Star Raiders: extremely challenging?

[Nostalgic]

I recently inherited Star Raiders from a friend giving away his collection. I remembered fondly playing it on the 8-bit Atari computers, so I was glad to see this among the batch - complete with the Video Touch Pad.

 

I am amazed at how difficult the 2600 version is by comparison! Even at the lowest skill level (only 10 enemy ships), I have yet to win only once, and only with a rating of Cook 3. It seems to me like the enemy fighters flit around the screen so fast that it's virtually impossible to hit them, and all the while they take enough pot-shots at you to drop your energy very quickly. (The manual says at the lowest skill level that the enemy is not accurate and only light damage should be expected. Ha!)

 

Has anyone else found the 2600 Star Raiders to be rather difficult or am I just inept at protecting the galaxy?

[StanJr]

Star Raiders is VERY hard for me as well, but only because I can't make heads or tails of the controls.

[+Random Terrain]

I remember wanting Star Raiders because it had that cool touch pad, but then I found out how much of a pain in the butt it is. I hate plugging and unplugging joysticks and paddles and touch pads. I eventually abandoned Star Raiders and just played Starmaster instead.

[NovaXpress]

I like 2600 Star Raiders better than Starmaster.

 

You have to be agressive with the enemy. You can't let them hang around your screen like you do in Starmaster because the Zylon fire is too heavy to deal with. Either keep them off your screen or go right in for the kill.

 

The controls are pretty much the same as in Starmaster, only you reach for a touchpad instead of a VCS switch.

[Kenwood]

I really hated Star Raiders as a kid and refused to rebuy it as an Adult. I don't think I ever got past Cook. StarMaster is a much more enjoyable game.

[Tsukasa]

I hate star raiders for the 2600, I'd much rather play phaser patrol.

[+Nathan Strum]

I recently bought Star Fire from the Atari Age store, and it quickly moved to the top of my list for first-person space-shooters. Even though I like StarMaster and Phaser Patrol, Star Fire piles on the action.