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Let’s Imagine Desired Atari VCS Games


YarsFan

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Remember how great it was as a kid using our imagination when playing the 2600? Well this thread is going to try to tap into your inner childhood imagination once again:

 

Other than already announced games, which hypothetical future Atari games (using only Atari IP) would you like to see on the Atari VCS in the future, even if Atari farmed out development and focused on publishing these as VCS exclusives? 
 

A few dozen potential opportunities that come to mind for me:

 

- Yars’ Revenge: Recharged

The best-selling Atari 2600 original, and reportedly most popular Atari game among females for whatever reason(s), is ripe for a recharge! This is my top desire, as you can imagine based on my handle. 

 

- Crossbow Remake

How cool would it be to turn the concept of Crossbow into a full-fledged adventure game where you are the greatest archer in the land and you need to help your ragtag band of buddies meet different objectives, with you from a distance? Even just a Crossbow: Recharged would be cool. 

- Star Raiders Remake

Need more be said? Recharged would be great, too. 


- Codebreaker Remake

How cool (and nerdy) would it be to make a legit game that revolves around breaking codes, albeit set during a fantasy Middle Earth-like setting or something, so that one does not require a PhD in math to break the codes? Think of it as Codebreaker set in Middle Earth or something. 
 

- Haunted House Remake

Build a game similar to Until Dawn meets Maniac Mansion meets The Goonies set in a modern game engine. Could even set it in the 1980s, similar to the recently released Xbox game “Lake.” You and your teen buddies break into a Haunted House, an Old Victorian Mansion, and you quickly find yourselves locked in there…far from alone. Obviously the only way out will prove to be an underground labyrinth full of dungeons and treasure.   


- Major Havoc Remake

Picture a top-down shooter that turns into Super Metroid’s opening stage with each station you enter and go attempt to detonate. Sooo much potential. 
 

- Asteroids Remake

Picture a modem game with a setting like the asteroids situation in Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back. So cool. 

- Missile Command Remake

Set in an alternative late 1980s where Gorbachev is not the Soviet premier but instead Soviet communist hardliners allied with Chinese communist hardliners are in control and have a showdown with America/Reagan, all of it ultimately ending in a test of SDI. The game would be us manning the SDI system, of course. 

- Night Driver Remake

Remember the opening of the movie Drive (2011)? That would be this game. You’re always the runaway driver on different heist missions, trying to find innovative ways to avoid getting caught. Picture a GTA-like engine. 
 

 - Sky Diver Remake

A skydiving simulator. Think Pilot Wings, but modern graphics and only skydiving all over the world. How cool would that be? 

- Sub Commander

Quick, name a submarine simulator in  modern times. Such a ripe opportunity. 
 

- Polybius “Re-Release”

Not really Atari IP, or even a real game, but why not make it Atari IP and a real game? It would be cool to see Atari try to create a good game that plays/looks similarly to all of the rumors, right down to certain things in the game clearly being subconscious messaging, attempts at getting people into the zone (so-called “brainwashing”), and flashing lights that would make some sick (obviously lots of warnings for epileptics). They could even market the thing like the folks who made Blair Witch Project marketed that movie back in 1999, making it seem like this is the real deal discovered in an abandoned warehouse in the northwest. 
 

Hope you’ve enjoyed the entertainment and look forward to your ideas. If anybody from Atari ever reads this, consider these ideas all yours to take from me free of charge, or discard or whatever. I just wanna play this stuff on my Atari VCS! :)

 

 

Edited by YarsFan
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Ninja Golf 2 - 7800/VCS

 

7800 version - similar in idea to the first game, with the player moving to the right to get to the end of the level; however, the screen will scroll from left to right (like defender).

Enemies such as the gophers, etc, will be removed or redesigned as end-of-level bosses/gatekeepers to the next course.

The story and characters will be a fleshed out and new characters will be introduced.

As stated on AVGN, the story will be as absurd as the game is, and feature Adult Swim-esque humour.

There will be a Course Master that goads the player throughout the game and will be the final boss - each boss will be one of the Course Masters henchmen.

 

Gameplay:

 

After the player takes the first shot he begins traversing the course and will be faced with waves of enemies.

The amount of waves, and their difficulty/number of enemies is determined by how accurate their shot is to par, which will be indicated on the level map.

The enemy waves swarm from the left and right, similar in style to Capcom's Dead rising, Valve's Left 4 Dead, and the Zombies game supplied with C.O.D. 

The 7800's sprite capabilities would allow for lots of enemies on-screen with no sprite-flicker.

Enemies will not only attack from left to right, but will rise from the ground (Zombie ninjas) and come from the background too, so that the player will be attacked from all-sides.

 

As the game will be a beat-'em-up, the player will be able to link-up hit combos (influenced directly from Sengoku 3 on the Neo-Geo, where the fighter can rack-up huge, multi-enemy combos) pick-up weapons, and use screen-clearing spells.

As the player gets closer to the putt/boss, the waves increase in size and numbers.

 

Basically, turn the wacky, original concept into a AAA 8-bit fighting game.

 

The VCS version:

 

Same concept as the 7800 version but from a third-person perspective with 3D graphics.

 

If ATARI were to release this game on both platforms then they could include bonus/unlockables/acheivments that can be used in the different versions, such as extra content, levels, characters, etc.

7800 bonuses unlock features in the VCS port and visa-versa.

 

 

 

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Warlords Recharge. 

 

Take the Warlord concept but add a strategy phase similar to Herzog Zwei / tower defense. You still have the paddle and ball phase but in the strategy phase, you set up towers, and command troops. During the ball phase, these troops would attack and towers would defend. Only against other troops. The paddle and the ball can not affect the troops, nor can the troops/towers affect the ball and paddle.

I threw together a concept sketch in paint from a tower defense screen shot and some clip art.

 

wlr.jpg

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Gremlins.

 

Again, a 7800 ATARI XP and VCS version.

Same game in all but name and sprites.

These can be repurposed/reimagined and made ATARI's own.

The 7800 version can be an enhanced 5200 conversion with better graphics, a Pokey/custom audio D.S.P, extra levels, and increased difficulty utilising the 7800's superior sprite-pushing capabilities.

The VCS version could be an HD version as I can't see this game translating well to 3D.

 

Midnight Mutants

 

Again, an ATARI XP 7800 and VCS combo.

On the 7800 version ATARI could redesign the artwork for Grampa as that's the only link to the Munsters that the game really has, and be renamed Gramps, as he is represented in-game.

The game could have slightly updated graphics with a colour/sprite-hack.

The music also can have a custom/Pokey soundtrack and sound fx.

The VCS could be a 2.5D isometric HD update, with a Luigi's Mansion-esque graphics style.

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Leonard Smith said:

You know what I would like?

A nicely redone suite of mini games (like NES REMIX) using Atari 2600 and/or 5200 games and making you do and get various things on each game.
That would be a nice change of pace than simply rehashing or re-releasing existing games.

 

ATARI MANIA in production for the VCS sounds like the game you describe.

 

Target Renegade for the 7800/VCS retro rom.

Graphically enhanced, with Pokey/Custom soundtrack and FX.

A 7800 exclusive level would also be a great bonus.

 

Edited by Gunther
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Crystal Castles (VCS): A first person perspective 3D puzzle game where you are commanding Bentley (think a view angle similar to Super Mario Party for the Switch) through various mazes, dodging all the usual characters and pitfalls. A Berthilda spell can take you to a level of the 2600 game, with a successful completion of the 2600 level gaining you a power up. Bentley discovers shops along the way that can provide spells or tools to help in the quest, while Atari easter eggs abound. Each maze has a boss that can be defeated for new spells/resources or dodged to get to a new level. 

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5 hours ago, Leonard Smith said:

You know what I would like?

A nicely redone suite of mini games (like NES REMIX) using Atari 2600 and/or 5200 games and making you do and get various things on each game.
That would be a nice change of pace than simply rehashing or re-releasing existing games.

 

Yeah, the ultimate Atari era party game would be sweet.

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Another idea (amazing nobody has done this one yet): Bloodsport: The Video Game. License it with Van Damme and the other actors. Make it a solid Street Fighter 2-style fighter with online tourneys. 
 

Frankly, Atari would be wise to attempt to cash-in on beloved 1980s movies without any past video game by turning them into recent games. Such an obvious opportunity for Atari to differentiate themselves with some exclusive titles. 
 

Some other 1980s movies that would be cool games?

Edited by YarsFan
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7 hours ago, YarsFan said:

Another idea (amazing nobody has done this one yet): Bloodsport: The Video Game. License it with Van Damme and the other actors. Make it a solid Street Fighter 2-style fighter with online tourneys. 
 

Frankly, Atari would be wise to attempt to cash-in on beloved 1980s movies without any past video game by turning them into recent games. Such an obvious opportunity for Atari to differentiate themselves with some exclusive titles. 
 

Some other 1980s movies that would be cool games?

Excellent idea!

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This is easy, E.T. Once and for all (kidding).

 

That said, there are a ton of properties they could leverage that had or were scheduled to have games. One is A-Team, which just ripped off Saboteur. The other is Knight Rider. I would absolutely love a game that is like a modern version of Fatal Run meets Spy Hunter based around that show. We also talk about the lack of a stellar RPG first person shooter, boom, do something around Rambo or Miami Vice. The possibilities are endless, especially when it comes to properties for kids games. I do think Atari can lean heavy into the nostalgia, being who they are, and hopefully pull it off. 

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On 1/17/2022 at 5:26 PM, Leonard Smith said:

You know what I would like?

A nicely redone suite of mini games (like NES REMIX) using Atari 2600 and/or 5200 games and making you do and get various things on each game.
That would be a nice change of pace than simply rehashing or re-releasing existing games.

 

The hard part is "nicely redone"
NES Remix seemed like a repetitive series of un-fun tasks
If it could be turned into something with a goofy framing story like Wario Ware or even GameCenter CX ("RetroGame Challenge") I'd be all over that, as would other people who like Atari games but don't have a VCS. 

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My first computer was an Atari 800 and Star Raiders was one one of my all time favorite games. A remake or even the 8-bit version would be nice and not the 5200 version that comes with VCS Vault II. I want to use the keyboard.

 

Also, I remember beta testing Behind Jaggi Lines/Rescue on Fractulus. I later had a bootleg copy and would love to play that again.

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In addition to Bloodsport, here are a few 1980s movies that Atari may be able to turn into exclusive games (go all-in with the nostalgia, baby! I’m not sure any of these received a game in the past other than maybe Commodore 64 way back when?)

 

Escape from New York

Highlander

They Live

Beverly Hills Cop

The Running Man

Midnight Run

Stand By Me

Big Trouble in Little China

Repo Man

Revenge of the Nerds

An American Werewolf in London

The Road Warrior

Police Academy

Fright Night

Nightmares (The Bishop of Battle!)

 

And a couple ‘80s movies due for another game:

 

The Goonies (NES sequel to the movie back in ‘88-ish, so the Atari game could focus on the original movie)

The Thing (there was a PS2 sequel to the movie about 20 years ago, so focus on the first movie)

Nightmare on Elm Street

Edited by YarsFan
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On 1/29/2022 at 11:04 PM, YarsFan said:

The Goonies (NES sequel to the movie back in ‘88-ish, so the Atari game could focus on the original movie)

There was also a Goonies game for home computers from Datasoft that was much different than the NES platformer:

https://goonies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Goonies_(Commodore_64)

I had it for the Atari 8bit. Not that I would recommend anything based on this version of the game. I don't think it has aged well. 

Datasoft also made a game based on the 80s move, The NeverEnding Story.

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10 minutes ago, stirrell said:

There was also a Goonies game for home computers from Datasoft that was much different than the NES platformer:

https://goonies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Goonies_(Commodore_64)

I had it for the Atari 8bit. Not that I would recommend anything based on this version of the game. I don't think it has aged well. 

There is a modern remake of the NES Goonies game that runs on Linux and Windows:

 

https://goonies.jorito.net/

 

But Atari getting the rights to publish this is probably not going to happen,   but there's always PC Mode.

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  • 1 month later...

Another one that popped to mind: Remake of The Battle of Olympus. 

And how about a remake of The Guardian Legend?

 

The Japanese companies that developed these two games are still around, but pretty much out of making video games, so would imagine the rights would be cheap. 
 

What are some other 1980s cult/niche games/IP that would be cheap to gobble up?

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