Simplest Atari game?

[Goochman]

What about Strawberry Shortcake? All you did was dress the damn doll. Atleast Surround had some strategy in it.

[Rob Mitchell]

I guess the things Star Ship has that put it above Basic Math and Surround for me, in terms of simplicity, are its graphics (yes, they are simple, but not as simple as the other two) and the physics of motion in the game. It's very rudimentary, but it is more complicated than what happens in Basic Math (i.e. nothing) and Surround (very limited).

 

That said, I still think Star Ship is overall the worst game Atari ever published... even worse than Slot Machine, and definitely worse than Basic Math (which has educational value, even if it's too boring for any kid to touch) and Surround (great concept despite rudimentary design).

 

Starship (Outer Space) is the worst game cart ever put out .. and Lunar Lander is the worst 2600 game ever released. That said ... What Starship has going for it is the correct flight control: Up is dive, down is climb: which prepared me for Star Raiders on the Atari 400/800 in 1981.

 

Slot Machine is dumb. Math is too basic .. and doesn't use the keyboard controller.

 

Surround (Chase) is of worth .. have you tried the speeding-up variation? See how long you last against a worthy opponent. I challenge anyone to beat me at Surround!

 

(Surround: interesting thing about the sound: Only one sound channel used. I could have sworn that the sound was cool two channel sound.)

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

(Surround player since 1977)

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Yes, Surround is one of the better first generation games.

[AtariDude]

My vote would be for Pele's Soccer. Just kick the ball and hope it goes in

[Atari-Jess]

well before i realized that you use the other controller to play

raiders of the lost ark, i always thought IT would have been the

worst game, but its not the most simple

 

hangman is also very awful if you ask me. but sometimes i just

love to get a good playing of it

 

nite driver is also pretty bad cause its so hard.

the arcade is more simpler, but its more fun since its easier too

[King Atari]

nite driver is also pretty bad cause its so hard

 

Actually, I like the 2600 version more than the arcade. The arcade is too easy for me, all you do is drive, and avoid the fence. In the 2600 version, you also have to watch out for cars, and it's that simple little addition that gives much more challenge.

 

As for Star Ship, it's a worthless piece of crap. Obviously the rumors about employees at Atari getting high are true, as no one in there right mind would believe kids would find that game fun. However, as bad as it is, it's neat to compare to Star Raiders, which I kind of think of as the (better) sequel to Star Sh*t, er, uh, Ship.

[mos6507]

I don't know how simple it is programming-wise, but as for Gameplay, I beileve Freeway has to be the simplest game... I hated it when I was young, I couldn't belive it was by Activision, cause Activision always made such great games... but freeway was bad... it was just the first half of the Frogger screen and you COULDN"T go left or right!!!

 

That's because it's based on an even simpler game, Space Race, from 1973, which only allowed you to go up and down. This adds to the challenge, I think. Timing becomes that much more critical when you are on rails.

[Atari-Jess]

As for Star Ship, it's a worthless piece of crap. Obviously the rumors about employees at Atari getting high are true, as no one in there right mind would believe kids would find that game fun.

 

 

I find it fun. and i dont even own it! (wish i did)

[KAZ]

Skeet Shoot?

 

How about Beat em, Eat em?

[krisjohn]

How about 3D Tic-Tac-Toe?

[Room 34]

Obviously the rumors about employees at Atari getting high are true, as no one in there right mind would believe kids would find that game fun.

Actually, I don't think Atari was really targeting video games at "kids" in the early days. Weren't coin-ops mainly in bars and such at first? I think the first few games were targeted more at adults, but gradually it became obvious that kids were the real video game freaks.

 

That said, I can only guess that when Star Ship was made, it was still so hard to program anything for the 2600 that it was considered a worthy achievement. I can't imagine the game being released in 1982.*

 

* That said, I do realize that Atari inexplicably re-released the game for a while in 1982, as evidenced by the numbers stamped on the end label of my copy of the game with the weird "big yellow text" label.

 

However, as bad as it is, it's neat to compare to Star Raiders, which I kind of think of as the (better) sequel to Star Sh*t, er, uh, Ship.

 

Star Raiders is to Star Ship what Solaris is to Star Raiders.

[King Atari]

Actually, I don't think Atari was really targeting video games at "kids" in the early days. Weren't coin-ops mainly in bars and such at first? I think the first few games were targeted more at adults, but gradually it became obvious that kids were the real video game freaks.  

 

I think coin-ops did first appear in bars (didn't PONG first show up at a place called Andy Capp's?), but also at amusement parks and the like. However, with regards to them being aimed mainly at adults, didn't Atari have shots of kids on the system's box, in advertisements, etc.? And anyways, even if Star Ship was targeted mainly at adults, that's even worse! They couldn't possibly have hoped to get kids to think garbage like that was fun, let alone an adult!

 

 

Star Raiders is to Star Ship what Solaris is to Star Raiders.

 

I agree with you totally there. Each one was an improvement over the other.

[Room 34]

And anyways, even if Star Ship was targeted mainly at adults, that's even worse! They couldn't possibly have hoped to get kids to think garbage like that was fun, let alone an adult!

Someone, somewhere must have found it fun, or at least Bob Whitehead must've thought someone would and convinced management of it.

 

Maybe this explains why flight simulator software exists today.

[Miles Tails Prower]

Hmm... Basic Programming... Ok just kidding

If not Combat, Boxing or Basic Math, then definatley Space Invaders

[Osbo]

Hi first post in a while... simplest 2600 game? what about Laser Blast? Fun and easy

 

Osbo

[King Atari]

Maybe this explains why flight simulator software exists today.

 

I think that's one of the few reasons it was really released, to simulate piloting a space ship. Remember, it was released in '77, and with Star Wars, it must have seemed a sure bet to have people take control of their own ship and blast at various space things. But I don't think even back then a game some incredibly dull and slow moving could have given the player the space 'buzz' they had been hoping for.