Fight and Galaga!

 

Not bad!

[The Strangest]

23 hours ago, ZylonBane said:

MAME is a thing, you know.

I appreciate MAME for what it is but part of the hobby for me is using original hardware. But you’re right about that, I could’ve phrased it better.

[Giles N]

On 8/31/2019 at 8:09 PM, The Strangest said:

I was born mid-90’s. I didn’t play any Atari growing up unless you count occasional arcade cabinets here and there, but my parents had an Atari at some point.

Many of game-genres used on 7th and 8th gen. consoles today, were invented on these early machines.

 

Then the genres have been reiterated and given re-designs in xxx number of varities.

 

But the original genres were very cleverly designed; making lots out of not that much ‘raw power’.

 

 

Edited September 2, 2019 by Giles N

[Giles N]

5 hours ago, The Strangest said:

I appreciate MAME for what it is but part of the hobby for me is using original hardware. But you’re right about that, I could’ve phrased it better.

I have sometimes wondered how many here on AtariAge use the hardware they either grew up with, or at least bought a decade or two back.

[Giles N]

 

On 8/31/2019 at 8:09 PM, The Strangest said:

, but my parents had an Atari at some point.

Hm, gaming-generations...?

 

?

 

Remember my dad bought a Dragon64 (Dragon 32 with more memory), back in, hm, sometime between 83 and 85 or something.

 

My brother began to program Dragon Basic.

 

I thought what the heck, I’ll just type in some random stuff here (on the operative-system-screen) and sooner or later it’ll have to work.

But no.

And I never learned programming.

Did some graphics-drawing at times (90ies).

When I got 10, in ‘87, I got (but as shared present with my bro), a C64.

We had lot of fun with it.

 

Had friends who had Atari2600.

 

Think someone who knew someone who knew someone knew some who had an 7800, but never saw it.

 

Got interested a few years ago what sort of 8-bit things I’d missed out on.

 

So I collected a little for:

first Sega Master

then NES

then Atari 5200 (but it was irksome to get all the am./ntsc-things right),

then 7800

 

Much of the 16-bit things are readily available on some of newer systems (of course with limited availability if titles).

Edited September 2, 2019 by Giles N

[Giles N]

On 8/31/2019 at 10:21 PM, Giles N said:

But you found Food Fight and Galaga!

 

Not bad!

Dig Dug

Joust 

Ms Pac Man

Robotron 2084

Centipede

 

are also some of the best 8-bit ports of these arcades as far as I know.

 

—

Actually, when comparing 8-bit-system ports (not 16bit or new systems that runs emulated arcades/arcade-perfect ports), I think Commando for the 7800 is one of the best ports out there.

Edited September 2, 2019 by Giles N

[Giles N]

5 hours ago, The Strangest said:

part of the hobby for me is using original hardware. 

Many of these 1-3 gen. games looks quite a bit better on CRT TVs in my opinions.

 

Sure, cool to see them up large, like 55’ , but the CRT picture soften the lines of the pixels and made it look more ‘organical’, less like squares and more like timy light-spheres fading into each other.

 

BTW: you can use these light-phasers on old CRT TVs.

Edited September 2, 2019 by Giles N

[Giles N]

On 8/30/2019 at 2:11 AM, toiletunes said:

I love a good driving/fighting game so Fatal Run tops my list. 

 

 

You said you also liked Pole Position 2.

 

What is your opinion about Motor Psycho (since you love a driving game)?

 

Is it, in your view, a good driving game?

[Giles N]

On 8/30/2019 at 3:43 AM, The Strangest said:

Another vote here for Food Fight. I'm young so I have no nostalgia for it, I popped it in and was blown away at how much I enjoyed it. I don't think I'll ever sell my 7800 because it's the only way I can play that game right now.

 

Galaga is one of my favorite arcade games of all time so I'm still looking for a nice copy of that one.

How many 7800 game-titles do you have/have you played?

Edited September 2, 2019 by Giles N

[Jinks]

Playing Galaga 7800 on a CRT is awesome the ghosting when stuff moves fast looks amazing. These masterbaters...er I mean emulaters and crap screens will never come close to the real deal!! 

[Giles N]

On 8/30/2019 at 3:43 AM, The Strangest said:

Another vote here for Food Fight. I'm young so I have no nostalgia for it, I popped it in and was blown away at how much I enjoyed it. I don't think I'll ever sell my 7800 because it's the only way I can play that game right now.

 

Galaga is one of my favorite arcade games of all time so I'm still looking for a nice copy of that one.

If you enjoyed Food Fight for the 7800, there are a number of very cool pick-up-and-play arcade-ports for the 5200 system you might enjoy:

 

Pengo

Mr Do’s Castle

Pitfall 2

Vanguard (horizontal, disgonal and vertical side-scrolling shoot-em-up),

...and others...

 

The graphics are 1/2 generation earlier, but many of them highly playable and lots of fun!!m

—

Check out discussion on favourites and quality (pros/cons) of titles here:

 

 

And here is my review of Pengo (5200):

 

 

Conpare with my First-Inpression Food Fight (7800)-review:

 

 

Edited September 2, 2019 by Giles N