RTFM Games - Games that you realise are actually fun after you take the time to, you know, RTFM

[MrChickenz]

5 minutes ago, JetmanUK said:

Steve Cartwright states that 'it is possible to fly the course at full speed with no collisions'. Erm OK.

Clearly I need to practice!

Same here!

[+Intellivision Master]

22 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

BARNSTORMING

Brainstorming.  Lol.  Every time I see this game title, it reminds me of that word.  It's only off by one letter.

[NE146]

Well this is a very obvious one.. but Concentration!  I would have loved a card matching game like this BITD but didn't even realize what it was. I also didn't have the keypad controller so that was a big obstacle as well.

 

Anyway this game and its variations are not really intuitive in how to play it unless you RTFM of course. The keypad makes it a little harder to play even via emulation (took me a few to figure out how to get it working in Stella) but it's a nice VCS game so I'm glad I finally got around to giving it a shot.

 

 

 

Edited July 2 by NE146

[+jeremiahjt]

10 hours ago, NE146 said:

Well this is a very obvious one.. but Concentration!  I would have loved a card matching game like this BITD but didn't even realize what it was. I also didn't have the keypad controller so that was a big obstacle as well.

 

Anyway this game and its variations are not really intuitive in how to play it unless you RTFM of course. The keypad makes it a little harder to play even via emulation (took me a few to figure out how to get it working in Stella) but it's a nice VCS game so I'm glad I finally got around to giving it a shot.

 

 

 

Excuse me, but we call this Hunt & Score around these parts.

[Maztr_0n]

I Remember just dicking around in the Quest series of games as a kid on the flashback, i had no clue what any of it meant, still dont but maybe one day i'll sit down and try to play them for real.

 

 

Also every baseball game on the 2600 and 7800, i just have no clue what i'm doing. Which is cool i just need to RTFM but aside fron Home Run, it'd be cool to see a pick up and play baseball title on the Atari, one where you know what to do without a manual, although i will admit something like this could be less engaging in the long run, you just ever wanna baseball with your brain shut off?

 

Well i guess that isnt what this is for, its about learning how to appreciate a game by understanding it!

[tradyblix]

I've heard that pete rose baseball is pretty good for the seventy eight hundred. Got to look to try to see if I can pick that up for cheap.

[MrChickenz]

Super Cobra!

 

I think this is a RTFM game.

 

I Had a loose copy for years and found this game difficult although I like a challenge. I didn’t play it much because I could never get far. It wasn’t until I picked up a CIB copy that I RTFM! lol. 
 

The default game select is medium speed, I was not aware of this!

The game has a pause feature, I was not aware of this!

And you can run out of fuel, I was not aware of this either I thought that was a timer at the bottom of the screen lol.

The Booty on the last level! I was not aware of this! Not that I’ll ever see the last level but it’s good to know! lol.

 

Today I’m trying my Competition Pro Joystick with Super Cobra @DEANJIMMY and my first try I almost completed level 3! Usually I won’t make it off the first level and I’m playing at medium speed. So once again there’s another game this controller works well with.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 7 by MrChickenz

[+Intellivision Master]

2 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

 

The default game select is medium speed, I was not aware of this!

The game has a pause feature, I was not aware of this!

And you can run out of fuel, I was not aware of this either I thought that was a timer at the bottom of the screen lol.

[MrChickenz]

Just now, Intellivision Master said:

No one ever told me! 🤣😂😆

[JetmanUK]

28 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

Super Cobra!

 

I think this is a RTFM game.

 

I Had a loose copy for years and found this game difficult although I like a challenge. I didn’t play it much because I could never get far. It wasn’t until I picked up a CIB copy that I RTFM! lol. 
 

The default game select is medium speed, I was not aware of this!

The game has a pause feature, I was not aware of this!

And you can run out of fuel, I was not aware of this either I thought that was a timer at the bottom of the screen lol.

The Booty on the last level! I was not aware of this! Not that I’ll ever see the last level but it’s good to know! lol.

 

Today I’m trying my Competition Pro Joystick with Super Cobra @DEANJIMMY and my first try I almost completed level 3! Usually I won’t make it off the first level and I’m playing at medium speed. So once again there’s another game this controller works well with.

 

 

 

 

I find this game super clunky, but I only have a PAL copy and I think the 50hz and slower speed make the jerky play even worse. Maybe I need an NTSC copy. 

 

I didn't know about the speed choices either, I'm going to try it later, in glorious juddervision! 

Edited August 7 by JetmanUK

[NE146]

Well, the fuel and the booty are pretty much well-known from the arcade game, which is essentially the sequel to Scramble of course and had the same mechanics. However, I never knew of the speed and pause feature for that port.. interesting!😀
 

[MrChickenz]

26 minutes ago, NE146 said:

Well, the fuel and the booty are pretty much well-known from the arcade game, which is essentially the sequel to Scramble of course and had the same mechanics. However, I never knew of the speed and pause feature for that port.. interesting!😀
 

I can honestly say I never played the Arcade version, I’ll have to check it out.

[NE146]

16 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

I can honestly say I never played the Arcade version, I’ll have to check it out.

It's basically the same game as Scramble.. but much more difficult.

 

 

 

 

[MrChickenz]

27 minutes ago, NE146 said:

It's basically the same game as Scramble.. but much more difficult.

 

 

 

 

The colors and sound are outstanding! Now I’ll have to play the Arcade versions. I always played Cosmic Avenger on my Colecovision.

I’m guessing that was a clone of Super Cobra?

 

 

Edited August 7 by MrChickenz

[tradyblix]

On 7/2/2024 at 7:47 AM, Intellivision Master said:

Brainstorming.  Lol.  Every time I see this game title, it reminds me of that word.  It's only off by one letter.

I never played this game when I was a kid because it wasn't available or something.

 

But I saw this game on tv a lot, and I imagined how amazing this game was, for like, many, many years. It was only when I got the twenty six hundred plus last year that I was able to play this game and was like, wow. Okay ?? this is all the game is? this is a freaking disappointing game....

 

Edited August 7 by tradyblix

[Maztr_0n]

On 4/29/2024 at 5:07 AM, JetmanUK said:

When playing classic carts I have usually purchased them stand alone, no box or manual, I am sure many of you are the same. To get more info we are then forced online to check out the manual, sometimes I do this, most of the time I do not. Well, we should do it, not only do you not get the most out of the game but you are also missing out on some of the nostalgic experience from back in the day, albeit on screen instead of on paper. I am so glad that new games will come with a manual. All this leads me onto the topic...

 

My RTFM Game discovery today is Slot Machine.

Now, I have always found slot machine games quite dull whenever I have tried them, with the Codemasters one back on the Spectrum being the best of the bunch. Well, we have a new king in town!

 

After I RTFM, I learnt that the single player game is actually against the console with the ability to vary your stake and increase your chance of winning (dependent on which game you have selected) and that this is a fun game!

I have not tried in in two player mode yet, but usually you would expect it to be even better. The game variations, like with many 2600 games really add some variety and value to the package.

 

I just beat the console with 36 coins left on game 3. Take that Atari! I will go less conservative next time, it will be fun to win by a wider margin (higher score). This is one game which I recommend that you try out, you might be surprised... just make sure that you RTFM first.

 

What are your RTFM Game recommendations? Please share, along with a screenshot and the manual.

 

Slot_Machine_1979_Atari.pdf 565.18 kB · 19 downloads

also oddly i got slot machine out of a whim because

"slot machines seem kinda fun if i dont actually have to gamble anything and just watch em"

so what better way than on atari, was hoping it wasn't gonna be considered RTFM but ah well, thats not a bad thing

[shane857]

19 hours ago, MrChickenz said:

Super Cobra!

 

I think this is a RTFM game.

 

I Had a loose copy for years and found this game difficult although I like a challenge. I didn’t play it much because I could never get far. It wasn’t until I picked up a CIB copy that I RTFM! lol. 
 

The default game select is medium speed, I was not aware of this!

The game has a pause feature, I was not aware of this!

And you can run out of fuel, I was not aware of this either I thought that was a timer at the bottom of the screen lol.

The Booty on the last level! I was not aware of this! Not that I’ll ever see the last level but it’s good to know! lol.

 

Today I’m trying my Competition Pro Joystick with Super Cobra @DEANJIMMY and my first try I almost completed level 3! Usually I won’t make it off the first level and I’m playing at medium speed. So once again there’s another game this controller works well with.

 

 

 

 

Great game, I always come back to this one. The pause feature does not work thou on the PAL version, playing on a 2600+.

[MrChickenz]

1 hour ago, shane857 said:

Great game, I always come back to this one. The pause feature does not work thou on the PAL version, playing on a 2600+.

I wonder why? It works for NTSC version on the 2600+. That’s a shame because it’s always nice when one of these games use that feature.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

8 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

I wonder why? 

IIRC someone else asked the same question and I found that the pause code got removed for the PAL version. 

[shane857]

21 hours ago, NE146 said:

It's basically the same game as Scramble.. but much more difficult.

 

 

 

 

Loved Scramble in the Arcades... Super Cobra is simply Scramble on steroids!

[shane857]

2 hours ago, Thomas Jentzsch said:

IIRC someone else asked the same question and I found that the pause code got removed for the PAL version. 

Yeh, that was me. 😂 It is a shame it got removed from the PAL version, because being able to pause any game 2600/7800 is useful.

[Maztr_0n]

On 8/7/2024 at 8:46 PM, Maztr_0n said:

also oddly i got slot machine out of a whim because

"slot machines seem kinda fun if i dont actually have to gamble anything and just watch em"

so what better way than on atari, was hoping it wasn't gonna be considered RTFM but ah well, thats not a bad thing

 

 

I was gobsmacked to find out

Player 1 is on the right controller port...

 

Almost feels like pressing down to jump...

[MrChickenz]

STAR VOYAGER

 

Star Voyager qualifies for RTFM.

 

I’ve had this one in my collection forever! It pays to go back and look these manuals over again to refresh your memory.

Some details you tend to forget.

 

For instance Right difficulty A is Laser B is Photon Torpedoes, what I didn’t realize is you can switch back and forth while playing.

Or Whichever weapon is selected for the left joystick the other can be fired from the right joystick! 
 

Also 2 player game modes!

 

Cooperative or Combatant, one play can control enemy ships and enemy fire!
 

 

 

Edited August 22 by MrChickenz

[JetmanUK]

35 minutes ago, MrChickenz said:

STAR VOYAGER

 

Star Voyager qualifies for RTFM.

 

I’ve had this one in my collection forever! It pays to go back and look these manuals over again to refresh your memory.

Some details you tend to forget.

 

For instance Right difficulty A is Laser B is Photon Torpedoes, what I didn’t realize is you can switch back and forth while playing.

Or Whichever weapon is selected for the left joystick the other can be fired from the right joystick! 
 

 

 

Ah, I have this loose, thanks.  I will def RTFM, when I get round to trying it out. 🤣

Edited August 22 by JetmanUK

[Maztr_0n]

23 hours ago, MrChickenz said:

STAR VOYAGER

 

Star Voyager qualifies for RTFM.

 

I’ve had this one in my collection forever! It pays to go back and look these manuals over again to refresh your memory.

Some details you tend to forget.

 

For instance Right difficulty A is Laser B is Photon Torpedoes, what I didn’t realize is you can switch back and forth while playing.

Or Whichever weapon is selected for the left joystick the other can be fired from the right joystick! 
 

Also 2 player game modes!

 

Cooperative or Combatant, one play can control enemy ships and enemy fire!
 

 

 

 

 

Ayo 2 player semi-open world 8-bit space flight combat?

 

Now this is peaking my interest...