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Top Ten Lists of 8-Bit Action/Arcade Games?


rocketfan

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Hi there fellow 8-bit fans - over HERE we have been working on squeezing more from the custom firmware created by Brad_from_the_80s for the AtGames Atari Flashback X mini console, which is a $40 miniature VCS lookalike:

image.png.ffcbf963b6cb97003a4396ac05711904.png

 

Now we have it emulating my favorite system - the Atari 800:

 

Quasimodo_AFBX.thumb.jpg.2f4750da1bf743c266ece083312f6156.jpg

 

On that thread, Draxxon has been creating custom game releases with box art and themed menus.  There is already a substantial collection of 2600 games covered.  Currently, he has about three dozen Atari 800 games included.  To expand on that, we hope we might get a few other die hard 8-bit gaming fans to contribute their top-ten (or whatever #) lists to help us narrow down the candidates from the MANY games released "back in the day" for the platform.  Maybe we can even reach a "top 100" Atari 800 games list for the device?

 

The emulator does have an On Screen Keyboard you can access, but you are not going to be playing text adventures with no real keyboard.  So mainly we need a list of good action/arcade games that will play with the joysticks.

 

That's the call for help - does anyone want to contribute a list of favorites to the cause?

 

BTW, here are the games already in the release:

BoulderDash
Captain Beeble
Centipede
DigDug
Donkey Kong Junior
Donkey Kong
Drelbs
Encounter
Fort Apocalypse
Galactic Chase
Galaxian
Gorf
Joust
Jumpman Jr
Mario Bros
Missile Command
Moon Patrol
Necromancer
PacMan
Pastfinder
Pitfall2
Pitfall
Planetary Defense
Quasimodo
Rally Speedway
River Raid
Satans Hollow
Shamus
Spy Hunter
SquishEm
Super Cobra
Super Pac Man
TumbleBugs
Vanguard
Zeppelin
Zone Ranger

 

 

 

Edited by rocketfan
Remove extra image.
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No Atari 8 bit list is complete without Star Raiders, but the lack of an easily accessible keyboard might make it difficult to play.

 

Soooo...
 

No list of Atari 8 bit games is complete, IMHO, without having AtariBlast! on it. Just an absolutely phenomenal game on the A8, and one that would have made the author a lot of cash wBITD. 
 

One of the games I also routinely play and keep in a folder of favorites is the version of Mr. Robot and His Robot Factory that some forums users modified the sprites on. Another title that those guys did graphics mods to is Popeye. The characters look *much* better and I’m 99.9% certain they fixed it where Popeye is more accurate when punching the bottles being thrown. 
 

B.C.’s Quest For Tires is one I always come back to.

The new game from Poland called Albert is also a phenomenal game for the A8, but I don’t think it works correctly on NTSC machines :( 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, 777ismyname said:

The new game from Poland called Albert is also a phenomenal game for the A8, but I don’t think it works correctly on NTSC machines

Thanks for the great suggestions!  The system can deal with PAL games (it is the Atari800 LR emulator) but will need a special config saved for that game.  I will check whether it works.  Not sure I have ever played AtariBlast!.  Also, I was not aware of any of those home brew mods, so now I have something else to explore.  

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Mr. Do!, Montezuma, International Karate, Spy vs Spy, Gremlins, Abracadabra, Bosconian, Popeye and let me stop here.. There is also a thread called top games or something...

Let me add that the revised versions of Popeye and Moon Patrol are fantastic (Bruce Lee is also great).

 

 

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Alley Cat - Incredible game all around.

Pharaoh's Curse - Action with exploration. Quick and responsive with quirky sound effects.

Blue Max - Very satisfying when you get a hang of it (and learn how to not crash into the ground).

Pole Position - I come back to this now more than I did back in the day. Perfect controls for a joystick conversion.

Archon - 2 player action slugfest wrapped in a chess-like environment.

 

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Wow, thanks for all the replies so far!

 

I tried the Albert game.  Very nice game and it plays fine (with the PAL setting), but says "Extended Memory Not Detected, Only Demo Levels Available"  I did get to level 2 though!

 

Pharaoh's Curse already has a couple mentions and would be on my short list too - many more I forgot about but will sure make the next rev.   I didn't even realize (or remember?) there is an 8-Bit Bosconian!    (I'm going to try it next).

 

For rra: BASIC Games do work on the device.  There is going to be a sub-folder for BASIC games on the system, but it's a bit of a pain to launch those.

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18 hours ago, 777ismyname said:

No list of Atari 8 bit games is complete, IMHO, without having AtariBlast!

Now this thread is keeping me up late.  ?   I wasn't sure it would work, but using the "cartridge" file I found here on AtariAge, I just played this on the device.  That game is a king among shmups - amazing!

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I think the feature of two player simultaneously it is something to give some priority.... At least for me, I have been able to engage preteens with Atari 8bits games when they are multiplayer, which it is a difficult thing sometimes.

Examples:

Archon, which is fantastic and forgot to mention it before.

International karate

Mario Bros

Ballblazer

Hardball (I guess)

Bruce Lee

Pitstop 2

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, manterola said:

I think the feature of two player simultaneously it is something to give some priority.... At least for me, I have been able to engage preteens with Atari 8bits games when they are multiplayer, which it is a difficult thing sometimes.

Examples:

Archon, which is fantastic and forgot to mention it before.

International karate

Mario Bros

Ballblazer

Hardball (I guess)

Bruce Lee

Pitstop 2

 

 

 

2 player simultaneous adds:

Dog Daze Deluxe

Seawolf 2

Kikstart

 

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4 hours ago, devwebcl said:

They are from Analog magazine.

Yes, both Bacterion and Planetary Defense are from Analog!  Got my Atari magazines mixed up. ?   I really like them both - it makes me think I should look for more Analog titles.

 

So far at least one version or another of all the home-brew games I have tried have worked.  Space Harrier and Bosconian are really impressive (but Atari Blast is still what knocked my personal socks off).

 

Reading back I see there are a lot of multiple mentions, so gives us something to start with already.

5 hours ago, manterola said:

I think the feature of two player simultaneously it is something to give some priority.

Yes, good point.  We should definitely include a few of those next version. Thanks again!

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