Centipede Recharged (in VCS Store)

[+swlovinist]

I picked it up for the Switch, and will get it later for the VCS.   Video later this morning will be posted on my channel.   I like it overall, just wish that there were some more control options.  You cant use the control pad on the Switch Pro Controller for movement.   Definitely a good one for the VCS joystick I bet.  Looking forward to seeing what other recharged games come out.  

[digdugnate]

45 minutes ago, justclaws said:

Very interesting! So far, I didn't feel any need to adjust settings, except to turn the rumble strength down a bit.
(The VCS version also has adjustable rumble on the VCS joysticks, and the lights on the VCS classic controller.)

A mouse is supported in the menus, but it appears it is not supported in-game, right now, so no trackball support.

this strays somewhat from the subforum, but on the Switch I had it crash a couple times initially on launch and only analog stick is supported for controllers.  I kinda would like d-pad support. 

 

I also ended up turning down the stick sensitivity so it wasn't quite so spazzy.

[justclaws]

Well, according to Reddit (and the VCS Reddit followers who bought it for non-VCS platforms)
the owners who have it on the VCS are clearly the happiest so far, with the game, as I read it.

Users claim it is crashing at startup on Xbox/X and repeatedly on Switch. Interesting...
Another user though is unhappy with the price of $10, after buying the VCS console. ?

 

[Mockduck]

3 hours ago, digdugnate said:

It's interesting hearing what you guys think of it on the VCS.  I think it runs so-so on the Switch (the platform I picked it up on) with effects on, but runs really well with the effects turned off.

 

Nothing will compare to original for me, but it's really good.

I noticed it runs slightly smoother on the VCS with Effects turned off, and having effects turned off in some ways makes the game easier to "read" while playing. You do lose the cool effects of course, though, but I bet some people prefer effects off long-term. However, the game ran fine with effects on.

[Atari_JaguarVCS]

Anyone else noticed that if you have the VCS set to 4k mode via the settings and boot up the game up if you leave the game paused in game for a few mins and return to it the frame drops to about 10FPS and the Fan starts throttling like crazy and the controllers glitch out?. I’ve tried to replicate the issue to see if it was a one of bug but it happens every time for me, I decided to drop the VCS to 1080p and left the game paused for around the 2-3 minute mark again but it’s just the controller that becomes unresponsive and the only way to resolve the issue is to do a restart on the VCS very strange issue wonder if it’s just my VCS playing up? Either way the game is still fantastic for me so long as I don’t pause it to take a phone call or something lol .

[justclaws]

38 minutes ago, Atari_JaguarVCS said:

Anyone else noticed that if you have the VCS set to 4k mode via the settings and boot up the game up if you leave the game paused in game for a few mins and return to it the frame drops to about 10FPS and the Fan starts throttling like crazy and the controllers glitch out?. I’ve tried to replicate the issue to see if it was a one of bug but it happens every time for me, I decided to drop the VCS to 1080p and left the game paused for around the 2-3 minute mark again but it’s just the controller that becomes unresponsive and the only way to resolve the issue is to do a restart on the VCS very strange issue wonder if it’s just my VCS playing up? Either way the game is still fantastic for me so long as I don’t pause it to take a phone call or something lol .

I don't have a 4K TV or monitor still, but I can check the controller issue with you.
How are you pausing the game though? The = burger menu, or the Atari button?
The = menu is in-game, so can be a local bug, and the Atari button should suspend the program totally.
I didn't see the problem, but so far I hadn't paused the game for very long, ha ha.

[bugcatcher88]

I played the game for about 40-50 minutes so far. I've already unlocked several achievements in the VCS version (I wasn't expecting achievements on VCS). 

Controls well with the modern controller. I'll try it out using the classic joystick soon.

[tripled79]

 

Just bought the game. Letting the music play. It's....okay. Ha! Great beats!

[MrMaddog]

Got the Steam version... It's decent to play but not as great as Tempest 4000, but for $10 I won't complain.  You only get one life so you must master the powerups obtained from the spider, especially when you quickly get swarmed by poisoned centipedes.

 

One thing I hated was the lack of mouse control (come on Atari, it's a friggin' Trakball game!).  In fact when using the mouse in the menus the game locked up so just don't use it till it's fixed.

 

If you like challanges and getting achivements then get this version, any purists who wants the original arcade gameplay would be better off using Atari Vault which plays way faster.

 

Protip: Keep V-Sync on to stop the stutters.

Edited September 29, 2021 by MrMaddog

[justclaws]

1 hour ago, bugcatcher88 said:

I played the game for about 40-50 minutes so far. I've already unlocked several achievements in the VCS version (I wasn't expecting achievements on VCS). 

Controls well with the modern controller. I'll try it out using the classic joystick soon.

So far, I've only played it with the classic controller, and it works well.
One bug I have discovered tonight is that if an Xbox controller (maybe VCS Modern controller too), even starting the game
from the Classic joystick, the game ignores it if the other controller is plugged-in. I was a bit confused by that because I
had been playing a lot earlier, and it worked fine, and then suddenly, up/down/left/right/fire had stopped working.

Solution: disconnect Xbox/Modern controller, if wanting to use the Classic controller (with USB or Bluetooth).

The game responds to a mouse on the VCS version no problem on the menus, but ignores it during the game itself.
That is strange, because AdamVision supported the mouse in Missile Command: Recharged, so also my track-ball. ?

[justclaws]

Maybe now I also remind you all that there's a new sub-forum for high-scores, here,
called "VCS High Score Club" in the tradition of the other classic Atari system forums.

https://atariage.com/forums/forum/386-vcs-high-score-club/

 

 

[bugcatcher88]

1 minute ago, justclaws said:

The game responds to a mouse on the VCS version no problem on the menus, but ignores it during the game itself.
That is strange, because AdamVision supported the mouse in Missile Command: Recharged, so also my track-ball. ?

I noticed that too. Strange that the mouse only functions in the menu ?

I hope they add full mouse support in a future update. Like Missile Command, it plays better with a mouse.

[negative1]

15 hours ago, bugcatcher88 said:

I noticed that too. Strange that the mouse only functions in the menu ?

I hope they add full mouse support in a future update. Like Missile Command, it plays better with a mouse.

I tried the steam version on the PC, was not impressed, especially with the control.

 

Yes mouse support is needed, because I use a trackball anyways. maybe i can map it using a utility.

 

will try it out on the xbox one on the weekend, but so far, its more like millipede, and not centipede.

 

later

-1

[Rick Dangerous]

Is Powerup going to do a Trak-Ball peripheral?!  

 

But seriously need to pick this us ASAP, and will. 

Edited September 30, 2021 by Rick Dangerous

[SabertoothRetro]

Confirming that the VCS version has 40 Challenges. I've played through #32 ("Dangerous Shrooms") and can see the remaining locked titles. At the end of the list it loops back to #1 ("Pyramid"). On the PS4 version it ends at #30 ('Holiday Spirit"). So, 31-40 are the VCS exclusive challenges. 

 

1. Pyramid

2. Trap

3. Bomberman

4. Indirect Approach

5. Wilderness

6. Flea Extermination

7. Spider Invasion

8. Arrows

9. A Clear Path

10. Super Centipede

11. Don't Kill a Centipede

12. Four Chances

13. Scorpion Extermination

14. Explosive Specialist

15. Moment of Peace

16. Hinterland

17. Behind the Wall

18. Swarm

19. Mirror

20. Beachhead

21. Mycophagist

22. Demolition Expert

23. Ancient Centipede

24. Flea Invasion

25. Vise

26. Barrens

27. Vulcano

28. Line of Death

29. Don't Kill A Scorpion

30. Holiday Spirit

31. Poison Centipede

32. Dangerous Shrooms

33. Flea Survive

34. Flea Survive XL

35. Raining Fleas

36. A Rocky Start

37. Spider Town

38. Centipocalypse

39. Scorp-Ed Earth

40. Exponential Growth

 

[SabertoothRetro]

The game plays extremely well on the PS4 Pro. Here are some differences that I've noted between the PS4 and VCS versions. 

 

- PS4 has animated splash screens for Atari, Adamvision and SneakyBox; VCS is static

- PS4 has animated backgrounds in menu; VCS is static

- PS4 has global, friend and local leaderboards; VCS has just local leaderboards at the moment

- PS4 has it's Trophy system; VCS uses Achievements that are only visible in game. 

- VCS has 10 additional challenges, a total of 40; PS4 has 30. 

 

The look and feel of in-game play appears to be the same. I may take some video capture and do a side-by-side. 

 

With the animated splash and menu screens, and global and friend leaderboards, I'd say PS4 feels more polished than the VCS version. I hope Atari implements it's friend and leaderboard system for the VCS soon. This would bring it on par for me. Otherwise, the 10 additional exclusive challenges on the VCS may give it the edge for some. Gameplay is great on either platform. 

 

 

 

 

[+Neon Wraith]

6 hours ago, SabertoothRetro said:

Gameplay is great on either platform. 

I agree completely, the game play is on point.  That is what really matters in an arcade style game and they nailed it.

[+Neon Wraith]

On 9/29/2021 at 12:21 AM, SabertoothRetro said:

The only nitpicky thing is the movement of the spider - I wish it were more like the original.

Agreed.  I wish it would bounce around the screen a little more like the original, but I get why they did the slow crawl, the spider is the source of the power ups.

[SabertoothRetro]

My full review of Centipede: Recharged over at atari.io:

 

https://forums.atari.io/blogs/entry/149-012-centipede-recharged-is-retro-modern-bug-blasting-fun/

[oo7]

Hmmm steam version here. Love it!!! Plays with gamepad or mouse…….

[adamchevy]

Playing this on the Series S. It runs great and as I’ve mentioned in another Topic, it’s a 10/10 game to me. Trackball support would take it up to 11, and I wish I had a VCS to play it with the Classic controller.

[justclaws]

9 hours ago, adamchevy said:

Playing this on the Series S. It runs great and as I’ve mentioned in another Topic, it’s a 10/10 game to me. Trackball support would take it up to 11, and I wish I had a VCS to play it with the Classic controller.

The VCS version has an extra 10 challenge levels, as I understand it.
That's the exclusive extra content they referred to. 
Sadly also no mouse support, even though it was present on Missile Command: Recharged on the VCS.s

I just discovered that there is some new Atari: Recharged series merchandise available.
https://atari-merch.mybigcommerce.com/

I just discovered that there is a new Centipede: Recharged T-shirt available!

[+swlovinist]

I just want to say that I think this is a good move for Atari.   The price point, availability, and future titles with this series makes these accessible to fans who grew up with these games.   I am looking forward to what else they make and cant wait for Black Widow.  

[jerseystyle]

4 minutes ago, swlovinist said:

I just want to say that I think this is a good move for Atari.   The price point, availability, and future titles with this series makes these accessible to fans who grew up with these games.   I am looking forward to what else they make and cant wait for Black Widow.  

If they had like 10 of these titles exclusive to the VCS I would’ve picked one up. MC and Centipede both look great.

[SabertoothRetro]

1 hour ago, swlovinist said:

I just want to say that I think this is a good move for Atari.   The price point, availability, and future titles with this series makes these accessible to fans who grew up with these games.   I am looking forward to what else they make and cant wait for Black Widow.  

I agree ?! 

 

It's too early to say for certain but it seems like Atari may be turning a corner under it's new CEO. The returned focus to console gaming, move away from free-to-play and abandonment of seedier ventures are all positive signs. Plus, they seem to be taking some ownership/interest in the VCS, which didn't appear to be the case previously.  If this first series is any indication, things are looking up for Atari fans and the brand.