The most depressing game of the 2nd generation of video games.

[Atari-Jess]

I believe this game to have been Missile Command.

 

The realities are obvious. The Cold War is over, and has now become the Atomic Wars, World War III. The end is so very close to the war's start and now, you exist as the chief protector of your city. Armed with men to man the Anti Ballistic missile stores you must use every ounce of strength to deflect the nuclear death raining down upon you.

 

But face it, you are doomed to lose. The game will not allow you to play forever, sooner or later you will fail and hundreds of thousands of human beings who are depending on you to save them will die instantly as a direct consequence of your failure.

 

While there are similar games, atlantis, war games, and to a lesser degree space invaders, you not only see the oncoming torrent of disaster pouring from the heavens, but you must also suffer the sight of countless explosions as the missiles reach critical mass and consume blocks of buildings.

 

With Atlantis you have hope, even at your failure, a single space ship manages its way out.

With Space Invaders, you have no direct proof they intend to destroy us all.

With WarGames you do not see the explosions in the same way as missile command.

 

And so this is why I feel that Missile Command is the most depressing game of the 2nd Generation (and perhaps of all time)

[sku_u]

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. Afetr that game's release, I was indeed convinced that the world would soon be ending.

[JB]

With Space Invaders, you have no direct proof they intend to destroy us all.

Try growing up on the 99/4a. In TI Invaders they "erase the planet" after they land.

 

 

But yeah, Missile Command wins. Especially in the context of it's release. It loses a bit of impact now that the Soviet Union's collapsed.

[shadow460]

Hmm, not so sure if I wouldn't give that honor to Tempest. After all, you can never quite fill that hole in. The monsters just keep coming up outta the ground for more punishment.

[Atarifever]

Maybe that's why I've always hated Missle Command. Either that or the fact that I don't think it's very fun.

[NovaXpress]

Missile Command rules.

 

But War Room for the Colecovision took it to another level. You're looking at a map of the US and the cities have names. In the end, everything gets nuked. The only way to last is to protect a couple of fuel-producing cities and let everyone else get vaporized (this is the real-life theory as well).

[NovaXpress]

Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. After that game's release, I was indeed convinced that the world would soon be ending.

But Moonwalker the arcade game was actually good. MegaManFan and I played this not long ago. It's totally different from the home version. It played kind of like Escape From the Planet of the Robot Monsters. Bubbles the chimp was the power-up and the goal was to score points by "touching" children. Up to three Michael Jacksons can play at a time! You can even turn into Robo-Jacko. No little boy is safe from three Robo-Jackos!

[candiru]

Don't forget the Jesus Juice you can use to temporarily slow down the children.

[8th lutz]

And so this is why I feel that Missile Command is the most depressing game of the 2nd Generation (and perhaps of all time)

 

For all time you need to play a rpg like phantasy Star 2 or a depressing zelda type game like Alundra. In that game one of characters you played dies by her own clone, a planet blows up, and your party get killed by people from earth in the space ship, after you defeat mother Brain.

 

For the 2nd generation, I have to agree.

[Tempest]

I believe this game to have been Missile Command.

 

The realities are obvious. The Cold War is over, and has now become the Atomic Wars, World War III. The end is so very close to the war's start and now, you exist as the chief protector of your city. Armed with men to man the Anti Ballistic missile stores you must use every ounce of strength to deflect the nuclear death raining down upon you.

 

But face it, you are doomed to lose. The game will not allow you to play forever, sooner or later you will fail and hundreds of thousands of human beings who are depending on you to save them will die instantly as a direct consequence of your failure.

 

This original game concept was actually much darker. The original plot was supposed to feature a missile attack on California, but this idea was scrapped due to fears of the game causing a mass panic (this was during the Cold War after all). Programmer Dave Theurer actually woke up in cold sweats due to the nightmares he had about nuclear war after working on this project.

 

Tempest

[+Omegamatrix]

I believe this game to have been Missile Command.

 

The realities are obvious. The Cold War is over, and has now become the Atomic Wars, World War III. The end is so very close to the war's start and now, you exist as the chief protector of your city. Armed with men to man the Anti Ballistic missile stores you must use every ounce of strength to deflect the nuclear death raining down upon you.

 

But face it, you are doomed to lose. The game will not allow you to play forever, sooner or later you will fail and hundreds of thousands of human beings who are depending on you to save them will die instantly as a direct consequence of your failure.

 

While there are similar games, atlantis, war games, and to a lesser degree space invaders, you not only see the oncoming torrent of disaster pouring from the heavens, but you must also suffer the sight of countless explosions as the missiles reach critical mass and consume blocks of buildings.

 

With Atlantis you have hope, even at your failure, a single space ship manages its way out.

With Space Invaders, you have no direct proof they intend to destroy us all.

With WarGames you do not see the explosions in the same way as missile command.

 

And so this is why I feel that Missile Command is the most depressing game of the 2nd Generation (and perhaps of all time)

Had to happen sometime. Better in 4K then real life.

[shadow460]

And so this is why I feel that Missile Command is the most depressing game of the 2nd Generation (and perhaps of all time)

 

For all time you need to play a rpg like phantasy Star 2 or a depressing zelda type game like Alundra. In that game one of characters you played dies by her own clone, a planet blows up, and your party get killed by people from earth in the space ship, after you defeat mother Brain.

 

For the 2nd generation, I have to agree.

 

***SPOLIERS***

 

 

Kinda reminds me of FF7, then, except that Nanaki is still around after 500 years to roam the countryside with his great grandkids.

[moycon]

I nominate Alpha Beam with Ernie. A game that encourages young people to complete an all-too-easy task , the reward being they get to beam a beloved Childrens Television Workshop favorite down to a desolate planet with no helmet on. You can almost hear his screams as he waves his hand frantically, his little puppet lungs filling with alien atmosphere. The problem is....in space no-one can hear you scream.

 

Poor Ernie.

Edited June 8, 2006 by moycon

[NovaXpress]

Custer's Revenge?

[JagFan422]

by 2nd generation we're talking 5200/Colecovision right? Then i'd have to say Countermeasure, nothing like a good nuclear holocaust to brighten up the day.

[Tempest]

I nominate Alpha Beam with Ernie. A game that encourages young people to complete an all-too-easy task , the reward being they get to beam a beloved Childrens Television Workshop favorite down to a desolate planet with no helmet on. You can almost hear his screams as he waves his hand frantically, his little puppet lungs filling with alien atmosphere. The problem is....in space no-one can hear you scream.

 

Poor Ernie.

 

Along those lines I nominate Grovers Music Maker. You think Grover is dancing to the music? He's actually being electrocuted by the 2600 and flailing around in agony on the screen while we all watch in enjoyment...

 

 

Tempest

[moycon]

And don't even get me started on Oscars Trash Race.

Edited June 8, 2006 by moycon

[NovaXpress]

Actually, the entire list of launch titles for the 5200 caused a great deal of depression back in 1982.

[7800Lover]

Most depressing? How about the 2600 ET? I couldn't figure that game out to save my life.

[moycon]

Most depressing? How about the 2600 ET? I couldn't figure that game out to save my life.

 

Ummmmm No.

[Room 34]

Well, you know the programmers of the original arcade version of Missile Command wanted to call it Armageddon, right?

 

In the words of Steve Calfee, one of the programmers:

 

We had this big thing about the name of the game. From the beginning, it was called Armageddon. The management, themselves, didn't know what the word meant and they thought none of the kids would. Then we went through this big thing of naming it. Engineering loved the name Armageddon, and we always wanted to call it that. From the very top came the message, 'We can't use that name, nobody'll know what it means, and nobody can spell it.'

 

 

Source: http://markn.users.netlink.co.uk/Arcade/missile.html

[accousticguitar]

Try growing up on the 99/4a. In TI Invaders they "erase the planet" after they land.

 

 

But yeah, Missile Command wins. Especially in the context of it's release. It loses a bit of impact now that the Soviet Union's collapsed.

 

The last time I checked the Soviet Union still had plenty of nukes, and they are still pointed at us.

[Room 34]

I'd be more concerned about ones they've lost track of than ones that are still known to be pointed at us.

[supercat]

I'd be more concerned about ones they've lost track of than ones that are still known to be pointed at us.

 

Someone (I forget who) commented he's not worried that there's a bullet with his name on it--he's more concerned about the ones addressed "To whom it may concern".