Split-Screen games on the ATARI 2600 ?

[Mr SQL]

4 hours ago, Octavio Pinho Bokel said:

I think the 4KB is not the only statement. It has no addons at all. Hellway 2PE runs 2 fully consistent games at the same time, with the 128 bytes of ram provided by the hardware.

 

Running on a supercharger gives you 6KB of RAM (according to wikipedia at least). Making much more memory available for the game state.

 

I was away from the forum for a while and the last thing I want to do is ignite a discussion. But I think the question statement is simple.

 

Is Hellway 2PE the first full game to do true split screen on vanilla hardware (regular Atari 2600 and a single ROM chip without bank switching, extra RAM or CPU)?

 

The first Hellway had a physical release besides the digital one. The 2PE is free and open source, but has no physical media release (but was tested and works on real hardware). Maybe the lack of a physical release might disqualify it for this discussion. In my opinion a physical copy is irrelevant since the game is completed and most likely would be released on a cartridge as is.

 

If people agree it is the first considering the criteria presented, I am happy.

 

If you don't agree, I am happy as well, I did it for the journey, and had a lot of fun pushing Hellway to the limits and making a 2 player version.

 

I wish a nice day to you all!

 

Excellent points I agree you have written the first 2 player game that does not use extra RAM.

 

Both the SuperCharger and CBS RAM formats provide extra RAM and my game uses 256 extra bytes of RAM, the full capacity of CBS RAM.

 

I think we both should share credit for concept implementation as parallel researchers working independently of one another.

 

[+Living Room Arcade]

Added 2600tris by @atari2600land

 

Spoiler

Split Screen – Simultaneous - No Player Interaction 

1. 2600tris
2. Decathlon 
3. Dragster
4. Marble Craze
5. Moto Rodeo
6. Street Racer
7. Track & Field
8. Z-Blocks

Criteria:

• Each player plays in their half of the split screen.
• Simultaneous gameplay.  
• What one player does cannot affect what the other player does.
• The example is Street Racer.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Psuedo Split Screen (Separate Lanes) – Simultaneous - No Player Interaction
1. Double Dragon
2. Freeway
3. VROOM!
4. Steeplechase (Sears)
 
Criteria:

• The screen is not split, but each player plays in their own separate lane, effectively creating a psuedo-split screen.   
• Simultaneous gameplay.  
• What one player does cannot affect what the other player does.
• The example is Double Dragon.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Split Screen – Alternating - No Player Interaction 
1. Xenophobe
 
Criteria:

• Each player plays in their half of the split screen.
• Alternating gameplay.    
• What one player does cannot affect what the other player does.
• The example is Xenophobe.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Split Screen – Simultaneous - Indirect Player Interaction 
1. Andrew Davies' split screen version of Boom!  
 
Criteria:

• Each player plays in their half of the split screen.
• Simultaneous gameplay.  
• What one player does can affect what the other player does.
• However, one player's avatar does not appear in the other player's split screen view.  This allows only indirect interactions between the two players.  The two players cannot directly interact with each other (e.g. collide).  
• The example is Andrew Davies' split screen version of Boom!    

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
True Split Screen – Simultaneous - Direct Interaction
1. Hellway 2 Players Edition
 
Criteria: 

• Each player plays in their half of the split screen.
• Simultaneous gameplay.  
• What one player does can affect what the other player does.
• Moreover, one player's avatar can appear in the other player's split screen view.  This allows for direct interactions between the two players (e.g. collisions).  
• The example is Hellway 2 Players Edition.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not Sure

• Epyx Summer Games - hurdles, running and rowing 
• Epyx Winter Games - speed skating 
• Party Mix
• Sneak 'n' Peak entry
• Two Player Tron 

Not Split Screen

• Entombed – Clearly, no.  The screen is not split.  There are not even lanes like in Double Dragon.  

Not Finished

• Ballblazer WIP

Edited May 4 by Living Room Arcade

[+Living Room Arcade]

Cubis added!  @saxmeister 

 

 

Spoiler

Split Screen – Simultaneous - No Player Interaction 

1. 2600tris
2. Decathlon
3. Dragster
4. Edtris
5. Marble Craze
6. Moto Rodeo
7. Street Racer
8. Track & Field
9. Z-Blocks

Criteria:

• Each player plays in their half of the split screen.
• Simultaneous gameplay.  
• What one player does cannot affect what the other player does.
• The example is Street Racer.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Split Screen – Simultaneous – Minor Interactions

1. Cubis (Type C game option)

Criteria:

• Each player plays in their half of the split screen.
• Simultaneous gameplay.
• For the most part, what one player does cannot affect what the other player does.
• However, minor interactions can occur. For example, if one player's game ends, the other player's game ends, too.  
• The example is Cubis.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Psuedo Split Screen (Separate Lanes) – Simultaneous - No Player Interaction

1. Double Dragon
2. Freeway
3. VROOM!
4. Steeplechase (Sears)

Criteria:

• The screen is not split, but each player plays in their own separate lane, effectively creating a psuedo-split screen.   
• Simultaneous gameplay.  
• What one player does cannot affect what the other player does.
• The example is Double Dragon.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Split Screen – Alternating - No Player Interaction 
1. Xenophobe

Criteria:

• Each player plays in their half of the split screen.
• Alternating gameplay.    
• What one player does cannot affect what the other player does.
• The example is Xenophobe.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Split Screen – Simultaneous - Indirect Player Interaction 
1. Andrew Davies' split screen version of Boom!

Criteria:

• Each player plays in their half of the split screen.
• Simultaneous gameplay.  
• What one player does can affect what the other player does.
• However, one player's avatar does not appear in the other player's split screen view.  This allows only indirect interactions between the two players.  The two players cannot directly interact with each other (e.g. collide).  
• The example is Andrew Davies' split screen version of Boom!    

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

True Split Screen – Simultaneous - Direct Interaction
1. Hellway 2 Players Edition

Criteria: 

• Each player plays in their half of the split screen.
• Simultaneous gameplay.  
• What one player does can affect what the other player does.
• Moreover, one player's avatar can appear in the other player's split screen view.  This allows for direct interactions between the two players (e.g. collisions).  
• The example is Hellway: 2 Players Edition.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not Sure

• Epyx Summer Games - hurdles, running and rowing 
• Epyx Winter Games - speed skating 
• Party Mix
• Sneak 'n' Peak entry
• Two Player Tron
• Not Split Screen
• Entombed – Clearly, no.  The screen is not split.  There are not even lanes like in Double Dragon.  
• Not Finished
• Ballblazer WIP

Edited May 5 by Living Room Arcade