Caverns of Mars: Recharged - (in VCS Store)

[Mockduck]

The graphic for the Atari.com web site Recharged section put this up last night, then took it down once it was noticed. Looks like this is our next Recharged game! 

 

[THX-1138]

I know Davpa on Discord confirmed there are a few games being worked on right now. One is a platformer and one must be this.

 

It can only be a good thing, looking forward to the formal announcement.

 

But PLEASE - let's get Star Raiders Recharged soon!

 

[marss]

 

[THX-1138]

Yes!

Yes!

Love it.  Can't wait.
 

[killersquirel]

This game looks awesome.  This is a day one purchase for me!

[RollOut]

Same here. The Recharged games have really hit their stride for me with the last few releases. Definitely a day one purchase 

[gilsaluki]

Man, that rocks!  Who/whomever is playing that is killer.  I still have a hard time with the original version, much slower than that.  Unless it's not a real person playing and it's just animation.

[justclaws]

 

[Dadisajoke]

Can't wait, it looks awesome!

[jerseystyle]

Recharged series has been really well done. It’s a great usage of their history for sure.

[killersquirel]

I can not wait for this game!  I remember when I was 8 or 9 going with a friend to his friend's house and playing the Atari 800 for the first time.  Caverns of Mars, Space Invaders, and Asteroids were the games that I remember playing.  My friend's friend played Star Raiders while I watched as well.  Then they left me to play on my own while they were hanging out.  Those were good times.  We need an update to Star Raiders as well. 

[justclaws]

An official gameplay video from Atari...
 

 

[+swlovinist]

Here is a my first look at this game

 

 

[WAVE 1 GAMES]

2 hours ago, swlovinist said:

Here is a my first look at this game

 

 

Man you always get early access!!! I am so jealous 😂 I'm looking forward to this one for real

[Atari_JaguarVCS]

Day 1 pick up on this! really looking forward to it. I’ll probably grab this on all platforms with the Atari VCS being my main platform to play it on followed by the Steamdeck if it’s compatible which I really hope it is. 

[RollOut]

Day 1 all the way. This looks really good. 

 

Just a few weeks ago I was thinking, "it's been a little while since they dropped a new VCS game". They have stepped up their game recently.

[Albert]

I'm a big Caverns of Mars fan, and cool to see Atari doing a Recharged version of this.  Especially as it'll only really be known to Atari 8-bit computer fans, as well as those who have picked up Conquest of Mars for the 2600.  And a version was included on the Flashback 2 as well. 

 

I watched the promo video, and one of the basic gameplay elements seems to be missing.  In the original game, you can actually get to the bottom of the "cavern", where you have to touch the reactor, and then fly back up through the caverns and get to the top before the reactor explodes.  The original version also has different sections, such as the section where the ships are flying up at you, which is not terribly easy.    So this version looks maybe a bit simpler in terms of gameplay--just keep going down and shooting things, with different power-ups you can choose from, and probably a larger variety of enemies, as well as destructive geometry.  Is that accurate?

 

 ..Al

[Gunther]

8 hours ago, Albert said:

I'm a big Caverns of Mars fan, and cool to see Atari doing a Recharged version of this.  Especially as it'll only really be known to Atari 8-bit computer fans, as well as those who have picked up Conquest of Mars for the 2600.  And a version was included on the Flashback 2 as well. 

 

I watched the promo video, and one of the basic gameplay elements seems to be missing.  In the original game, you can actually get to the bottom of the "cavern", where you have to touch the reactor, and then fly back up through the caverns and get to the top before the reactor explodes.  The original version also has different sections, such as the section where the ships are flying up at you, which is not terribly easy.    So this version looks maybe a bit simpler in terms of gameplay--just keep going down and shooting things, with different power-ups you can choose from, and probably a larger variety of enemies, as well as destructive geometry.  Is that accurate?

 

 ..Al

They've taken quite a lot of liberties with these games, but they seem to appeal to a newer (younger) audience due to all the tweaks they have made.

I hope ATARI carry on with the re-skinned games (Yar's Revenge on A50), a great way to bring these games as they were intended, with fancy modern graphics.

[Flojomojo]

On 1/28/2023 at 1:05 PM, killersquirel said:

My friend's friend played Star Raiders while I watched as well.  Then they left me to play on my own while they were hanging out.  Those were good times.  We need an update to Star Raiders as well. 

I'd like that too, but it seems like cockpit-based space games have gone out of style. If you haven't already done so, check out Star Raiders on Atari 50 (any platform). They added a "quality of life" layer with status and help, as well as a fast forward button, which makes the game a lot more accessible and playable to modern eyes. A full-on reimagining would be nice but this is a nice intermediate step in that direction. 

 

 

[+x=usr(1536)]

As someone who is a big Caverns of Mars fan, I have to say that this actually looks like a pretty decent rework of it.

 

The one thing it doesn't have (other than the reactor) is the claustrophobic feel of the original.  It does appear as though the camera can zoom in and out, however, so maybe it just wasn't showing as tight of a shot as it can in the video.  This makes sense, since zooming in would make it more difficult to clearly show the gameplay.

 

I'll admit it: this is actually kinda tempting.

[Flojomojo]

I like the style of the Recharged games. I pre-ordered this one on the Switch store and every time I see someone talking about it I figure it must have launched, so I try to start it, but it's not the day yet. Maybe tomorrow. 

[Mockduck]

11 hours ago, Albert said:

I'm a big Caverns of Mars fan, and cool to see Atari doing a Recharged version of this.  Especially as it'll only really be known to Atari 8-bit computer fans, as well as those who have picked up Conquest of Mars for the 2600.  And a version was included on the Flashback 2 as well. 

 

I watched the promo video, and one of the basic gameplay elements seems to be missing.  In the original game, you can actually get to the bottom of the "cavern", where you have to touch the reactor, and then fly back up through the caverns and get to the top before the reactor explodes.  The original version also has different sections, such as the section where the ships are flying up at you, which is not terribly easy.    So this version looks maybe a bit simpler in terms of gameplay--just keep going down and shooting things, with different power-ups you can choose from, and probably a larger variety of enemies, as well as destructive geometry.  Is that accurate?

 

 ..Al

The game reminds me a bit of a cross between the original Caverns of Mars and a newer indie game called Downwell, it has the same kind of falling but not mechanics. I - think - they have ditched the escape the cavern part and the setting off the bomb part, but I think there is a base battle of some kind that happens towards/at the end. We'll know more tomorrow. 

[Albert]

10 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said:

The one thing it doesn't have (other than the reactor) is the claustrophobic feel of the original.  It does appear as though the camera can zoom in and out, however, so maybe it just wasn't showing as tight of a shot as it can in the video.  This makes sense, since zooming in would make it more difficult to clearly show the gameplay.

This is a good point, and that's part of what made the original game difficult.  You have to navigate the narrow cavern at a constant speed, while also avoiding being killed by enemies and you need to watch for fuel and shoot it as well.  The Recharged version is considerably more open, and to me is more of a vertical shooter where you're going down instead of up.  Plus it looks you can destroy just about everything in your way, especially with that wide laser beam weapon.  Still looks like fun, though, and I definitely want to try it out. 

 

 ..Al

[Flojomojo]

11 hours ago, Albert said:

And a version was included on the Flashback 2 as well. 

You just helped me connect some dots ... I liked the 2600 port of Caverns of Mars on Flashback 2 and was disappointed it hasn't shown up anywhere else. I didn't realize it was a home-brew called Conquest of Mars everywhere else!

 

https://www.retrogames.cz/play_1479-Atari2600.php?language=EN

https://atariage.com/software_page.php?SoftwareLabelID=2740

[digdugnate]

18 minutes ago, Flojomojo said:

I like the style of the Recharged games. I pre-ordered this one on the Switch store and every time I see someone talking about it I figure it must have launched, so I try to start it, but it's not the day yet. Maybe tomorrow. 

It's the 9th (Thursday).

 

There have been a couple of them I just didn't like all that much (especially Breakout), but in general I've picked up and enjoyed every Recharged title.  I don't expect this one to be any different   Gameplay looks fun.