Games where the 7800 came out on top

[DracIsBack]

Yup.  Part of Nintendo's legendary squeeze tactics.  They also threatened anybody who carried American Video or Color Dreams games, although obviously some retailers took the risk since you can still find plenty of these games in today's aftermarket (although they are usually slightly to largely more rare than official manufactured games).

 

LOL. I have to chuckle because there are still some people out there who didn't want Microsoft entering the video game arena because they didn't think a monopolist like Microsoft in the industry trying to take over. Microsoft's competition is Sony and Nintendo - two companies that have been well known for monopoly tactics over the years. I can't think of fiercer competition than the three of them fighting it out.

[Classic Pac]

About Centipede it comes down to one word LAWYERS. As in fees paid to the coyright holders. Let me add one other thing, when a game is going to be produced by anyone other than the copyright holder. It is the copyright holder who has final say so on that title. Take the last Zelda games for the GBC, Capcom may of produced them but it was Nintendo who had the last say if that title was to go in to the stores or not. Remember there was to be 3 games not 2, according to EGM it was Nintendo who killed the 3rd game.

 

Historic Fact: What put Tengen out of bussiness, was one thing. The rights to Tetris. Tengen only had the US rights until Nintendo bought the world wide rights. Thus taking the rights out from under Tengens nose. This was widely reported at the time.

[JB]

About Centipede it comes down to one word LAWYERS. As in fees paid to the coyright holders. Let me add one other thing, when a game is going to be produced by anyone other than the copyright holder. It is the copyright holder who has final say so on that title.

Right.

And Centipede was Atari's baby.

Atari created it, from concept to release.

Namco had nothing to do with it.

 

So I repat: Why would Atari take orders from Namco for a port of a game Atari made?

[Lauren Tyler]

From my collection, here's my opinion on the 7800's high points and low points:

 

Asteroids: Wonderful, especially with two player simultaneous options!

 

Centipede: Likewise.

 

Choplifter!: Not bad, but the controls could use some tweaking.

 

Crossbow: It's as close to the arcade as one can get without using an emulator!

 

Desert Falcon: A rather unique game that comes out well on the 7800.

 

Dig-Dug: While there aren't any special features, it's still a good port.

 

Food Fight: I actually experienced this game in the arcades first, and when I got the 7800 version, I was happy to learn that it looked and played nearly 100% like it's counterpart!

 

Galaga: While it isn't 100% like the arcade game, it does its best to be like it, which is good enough.

 

Joust: A perfect port! Need I say more?

 

Pole Position II: The only flaw with this is that all four tracks have the same qualifying times (all taken from the original game) but other than that it's a great port of one of my all time favorite games!

 

Robotron 2084: Despite the fact the controls are a little unusual with one joystick, and playing with two can be a little awkward, it's a great port.

 

Tower Toppler: Before it was known as Castelian on the NES and Game Boy, it was known as Tower Toppler on the Atari 7800. I must say this is one of the more challenging yet fun games I've found. The 3D rotating graphics are, indeed, a nice touch.

 

Xenophobe: Like Crossbow, it's as close as you can come to the arcade version!

 

Xevious: Now this is just truly devious (sorry about the pun! ) To me it looks like they took the 2600 prototype, redid the graphics so it would look better, added some sounds from the arcade game, and put it into a 7800 cartridge. I was hoping for better fare, I must say.

[vanman]

I would like to think the 7800 came out on top with mario bros. It has better control.

[bjk7382]

Joust. The 7800 has the best version of this game that's available for any home console.

 

I completely agree. Joust is excellent on the 7800.

 

Is it similar to the 400/800 version or better?

 

Below is an actual screen picture, so it won't look as good as an emulator capture.

[Shannon]

Joust for the 7800 is good, but I don't like how they bring out two pterodactyl's so soon. Plus the way your player interacts with the environment is off.

 

Other than that, lots 'o' fun!

[ZylonBane]

Centipede: Wonderful, especially with two player simultaneous options!

The 7800 version plays well enough, but it looks weak compared to the 5200 version.

 

Choplifter!: Not bad, but the controls could use some tweaking.

Have you played any of the original computer versions of Choplifter? The 7800 version is a pathetic mutilated mess by comparison.

 

Crossbow: It's as close to the arcade as one can get without using an emulator!

The XEGS version is much closer.

 

Desert Falcon: A rather unique game that comes out well on the 7800.

It's Zaxxon with a clunky power-up system bolted on. And there are no degrees of uniqueness. Something is either unique or it isn't. The word literally means, "one of a kind".

 

Tower Toppler: Before it was known as Castelian on the NES and Game Boy, it was known as Tower Toppler on the Atari 7800.

It was originally known as Nebulus on the BBC Micro.

 

Xenophobe: Like Crossbow, it's as close as you can come to the arcade version!

Not really. The 7800 version is pretty bland-looking compared to the cartoony arcade original. And you can't even select different characters.

 

Xevious: Now this is just truly devious (sorry about the pun! ) To me it looks like they took the 2600 prototype, redid the graphics so it would look better, added some sounds from the arcade game, and put it into a 7800 cartridge.  I was hoping for better fare, I must say.

Ummm... what? Is that good? Bad? Huh?

[+davidcalgary29]

Joust. The 7800 has the best version of this game that's available for any home console.

 

I completely agree. Joust is excellent on the 7800.

 

Is it similar to the 400/800 version or better?

 

Below is an actual screen picture, so it won't look as good as an emulator capture.

 

All released ports of "Joust" for Atari's various platforms are excellent. In my opinion, though, the graphics in the 7800 version are a bit sharper and more colourful than they are in the Atari computer version.

[+davidcalgary29]

Centipede: Wonderful, especially with two player simultaneous options!

The 7800 version plays well enough, but it looks weak compared to the 5200 version.

 

Choplifter!: Not bad, but the controls could use some tweaking.

Have you played any of the original computer versions of Choplifter? The 7800 version is a pathetic mutilated mess by comparison.

 

Crossbow: It's as close to the arcade as one can get without using an emulator!

The XEGS version is much closer.

 

Desert Falcon: A rather unique game that comes out well on the 7800.

It's Zaxxon with a clunky power-up system bolted on. And there are no degrees of uniqueness. Something is either unique or it isn't. The word literally means, "one of a kind".

 

Tower Toppler: Before it was known as Castelian on the NES and Game Boy, it was known as Tower Toppler on the Atari 7800.

It was originally known as Nebulus on the BBC Micro.

 

Xenophobe: Like Crossbow, it's as close as you can come to the arcade version!

Not really. The 7800 version is pretty bland-looking compared to the cartoony arcade original. And you can't even select different characters.

 

Xevious: Now this is just truly devious (sorry about the pun! ) To me it looks like they took the 2600 prototype, redid the graphics so it would look better, added some sounds from the arcade game, and put it into a 7800 cartridge.  I was hoping for better fare, I must say.

Ummm... what? Is that good? Bad? Huh?

 

I agree with ZylonBane's comments here. I was very disappointed by the 7800 port of "Crossbow" after having played it extensively on the XE, as I thought much more could have been done with the 7800 version of the game. And "Xenophobe" is simply much more fun to play on the Lynx. I'll be quite interested to see what the XE release of "Xenophobe" is like.

[DracIsBack]

I agree with ZylonBane's comments here. I was very disappointed by the 7800 port of "Crossbow" after having played it extensively on the XE, as I thought much more could have been done with the 7800 version of the game.

 

Agreed. Crossbow was one of those games that I thought was deliberately crippled on the 7800 to make the XE version stand out. THey just added more to the XE version - digitized screens, sharper graphics etc.

 

And "Xenophobe" is simply much more fun to play on the Lynx. I'll be quite interested to see what the XE release of "Xenophobe" is like.

 

Xenophobe on the 7800 is better than the NES version. I'd wager the XE version is similar to the 7800 version, much like COMMANDO.

[Agent X]

Centipede: Wonderful, especially with two player simultaneous options!

The 7800 version plays well enough, but it looks weak compared to the 5200 version.

 

Huh? I always thought 7800 Centipede looked a lot better than the 5200 version. However, the 5200 version has better sound, and better control (particularly if you've got the Trak-Ball).

 

Desert Falcon: A rather unique game that comes out well on the 7800.

It's Zaxxon with a clunky power-up system bolted on. And there are no degrees of uniqueness. Something is either unique or it isn't. The word literally means, "one of a kind".

 

I disagree with your comment regarding the powerup system. I thought that it was a very innovative powerup system, especially considering the time that it was released and in the context of a shoot-em-up. There were something like 22 powerups to get, and it was always fun to figure out what combinations of hieroglyphs gave you what powers. The powerup system added an element of strategy to the game that was definitely welcome!

[Inky]

Centipede: Wonderful, especially with two player simultaneous options!

The 7800 version plays well enough, but it looks weak compared to the 5200 version.

 

Huh? I always thought 7800 Centipede looked a lot better than the 5200 version. However, the 5200 version has better sound, and better control (particularly if you've got the Trak-Ball).

 

I was always disappointed that the 'shrooms idn't look anything like the arcade version. Can't fault 7800 Centipede for its replay value though.

[ZylonBane]

Huh? I always thought 7800 Centipede looked a lot better than the 5200 version.

7800 Centipede:

 

5200 Centipede:

 

Arcade Centipede:

 

I'll take the 5200 version.

[Video]

I think this was intended to compare 7800 games to ports on NES, not other systems/computers/arcades.