Arcade Games You Want On the ColecoVision

[youki]

I think the gameplay on CV would not be that fast and the scrolling would choppy

 

I think we could manage to do a smooth scrolling here. The problem would be more with the number of things moving on screen. If you do a smooth scrolling here , we will surely have to use only sprites for all moving objects (including shots) , so the result would be extremely flickery.

 

You can also reduce drastically the detail of background with the minimum to have a scroll effect , in that case the result could be acceptable.

 

But indeed , it is not the most easy game to convert to coleco....

[playazclub]

You know, an arcade game that would be awesome on the Colecovision is Robby Roto .... Check it out

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy2IJZEs_s8

[Troy_Whelan]

Did a bit of research on KLOV and all of these games are arcade games and seem doable for the ColecoVision. Maybe someone will take on some of these for porting!

 

Amidar

Astro Fighter

Cheeky Mouse

Eyes

Fast Eddie

Future Spy

Gaplus

Hard Hat

Kangaroo

Kick

Le Bagnard

Lunar Rescue

Magical Spot

Make Trax

Moon Cresta

Mouser

Pandora’s Palace

Qwak

Sinbad Mystery

Sinistar

Thief

Vanguard

Wacko

Wild Western

Wizard of Wor

Zoo Keeper

[AtariBuff]

Satan of Saturn (SNK)

[VectorGamer]

Magical Spot is a tough and underrated game that I can't believe has never been ported to any system. Would definitely buy this.

[+FujiSkunk]

I'll cast another vote for Amidar. I just got through playing and screencapping the 2600 version for my website, and only then did I learn there were no other home ports, save for a few random clones and knock-offs on 8-bit computers. The 2600 version, well... let's just say that where Atari had 2600 Pac-Man and Coleco had 2600 Donkey Kong, Parker Bros. had 2600 Amidar. I think the relatively simple graphics and typical early '80s sound of the arcade game could be reproduced on the ColecoVision almost perfectly, and then this game could finally lay claim to a decent home console port.

[Pixelboy]

Magical Spot is a tough and underrated game that I can't believe has never been ported to any system. Would definitely buy this.

Wow, you're right! Just looking at a video of this Universal arcade game on YouTube, it's totally doable on the CV and could have easely qualified as one of Coleco's vaporware, complete with the standard Coleco skill level select screen.

[+davidcalgary29]

I love being surprised, and therefore don't have much of a wish list. That being said, though, I'd really, really love to see a port of Do! Run Run or Mr. Do!'s Wild Ride for the CV.

[ColecoDan]

I love being surprised, and therefore don't have much of a wish list. That being said, though, I'd really, really love to see a port of Do! Run Run or Mr. Do!'s Wild Ride for the CV.

there is a rom of mr do wild ride out there for you to find. it was a work in progress but very playable

[Bill Loguidice]

Although I still think Zoo Keeper is by far the most logical, my two favorite classic arcade games are Pooyan and Satan's Hollow. While we already have Pooyan, the only home ports of Satan's Hollow were for the Commodore 64 (superb) and Atari 8-bit (mediocre). It would be a real challenge to pull off on the ColecoVision (maybe it's SGM worthy?), but I'd love to see another go at the game on a classic system.

[retroillucid]

Although I still think Zoo Keeper is by far the most logical, my two favorite classic arcade games are Pooyan and Satan's Hollow. While we already have Pooyan, the only home ports of Satan's Hollow were for the Commodore 64 (superb) and Atari 8-bit (mediocre). It would be a real challenge to pull off on the ColecoVision (maybe it's SGM worthy?), but I'd love to see another go at the game on a classic system.

I'm actually working on Zoo Keeper graphics

[Pixelboy]

 

I'm actually working on Zoo Keeper graphics

And I was looking at Satan's Hollow on YouTube earlier today, following Bill's post. It's an interesting game once you understand the shield and bridge-building mechanics, but I think an accurate port would be rather hard to do on the ColecoVision: Legions of sprites on the screen, often on the same scanlines, coupled with detailed backgrounds... Not something the CV's graphic chip can handle easely...

[Bill Loguidice]

 

 

And I was looking at Satan's Hollow on YouTube earlier today, following Bill's post. It's an interesting game once you understand the shield and bridge-building mechanics, but I think an accurate port would be rather hard to do on the ColecoVision: Legions of sprites on the screen, often on the same scanlines, coupled with detailed backgrounds... Not something the CV's graphic chip can handle easely...

 

That's what I was afraid of. I suspect it would be similar to how A.E. was implemented, i.e., similar to how Satan's Hollow is on the Atari 8-bit rather than the much more accurate C-64. The big issue with using A.E. as a template though is that it's painfully slow in comparison to what a Satan's Hollow should be. And then, as you state, there are some stages where enemies literally fill the screen, so, if anything, it would have to be "Satan's Hollow Jr.," a heavily modified riff on the original game.

[VectorGamer]

 

if anything, it would have to be "Satan's Hollow Jr.," a heavily modified riff on the original game.

 

Then don't bother. I don't want a half-baked port of an arcade game.

[Bill Loguidice]

 

Then don't bother. I don't want a half-baked port of an arcade game.

 

I'll argue with that idea. In my latest book (and in past books), "Vintage Game Consoles," I argue (particularly in the ColecoVision chapter) that while as-close-to-arcade-as-possible was a priority when these systems were new, with the advent of MAME, that's no longer the same priority. We can get the "real" thing via emulation, so we no longer have to obsess over every missing detail in ports for classic game consoles. Those games can now stand alone as their own creations and can be judged on their own merits rather than their failings in comparison to the arcade original (and frankly, with that mental approach, many ColecoVision games are far more enjoyable when you don't compare them to the game they were trying to replicate).

In my opinion, while it's clearly technically impossible to replicate the arcade experience of a Satan's Hollow on the ColecoVision, making a cut down game that plays to the ColecoVision's strengths but is inspired by the original wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. There are certain elements in Satan's Hollow that are quite compelling, like the one-on-one battles with Lucifer and Satan, the bridge building, adding up to three canons to your ship, etc., that could all be worked into a new, inspired version/variation of the game. I mean, lots of energy is put into recreating old arcade games, but not a lot of energy is put into new variations of these classic games. I would like to see more of the latter. Sort of like how Frogger II: Threeedeep wasn't a true sequel to Frogger, but took the original idea and ran with it. That's what I'd like to see more of, particularly when it's clear the true arcade experience can't be sufficiently captured. You'd still have the name recognition needed to sell sufficient numbers of copies (which is one of the primary reasons homebrew authors focus on recreating the same classic games over and over again), but you'd still be doing something fairly new.

Anyway, that's my two cents on the whole topic of "not bothering because...".

[VectorGamer]

 

 

that while as-close-to-arcade-as-possible was a priority when these systems were new, with the advent of MAME, that's no longer the same priority.

 

You cannot deny the accolades a programmer receives when developing a port that is or close to being arcade perfect.

 

Let's not forget that these homebrew games don't come cheap. People will be disappointed in getting a half baked arcade port.

 

As it says on the original CV boxes: "Plays Like the Real Arcade Game."

[+FujiSkunk]

Perhaps someone could focus on some particular bit of Satan's Hollow and turn that into it's own unique CV game, better suited to the console. They could call it Llibs' Revenge.

[Bill Loguidice]

 

You cannot deny the accolades a programmer receives when developing a port that is or close to being arcade perfect.

 

Let's not forget that these homebrew games don't come cheap. People will be disappointed in getting a half baked arcade port.

 

As it says on the original CV boxes: "Plays Like the Real Arcade Game."

 

Right, so like I said, don't call it the same exact game name. While we should never overestimate the general public's intelligence, I think the members of our community who buy the 50 - 200 homebrew copies of a game are a different story and would be able to figure out that something like that is not replicating the arcade game. I also didn't realize it was all about the "accolades" for pulling off a quality arcade port. Sounds simplistic to me, but again, my opinion could be in the minority here.

[VectorGamer]

 

I also didn't realize it was all about the "accolades" for pulling off a quality arcade port.

 

I would think that a motivating factor for a developer would be the reward received for a job well done. Just to name a couple, Mario Bros. and Pac-Man Collection were both received well by the community and I would think those accolades were gratifying for the developers. Don't we all want a pat on the back for a job well done?

 

Or am I completely off base?

[Bill Loguidice]

 

I would think that a motivating factor for a developer would be the reward received for a job well done. Just to name a couple, Mario Bros. and Pac-Man Collection were both received well by the community and I would think those accolades were gratifying for the developers. Don't we all want a pat on the back for a job well done?

 

Or am I completely off base?

 

Certainly, but that should apply to any well done game. You don't just get accolades for coming as close as reasonably possible to an arcade game. You get the same types of accolades for simply creating a great game. I would think it would be even more rewarding to get those same types of accolades for something with your own unique spin, rather than "just" a recreation of someone else's work. Don't get me wrong, that stuff is awesome, but I do prefer original creations if given the choice.

 

The argument against original creations is that they don't have the brand recognition to sell the same as something like an easily understood arcade port, but that issue is minimized if you reuse the IP anyway and just play to the strengths of the system (I assume that original Smurfs homebrew sold well?). Obviously, a Satan's Hollow port will never happen, but a Satan's Hollow: Return to the Underworld, which uses as many elements from the arcade original as possible and then has a few new play elements in it to make it a unique ColecoVision experience, might, and it might just sell well. Maybe Satan's Hollow is not the best example because it's probably not as beloved (and remembered) in general in the way that I love it, but you get my point. I mean, Halo for the Atari 2600 was a quality game, but it wasn't exactly Halo, was it? It clearly wouldn't have sold anywhere near the numbers if it didn't have the real Halo name attached to it, either.

[Manoau2002]

 

I would think that a motivating factor for a developer would be the reward received for a job well done. Just to name a couple, Mario Bros. and Pac-Man Collection were both received well by the community and I would think those accolades were gratifying for the developers. Don't we all want a pat on the back for a job well done?

 

Or am I completely off base?

Pac-Man collection and Mario Brothers are both great games. But personally I prefer original games. The two best games I can think of as examples would be Ghost's and Zombies and Quest for the Golden Chalace. These two games are based off games form different systems. But they take into account the Colecovision strengths and weakness's and the result was two completely new original games. I am sure one could do the same thing with Satan's Hallow and end up with a different but well made Colecovision game. (inspired by Satan's Hallow)

[+davidcalgary29]

Can we please choose a better example than Satan's Hollow for the A8? I hate Satan's Hollow for the A8.

[retroillucid]

Pac-Man collection and Mario Brothers are both great games. But personally I prefer original games. The two best games I can think of as examples would be Ghost's and Zombies and Quest for the Golden Chalace. These two games are based off games form different systems. But they take into account the Colecovision strengths and weakness's and the result was two completely new original games. I am sure one could do the same thing with Satan's Hallow and end up with a different but well made Colecovision game. (inspired by Satan's Hallow)

Princess Quest !!!! THE BEST original Cv game, period!

 

[Bill Loguidice]

Can we please choose a better example than Satan's Hollow for the A8? I hate Satan's Hollow for the A8.

 

That's why I stated multiple times that the C-64 version is the right way to do a Satan's Hollow port. The Atari 8-bit port is dreadful, though some people seem to like it despite its lack of audio-visual flare. It's probably so poor because it was limited to cartridge and I think required only an 8 or 16K machine. The C-64 version had no major restrictions despite being a relatively early release for the platform. Again, AE for the ColecoVision is eerily reminiscent in many ways to the Satan's Hollow port for the Atari 8-bit, though I have no idea if the super slow speed is intentional or not (as in avoidable). I have the Coleco Adam version which runs at a very fast clip, but have only seen videos of the ColecoVision version, which make it seem like it's running in molasses.

[VectorGamer]

 

but a Satan's Hollow: Return to the Underworld, which uses as many elements from the arcade original as possible and then has a few new play elements in it to make it a unique ColecoVision experience, might, and it might just sell well.

 

I can see that.

 

I have an expectation when it comes to arcade ports. I want the game to be "in the ballpark" of the arcade. Elevator Action for the CV (I'm guessing this was either an MSX or SG-1000 port?) is an example of a game that wasn't in the ballpark and therefore was disappointing.

 

Incidentally, I'd like to see a better version of Elevator Action for the CV. Maybe call this one "Elevator Action Arcade." One that's graphically and the level of difficulty more faithful to the arcade game.

 

Vector Pilot (a port of Time Pilot for the Vectrex) is an example of where the developer went above and beyond. Vector Pilot, IMO, is the best homebrew ever developed for any system.