Flojomojo Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 The game is already available in Canada: Canadian app store and google play links at the bottom of this: http://toucharcade.com/2018/02/27/night-driver-soft-launch/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 This is what Atari should be doing- modern takes on existing IP. Night Driver is a good choice. I'd like to see what could be done with other games. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Loguidice Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 This is what Atari should be doing- modern takes on existing IP. Night Driver is a good choice. I'd like to see what could be done with other games. I think it should be part of their overall strategy, but not a key part. I think there's only so many ways you can update older IP before it becomes unrecognizable and/or fails to appeal to both the nostalgic and modern gamer. I think that's what happened with some of the updates in the past decade or so, e.g., Haunted House. It's tough to recapture the "soul" of some of that IP. With that in mind, I'm sure many of us could come up with some sound strategies for use of the IP, leveraging both the classic stuff and forging ahead with new stuff. And I have to say that while I disagree with a lot of the strategy the current Atari employs, there are some things they do with the IP that I do like, even if its something a bit superficial like journals/diaries. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 (edited) Something that strikes me is that J. Suzuki made (the non-commercial) Night Drive for the Commodore PET. Most likely it was the basis for Road Race / Midnight Drive, one of those early titles developed by HAL Labs and sold by Commodore, first in Japan for the VIC-1001 and then internationally for the VIC-20. I kind of remember that they were not allowed to use the Night Driver name, though Commodore renamed the game when it was ported to the C64 a little later. As some of you know, Commodore had rights to home versions of several arcade games within Japan, but not outside which is why they had to abort sales on Pac-Man / Jelly Monsters, Galaxian / Star Battle and modify Rally-X into Radar Rat Race. It never occurred to me that Night Driver / Road Race could've been one of those too, but unlike Namco/Midway threatening with legal action, it seems Atari either striked a deal with Commodore or let it go? Ironically, Atarisoft later held the rights for official ports of Pac-Man and Galaxian which were less impressive than what HAL already had cooked up. Edited February 27, 2018 by carlsson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nathan Strum Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 The game is already available in Canada: I'll wait for the Ataribox version. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I'll wait for the Ataribox version. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Given that an UK developer and a French publisher test market their product in Canada, I wouldn't be surprised if the Ataribox initially will be exclusive to India. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetick1 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 (edited) I think it should be part of their overall strategy, but not a key part. I think there's only so many ways you can update older IP before it becomes unrecognizable and/or fails to appeal to both the nostalgic and modern gamer. I think that's what happened with some of the updates in the past decade or so, e.g., Haunted House. It's tough to recapture the "soul" of some of that IP. That is very TRUE. Back in 2007 System 3 had access and does to the Epyx catalogue. The CEO proudly proclaimed Impossible Mission, California Games, and all the Games series ( Summer Games I/II, Winter Games , World Games) were all coming to modern gaming platforms. He said they would include the original game just like C64 and new modernized redone version. Well only Impossible Mission was every released on DS , Wii , PSP and PS2. None of the Games Series ever got released.. most likely due to Impossible Mission's poor sales and quick movement to the clearance aisle. BTW I picked up the 2007 DS Impossible Mission for $4.99 a few weeks back. I really like it but I can see why it was not a money making title, because outside of nostalgia it's not even a good DS game on its own. Edited February 28, 2018 by thetick1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetick1 Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 The battery and even the power adaptor will be dead before we see the Ataribox version of anything... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 For some reason that just made me think of the Outer Limits episode "Demon With A Glass Hand". Awesome episode for those who have not seen it. Sorry for going off topic. Back to Taco Talk ASAP, promise. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenixdownita Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Awesome episode for those who have not seen it. Sorry for going off topic. Back to Taco Talk ASAP, promise. Oh no you didn't go off topic, as there's no topic, remember the Matrix? ... "there's no spoon" .... there's no Ataribox ... there's no Atari ... ok ok I'll go back in the Jaguar lair. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 There are only tacos. Except those fish "tacos" that sometimes are microwaved. So they really aren't tacos. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 None of the Games Series ever got released.. most likely due to Impossible Mission's poor sales and quick movement to the clearance aisle. I found it peculiar that US Gold released Summer Games 1 and 2 for the Amiga in 1992, four years after Epyx had released their updated The Games: Summer Edition (and Winter Edition, though US Gold never ported the classic Winter Games to the Amiga). Even though those 2D multi sports games were excellent 30++ years ago on the C64, Atari 8-bit etc, I think the competition was different in 2007 in a world where sports games have moved on and tend to be very short lived with yearly updates to stay current, more so than other genres. If System 3 had obtained a license so they could brand and re-release Summer Games for the Beijing 2008 Olympics, perhaps it would have sold a few copies but on the other hand I think there were licensed Olympic games on the DS, PSP, PS2 and Wii already. Of course System 3 both on their own and within Epyx' library had more games to work with, titles like Chip's Challenge, Silicon Warrior, International Karate, The Last Ninja, MYTH, Flimbo's Quest... I'm not sure who owns the rights to the Apshai series. When it comes to racing games, they also had Pit Stop but perhaps that kind of game required a Formula 1 license to be interesting in 2007. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Canadian app store and google play links at the bottom of this: http://toucharcade.com/2018/02/27/night-driver-soft-launch/ Thanks for this. I just installed the Android version last night. Most of the content (additional tracks, additional cars, various boots and upgrades) is unlockable, but I already earned one "loot crate" in my first or second playthrough. Obviously a more skillful player will make faster progress, but even I was able to make some progress in less than an hour of playtime. I find the controls a bit, well, loose, but I also tend to over-steer with most every other racing game. There is a "classic mode", but I am not even close to reaching it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I hope you bought the $99.99 in-app purchase, otherwise you're not a real Atari® Night Driver fan. But seriously, how's the game? Fun enough for farting around a little, not insta-delete trash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Racing games are not really my forte, but it seems acceptable. It appears (based on my very limited playtime so far) that there is no need to pay actual money for the vehicle upgrades if you do not mind grinding a long time with the initial car/track. Whether that will continue to be fun, I do not yet know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Are there unskippable advertisements? I don't mind a little IAP for cosmetic things, and maybe even a little pay to win if it's done in a fair way (more chances at gacha boxes) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toiletunes Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 more importantly, is it speakerhat compatible? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 So a modern game meant to renew an old trademark, but the classic mode the game borrows from is a distant dream until you have played an awful lot or pay extra to get back to the simple? Atari probably don't bother, though their legacy games will be even further from today's players, only the game names remain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhd Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Are there unskippable advertisements? I do not recall seeing any in-game advertisements. The game encourages a player to purchase upgrades, but that is not strictly necessary. I have "won" a few small items so far, but I have not noticed a significant change in gameplay. Some are just cosmetic (e.g. paint, rims), while others impact the vehicle's performance. So a modern game meant to renew an old trademark, but the classic mode the game borrows from is a distant dream until you have played an awful lot or pay extra to get back to the simple? Atari probably don't bother, though their legacy games will be even further from today's players, only the game names remain. Well, I can play the original 2600 Night Driver via the Atari Greatest Hits collection. While that collection is not free, all of the games/modes are unlocked at the outset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 So a modern game meant to renew an old trademark, but the classic mode the game borrows from is a distant dream until you have played an awful lot or pay extra to get back to the simple?It wouldn't be the first time. "Atari Classics Evolved" for PSP (a $19 half price release in 2008) locked all the bundled VCS games away until the player completed all 44 of the rather tricky challenges for the 10 or so arcade games available from the start. Mediocre reviews for this all around. It seems an odd choice to lock the old behind the new, but maybe it comes from the idea that their vintage stuff is somehow a buried treasure, not just old tat. Shutokou Highway Battle always struck me as the proper heir to Night Driver. Or Enduro, by Activision. Has anyone reimagined Enduro? Get the US Post Office in there. "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds" 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 Are there unskippable advertisements? I hope they are taco ads. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osgeld Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 I agree. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMaddog Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Well Night Driver (mobile) does look like a nice cross of Inital D & Blood Dragon and good for quick one handed play I guess. But I really wished it was more like Real Racing 3 with using tilt controls to steer and 1st person POV, imagine that driving through Vice City with a pure retro soundtrack! I wish there were more games like that for iOS but people would rather spend money on IAP based crap like Candy Crush Saga instead of paying $10 for good stuff like Inifinte Blade... (I know it sounds like an old fart rant, but mobile games do work on a completely different economy than games on other platforms) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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