Did you ever complete "Raiders of the Lost Ark" for the 2600?

[Rhindle The Red]

So, I'm getting excited for the new Indiana Jones movie and it got me thinking about good old Raiders of the Lost Ark for the Atari 2600. I remember how amazing this was back in the day, with it's multiple screens and inventory system. I also remember how friggin' frustrating it was; how many times I got all the way to the end only to plummet down the mesa side instead of getting into the cave.

 

How about you? What's been your experience with this seminal 2600 title?

[Tempest]

I beat it, but only after reading how to on the internet. My friend and I each took one stick and went at it one day. I can finally put this game to rest...

 

Tempest

[purenergy]

I haven't played Raiders for years. A fun game, that can be frustrating if you don't know how to play it.

Anyone else start it up, before reading about using both joysticks?

 

Time to get it out, and have some fun!

[iratanam]

I completed Raiders back in the day, I do recall several several several long distance calls to atari asking for hints and clues and such though.

[Lemmi]

i beat it back in the mid 80's

after talking to a couple of friends we got together and figured it out, our scores sucked at first but after trying many different things we could get the highest mark easlily

 

i havent played the game in ages but i could probably beat it today with no problem, thats how much i played the game in the 80's

[BydoEmpire]

Never beat it, but then, my family had an Inty in the heyday and I didn't get a 2600 until 84 or so (traded some pirated Apple 2 games to a friend for his system). I bought mostly loose carts at yard sales, or got them from friends. I played it briefly, but no knowing what I was doing, never really got into it. Maybe now's the time to give it a shot.

[mos6507]

I know how to get the Ark but i still don't know how to get a good score at the end. I guess you have to have certain things in your inventory or not having died at all?

Edited May 14, 2008 by mos6507

[ATARIPITBULL]

My parents had bought it for me and I was at it for like 5 days when I friend of mine asked if he could have it for the weekend to try it out, when Monday came around he told me he did it and showed me how. I was kind of mad at my friend for winning the game before I did but when I saw how it ended I thought it was kool and was no longer mad.

 

[Inky]

I know how to get the Ark but i still don't know how to get a good score at the end. I guess you have to have certain things in your inventory or not having died at all?

 

It involve unlocking the programmer's initials, and finding the Yar

[Wickeycolumbus]

I dont own it, not even the rom! I should download it...

[moycon]

I beat it, or I should say we (my best friend and I) and my friend and I were damn proud to have done it.

We even left the game on overnight while we slept. We were at the map room, but didnt have a clue what to do next and we were sooo tired.

I dunno how high of a score we got though. I still never figured out the scoring, something to do with the pedestal or somthing. I just picked that we beat it.

[Prodos8]

I've never ever played it. The dual joystick thing sounds interesting though. Isn't it the same game as E.T. or vice versa?

Edited May 15, 2008 by Prodos8

[NE146]

I beat it back in the day. I used the hints (hey it came with the game ), but that hint section didn't tell you everything, and gave you enough information to learn how the game worked in the first place.. So, I figured out a lot of things by myself.. how to stand and see the map room at a certain time, how to use a parachute while falling, How to dig, etc. I just remember it being a very fun experience.

 

 

but after trying many different things we could get the highest mark easlily

 

How did you know what the highest mark was? Heck, I don't think I even know now what that is I always thought it was possible to touch the ark.. but last I heard (a couple years ago) that wasn't possible?

[phuzzed]

heh... i remember receiving this game years ago, and not having any instructions. I didn't know you had to use two controllers to play the game, and therefore, frustrated the hell out of me. Then, I found the solution to it online, and revisted the game. It was pretty darn innovative for it's time, and kind of fun.

[Inky]

I always thought it was possible to touch the ark.. but last I heard (a couple years ago) that wasn't possible?

 

I believe you can touch it.. BUt, once again, you have to find the Yar.

 

If y6ou cant touch it, you can get damn close lol

[Lemmi]

I beat it back in the day. I used the hints (hey it came with the game ), but that hint section didn't tell you everything, and gave you enough information to learn how the game worked in the first place.. So, I figured out a lot of things by myself.. how to stand and see the map room at a certain time, how to use a parachute while falling, How to dig, etc. I just remember it being a very fun experience.

 

 

but after trying many different things we could get the highest mark easlily

 

How did you know what the highest mark was? Heck, I don't think I even know now what that is I always thought it was possible to touch the ark.. but last I heard (a couple years ago) that wasn't possible?

 

heh i didnt know what the highest mark was but after counting the number of points on the side of the thing that raises you up to the ark it was always the same after awhile i think the number was 21 or 22 something like that. thats how i kept score

the game wasnt even mine it was a friends but it was always at my house and over the years it became my game because he never asked for it back the manual is even original because at one time it was folded in half 2 times

 

omg you looked past the warning sign

[NE146]

hmmm.. that just made me realize there's no scanned version of that manual here at Atariage.. that's weird. You'd think they'd have one by now I do remember some huge pdf of scanned 2600 manuals I leeched not that long ago.. I wonder if it's in there?

 

If not I guess I could do it. I'm currently working on a project scanning in early EGM magazines for retromags.com, so I guess it'd be nothing to throw in the Raiders manual as well.

[Lemmi]

I do remember some huge pdf of scanned 2600 manuals I leeched not that long ago.. I wonder if it's in there?

 

If not I guess I could do it. I'm currently working on a project scanning in early EGM magazines for retromags.com, so I guess it'd be nothing to throw in the Raiders manual as well.

 

if its the same one i got then it isnt in there (mine came with 1 europe manual scan of riddle of the sphinx)

and its this version Atari 2600 Manuals V1.00

 

that version was downloaded in june 2006

 

i would do it but i cant get my printer/scanner to do anything but flash "E" on the display

[Zonie]

Ahh... Great game. Good times back in the day.

 

A 5200 sequel ala Adventure II would be kinda kewl...

 

hint.

 

hint.

[midnight magicman]

Boy,

 

back in the day, it seemed like my best friend & I spent an entire summer playing this game. We each had it & we'd call each other up @ night & see what the other was able to figure out. Unbelievably, we figured out how to use the headpiece in the map room & use the parachute on the branch, save the shovel, etc.

 

The only thing that's funny is that it was hard for us to complete the game without dying @ least a couple times. So we didn't get raised very high toward the ark, thus our scores weren't very high. Nowadays when I pop it in, I find it very easy to complete the game without dying. It always seems that I'm one "link" short of being lifted all the way though.

 

Peace

[aftermac]

I haven't played Raiders for years. A fun game, that can be frustrating if you don't know how to play it.

Anyone else start it up, before reading about using both joysticks?

 

Time to get it out, and have some fun!

 

heh... i remember receiving this game years ago, and not having any instructions. I didn't know you had to use two controllers to play the game, and therefore, frustrated the hell out of me. Then, I found the solution to it online, and revisted the game. It was pretty darn innovative for it's time, and kind of fun.

 

I inherited this game as a kid with no instructions and never did figure it out. It just took up a slot in my Atari Game Center. Even after learning several years ago that you need both sticks, I've never gone back and played it.

 

"You need both joysticks??" should be an option for the poll question.

Edited May 16, 2008 by aftermac

[legeek]

 

Cheers,

Ben

[Atari~e]

No... I never completed Raiders of the Lost Ark but I would like to beat Ms. Pac- Man. I have the instructions to beat it but am too lazy to. Too many hours involved. I play for the fun of it all :0)...

[Shannon]

Used to play this alot with a neighbor of mine. We finished it numerous times. I think we also may have had some hints from some an atari magazine.

[Nukey Shay]

I always thought it was possible to touch the ark.. but last I heard (a couple years ago) that wasn't possible?

 

I believe you can touch it.. But, once again, you have to find the Yar.

 

If you cant touch it, you can get damn close lol

 

Not possible...at least not through playing legitimately. The most points you can aquire in the game is 83 out of a maximum of 100 (maximum because that is all the program could allow normally...the height that appears immediately after pressing game reset). Even if it were possible to score the full 100, you would still be located below the Ark.

 

By frying the game, it's possible to move beyond the values that the program would award...since the variables would most likely contain gibberish until/unless reset to the proper values by completing the actions that award them. In all cases, the point value given to a variable is one that currently exists in one of the 3 m/l registers (that helps explain why two other actions score higher values than actually digging up the Ark does). So theoretically, the "missing" 17 points are connected to a program routine that would have an existing maximum value of 17 ($11) related to it in some way when that unknown action would have triggered the update. Impossible to know more than that, because the proto is identical to the release version. Tho some yet-undiscovered earlier version(s) might be out there. Until then, Raiders holds no more secrets.

 

 

Highlight to uncover point values

 

+24 (start with)

+12 USING SHOVEL IN MESA

+10 FINDING ARK

+ 3 USE OF PARACHUTE

+ 9 USE OF ANKH

+ 5 UNCOVERING YAR

+14 LOCATING ARK IN MAPROOM

+ 3 LANDING IN MESA

+ 1 FINISHING GAME WITH 1 LIFE LEFT

+ 2 FINISHING GAME WITH 2 LIVES LEFT

+0 UNKNOWN...value not set in the program

- 2 BLOWING HOLE IN ENTRANCE ROOM

-13 USING SECRET EXIT IN DUNGEON

- 4 SHOOTING/WHIPPING THIEVES