Favorite Activision Game

[DuckandCover]

Another thread got me thinking...

 

I've always thought that Activision's carts were some of the best games ever produced for the 2600. Primarily, I'm a fan of the "original" games that Activision produced. Back in the day, Activision games were amongst my very favorites, and when I began buying Atari games again years later, Activision carts were at the top of my "must have" list. I've always thought that the Activision carts were amongst the most original, highest quality games that were produced for the 2600, and that many were groundbreaking with respect to what could be accomplished on the system. I'm wondering what other people's favorite Activision games are, and why. I think it would be really interesting to hear different opinions.

 

Personally, my favorite Activision cart is Stampede. (No, it isn't because I'm from Texas ) Recently, I began playing the game a lot in a failed attempt to best StanJr's amazing score on the Activision Quest (I never even got close). Playing it again reminded me of what an incredible game it is. The deceptively simple task of roping steers and keeping them from vanishing off the left side of the screen requires a great deal of skill, strategy, and fast reflexes. The graphics are well done, with nary a flicker. I've always admired the game's originality, and I never seem to tire of trying to best my highest score. I admit, the cart also has some nostalgic value as well. The first copy of Stampede I ever had was a gift from my grandparents, and it was also the very first Activision cart I ever owned.

[ATARIPITBULL]

For me it will always be Pitfall, it was the first Activision game my mother bought me as a little boy and I had lots of hours playing it. I own all the NTSC activision games and I like them a lot like pitfall II, but Pitfall I will be the king of Activision games for me.

[Room 34]

For the best of what Activision did, which is push the limits of the 2600: Pitfall II

 

For the impact the game had on the course of video game history: Pitfall!

 

For insanely-frantic, addictive gameplay: Kaboom!

 

And then there's Keystone Kapers, H.E.R.O., Private Eye, etc.

 

Don't make me choose just one!

[kyle]

SEA QUEST!!!! I'm sure im the only one that feels this way but for some reason i love that game its my fav my activsion by far!! Then megamania and after that pitfall!

[liquid_sky]

Probally Chopper Command. I could play that game all day long. 2nd place is proally pressure cooker, but I never had it as a kid

[Chris++]

Mine's going to have to be a tie: Stampede and Frostbite. Two of the most addictive video games ever released for any system in history!

 

CF

[jaybird]

I'm with KBeXpress.

 

Seaquest. I have a high appreciation for that game as a result of the Activision Quest.

 

Kaboom! is pretty sweet as well. Gotta love those reflex games!

[BatmiteReturns]

I would have to say either Pitfall or H.E.R.O.

 

Man, I loved H.E.R.O. back in the day. It had the same addicting quality as Bruce Lee for the Commodore 64.

[somePUNK]

that chicken game it's great ummmm the one where he crosses the road

[Joel D. Park]

Kaboom has nostaligic value for me, it was one of the first games I got, and the only game my mom would play with us kids.

 

H.E.R.O, amazes me, I never had it as a kid for the 2600, but I had it on the commodore 64. The atari version holds up perfectly against the C=64 version.

 

Cosmic Commuter has to be IMHO the most underrated of the Activision games, I'm really a big fan of Landing games and this games takes it one step further with a side Shooter/Choplifter style game.. Pretty cool.

[King Atari]

You knew it was coming: Double Dragon!

[Pitfall Harry]

You knew it was coming: Pitfall!

 

Ben

[+Cafeman]

I must admit not having owned many of those. I need to go hunting this weekend for Stampede, Pressure Cooker, Frostbite, and SeaQuest. I have never played Pressure Cooker or SeaQuest!

 

My favorite comes from the list of Pitfall, Megamania, Enduro, River Raid, and Robot Tank. I've long been a big River Raid fan, but lately my fave would have to be Enduro.

[dtahank]

H.E.R.O. and Kaboom rule all.

[Turnspike]

I am a big River Raid fan from way back. It's one of the first games I bought for my system when I was a kid. Later, when I caught my second Atari craze, it was the first game I bought to start my collection again. And I simply can't play my console without playing at least one game of River Raid today.

 

There are so many ways to play it:

 

Conservative: Carefully top of your fuel at each opportunity, keep a great distance between you and your enemies.

 

Speedy: Avoid slowing down at any cost! Keep your eyes focused at the top of the screen and shoot your enemies while they are far in front of you if possible to keep your path clear. If you can't kill your foes, hope that you can blow by them before they get in your path.

 

Rambo: Blow the be-jessus out of everything that will take a hit. If you can destroy everything possible between bridges, give yourself an "atta-boy!". When playing like this I even liked to shoot at close range at the river banks, just to hear the rapid da-da-da-da-da.

 

Explorer: Head way up the river by racking up points, keeping one eye on your fuel and the other on your enemies, and vary your throttle to keep it fun while playing it careful.

 

Just my own personal insight on River Raid, my favorite Activision game.

[Big Player]

Let me try to narrow it down.

 

Hero

Sky Jinks

Spider Fighter

Seaquest

Keystone Kapers

Pitfall II

Private Eye

Pressure Cooker

Robot Tank

Frostbite

Kaboom

River Raid

Megamania

 

That's the best I could do. Sorry.

[JCroniger]

My favorites are Kaboom!!!, Frostbite and Sea Quest. I also have to agree that they were the best games made. Very few duds.

[Markimus of K.]

I can't believe I'm the only Starmaster fanatic here! THAT was a video game, I played that game for many, many hours! My favourite bedtime reading was 'The Power of Starmaster'.

 

as always,

Markimus of K.

PS: if anyone has seen my Starmaster patches, I want 'em back!

[Stella'sGhost]

1. Pitfall 2

2. Pitfall

3. Starmaster

[Osmeroid]

It's got to be HERO, Frostbite & Kaboom! Perhaps Frostbite just wins by a whisker? I can't actually think of a bad Acti title. There were a few that were pretty mediocre but no actual bad ones.

[moycon]

quote

I can't actually think of a bad Acti title.  

 

Oh yeah? What about Laser Blast??!! *Gag*

 

Pitfall 2 has got to be the best Activision game and maybe the best Atart 2600 game ever!!!

 

Also like Private Eye , Sea Quest, Kaboom

[Osmeroid]

Laser Blast isn't so bad!

 

Just compare it to something like Sorcerer

[smf_4ever]

Wow... I think it might be easier to say what games from Activision kinda suck... the gems are too many to count.. They all have there own special place in my cart rack..

[Cassidy Nolen]

I am a little more than half way to getting the full 2600 Activision boxed releases, and its funny, I have only played a handful of them. I think games like Plaque Attack and Pressure Cooker are fun and original, but the games that grab me the most are Kaboom! and Crackpots.

 

Just as a side note: I bought a sealed Crackpots, and could not stand it being un-playable, so I opened it (not something I do considering about 1/3 of my collection is still sealed). The ActiPlaque we all know was not present at all. Maybe the actiplaque does have something to do with the game being exposed to air? Just a thought. I know theres air in the box, but it is protected.

 

Cassidy

[Junie]

Well my first choice would be H.E.R.O.

 

Followed close by many others like Stampede, Pressure Cooker, Grand Prix, Dragster, Pitfall, River Raid, Kaboom, Enduro, etc.