Archive for the ‘2600’ Category
Atari 2600 Cartridge Remade Into Wallet
June 14th, 2009 by Sean
It is $55.00 USD, however, the maker of this fine conversation piece says all of an Atari 2600 cartridge’s parts, except for one screw, are re-purposed to help make it into a wallet.
The maker, Nilesz, is running a win-a-wallet contest over on his site, which of course gives you the info on how to order one.
From his blog, it sounds like he does take mail-in requests, but you need to make sure you’re sending him something usable first.
It’d be geektastic if he could do the old Imagic cases, but the 14 he does offer – including Haunted House, Circus Atari and everyone’s favorite, E.T. – are slick enough.
Source: Nilesz – Project Atari 2600 Wallet
Posted in 2600, Atari Inc., Homebrew, Videos
Racing the Beam: Atari 2600 Hardware
March 18th, 2009 by Sean
The Atari 2600 Video Computer System was, in fascinating ways, unlike any other videogame console.
As the first wildly successful home gaming console, the Atari 2600 was in millions of homes for well over a decade after its 1977 release.
Even after Atari fell out of favor and Nintendo took over the 8-bit game business, Atari continued to produce Atari games and hardware until 1992.
Do you think Nintendo will still be manufacturing Wii consoles in 2021?
As most of my friends know, I’m a huge Nintendo fan and still own all my classic consoles, but I’m going to say probably not. Sorry Nintendo. I still love you.
The VCS’ unrivaled longevity is all the more astounding when one considers that the hardware itself was nearly obsolete even when it was first released.
The VCS’ unique hardware limitations forced game designers to jump through all sorts of hoops to squeeze more complex game designs out of the VCS.
In a new book from MIT Press titled Racing the Beam: The Atari Video Computer System, media studies professors Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost present an engaging, fascinating look at the VCS platform and how it changed the nature of game design.
The Atari 2600′s crazy hardware changed game design forever. If you’re into classic gaming consoles or just old hardware and technology in general, check out this book. It’s worth the $22.95 USD.
Posted in 2600, Atari Inc., Culture
Atari 2600: Frogger
March 17th, 2009 by Sean
This is easily one of the greatest and most popular classic Atari 2600 game cartridges of all time.
Frogger features bright, colorful graphics that appeal to both men and women of all ages.
Your little frog must first cross a busy street filled with all sorts of speeding cars and trucks. He must then navigate a river full of logs, snakes, alligators, attractive lady frogs, and juicy flies.
Not only does this version have all the elements of the original arcade hit, there are also a few extras thrown in like a “speedy Frogger” mode and the ability to drift off one side of the screen and reappear on the other.
Harmonized music only plays before and after each game, but it sure sounds great, especially for an old classic game from the early 1980′s.
The bottom line, 26+ years later, I personally think Frogger for the Atari 2600 is a “must have” retro game for any classic game collector.
For added retro gaming goodness, you can play Frogger in our free online classic game room anytime you want.
Posted in 2600, Atari Inc., Console Games
Atari 2600: River Raid
March 15th, 2009 by Sean
River Raid designed by Carol Shaw for Activision has got to rank as one of the top five Atari 2600 games of all time.
This excellent vertical shooter requires precision flying and accurate shooting as you guide a jet through a river valley while blasting ships, helicopters, planes, and bridges.
Flying over fuel barges restores your ever-dwindling fuel supply, and savvy gamers will destroy these just after refueling (for extra points). When your fuel gets low, it’s a good idea to hold you fire so you don’t accidentally blast an upcoming barge. Read the rest of this entry…
Posted in 2600, Atari Inc., Console Games
Atari 2600: Fantastic Voyage
February 5th, 2009 by Sean
I can only assume that Fantastic Voyage is based on that cheesy old movie where a ship is shrunk down and is injected into some poor chump.
As you travel through a patient’s bloodstream, you must blast bacteria, blood clots, and other nasty stuff. Be careful however not to shoot the good blood cells. The constant sound of a heart monitor keeps you informed of your progress.
Fantastic Voyage plays a lot like River Raid, but it doesn’t look nearly as good. The graphics are well-defined but drab.
Precision controls let you easily adjust the speed and position of your ship. Some objects “break down” when shot (in an Asteroids kind of way), which is pretty cool. Also, the passageway collapses unexpectedly at certain parts of the game.
The instruction manual is very helpful and necessary to determine what you’re allowed to shoot.
Overall Fantastic Voyage is a decent game and worth the $3.00 USD I paid for it at a local garage sale.
Posted in 2600, Atari Inc., Games
Atari 2600: California Games
January 16th, 2009 by Sean
Few were paying attention when this late-arriving Atari 2600 title was released in the late 1980′s, and that’s too bad because California Games is impressive.
One to eight players can compete in four fun-in-the-sun events, including:
- Foot bag (hackeysack)
- Half-pipe (skateboarding)
- BMX racing (biking downhill)
- Surfing
The game kicks off with a flashy title screen and a killer rendition of “Louie Louie”. The graphics are some of the best ever for the 2600.
Objects and backgrounds are multi-colored, finely detailed, and rendered in high resolution. I was especially impressed by the waves in the surfing event.
Each event poses a completely unique challenge, and players choose sponsors to identify their character.
California Games is a blast to play. Who would have thought they could have pulled this off on the Atari 2600?
Posted in 2600, Atari Inc., Games
Atari 2600: Boing!
January 9th, 2009 by Sean
First Star Software’s initial offering for the Atari 2600, Boing! has you bounce a bubble over a grid of squares, attempting to turn them all the same color.
Basically it’s a fast-paced Q*bert clone and apparently the game is super rare. I found my copy at a garage sale for $2.00 USD, so a major win for me 
The game controls are outstanding; you can bounce around very quickly and the game won’t let you fall of the edge.
Your adversaries assume the form of pins and “bubble busters”, but these can be neutralized by making them collide with each other.
Something to note, you can only die when your bubble is situated on a square, and not in the act of jumping.
Also, there are never more than two enemies on the screen at any time. I’m not sure if this is a feature or a bug, but you will want to take advantage of it.
Boing’s graphics are pretty simple but smoothly animated. I’ve seen better visuals on other Atari 2600 games, but I’ve also seen worse.
So what’s the bottom line with this Atari 2600 classic? It’s gameplay is really easy, fun and the challenge ramps up nicely. It’s worth a play or two.
Posted in 2600, Atari Inc., Games
Atari 2600: Armor Ambush
January 5th, 2009 by Sean
Considering how popular Combat (Atari, 1977) has remained over the years, it’s surprising that this game doesn’t get more attention.
Basically Armor Ambush is a two-player tank game with variable terrain and two tanks on each side.
Switching control of your tanks is done by simply pulling back on the joystick.
The randomized environments consist of roads, grass, forest, water, and buildings that ricochet shots.
Certain terrain will slow you down, but in general the tanks move swiftly. The animation is smooth and the large missiles are easy to follow.
The bottom line with Armor Ambush for the Atari 2600? It all adds up to a terrific two-player contest.
Posted in 2600, Atari Inc., Games