1475. Tenochtitlán is ruled by the Aztec sovereign Axayacatl, son of Motecuhzoma. Even as he was being defeated by the Tarascans, Axayacatl was expanding his realm by conquering the Mixtecs and Zapotecs.
You, being a warrior of the Zapotecs, managed to escape the battlefield together with two of your brothers, but unfortunately your party was trapped afterwards. Axayacatl offers you the only chance to survive by reaching the coast and leaving the country by boat. He challenges you with spear throwing warriors along your path and stone rolling priests on the pyramids. Reaching the pyramids safe inside allows your team to relax for a short time and prepare for the next trail.
Simon Quernhorst, author of the Atari 2600 homebrew game Mental Kombat, has programmed a new 2600 game: A-VCS-tec Challenge. A-VCS-tec Challenge is a conversion of the popular Aztec Challenge on the Commodore 64. The Atari 2600 version of the game includes the original game's arcade-like first level, called "The Gauntlet", as well as a second level where you must race up the stairs to the top of the pyramid while avoiding large stones being thrown down from the top! A-VCS-tec Challenge features the memorable soundtrack from the Commodore 64 version, composed by Paul Slocum, author of the Synthcart and Marble Craze for the 2600.
You can learn more about A-VCS-tec Challenge by visiting Simon Quernhorst's A-VCS-tec Challenge Development Page. You can read about the game's development, view detailed information about the gameplay, and watch a 43 second video trailer.
Includes cartridge and full-color manual. Available in NTSC and PAL television formats, each of which has a unique label. Please specify above when ordering.
Author | Simon Quernhorst |
Number of Players | 1 |
Controller | Joystick |
Cartridge Size | 8K |
Label Design | Simon Quernhorst |
Manual Design | Simon Quernhorst |
Music | Paul Slocum |
A-VCS-tec Challenge scores big with me, I give it a 9 out of 10!
On the plus side - the graphics and especially the music are first-rate, and nearly make up for the game's other shortcomings. The game is fun to just listen to, and a treat to watch. The designs of the pyramids are excellent, and the player's shadow even changes direction depending on the time of day. All things considered, what there is of A-VCS-Tec Challenge is very good. It's just too bad that there's not more of it.
This is a "twitch" game. You're either ducking or jumping during the gauntlet there is no left/right motion. I thought this would be dull but it's not. In the later levels the arrows are coming fast so it gets pretty intense. My wife was laughing at me because I was physically ducking in my chair while playing it! On the stairs levels the rocks(or meatballs as I've come to call them) fall really quickly and there's not much time toi decide which way to run.
The graphics are great, very bright colors, nice pyramids and nice animation on the character. The real standout is the EXCELLENT music. I find myself just sitting and listening to it inbetween rounds. Paul Slocum is the Mozart of the VCS.
Great game, go order it now!
Well, Simon has managed to double that grand sense of nostalgia. Not just with a new Homebrew, but one that is based on a game I played a lot in my developing years. The game was Aztec Challenge and it was a pretty regular fixture on my Commodore 64 computer.
So a game that combines my 2 great childhood loves of Commodore and Atari is one that I had to have and I am THRILLED that I made this purchase.
This is a fine game with graphics that are incredibly detailed, bright, and impressive. It looks good even by current graphical standards.
In terms of gameplay, its been improved considerably from its source material. Aztec Challenge was a HARD game with NO learning curve. However in taking the first two stages of the original game and allowing for a increas in difficulty per stage the Gauntlet and wall stages of the original game become endeering and addicitng to play. I want to work just a little harder to make it to each new level.
I can't leave out the Pyramid designs either, which offer a visual treat that makes you want to complete each level so you can take a few moments and admire the beauty of the design. My favorite being the "Atari" Pyramid.
Great stuff and a fantastic game that is well worth time in anyone's collection.
-Ray