Berzerk Enhanced arrived...

[Thran]

I agree that the regular copies of the new games should come with some kind of instruction sheet, not just the XP games.

 

It would have been very easy to print the game grid and difficulty switch settings on the back of the sleeve that's already included with the game.

Edited November 27, 2023 by Thran
added line about game grid

[Brad_from_the_80s]

Even a QR code to an online manual would have been something, although I'd prefer a real booklet or at least a spec sheet on use of select/difficulty switches.

 

They did put this out BTW...

 

https://atari.com/pages/atari-2600-vip

 

[tkarner]

My copy arrived over the weekend.

 

The positive:

The robots shooting diagonally is worth the price of admission. It really improves the game.

There are also a couple other changes that make it more arcade-like. The score font and extra lives sprites are now more arcade-like, and Evil Otto is now the same color as the robots instead of the same color as the player.

The box and cartridge label are excellent.

 

The neutral:

The voices are ok. The Berzerk VE homebrew might have done the voices slightly better.

 

The negative:

The screen jumps/stutters when changing levels (I'm playing on original hardware and a CRT). The original cartridge doesn't do that.

When shooting a robot, there is an odd delay between seeing the explosion and hearing it. Not sure why this delay was added.

Given a choice between that inner cartridge sleeve and an instruction sheet, I would have preferred instructions. But for those of us who played this as kids we probably have all the game variations memorized anyway.

[Xot]

21 hours ago, Bill Loguidice said:

Considering the cartridge sleeve is an extra step that they're doing already, it's not too much to ask to have a simple one- or two-sided color sheet that summarizes the key points, especially when a game uses switches or has more than one game mode. I can see them not wanting to do a special plastic case or the like so it blends in better with original releases (and is probably cheaper considering how thin the cardboard is), but either way they should do something to address that obvious issue.

Solve two birds with one stone and put the game select matrix on the back of the sleeve!

[Xot]

On 11/22/2023 at 11:24 AM, -^CrossBow^- said:

I played the older Berzerk: VE on mine last night. Pretty sure that version has 3 voices at least with Intruder Alert Intruder Alert, Humanoid must not Escape, and if you leave the room with robots still in it, you get the Chicken fight like a robot message.

 

Did they not include all of these on the new Berzerk Enhanced? Although I don't think the robots shoot diagonally in the older VE version I have but the Voices were pretty clear to me through my 2600+.

 

It's probably missing my favorite - "Coin detected in pocket."

[tkarner]

I've heard three voice phrases so far in the new Berzerk. One when you leave a cleared room ("Humanoid must not escape"), one when you leave an uncleared room ("Chicken, fight like a robot"), and one when you die ("Got the intruder, got the chicken").

 

I believe Berzerk VE also has three phrases ("Humanoid must not escape", "Chicken, fight like a robot", and "Intruder alert, intruder alert") but plays them at random.

 

[tradyblix]

11 hours ago, tkarner said:

I've heard three voice phrases so far in the new Berzerk. One when you leave a cleared room ("Humanoid must not escape"), one when you leave an uncleared room ("Chicken, fight like a robot"), and one when you die ("Got the intruder, got the chicken").

 

I believe Berzerk VE also has three phrases ("Humanoid must not escape", "Chicken, fight like a robot", and "Intruder alert, intruder alert") but plays them at random.

 

Huh. Lol. "Chicken" is such 1970's slang. Jive Turkey lol.

 

I totally thought that phrase was something else

[JetSetIlly]

On 11/28/2023 at 3:39 AM, tkarner said:

The negative:

The screen jumps/stutters when changing levels (I'm playing on original hardware and a CRT). The original cartridge doesn't do that.

Out of curiosity, does the original Berzerk Voice Enhanced ROM do this on your original hardware / CRT?

[tkarner]

13 hours ago, JetSetIlly said:

Out of curiosity, does the original Berzerk Voice Enhanced ROM do this on your original hardware / CRT?

Just checked. Yes it does.

[Shaun David]

Are There any differences from This New released version of bezerk compared to the one that is sold on Atari Age

[juansolo]

3 hours ago, Shaun David said:

Are There any differences from This New released version of bezerk compared to the one that is sold on Atari Age

Mainly it comes down to: The robots can shoot diagonally (good), and there is now a delay in seeing a robot explode and then hearing it (kinda distracting). I've got VE and a mate bought the new one. Thought it was gonna cost me another £25, but honestly I find the out of sync sound more jarring than the coolness of the diagonal firing robots, so I'm happy to keep the older VE while I wait for Frantic to come along.

Edited December 16, 2023 by juansolo

[tradyblix]

I know Frantic contains "Berzerk" (sort of) but honestly I consider it a separate game. The whole feel of Berzerk is not there to me. 

[Shaun David]

I just got my copy of Berserk today and I love it I Still don't have a 2600+ But I'm fine with that just glad it works on the 2600 and 7800 

[scifidude79]

I got mine last night and I love it. The enhancements make an already great game more fun. I also like the green color scheme and it's nice having a cartridge where the artwork is in better shape than my original copy. I think it might be time to retire that old cartridge to storage, though it's served me well. Another thing I like about the new Atari cartridges are the cardboard sleeves. Not only do they look great, but they'll be great to keep dust out of the cartridge. This is important, since the 2600+ is finicky about dirty cartridges.

[ChopperCommando]

Yeah, so bizarre that Atari is not at least including the game variation matrices with these new games.  You'd think that would be the absolute bare minimum they could do.  I guess I'll just print one out and stick it in the cardboard sleeve.  They especially need something for Mr. Run and Jump; being a "new" game and all, I wasn't sure if I was playing it right so I had to get online to make sure.

[tradyblix]

5 hours ago, ChopperCommando said:

Yeah, so bizarre that Atari is not at least including the game variation matrices with these new games.  You'd think that would be the absolute bare minimum they could do.  I guess I'll just print one out and stick it in the cardboard sleeve.  They especially need something for Mr. Run and Jump; being a "new" game and all, I wasn't sure if I was playing it right so I had to get online to make sure.

You can look it up online. You can store it on your phone and look at it whenever. That's what I do. 

 

Think of the trees and our environment please. 

[Bill Loguidice]

4 minutes ago, tradyblix said:

Think of the trees and our environment please. 

I assume you're joking, but obviously it would be trivial for them to print at least the game variation matrix on the frankly unnecessary cartridge-size interior box they included.

[tradyblix]

4 minutes ago, Bill Loguidice said:

I assume you're joking, but obviously it would be trivial for them to print at least the game variation matrix on the frankly unnecessary cartridge-size interior box they included.

I'm not. I'm deadly serious. The environment is very important to me. 

 

Most games don't need the matrix. There are a few that do, like for example, Video Olympics.

 

However I'm not sure I would want to give up pretty box art on a cart for an ugly matrix - some are so big there is no way they'd fit. Printing them inside the box won't work, people couldn't read it, you'd need a wasteful insert.

 

So yeah... just use your phone. There's literally a solution RIGHT THERE in your pocket you're ignoring for some reason. 

 

Download the ones you want, put them in Files or whatever the equivalent is on iOS, make a folder called 2600 Game Matrices and you're off to the races. 

Edited December 18, 2023 by tradyblix

[Bill Loguidice]

Just now, tradyblix said:

I'm not. I'm deadly serious. The environment is very important to me. 

 

Most games don't need the matrix. There are a few that do, like for example, Video Olympics.

 

However I'm not sure I would want to give up pretty box art on a cart for an ugly matrix - some are so big there is no way they'd fit. Printing them inside the box won't work, people couldn't read it, you'd need a wasteful insert.

 

So yeah... just use your phone. There's literally a solution RIGHT THERE in your pocket you're ignoring for some reason. 

Berzerk needs it. They can include a shortened (essentials) manual for the eco conscious. They can also do exactly what I said and if they're going to include the ridiculous cardboard cartridge holder, they can print the matrix on the back of it, which is presently blank. Frankly, I love modern digital games, so I have no problem with being "eco conscious" in that way, but older games like these are not intuitive or menu-driven when it comes to selecting game variations. There's no reason to be inconvenienced trying to reference on a phone or printing my own copy when they can easily solve the issue various ways with their already PHYSICAL product offering. So sorry, I don't agree this is a case of being helpful environment-wise.

[tradyblix]

It's hardly an inconvenience. You simply take your phone, which you have on you all the time, out of your pocket and spend a fraction of the time you'd spend browsing the internet to pull up a digitial image that you can zoom in on, etc. 

 

The card is gonna get lost, I'm gonna have to find a place to store it, and it costs money to create. 

 

Anyway, it's a moot point, these games don't come with them. 

 

You could always print them up yourself from the images and make you're own if you're that dead set on it. That would be efficient as well. 

 

As far as Berzerk, you play on Game 3, the version closest to the arcade. There's only 13 variations, one a kids game, 4 with no shooting robots and most variants just change the bonus score and whether you want otto or not. Video Olympics you have to know how many players it is, which game type and sub variation, it's a lot more necessary.

Edited December 18, 2023 by tradyblix
spelling

[Bill Loguidice]

Just now, tradyblix said:

It's hardly an inconvenience. You simply take your phone, which you have on you all the time, out of your pocket and spend a fraction of the time you'd spend browsing the internet to pull up a digitial image that you can zoom in on, etc. 

 

The card is gonna get lost, I'm gonna have to find a place to store it, and it costs money to create. 

 

Anyway, it's a moot point, these games don't come with them. 

 

You could always print them up yourself from the images and make you're own if you're that dead set on it. That would be efficient as well. 

Last time... If you're literally getting a physical product that you presumably will store and not toss in the trash like a psycho, the manual/sheet/addition-to-what-they-already-include-that's-unecessary wouldn't get lost. 

 

And yes, that's literally the point about these physical goods not including manuals (which they DO include in some of the so-called Deluxe versions). Many people are complaining about paying for a PRINTED physical product without instructions, so it's not moot. It's a call to action. I don't want to have to print it myself. My solution was to eBay the manual and comic book from the original game, but it's kind of ridiculous to have to do that, and obviously that option is not available to everyone. I appreciate your enthusiasm here, but I can't help but feel you're trolling against a very simple and obvious point.

[tradyblix]

I'm not trolling. It's a little insulting you'd accuse me of joking and trolling.

 

And yeah, I don't keep the boxes on these things. I don't have space. I didn't keep em back in the day either. I care about the cart.

The only exception is if you know, the box has something special, like a hologram, or glitter, or foil printing. 

 

Perhaps you need to understand not everyone shares your opinion. I'm not accusing you of trolling because I disagree... 

 

Anyway, you're not getting them. 

Edited December 18, 2023 by tradyblix

[Bill Loguidice]

Just now, tradyblix said:

I'm not trolling. It's a little insulting you'd accuse me of joking and trolling.

 

Perhaps you need to understand not everyone shares your opinion. 

 

Anyway, you're not getting them. 

Right, we're not getting them, but I think there should be pushback to Atari for charging what they charge without that basic instruction. Others feel the same. It has nothing to do with being eco-friendly either, because that's simply not applicable in this case.

[tradyblix]

That's fine, no probs. I don't agree. 

 

I believe these forums are for the purpose of such discussion, anyway. 

 

Have a great holiday week ! 

[+remowilliams]

The cardboard cartridge sleeve that Atari is already including in the box should have the game options printed on it...