I powered up the old Atari 2600 and did a quick review of each of the game carts that I have in my collection.
Warning: This is just a blog entry, based on opinion. I am not a professional reviewer. There is no editor or fact-checker, so it is quite possible that there are inaccuracies. This blog is for entertainment purposes only, so do not make any decisions based on these reviews.
Adventure: One of the best games for the 2600. Travel through mazes to find the keys to unlock the 3 castles. Use the sword to kill the 3 dragons. Return the golden chalice to your home castle in order to win.
Air-Sea Battle: Shooting-gallery type game. Fun for 2 players. There are many variations on this cartridge.
Asteroids: Classic Atari game, but the 2600 version is not the greatest. Shoot apart the asteroids before the get to your ship. Watch out for the enemy spaceships.
Berzerk: Good-looking game, but gets hard too fast. Shoot the enemy robots at an angle, because they cannot return fire at an angle. Watch out for the electrified walls.
Breakout: Classic paddle-game. A must for any 2600 owner. The ball will speed up as you break through deeper walls.
Centipede: Shoot the centipede before he reaches you. Don't hit the middle, or he will just split into 2. Clear obstacles to slow down his advance. Watch out for the spider.
Circus Atari: This paddle-game can be fun, but it is too hard. Get some good height on your bounce in order to pop the higher balloons.
Codebreaker: Keyboard/keypad controller based game. Guess at the code, get feedback, then use that feedback to narrow in on the exact code. Like the board-game Mastermind, but with numbers instead of colored pegs.
Defender: Fly above the surface of the planet. Shoot the alien ships that are trying to abduct humans. Save an humans that are falling too far back to Earth.
Dodge Em: Use button to speed up. Avoid the other car, and don't get in the same slot or you will crash.
Football: Fun game, and easy to pick up. Choose your play, then run or pass the ball. You control the main player, and the others move semi-randomly, like one of those old vibrating-board football games with the plastic players.
Freeway: Great game. Like Frogger, but easier. Get the chicken across the road, avoiding all the traffic. I seem to have lost the video that I captured for this game. Picture Frogger, but with a chicken instead of a frog, vehicle traffic instead of alligators and logs, and you just move forward and back, no left to right.
Golf: I recommend this game. Line up your player to get the right angle, hold the button to set the power, then release to swing.
Grand Prix: On of the best looking 2600 games. How did they get multi-color cars (aka Sprites or Player-Missile graphics)? Use the button to hit the gas, press back for the brakes, and avoid the other cars and oil-slicks.
Haunted House: Search the floors of a dark haunted house, gathering objects, and avoiding monsters. I do not rate this game very high.
Indy 500: This game requires a driving-controller, which is basically a paddle that spins endlessly, so you can race around the track in the same direction. I did not capture video of this game, since I do not have a driving-controller.
Miniature Golf: Great game. Move your player back to set the angle, further back for more power, then fire away to watch the ricochet action.
Missile Command: Shot the incoming missiles before the take out your cities. Don't let your missile silo get hit, or you will run out of ammo.
Pac Man: Great arcade game that did not translate well to the 2600. I do not recommend this game. It is hard to see the blinking enemy and the controls are slow to respond.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: Horrible game that makes no sense. I think is was this game and E.T. that were so bad, that according to urban legend, they had to dump truckloads of them in the desert just to get rid of them.
Slot Racers: 2-player game. Drive through one of several mazes to fire your missile at the enemy car. This is similar to Dodge 'em with the slots, except you fire at the other car rather than just avoiding crashes.
Space Invaders: Classic 2600 game. Stop the marching aliens from reaching the Earth's surface. There are many variations on the cartridge.
Street Racer: 1-4 players at the bottom of the screen, obstacles scroll down from the top. Play as cars, off-road vehicles, snow-skiers, or airplanes.
Surround: The 2600 version of the Light-Cycle race from the Tron movies.
Venture: Dungeon adventure that is much too difficult. The enemies are too fast. I have never gotten past the first board.
Video Pinball: Pinball on the 2600.
Warlords: Paddle game for 1-4 players. Protect your king. Break down the fortress walls to reach the enemy.
Yars' Revenge: Advanced game for the 2600. Break down the enemy shields, then fire your missile, while avoiding the enemy attacks.
Note Regarding Atari 2600 Video: It appears that the 2600 video, and modern composite video, are different, even though they are both yellow RCA plugs. I could not hook my 2600 up to my TV via composite in. Instead I had to use one of those old RF adapters, plugged into the co-ax input, then put the TV on channel 3.