Atari 7800 Difficulty Switches Guide

[+FujiSkunk]

Sounds similar to what was covered in the Atari 7800 Game Controls List.

 

Well, shut me up.

[Trebor]

Revision 5 of the Atari 7800 Difficulty Switches Guide has been posted.

 

Changes include the addition of Froggie and more specific details to Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest.

[Trebor]

The Atari 7800 Difficulty Switches Guide has received its sixth revision.

 

Rikki & Vikki sound effects modification and checksum test has been added.

[+sramirez2008]

The Atari 7800 Difficulty Switches Guide has received its sixth revision.

 

Rikki & Vikki sound effects modification and checksum test has been added.

Thanks for maintaining this list.

[alortegac]

On 3/5/2015 at 2:45 PM, Trebor said:

Attached is a list of 7800 games, including original releases, homebrews, and prototypes, that are impacted by the difficulty switches on the front of the console. The four possible configurations are noted along with a short description of their effect to the game.

 

The below will be updated, as new games are developed that utilize the difficulty switches, and of course for any corrections or additions from the current library of games:

 

 

Atari 7800 Difficulty Switches Guide (Rev 06).xls 31.5 kB · 159 downloads

 

There are at least 11 original, 3 prototype, and 12 homebrew games that utilize the difficulty switches:

 

Armor Attack II

Astro Blaster

Beef Drop

Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest

Crazy Brix

F-18 Hornet

Fail Safe

Froggie

Ikari Warriors

Jr. Pac-Man

Karateka

Missing In Action

Motor Psycho

Ninja Golf

Pac-Man 320

Pac-Man Collection

Plutos

Rikki & Vikki

Sentinel

Sirius

Super Circus AtariAge

Super Skateboardin'

Tomcat - The F14 Fighter Simulator

Touchdown Football

Tower Toppler

Xevious

 

The above 26 games have been documented in the attachments. Please feel free to add updates, corrections, etc., to this thread.

Thanks a lot! 

[Trebor]

Revision 7 of the Atari 7800 Difficulty Switches Guide has been posted.

 

Update includes the newly released, Walker - Tech Demo.

[Trebor]

***UPDATE***

 

Revision 8 of the Atari 7800 Difficulty Switches Guide has been posted.

 

Update includes the released port of Galaxian.

 

[Ecernosoft]

On 3/5/2015 at 4:27 PM, xucaen said:

I had thought the dificulty switches only affected 2600 games. This is good to know, it explains some things. Thanks!!

It's not like they were confined to the 2600 games. 

[davyK]

Didn't know about the 2P control feature in Pacman Collection (even though I have the manual!!) Nice. 

Edited February 20, 2023 by davyK

[Trebor]

***UPDATE***

 

Revision 9 of the Atari 7800 Difficulty Switches Guide has been posted.

 

Update includes the addition of Pineapple and Scrapyard Dog.

[Bakasama]

I remember I got unlimited lives by messing around with difficulty switches in Tower Toppler. Too bad I don’t remember how to it.

[Lauren Tyler]

On 8/27/2023 at 2:45 PM, Bakasama said:

I remember I got unlimited lives by messing around with difficulty switches in Tower Toppler. Too bad I don’t remember how to it.

From what I've read on the Atari 7800, you have to toggle the left difficulty switch to the left while you're playing to cycle through the towers.  When you see the one you want to play on, you have to toggle it to the right again.

When you do this, you have to stop on the level before the one you wish to start on with unlimited lives.  From there, lose all of your lives.  As soon as you lose your last life, but before the game over message appears, toggle the left difficulty switch to the left.  When you see the next tower appear, toggle the left switch to the right again.

[Lauren Tyler]

Will there ever be an update on how the difficulty switches work with Pole Position II?

[DarthDuke]

On 3/5/2015 at 11:45 AM, Trebor said:

Attached is a list of 7800 titles, including original releases, homebrews, prototypes, and demos that are impacted by the difficulty switches on the front of the console.

 

 

The four possible configurations are noted along with a short description of their effect to the game:

 

Atari 7800 Difficulty Switches Guide (Rev 09).xls 33.5 kB · 122 downloads

 

 

The above will be updated, as new titles are developed that utilize the difficulty switches, and of course for any corrections or additions from the current library of games.

 

There are at least 12 originals, 3 prototypes, 14 homebrews, and 1 demo that utilize the difficulty switches:

 

Armor Attack II

Astro Blaster

Beef Drop

Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest

Crazy Brix

F-18 Hornet

Fail Safe

Froggie

Galaxian

Ikari Warriors

Jr. Pac-Man

Karateka

Missing In Action

Motor Psycho

Ninja Golf

Pac-Man 320

Pac-Man Collection

Pineapple

Plutos

Rikki & Vikki

Scrapyard Dog

Sentinel

Sirius

Super Circus AtariAge

Super Skateboardin'

Tomcat - The F14 Fighter Simulator

Touchdown Football

Tower Toppler

Walker - Tech Demo

Xevious

 

The above 30 titles have been documented in the attachments. Please feel free to add updates, corrections, etc., to this thread.

 

This is very interesting! I've tried the left controller B right controller A configuration on Xevious and it works to make the left action button fire both guns and bombs and the right button to drop bombs only. As cool as it is that the game can fire guns on one button and bombs on the other, it does make the game a bit easier if both fire on the same button. Thanks for posting this! 

I was thinking as I was writing this how nice it is to be able to use words like 'guns', 'bombs', etc. without worrying about triggering some algorithm that might temporarily ban me for using 'scary words' like can happen on certain social media platforms. In some of the groups I'm in on Face Book, we've taken to using euphemisms like 'pews', 'zappers', 'blewie' etc.  

[Happytoe]

On 3/5/2015 at 6:35 PM, Trebor said:

 

In many cases reading the manual first can help. However, some just pick up or purchased a cart only, unaware of the effect the difficulty switches can have on a particular title, or/and as xucaen mentioned, believe they are only tied to 2600 games.

 

Respecting the three prototypes highlighted, it becomes even more of an issue of the unlikelihood of having a manual off the bat. For some other games, the manual makes no mention of the switches impact on background music.

 

Regardless, having the info consolidated in this thread, makes it perhaps easier to reference, and hopefully will help others be aware of the effect the switches have on some games.

I absolutely read the manual first and thoroughly tested all the switch permutations. test it for yourself. Bentley Bear switch functionality is flakey and not functioning per the manual. (even taking the issue of A<>B switches being reversed on the 2600+ case.

[Trebor]

1 hour ago, Happytoe said:

I absolutely read the manual first and thoroughly tested all the switch permutations. test it for yourself. Bentley Bear switch functionality is flakey and not functioning per the manual. (even taking the issue of A<>B switches being reversed on the 2600+ case.

Keep in mind, after changing a difficulty switch position under Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest, the game or level needs to be restarted. 

 

Changing switch position in the middle of a level will not have an immediate effect on game controller behavior.

[Co Attican]

Thank you for this! I thought something was wrong with my 7800 as Tower Toppler would just flip between stages.

 

And thanks so much for all the other stellar work you do. I am late to getting a 7800 but your contributions have been a treasure trove for the three years I've owned one. Now with the 7800 games getting into more hands because of the 2600+ I know your work will help many more.