The Atari 2600 is one of the few pre-NES systems I didn't make a thread for a few years ago. I focused on other consoles and computers I felt were more underrated. Still, given the average age of people here I imagine there's a good number of gamers who didn't fully experience it despite the popularity it once had.
I made the mistake in the past of dismissing some of its multiformat games. A lot of them are damn good even if they aren't the most technically advanced ones. I was more of an Intellivision kid back in the day but today I prefer the 2600 overall.
For those who don't know, the 2600 console was launched in 1977 under the name of Atari Video Computer System(VCS). It went on to become the first highly successful console in history. It brought home gaming to the masses.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...deater/VCS.jpg
Here are some cool games for it:
Adventure(Atari)
The great granddaddy of all quest games with graphics. While it has aged in the nearly three decades it has been around, there's still something appealing about its somewhat abstract world.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/.../adventure.jpg
Combat(Atari)
As the original pack in game in 1977 this two-player tank duel blew away everything else on the home market at the time.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...ter/combat.gif
Dragonfire(Imagic)
This game consisted of side view jumping and levels where you roamed the screen for treasure. The Coleco version was much more advanced but I find it a lot more frustrating than the 2600 original. I might like the Vic 20 version the most though.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...Dragonfire.gif
Enduro(Activision)
A very smooth and intense racer for its time.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...ter/enduro.gif
Fathom(Imagic)
In the Genesis game Ecco: The Tides of Time you play as a dolphin that can transform into a bird. Fathom did the same basic concept over a decade earlier. The goal in this adventure was to gather pieces of the trident to free Neptune's daughter.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...ter/fathom.gif
Frankenstein's Monster(Data Age)
One of my top pre-NES platformers. I have been playing this quite a bit recently.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...er/franken.png
Frostbite(Activision)
This has aged very nicely. You need to jump on various pieces of ice which somehow creates an igloo. Q*bert fans should definitely check it out.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/.../Frostbite.gif
H.E.R.O.(Activision)
This shoot and rescue cavern action game might be my favorite 2600 title. There are various more technically advanced versions on other consoles and computers but this is a case where speed and overall feel win out over graphic detail.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...eater/hero.gif
Joust(Atari)
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...ater/joust.jpg
Jr. Pac-Man(Atari)
Most people probably know the original Pac-Man on 2600 was kind of shitty. Ms. Pac-Man turned out nicely and Jr. improved upon it with a better presentation and feel.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...%20pac-man.gif
Jungle Hunt(Atari)
A quality port of the Taito arcade game. There are better versions but I still play this one sometimes.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...gle%20hunt.gif
Kaboom!(Activision)
Catch 'em before they fall. Like other paddle controller games it's just not the same playing it in a modern compilation.
img]http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/neozeedeater/Kaboom.gif[/img]
Keystone Kapers(Activision)
Catch the thieving bastard!
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...r/keystone.png
Laser Gates(Imagic)
Don't let the generic name and look fool you. This side-scrolling shooter is still addictive despite all the advancements in the genre.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...er%20Gates.gif
Millipede(Atari)
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/.../millipede.gif
Missile Command(Atari)
Simplified over the arcade game but I like it as much. Oddly, I didn't become a fan until twenty or so years after I first played it.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...le_command.gif
Pitfall!(Activision)
While it's not the first platformer like it's sometimes mistaken to be, it was a milestone for the genre.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...er/pitfall.gif
Pitfall II: Lost Caverns(Activision)
Expanded over the original and with some of the most advanced sound and music on the system.
Pressure Cooker(Activision)
Still one of, if not the, best food themed games ever.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...ooker(CCE).gif
Room of Doom(CommaVid)
Kind of like a single screen Berzerk. Pretty cool.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...roomofdoom.png
Solaris(Atari)
This late release shooter really pushed the hardware.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...er/solaris.png
Space Invaders(Atari)
Atari's killer app in the late '70s. Sales of the system dramatically increased because of people wanting the arcade game at home.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...inavders_3.png
SpaceMaster X-7(20th Century Fox)
Shoot the core. This doesn't seem to be well known but I quite like it.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...cemasterx7.gif
Spider Fighter(Activision)
A typical shooter in many ways but there's something about it that makes me go back to it.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...r_Fighter_.jpg
Super Breakout(Atari)
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...erbreakout.gif
Tape Worm(Spectravideo)
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/.../tape_worm.gif
TRON Deadly Discs(M-Network)
It lacks the fancy controls and boss battles of the excellent Intellivision original but it's a faster paced game and has its own feel.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...adly_discs.gif
Warlords(Atari)
Four-player versus Pong.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...r/warlords.gif
Yars' Revenge(Atari)
What started its development life as a port of the arcade game Star Castle turned into one of the most unique and timeless shooters ever.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...eater/yars.png
Numerous cartridge-based consoles have had add ons using other types of media. The Famicom had the Disk System. The TurboGrafx and Genesis had their CD upgrades. Before all those the 2600 had the Supercharger which played games on cassettes. Unlike with those other consoles, this was a third-party release by a company called Starpath(originally called Arcadia but changed for legal reasons).
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...percharger.jpg
The Supercharger wasn't very successful and it didn't have many games but it did offer a noticeable improvement in over the regular 2600 because of its RAM(mostly in how the games animate so you probably won't see much difference in the screenshots). Starpath was later bought out by Epyx.
Communist Mutants From Space
Name aside, there wasn't much originality in this Galaxian-ish shooter but it was well made.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/.../commutant.gif
Dragonstomper
One of the earliest console RPGs.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...gonstomper.gif
Escape from the Mindmaster
This 3d maze game was incredibly smooth. A ColecoVision port was planned but never released.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...ape%20mind.gif
Frogger
The regular 2600 version was excellent but this improved upon its graphics.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...20starpath.gif
Rabbit Transit
A fast-paced platform/dodging game. Aside from Frogger I would say this is probably my favorite Supercharger game.
http://www.the-nextlevel.com/hosted/...%20transit.gif
What are your thoughts on the system or anything related?
