Looking for game recommendations

[Tom_Explodes]

When I first got to AtariAge, I posted something like this on the 2600 board. Now that I've got my 5200, I'd like to know what you guys consider "must have" games, basically. I already have Adventure II (what a great game!), Congo Bongo, Joust, Pac-Man, Pole Position and Wizard of Wor. That's about it. Thanks!

[+Psionic]

Berzerk

Gremlins

Pengo

RealSports Baseball

Space Dungeon

[opeygon]

space invaders

[+Cafeman]

Qix - truly a fun and unique game! The 5200 version is very fun and better than others.

 

Space Dungeon - you'll need 2 joysticks, one for firing and one for shooting. This game is unique to 5200. Graphics are so-so but certainly adequate, gameplay can be a lot of fun. Search thru mazes for treasure, shooting enemies. The enemies explode into fragments all over the screen, similar to what happens in Defender. Speaking of which ...

 

Defender - I used to prefer the 5200 version to the coin-op and other versions because it has a more reasonable difficulty setting. True, after you master it you can play near forever, still its a nice (and cheap!) 5200 game.

 

Other arcade ports include:

-Frogger and Q*bert -- both these use the same control method -- you hold in the lower buttons and press the stick in the direction to move. Some reported hating this cumbersome method, but I quickly adjusted and found it to be the best control decision for the non-centering 5200 sticks. There are control advantages to this method over other versions of the game -- for example, on 2600 you had to hold the stick at an angle in order to get the diagonals. That was even more confusing to me. Anyway, beyond the control issue, Frogger has great gameplay, graphics, and sounds and is a nice version of the original. Q*bert has average graphics compared to other systems and omits the nice between-rounds interlude but the gameplay is spot-on. Getting past level 5 (it switches to double-speed!) is manic.

- I enjoy 5200 Popeye and Jungle Hunt quite a bit, but Zaxxon is not very fun fun and cramps my hands. I don't really like Buck Rogers but if you find it for $3 or so try it out. Pengo works well but has a clunk feel to the control and animation.

- Missile Command ROCKS! Best version and you get full analog control! And although I never really liked the gamplay of Centipede, the 5200 version also ROCKS! Both these are extra-special if you get a trak-ball.

 

Some other games:

Star Raiders -- you'll need your keypad to work well for this one. I think if you've never played SR, it will come across old and dated at first. It's a first-person perpective space strategy shooter. This started off as an Atari 8bit computer title and was #1 on the charts for 2 years straight, for a good reason. In fact, the idea of end-game rankings put into Adventure II were inspired by the rankings you get at the end of Star Raiders. You have full control of you ships' shields, speed of flight, long range scanners, etc. I always liked the enemy ships' A.I., too. Star Raiders is more impressive if you can spend some time with it.

 

Rescue on Fractalus -- another first-person space rescue/shooter, but this one is a thousand times more graphically impressive than Star Raiders. I bet this one is hard to find, unless you get a programmable RAM cart and load the easily-found ROM image. One of Lucasgames' first games.

 

Homebrews: if you like Burgertime, there is "Beef Drop" which in fact is a spot-on port. Castle Crisis is an arcade-perfect, or arcade-superior Warlords. Fantastic stuff.

 

Finally, I will recommend River Raid, but I use a digital stick and my Masterplay Interface with all Activision games.

Edited January 1, 2008 by Cafeman

[ymike673]

Miner 2049er

 

Bounty Bob Strikes Back (Would not count on finding this title but you never know)

[phuzzed]

Centipede, Is by far one of my favorites for the 5200. I think it's one of the best ports (personally, i think it's a better port than the 7800 version). If you have a Track ball, it makes the game a lot of fun as well.

 

Berzerk, Wizard of Wor (one of my favorites), Space Dungeon (finding the controller holder with this game can sometimes be difficult, but not impossible).

[Brian R.]

I find 5200 Qix to be the most playable of any version I have for an Atari console.

 

You've already got PacMan which is my #1 5200 game.

 

I like Pengo and Space Invaders, which have been mentioned.

 

As for homebrews, I'd recommend checking out Koffi Yellow Kopter from the AA store.

Edited January 1, 2008 by Brian R.

[Tom_Explodes]

I've got all these games bookmarked for future reference. The list grows larger everyday. Haha. I was excited when I discovered that Game Craze in the mall near me now has 5200 games, but they charge like $5.99 for them. I bought 2 anyway, and 2 of the guys working there told me they didn't understand why the price was so high and knocked a couple bucks off for me. I appreciated it, even if it didn't make a big difference. Haha. Anyway, I'll be on the lookout for MOST of these, the ones I can find relatively cheap, anyway. Thanks, guys! I really appreciate your input. Half the fun I have with this stuff is hearing what people have to say about it.

[Phantom]

Battlezone

Frogger II: Threeedeep!

H.E.R.O.

Jungle Hunt

Super Pac-Man or Ms. Pac-Man

Miner 2049er

Montezuma's Revenge

Mr. Do!'s Castle

Popeye

Robotron: 2084

Stargate

Zaxxon

 

Plenty more if you want Homebrews or Hacks:

Burgertime

DK

DK Jr

Im sure Im missing Plenty but I have to run....

and Castle Crisis is the best Multiplayer game IMHO.

Updated Warlords for the 5200. Cheers

Edited January 1, 2008 by Phantom

[Phantom]

Oh and get yourself a Multicart from Steve AKA Classics.

Great dude, great cart!

I'll hook you up with the Images if you do to save you time. Its one of the best carts ever made.

Worth every penny in conveinence alone and you ca always still collect. Heck i have a loose set and a CIB set and the one game Im missing, everyone knows. Cheers

[jboypacman]

Some of my 5200 favorites..........

 

Wizard of Wor

Miner 2049er

Q*Bert

Frogger

Pac-Man

Ms.Pac-Man

Qix

Berzerk

River Raid

 

Now i hear that Zaxxon is just great for the old 5200 and i myself want a copy 5200 Popeye and Keystone Kapers which i will pick up at some point in the future.

[SRGilbert]

With the small 5200 library and a very good ratio of good vs bad games, it might be easier to compile a list of games to avoid!

 

I nominate: Gorf

 

Then again, except for a few rare titles, most are cheap enought to own them all. Or as mentioned, just get the flashcart like I did!

[A Sprite]

Centipede is a must. Hated it on the 2600. Hated it on the 7800. Hated it on the X-box, and that was the original arcade version.

 

I played the 5200 version just for laughs.

 

First difference: The spiders were aware of me...

 

Later I'd find out that the man who created it wanted to create the ultimate version of Centipede, even if it meant missing the holiday deadline.

[Lord Helmet]

Gorf (get the hacked version that is actually playable)

Defender

Qix

Berzerk

Crazy Shootout

Wizard of Wor

Beef Drop

Super Pac-Man

Donkey Kong

Adventure 2

Galaxian

[Brian R.]

With the small 5200 library and a very good ratio of good vs bad games, it might be easier to compile a list of games to avoid!

 

I nominate: Gorf

 

Then again, except for a few rare titles, most are cheap enought to own them all. Or as mentioned, just get the flashcart like I did!

 

I nominate Ms. Pac-Man.

 

The game is flickery, jittery and slow. It's just the opposite on the 5200 compared to the 2600 - 5200 PacMan is so good, where and how did they go wrong with Ms. Pac-Man?

[Charlie_]

As a 5200 player you MUST make yourself a paddle controller and get CASTLE CRISIS.

A trakball and both Missle Command and Centipede.