Jump to content
IGNORED

Top 100 2600 games of all time


Damon Plus

Recommended Posts

20 hours ago, AW127 said:

I was suprised a little bit, that "Pitfall" is in front of "Pitfall 2".

Both games are good, no question, but when i think back in my childhood, no one from all my friends, including me, would have had the first game of the series in front here. We were all big fans of "Pitfall 2" and i still am, while the first part we didn't really give that much attention. But, tastes are different, as you can see.  :) 

 

LOL - There's lots of "age" to this poll, and it is just based on opinion.  Pitfall is in the top 5 best selling games.  More people played it, and more people vote for it.  There are other examples less egregious that are also there.  Tons of votes for Demon Attack, but very few for Commie Mutants from Outer Space.  Granted that Commie Mutants is not a direct sequel, but it offers a ton more options and is probably the better game.  Demon Attack just sold boatloads of copies so it is always going to get more votes in a poll like this.

 

FWIW - Pitfall 2 improved on the original in every way.  It is an amazing game to have on the 2600 and hasn't even really been equaled in the homebrew department.  When I do a top ten these days, I prefer to list Pitfalls instead of the games individually.  If forced to choose, I would always rank Pitfall 2 above the original.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, AW127 said:

I was suprised a little bit, that "Pitfall" is in front of "Pitfall 2".

Both games are good, no question, but when i think back in my childhood, no one from all my friends, including me, would have had the first game of the series in front here. We were all big fans of "Pitfall 2" and i still am, while the first part we didn't really give that much attention. But, tastes are different, as you can see.  :) 

I put Pitfall ahead of Pitfall 2 for a couple of reasons.

  • I like the limited lives aspect much better than being transported back to the last "cross";
  • I like the combination of the above ground/underground mechanics. It adds a strategy element that Pitfall 2 doesn't have.
  • There's more of a sense of urgency with the 20 minute limit
  • Although I don't mind the Pitfall 2 music, it becomes tiring after awhile

I probably also subconsciously give Pitfall a little more credit because it was first and blew my mind when it was initially released

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, wongojack said:

LOL - There's lots of "age" to this poll, and it is just based on opinion. 

Totally agree but that's part of the fun

 

47 minutes ago, wongojack said:

FWIW - Pitfall 2 improved on the original in every way.

Totally disagree lol but as you mentioned, it's a poll based on opinion ;)

 

 

Now what isn't based on opinion is that Beamrider should be #1 on every ballot as it's easily the best 2600 game. The poll should be used for #2-100.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/29/2020 at 4:13 PM, AW127 said:

I was suprised a little bit, that "Pitfall" is in front of "Pitfall 2".

Both games are good, no question, but when i think back in my childhood, no one from all my friends, including me, would have had the first game of the series in front here. We were all big fans of "Pitfall 2" and i still am, while the first part we didn't really give that much attention. But, tastes are different, as you can see.  :) 

 

Those be fighting words young man!

 

J/K

 

Actually I like Pitfall 2 better as well.  ;)

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, cvga said:

I put Pitfall ahead of Pitfall 2 for a couple of reasons.

  • I like the limited lives aspect much better than being transported back to the last "cross";
  • I like the combination of the above ground/underground mechanics. It adds a strategy element that Pitfall 2 doesn't have.
  • There's more of a sense of urgency with the 20 minute limit
  • Although I don't mind the Pitfall 2 music, it becomes tiring after awhile

I probably also subconsciously give Pitfall a little more credit because it was first and blew my mind when it was initially released

Agreed on all counts. Pitfall! also has a deep nostalgic connection for me, because my parents bought it for me for Christmas the year it came out, and I think about how far out of their comfort zone they had to go to do that (dealing with salespeople wanting to sell them other games, making sure it was for the right system, etc). Plus, Pitfall II becomes an annoying grind in that last ascent. I was incredibly impressed with Pitfall II, but I like playing Pitfall! more.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The fact, that you can move freely in that big labyrinth, is the main-reason, that makes "Pitfall 2" better for my friends and me than the first part back in the days (and still today). :) This gave motivation, to play the game again and again, because of exploring more of that big cave, in which one is. But i also know, that people often vote for that game, on which they have the nicest memories and not necessarily always for those games, that were technically the best. That's normal, in my personal Top Ten here, are also some of those games.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
On 11/30/2020 at 8:00 PM, cvga said:

Now what isn't based on opinion is that Beamrider should be #1 on every ballot as it's easily the best 2600 game. The poll should be used for #2-100.

Facts, I haven't voted yet because I don't know what my 2-10 would be or what order, but Beamrider is #1 in a league of it's own, I knew that long before I could program or understood the 2600, and I know it's indisputable now that I do.

It should be less controversial than saying Solaris has the best graphics.

Those who know, know.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

I love the idea of this list! I actually just joined this site today so I could add my own person Top 10:

 

1. Adventure
2. Megamania
3. Ms. Pac-Man
4. Chopper Command
5. Berserk
6. Yar's Revenge
7. Frogger
8. Asteroids
9. River Raid
10. Stampede

 

I was a big Activision fan, but also loved several of the arcade conversions. Adventure, however, is easily my most played and most loved Atari 2600 game of all time!

 

Thanks for putting this list together!

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, MustardCowboy said:

I love the idea of this list! I actually just joined this site today so I could add my own person Top 10:

 

1. Adventure
2. Megamania
3. Ms. Pac-Man
4. Chopper Command
5. Berserk
6. Yar's Revenge
7. Frogger
8. Asteroids
9. River Raid
10. Stampede

 

I was a big Activision fan, but also loved several of the arcade conversions. Adventure, however, is easily my most played and most loved Atari 2600 game of all time!

 

Thanks for putting this list together!

Welcome!  And good list!  Though it's fascinating to me how different so many top 10 lists are for the 2600.  I think from your list I would only have a couple that matched my personal current top 10 (River Raid, Stampede, Ms Pac-Man probably).  If you haven't played them and are a big fan of Activision games, I strongly recommend Pressure Cooker, Enduro, and Robot Tank. :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

I just found this topic and I am glad I can add my top 10 favorite Atari 2600 games as well as couple of my favorite homebrew games:

1. Tapper

2. Wizard of Wor

3. Burgertime 

4. H.E.R.O

5. Gyruss 

6. Moon Patrol 

7. Adventure 

8. Pitfall II

9. Megamania

10. GORF

 

Homebrews:

1. Star Castle

2. Super Cobra Arcade

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/5/2021 at 7:59 AM, DragonSlayer said:

I just found this topic and I am glad I can add my top 10 favorite Atari 2600 games as well as couple of my favorite homebrew games:

1. Tapper

2. Wizard of Wor

3. Burgertime 

4. H.E.R.O

5. Gyruss 

6. Moon Patrol 

7. Adventure 

8. Pitfall II

9. Megamania

10. GORF

 

Homebrews:

1. Star Castle

2. Super Cobra Arcade

Great list!  Some people dislike the 2600 version of Burgertime because of its slow pace and poor comparison to the Intellivision version, but I don't mind it so much.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/6/2021 at 12:40 PM, wongojack said:

Great list!  Some people dislike the 2600 version of Burgertime because of its slow pace and poor comparison to the Intellivision version, but I don't mind it so much.

I'll admit that I was never a big fan of Burgertime on the Atari. Maybe because my best friend had it on the Intellivision and we played it a ton. I couldn't wait to get it for my Atari but it was a bit of a letdown. Other MNetwork games seemed almost like clones of their Intellivision cousins.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

 

 

Updated Top 100  

Total

Total

Total

  January 1, 2022  

Points

Votes

1st Place

1

 PITFALL

 

906

144

20

2

 RIVER RAID

 

753

126

9

3

 PITFALL 2

 

751

103

27

4

 ADVENTURE

 

746

111

29

5

 MISSILE COMMAND

 

687

114

8

6

 YARS REVENGE

 

661

105

12

7

HERO

 

659

102

19

7

 SPACE INVADERS

 

659

113

15

9

 ASTEROIDS

 

584

98

13

10

 MS PACMAN

 

556

96

10

11

 KABOOM

 

551

89

16

12

 BERZERK

 

457

75

12

13

 WARLORDS

 

424

65

10

14

 DEMON ATTACK

 

389

70

8

15

 ENDURO

 

369

65

4

16

 KEYSTONE KAPERS

363

56

6

17

 FROGGER

 

327

66

3

18

 PHOENIX

 

284

51

6

19

 SUPER BREAKOUT

 

270

48

4

20

 SOLARIS

 

267

40

13

21

 FROSTBITE

 

249

38

7

22

 SEAQUEST

 

245

40

6

23

 MEGAMANIA

 

234

41

4

24

 CENTIPEDE

 

229

42

4

25

 DIG DUG

 

226

45

2

26

 CIRCUS ATARI

 

216

40

4

27

 GALAXIAN

 

197

40

3

28

 DEFENDER

 

195

39

0

29

 COMBAT

 

192

39

1

30

 MILLIPEDE

 

190

33

5

31

 Q-BERT

 

189

36

2

32

 JOUST

 

184

34

3

33

 PAC-MAN JUNIOR

 

180

31

3

34

 PAC-MAN

 

178

32

2

35

 BEAMRIDER

 

171

23

5

36

 COSMIC ARK

 

162

28

5

36

MONTEZUMAS REVENGE

162

24

6

38

 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

161

31

1

39

 PRESSURE COOKER

159

27

5

40

 DEFENDER 2

 

157

26

2

41

 JUNGLE HUNT 

 

155

30

2

42

 TAPPER

 

153

25

3

43

 MOON PATROL

 

140

28

2

44

 STAMPEDE

 

135

25

0

45

 POLE POSITION

 

131

27

1

46

 CALIFORNIA GAMES

123

21

1

47

 ATLANTIS

 

122

25

1

47

 MARIO BROS

 

122

22

2

49

 BATTLEZONE

 

112

25

0

49

 DONKEY KONG

 

112

22

1

51

 HAUNTED HOUSE

 

111

18

1

52

 DRAGONFIRE

 

110

20

0

52

 ROBOT TANK

 

110

20

2

54

 CRYSTAL CASTLES

 

104

21

3

55

 STAR WARS

 

103

26

0

56

 STAR MASTER

 

102

20

1

57

 INDY 500

 

97

19

0

58

 MIDNIGHT MAGIC

 

96

15

3

59

 CHOPPER COMMAND

91

21

0

60

 BREAKOUT

 

85

17

1

60

 VANGUARD

 

85

19

0

62

 SUPERMAN

 

81

21

0

63

 ICE HOCKEY

 

74

15

0

64

 VIDEO PINBALL

 

72

17

1

65

 MOUNTAIN KING

 

70

12

1

65

 SOLAR FOX

 

70

12

3

67

 TURMOIL

 

69

14

1

68

 SPIDER FIGHTER

 

66

17

1

69

BMX AIRMASTER

 

62

13

0

70

 E.T.

 

60

17

1

71

SUBTERRANEA

 

56

10

0

72

 DECATHALON

 

55

10

0

73

 MAZE CRAZE

 

52

10

1

74

STAR WARS ARCADE

50

9

1

75

 BOWLING

 

49

11

1

75

 DARK CAVERN

 

49

10

0

75

 TUTANKHAN

 

49

8

2

78

 FREEWAY

 

48

12

0

78

 TRON DEADLY DISC

48

9

1

78

 TUNNEL RUNNER

 

48

9

2

81

BUMP JUMP

 

47

8

1

81

 DODGE EM

 

47

9

0

83

 FAST FOOD

 

46

8

1

83

 TENNIS

 

46

7

0

83

 WIZARD OF WOR

 

46

9

0

86

 DRAGSTER

 

44

8

2

86

 VIDEO OLYMPICS

 

44

13

0

88

 ADVENTURE OF TRON

40

5

1

88

 GRAVITAR

 

40

8

0

90

 VENTURE

 

39

9

1

91

 BARNSTORMING

 

38

8

0

91

FRANKENSTEINS MONSTER

38

10

0

93

 BOXING

 

36

11

0

93

FANTASTIC VOYAGE

36

7

0

93

 STAR RAIDERS

 

36

8

0

96

 POPEYE

 

35

8

0

97

 NIGHT DRIVER

 

34

6

1

97

 PRIVATE EYE

 

34

5

2

99

 SPACE SHUTTLE

 

33

8

0

100

FATHOM

 

32

8

0

100

 GHOSTBUSTERS

 

32

7

0

100

 KUNG-FU MASTER

 

32

6

0

100

LASER GATES

 

32

10

0

100

 REACTOR

 

32

7

0

100

SPACE MASTER X-7

32

6

1

106

DOUBLE DRAGON

 

31

5

1

106

 KANGAROO

 

31

5

0

108

 ASTROBLAST

 

30

7

0

108

TOMCAT F-14

 

30

5

1

110

 DARK CHAMBERS

 

29

5

0

110

 MOONSWEEPER

 

29

6

1

110

MR DO

 

29

6

1

110

 SMURF GARGAMELS

29

8

1

114

 GYRYSS

 

28

5

0

114

HALLOWEEN

 

28

5

0

114

 OUTLAW

 

28

5

1

114

RAMPAGE

 

28

5

2

114

STAR WARS DEATH STAR

28

6

0

119

 FROGS AND FLIES

 

27

5

0

119

KLAX

 

27

5

1

119

 RIVER RAID 2

 

27

4

0

119

 SECRET QUEST

 

27

8

0

123

 LOCK AND CHASE

 

26

8

0

123

 PLACQUE ATTACK

 

26

6

0

125

PLANET PATROL

 

25

5

0

125

 RIDDLE OF SPHINX

 

25

7

0

127

 PENGO

 

24

3

1

127

SPY HUNTER

 

24

3

0

129

 COMMANDO

 

23

4

0

129

 DOLPHIN

 

23

4

1

129

TRACK FIELD

 

23

4

0

132

 DESERT FALCON

 

22

4

0

132

NO ESCAPE

 

22

4

0

132

 SUPER BASEBALL

 

22

4

0

135

 FAST EDDIE

 

21

3

0

135

 FISHING DERBY

 

21

4

1

135

 MINATURE GOLF

 

21

3

0

135

SNOOPY RED BARON

21

4

0

135

 SUPER COBRA

 

21

3

1

135

 TAZ

 

21

5

0

135

 TOWERING INFERNO

21

5

0

135

 UP  'N DOWN

 

21

3

0

143

MINER 49ER

 

20

5

0

143

 MOUSETRAP

 

20

5

0

145

CRAZY CLIMBER

 

19

3

1

145

 GORF

 

19

4

0

145

JAWBREAKER

 

19

6

0

145

 LASER BLAST

 

19

3

0

149

 AIR RAIDERS

 

18

5

0

149

 BERMUDA TRIANGLE

18

3

0

149

 BURGERTIME

 

18

3

0

149

QUADRON

 

18

2

1

149

 SKIING

 

18

4

0

149

 SPIDERMAN

 

18

4

0

155

 DONKEY KONG JR.

 

17

4

0

155

 FRONTLINE

 

17

3

0

155

 KRULL

 

17

3

1

155

 SPACE ATTACK

 

17

4

0

155

STAR TREK

 

17

4

0

155

 WINTER GAMES

 

17

4

0

155

 ZAXXON

 

17

5

0

162

GHOST MANOR

 

16

4

0

162

 RS TENNIS

 

16

3

0

164

 AIR SEA BATTLE

 

15

5

0

164

 RS VOLLEYBALL

 

15

3

0

164

 SKY DIVER

 

15

4

0

167

 AMIDAR

 

14

2

0

167

 ARMOUR AMBUSH

 

14

3

0

167

 BOBBY IS GOING HOME

14

3

0

167

 CARNIVAL

 

14

2

0

171

 BANK HEIST

 

12

3

0

171

 CHUCK NORRIS

 

12

3

0

171

 COCONUTS

 

12

2

0

171

 GREMLINS

 

12

2

0

171

 PELE SOCCER

 

12

3

0

171

 SLOT RACERS

 

12

3

0

171

 SPACE JOCKEY

 

12

3

0

171

 SURROUND

 

12

3

0

179

 CRACKPOT

 

11

4

0

179

 KOOL AID MAN

 

11

2

0

179

 SOLOR STORM

 

11

3

0

182

 ASTROWAR

 

10

1

1

182

 DEMONS TO DIAMONDS

10

1

1

182

 PIGS IN SPACE

 

10

2

0

182

 ROAD RUNNER

 

10

5

0

182

 SEAHUMT

 

10

1

1

182

 SIR LANCELOT

 

10

1

1

188

 BUCK ROGERS [LANET

9

1

0

188

 GOPHER

 

9

2

0

188

 INFILTRATE

 

9

1

0

188

 JOURNEY ESCAPE

 

9

2

0

188

 OINK

 

9

3

0

188

 OMEGA RACE

 

9

1

0

188

 WING WAR

 

9

1

0

195

 CHALLENGE OF NEXAR       

8

2

195

 DEMOLITIO HERBY

 

8

1

0

195

 EGGOMANIA

 

8

1

0

195

 FOOTBALL

 

8

1

0

195

 KABOBBER

 

8

2

0

195

 MASTER OF UNIVERSE

8

1

0

195

 NR DO'S CASTLE

 

8

2

0

195

 OBELIX

 

8

1

0

195

 PETE ROSE BASEBALL

8

2

0

195

 POLARIS

 

8

3

0

195

 QUICK STEP

 

8

2

0

195

 SAVE MARY

 

8

2

0

195

 SUMMER GAMES

 

8

2

0

208

 BASKETBALL

 

7

2

0

208

 BRAIN GAMES

 

7

2

0

208

 ENTOMBED

 

7

3

0

208

 GAS HOG

 

7

1

0

208

 RS BOXING

 

7

2

0

208

 SHOOTING ARCADE

7

1

0

208

 STELLA TRACK

 

7

2

0

215

 BIG BIRD EGG CATCH

6

1

0

215

 CONGO BONGO

 

6

1

0

215

 FIRE FIGHTER

 

6

1

0

215

 GRAN PRIX

 

6

3

0

215

 MASH

 

6

3

0

215

 MR POSTMAN

 

6

1

0

215

 OFF THE WALL

 

6

1

0

215

 OTHELLO

 

6

3

0

215

 RADAR LOCK

 

6

1

0

215

 RAM IT

 

6

2

0

215

 SPACE WAR

 

6

2

0

215

 TOOTH PROTECTORS

6

1

0

215

 WORM WAR

 

6

1

0

215

 XENOPHOBE

 

6

3

0

229

 AIR RAID

 

5

1

0

229

 ALIEN

 

5

1

0

229

 COMMANDO RAID

 

5

1

0

229

 COOKIE MONSTER MUNCH

5

1

0

229

 PORKY'S

 

5

1

0

229

 RESCUE TERRA

 

5

1

0

229

 SQUEEZEBOX

 

5

1

0

229

 SWORDQUEST EARTHWORLD

5

1

0

229

 TAC SCAN

 

5

2

0

229

 THRESHOLD

 

5

2

0

229

 VIDEO CHESS

 

5

2

0

240

 AIRLOCK

 

4

1

0

240

 CANYON BOMBER

 

4

1

0

240

 CASINO

 

4

1

0

240

 DEADLY DUCK

 

4

1

0

240

 ENCOUNTER AT L5

 

4

2

0

240

 FATAL RUN

 

4

1

0

240

 FROGGER 2

 

4

2

0

240

 SHARK ATTACK

 

4

1

0

240

 SHUTTLE ORBITER

 

4

1

0

240

 STREET RACER

 

4

1

0

240

 TAPE WORM

 

4

2

0

240

 X-MAN

 

4

1

0

252

 ACID DROP

 

3

1

0

252

 ARTILLERY DUEL

 

3

1

0

252

 BLUEPRINT

 

3

1

0

252

 CONDOR ATTACK

 

3

1

0

252

 CROSSBOW

 

3

1

0

252

 FLASH GORDON

 

3

1

0

252

 HUMAN CANNONBALL

3

2

0

252

 IXION

 

3

1

0

252

 LADY IN WADING

 

3

1

0

252

 LOMDON BLITZ

 

3

1

0

252

 MARINE WARS

 

3

1

0

252

 NAME THIS GAME

 

3

1

0

252

 SWORDQUEST FIREWORLD

3

1

0

252

 SWORDQUESTWATERWORLD

3

1

0

252

 TIME PILOT

 

3

1

0

252

 UNKNOWN ACTIVISION GAM

3

1

0

268

 BOING

 

2

2

0

268

 CUSTER'S REVENGE

2

1

0

268

 HOMERUN

 

2

2

0

268

 HUNT AND SCORE

 

2

1

0

268

 ROOM OF DOOM

 

2

2

0

268

 RUBIK'S CUBE

 

2

1

0

268

 SKY JINKS

 

2

2

0

268

 SKY SKIPPER

 

2

1

0

268

 SPACE CAVERN

 

2

1

0

268

 SPRINTMASTER

 

2

1

0

268

 STAR SHIP

 

2

1

0

268

 TEXASCHAINSAW MASSACRE

2

1

0

268

 TITLE MATCH WRESTLING

2

1

0

268

 STAR VOYAGER

 

2

1

0

282

 ASSAULT

 

1

1

0

282

 BUMPER BASH

 

1

1

0

282

 CRASH DRIVE

 

1

1

0

282

 CRYPTS OF CHAOS

 

1

1

0

282

 FLAG CAPTURE

 

1

1

0

282

 HANGMAN

 

1

1

0

282

 MOTORCROSS RACER

1

1

0

282

 MOTORODEO

 

1

1

0

282

 STAR WARS EWOK ADVENTU

1

1

0

282

 STARGATE

 

1

1

0

282

 THUNDERGROUND

 

1

1

0

  • Like 5
  • Thanks 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/30/2020 at 12:10 PM, wongojack said:

 

LOL - There's lots of "age" to this poll...

Yeah, started in 2004 and last updated 2007.

 

I mean, emulation was a thing but wasn't really super mainstream like it is now. Harmony cart wasn't a thing yet. Closest thing I personally had was a cuttlefish cart that could load one game at a time from my CD Walkman haha. Those weren't easy to get either. 

 

Long story short, lots of games could have been overlooked if they were never played ;)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My own top 10 :

 

1) Beamrider

2) Stargate

3) Enduro

4) River raid

5) Frogger

6) Missile command

7) Klax

8) Track and field

9) Jr. Pac Man

10) Millipede

 

I would agree with @Crazy Climber though, that a lot of games would be overlooked because people just never played them. My own top 10 is made up largely of games that I have only played more recently via emulation. If I had to do a top 10 based purely on games I played "first time around" it would look like this

 

1) Enduro

2) River Raid

3) Frogger

4) Missile command

5) Star Raiders

6) Bezerk

7) Space Invaders

8) Centipede

9) Stampede

10) Dodge Em

 

By the time you are at the bottom of that list, you are looking at relatively forgettable titles. Not bad games for the time by any means, but neither Stampede nor Dodgem would get anywhere near most collectors top 10. But they'd have been my top 10 back then, simply because they were the games I actually knew

 

As an aside ,if you'd asked me what my favourite Atari game was at the time I was playing it regularly as a kid, I'd definitely have said Frogger. Which I guess shows how tastes change as you grow up

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...