Demon Attack vs. Phoenix

[Mister VCS]

I can´t understand that many VCS-gamers prefer Demon Attack for

Phoenix. The graphic in Phoenix is much better, the gameplay doesn´t

gets old so fast (because there is an impressive mothership). I was also

surprised that DA got better reviews in old videogaming-mags than PX.

The Intellivision-DA is another story... I think this beats PX, but the

VCS-version? What do you think?

 

Mister VCS

[Chris-in-NJ]

I won Demon Attack on eBay last Sunday for $1.29, and it arrived yesterday. My first play in over 20 years, last night, tells me one thing: the game is too easy! Once you reach a certain point, the demons don't get any faster, and neither does the speed at which they drop their bombs.

 

While I've never owned Demon Attack before now, I did have Phoenix "way back when" and I never found it as easy then as I find Demon Attack now...

 

Sure had a bit of a struggle fitting my text-label Demon Attack into the 7800's cartridge slot :wink:

[Dino from Bula]

Phoenix plays...obviously...more like the arcade. I'm one of those that prefers DA to Phoenix -

 

1) DA's sounds are much better...the sounds are more rich and have depth, more than most 2600 games from the time. The build up in sounds adds to the experience by adding tension.

 

2) DA's graphics are richer; they have more color and motion, as well as a higher degree of brightness (Atari's games had flatter colors into 82 and 83).

 

3) Although they both have a 2 for rarity, I don't recall a lot of people having Phoenix...but many had DA. I think there's a tendency to skew reviews when nostalgia kicks in...and DA was all that. I think DA came out a few months in advance of Phoenix, too.

[neotokeo2001]

I won Demon Attack on eBay last Sunday for $1.29, and it arrived yesterday. My first play in over 20 years, last night, tells me one thing: the game is too easy! Once you reach a certain point, the demons don't get any faster, and neither does the speed at which they drop their bombs.

 

Demon Attack is wayyyyy better then Pheonix. Of course my opinion is biased as Demon Attack is my favorite classic game. If Demon Attack is too easy for you, I will be releasing a limited number of carts of my new hack of Demon Attack called Invader X in April. The hack was done to raise the difficulty and variety in Demon Attack. NO ONE will be rolling over or locking up this version!! Did I mention that the Invaders now have Stealth Technology?

 

You can get more info and play a work in progress BIN in the Hack Forum.

 

[+Random Terrain]

Yeah, Demon Attack was out before Phoenix on the Atari 2600. Phoenix didn't come out until 1983:

 

Atari Age Magazine Volume 1, Number 5

 

Phoenix seems stiffer than Demon Attack. To use a character from back then, it's like comparing a "square" in a suit to the Fonz (from Happy Days). Demon Attack is cooler than Phoenix. I liked playing the arcade version of Phoenix (although I rarely got to play it), but the 2600 version was disappointing when compared to Demon Attack. Many Imagic games had a crisp, clear, colorful, crap your pants arcade feel compared to many Atari made games. Many Atari games had characters that looked like they were made out of cement, but Imagic characters were looser, lighter, arcade-like (similar to the look of Defender at the arcades).

 

I liked the spaceship in Phoenix at the arcades, but I just didn't care for it that much in the Atari 2600 version. It looked just as clunky as everything else in the game. Speaking of the ship, I got to play a version of Demon Attack on something (a computer or Intellivision maybe?) at a department store back in 1984 or 1985 and it had a ship similar to Phoenix. That was really fun. I liked it as much or better than the arcade version of Phoenix. I wouldn't mind owning that version of Demon Attack if I could ever remember what I played it on.

[Chris-in-NJ]

I agree about the graphics and sound, they blow Phoenix out of the water, so to speak. The background beat (of the demons' wings?) gets more and more ominous as each round progresses. ISTR that Phoenix has no background sounds whatsoever. However, the excessive number of bonus ships that DA gives you and this lack of speed-up means I actually prefer Phoenix, not that I'll buy it again... You're right, it is a nostalgia factor, I never owned DA back when the 2600 was current. A local restaurant had the Phoenix arcade game for a long time and I remember playing it there while my parents shopped for groceries.

 

Still, anyone remember the Demon Attack commercials? All I can recall is a gruff voice and a costumed alien, nothing more, but I still remember them.

[sku_u]

Personally, I think Communist Mutants From Space blow both games out of the water in terms of gameplay and enjoyability.

[SS]

Personally, I think Communist Mutants From Space blow both games out of the water in terms of gameplay and enjoyability.

 

I think that "Commie Mutants" is more akin to Galaxian or Galaga than to either of these games.

[ATARIPITBULL]

I don't know, I think there about even, but I give the edge to Demon Attack, but not by much. The Arcade Phoenix is a great game, but you can only do so much with a 2600 cart.

 

[jetset]

Well, at the risk of bing conformist, I agree with the other posts here, Phoenix is a better game as far as gameplay, but the definite advantage in graphics goes to Demon Attack. I remember when it came out it was like...WHOA! How can they ever make better than THIS? The colors alone were awesome (Imagic had that sameness with all thier games with the 'pretty' colors)

This is like comparing Missile Command to Asteroids in a way. There's no clear winner, they are both great. I'm glad neither is a 9 or a 10 otherwise I wouldn't get to play!

[SS]

I just fired up the two games to make sure that I knew what the Hell I am talking about. Both are good 2600 titles but, push goes to shove, I'd have to give the nod to "Phoenix". I like the birds and I like the Castle boss stage.

[smile_walle]

Yeah, Demon Attack was out before Phoenix on the Atari 2600. Phoenix  didn't come out until 1983.

 

 

Also, I do not understand why Atari Company did sued Imagic, beacuse simlar to Phoenix??

[neotokeo2001]

I just fired up the two games to make sure that I knew what the Hell I am talking about.  Both are good 2600 titles but, push goes to shove, I'd have to give the nod to "Phoenix".  I like the birds and I like the Castle boss stage.

 

Just to cover all the bases, I also have a hack of Phoenix called Poseidon.

 

 

 

 

Believe it or not, but there is actually a storyline that explains the label.

[NE146]

THEY ARE DIFFERENT GAMES.

 

Phoenix is an arcade game. The 2600 is a port of the arcade game

 

Demon Attack is a 2600 original.

 

Just because you see some foes in Demon Attack that look like the birds in 2600 Phoenix... they are about as similar as Megamania is to Space Invaders.

 

Now that being said, Demon Attack was one of the FIRST WAVE of really good and colorful 2600 games that showed us what the 2600 can do and took us out of the age of games like Hangman, Surround, and Blackjack. I remember being so blown away and thinking it was so 'arcade-like". So I give it props for that

 

Phoenix however came out later on.. when we already had a good number of cool 2600 games and arcade ports. Phoenix by then was already an old arcade game too. So it was pretty much expected. I personally liked it, but it didn't have the mind blowing impact of Demon Attack. Great game though.

[Dino from Bula]

walle's olds rules! I'd drive that to your house and play DA any day.

 

I think everyone here agrees that gameplay becomes an issue. I like controlling the direction of fire...and do so on Air/Sea Battle (the best game ever)...so, for that too, DA is better.

[smile_walle]

walle's olds rules!  I'd drive that to your house and play DA any day.

 

Haha! BTW I do have DA right here. Yes, I do like DA game very much!

[hanglyman]

I can't really pick one over the other, Demon Attack is probably technicaly the best sliding shooter on the 2600, I just love the way the demons warp in too cool!

Phoenix though is a very impressive port of the arcade game, considering the limitations of the 2600 it is amazing

 

Along with Galaxian and maybe Megamania they are the best Slide and Shoot games on the 2600

[Dino from Bula]

hangly, too true...Megamania is a great slide shooter! I loved Astroblaster by Sega for the arcade ("fighter pilots needed in sector wars-play Astroblaster!), and Megamania was a great version ported for Atari...minus the overheating lasers and cool docking.

[Vic George 2K3]

To neotokeo: That label design is a bit lousy. Poseidon himself looks like a drunk in a toga, and not very flattering at that.

[ZylonBane]

Yeah it sucks when a painting looks like what it's supposed to be!

[bjk7382]

I personally prefer DA over Phoenix. It is odd that Imagic did more with a 4k cartrige than Atari did with an 8k one. I remember Rob Fulop talking about the almos infinite different demons in DA.

 

I also like phoenix, but it is no DA

[neotokeo2001]

To neotokeo: That label design is a bit lousy.  Poseidon himself looks like a drunk in a toga, and not very flattering at that.

 

That is exactly what it is suppose to be. There are way too many serious shooters around. There is a back story that explains the way Poseidon looks that can be found in the games manual. If you are going to Philly Classic then you can take a look at it.

 

I also have a serious label that was made in a label contest here at AtariAge

[Csonicgo]

Yeah, Demon Attack was out before Phoenix on the Atari 2600. Phoenix  didn't come out until 1983.

 

 

Also, I do not understand why Atari Company did sued Imagic, beacuse simlar to Phoenix??

 

Stupidity, Greed, and Money. After 1981, Atari went straight to Dis.

[raindog]

Definitely Phoenix, because I thought they captured the arcade game about as well as you could on the 2600. The arcade game was flat and stiff as well, if you remember....

 

Demon Attack is definitely prettier to look at, but I had already played the arcade game to me and DA just seemed like an admittedly well-made ripoff.

[DeV0]

Phoenix comes 1st for me out of the 2, I love demon attack on the 2600 but after owning the intellivision version it gets second place. Phoenix was ported very well to the 2600 and its a great arcade game, I have spent hours on 2600 phoenix, I wonder what the current high score is??