The Best Arcade port to the 2600...

[supercat]

Parker Brothers did a great job mostly - Frogger was very faithful too, and Popeye kept the basic gameplay intact. Atari delivered with Phoenix, Ms. Pac and others - can't pick just one.

 

Starpath/Arcadia Frogger for the 2600 blows away the PB version.

[NE146]

Parker Brothers did a great job mostly - Frogger was very faithful too, and Popeye kept the basic gameplay intact. Atari delivered with Phoenix, Ms. Pac and others - can't pick just one.

 

Starpath/Arcadia Frogger for the 2600 blows away the PB version.

 

I still hold the PB version above the Starpath version actually. Yes the Starpath version is graphically better... and of course, closer to the original in gameplay. But for me it's just a matter of personal taste, fondness for what is one of the purest, best 2600 translations around (that doesn't require a Starpath's help at that), and of course, nostalgia

[Lord Helmet]

Ladybug is the best arcade conversion ever IMHO. Of course, it's new, so I haven't had the chance to get bored with it yet

Edited August 10, 2006 by Lord Helmet

[joeybastard]

I think Phoenix, Frogger and Gravitar are all excellent arcade ports for the VCS. It surprises me that Joust is on so many lists. The floating eggs just ruin it for me. It's an OK game but that element being SO different just knock sit down for me.

[bloodreptile]

I rather liked Vanguard as I used to play the orginal arcade game. Also Jungle Hunt was a cracking conversion. I liked Galaxian too, It was not as good the arcade game but I still spent many an hour on it.

 

I rather liked the original pacman as it was easier than the arcade game which I was terrible at.

 

I think the best conversion has to be Zaxxon or Mousetrap.....

[BrianC]

I think the best conversion has to be Zaxxon or Mousetrap.....

 

I like the 2600 Zaxxon, but it does have flaws and it's definatly far from the best conversion. I like 2600 Mousetrap too, but it's definatly not a good conversion. It's much easier than the arcade and lacks the depth of other versions of the game. The lack of different colored doors, the completely different scoring that doesn't give bonuses for eathing more than one cat, and the absence of the hawk take too much away from it IMO.

Edited August 10, 2006 by BrianC

[+FujiSkunk]

If you're going by which ports were the most accurate (and I think there's another thread that asked it that way), then the ports of '70s games that were released during the black-label era are probably the best. This includes Night Driver, Dodge 'Em, Breakout, Super Breakout, and the games that were compiled into Combat and Video Olympics, among others.

 

If you're asking which games were the best at trying to be both good ports and great all-around games, I would probably give first place as a four-way tie between Jr. Pac-Man, Stargate, Millipede and Crystal Castles. Just about all of Atari's silver-label and red-label arcade ports would get honorable mention. Parker Brothers and CBS also did a good job with most of their ports, though Amidar is a big exception.

[BrianC]

If you're going by which ports were the most accurate (and I think there's another thread that asked it that way), then the ports of '70s games that were released during the black-label era are probably the best. This includes Night Driver, Dodge 'Em, Breakout, Super Breakout, and the games that were compiled into Combat and Video Olympics, among others.

 

There was another thread and, if I remember correctly, I posted about how some of the 70s ports weren't necessarily more accurate than the later ports for the 2600 there. Night Driver is not very accurate to the original (though it is quite good in its own right). The tank variations of Combat have less complex mazes and lack mines. Dodge 'Em has a smaller playing field. The playfield size of Video Olympics is also different. Breakout and Super Breakout are accurate, though the sounds and graphics of Super Breakout aren't dead on. The unreleased Stunt Cycle has less buses to jump. I don't see how many of the early games are more accurate than something like Centipede, which has most of the gameplay elements intact, but more simplistic graphics.

Edited August 10, 2006 by BrianC

[Lord Helmet]

Just about all of Atari's silver-label and red-label arcade ports would get honorable mention. Parker Brothers and CBS also did a good job with most of their ports, though Amidar is a big exception.

 

I agree with that for sure. The silver label era of arcade traslations are pretty well done across the board. several of them were the outsources to GCC. I'm a big fan of the PB and SBS game also. I also think that there are sevreal good conversions by Coleco, though there are just as many mediocre coleco traslations too.

[+FujiSkunk]

I don't see how many of the early games are more accurate than something like Centipede, which has most of the gameplay elements intact, but more simplistic graphics.

 

I guess I'm basing my opinion mostly (not entirely) on graphics. You make a valid point.

[BrianC]

I don't see how many of the early games are more accurate than something like Centipede, which has most of the gameplay elements intact, but more simplistic graphics.

 

I guess I'm basing my opinion mostly (not entirely) on graphics. You make a valid point.

 

I agree with you about some of the later Atari ports and PB ports being quite good, though. Millipede, Stargate/Defender II, Jr. Pac-Man, and Crystal Castles are some of my favorites too. I also agree that many of the silver and red label ports are quite good. It's too bad Klax didn't get released in the US. That one is quite impressive. Xenophobe and Road Runner are also quite impressive for the 2600.

Edited August 10, 2006 by BrianC

[pocketmego]

I think Phoenix, Frogger and Gravitar are all excellent arcade ports for the VCS. It surprises me that Joust is on so many lists. The floating eggs just ruin it for me. It's an OK game but that element being SO different just knock sit down for me.

 

The gameplay in Pheonix is top notch and it does mimick the arcade brilliantly. However, the problem I have with the 2600 Version is that the ship design which looked great in the arcade comes off looking like a plucked , ready to cook, headless, chicken.

 

 

Also, I don't think anyone here mentioned Berzerk. Was it a good comparison to the coin-op vcersion? I have only the very vaguest memories of Berzerk in the arcades.

 

-Ray

Edited August 11, 2006 by pocketmego

[Cybergoth]

With most games I cannot say how good they are actually ported - simply because I never played the Arcade...

 

Anyway, here's my list of favourites:

 

Battlezone

Commando

Crossbow

Dig Dug

Galaxian

Kangaroo

Phoenix

Polaris

Road Runner

Sky Skipper

Solar Fox

Stargate

Super Cobra

Tutankham

Vanguard

Venture

Xenophobe

[supercat]

Also, I don't think anyone here mentioned Berzerk. Was it a good comparison to the coin-op vcersion? I have only the very vaguest memories of Berzerk in the arcades.

 

Berzerk suffers from forced vertical separation. Robots cannot cross scan lines with other robots above/below, which really limits what they can do.