classicgamingguy Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Hi, all. I am getting a Odyssey 2 shortly, and I was wondering something for the select few that collect and enjoy this system. Do you think this system is under rated and under appreciated? I've heard several post comments about this system on this site, and most seem negative about the Odyssey 2. My friend, years back, had this game system and he and I would play countless hours of Quest for the Rings. Another favorite of mine was UFO! and Alien Invaders Plus! For those that own the system, and even those that don't, what do you personally think of this game console? IMO, it's very enjoyable and playable, but I'm really curious as to what others around here think. Penny for your thoughts! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubledown Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 My cousins had one when I was a kid and had my Atari 2600. I remember thinking it was cool then, probably because it was different than what I had. But I modded and sold one a few months back so of course I had to "test" it by playing all the games I had for it, and I just think they suck. I don't consider the system to be fun at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Hi there! Yup. No matter how you put it, it just sucks. I sold mine last year as well. Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atarifever Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I only have Pick Ax Pete and the 3 in 1 cart, so my experience with mine is limited. I used to think Pick Ax Pete blew, but then someone here explained some of it to me and now I can see the charm of it. I still think the system lacks something though, as I never find myself playing it. Maybe it just completely lacks any memories for me, as I didn't even know it existed until a little before I bought one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maibock Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I don't believe I have ever played one.. like to give it a whirl one day.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicgamingguy Posted June 23, 2005 Author Share Posted June 23, 2005 I must be one of the VERY few that love this system, then. I even emulated it awhile back just to smile at the memories. However, I must point out that I agree with the overall "simplicity" of the system, sub-par graphics (even by 2600 standards), and a limited game selection. I still play UFO (emulated) for hours on end. I love the rotating shields, the ufo's that try to wipe you out, etc. Pick Axe Pete is one I could also let time slip away with, but Quest for the Rings has a special place, and I'm hoping I can obtain a boxed copy soon. Well, thanks to everyone thus far for their input. Anyone else? There's gotta be someone who loves this system as much as me. lol Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I think the K.C. games are great fun. If you get one, just buy the multicart. It's a pretty neat system, but IMO, it's not really worth chasing down the original carts. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeybastard Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I just recently sold my multi-cart for it. I'll probably keep my console and my few loose carts of the games I like. 128 games on that multicart and I liked like 4 of them. I'd sell the console too but shipping a boxed unit costs a fortune so it's hard to get a decent price for it. If anybody is interested, I also have a complete Great Wall Street Fortune Hunt. The pieces are still in the sealed plastic bags and the pad is all there. there is a small tear on the box though. PM if interested. All in all, it blows IMHO. There's a few good games but the best O2 games are still kind of crappy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 It has aged VERY poorly, but this was my first system -- and the only one I had for a long time. If you approach it on its own terms without comparing it to the massive Atari library, which is full of nice arcade licenses, it does very well. The "challenge series" with the blue stripe contains the best games for the system, as the early stuff makes VCS oldies like Human Cannonball or Video Olympics look like art in comparison. Quest for the Rings would also still be fun if you can get some friends to sit down and play the board game with you in addition to the on-screen action. I'd like to see QftR resurrected as a homebrew for a modern system, incorporating the board action into the screen play, with network play as an option. I guess Wrath Unleashed is kinda sorta like that ... should look into getting it once I recover from my recent NES purchase orgy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 BTW: 3 cheers if you can identify my avatar ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Helmet Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I finally got to play the O2 at OVGE over the weekend, and I have to agree with the masses here...it wasn't very fun. That being said, I would love to see the KC games ported over to the 2600. Those 2 games always looked fun to me, and would probably be abel to be faithfully ported. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeybastard Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I finally got to play the O2 at OVGE over the weekend, and I have to agree with the masses here...it wasn't very fun. That being said, I would love to see the KC games ported over to the 2600. Those 2 games always looked fun to me, and would probably be abel to be faithfully ported. 879452[/snapback] The 2 KC games are good, the best on the system, IMHO. Turtles was pretty good and Killer Bees was OK too. Otherwise, the rest seemed like Mythicon or Froggo VCS games. The biggest disappointment for me was Pick Ax Pete. It's not fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maibock Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 BTW: 3 cheers if you can identify my avatar ... 879445[/snapback] The WIZARD of ODYSSEY © 1983 N.A.P. CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CORP. WHILE HIS HELPERS WORK ON NEW GAMES, THE WIZARD RECEIVES AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE. I AM SPYRUS THE DEATHLESS, TIMELORD OF CHAOS! PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM, AND THE END OF THE WORLD! THIS FELLOW HAS A HIGH OPINION OF HIMSELF. WELL, WE SHALL SEE! BLIP! BLIP! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! CRACK! ZAP! BLAM! ZAP! ZAP! BLAM! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! THAT WAS QUITE A BATTLE. THE WIZARD NEEDS A REST! I AM SPYRUS THE DEATHLESS, TIMELORD... ALL RIGHT, WHO PUSHED THE RESET BUTTON? OH WELL, HERE WE GO AGAIN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 The biggest disappointment for me was Pick Ax Pete. It's not fun. 879455[/snapback] I don't have the instructions, being that I played it on the multicart. I could never figure out what the heck I was supposed to be doing. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicgamingguy Posted June 23, 2005 Author Share Posted June 23, 2005 Heh.. that was great. Anyway, I appreciate all the input. The only excuse I have for loving the O2 so much is.........hmmm, well, right off the top of my head I have no logical excuse. lol..my friend's enamorment with the system as a youth got me started, and owning one a few year's back kept the passion alive. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stingray Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Pretty much the same reason why I bought one. A friend of mine had one when I was a kid. I always thought his was neat. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendon Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 While I don't **LOVE** the O2, I do like and enjoy it. It has its share of clunker games (maybe more than its share) but the good ones will compete on the FUN level with the best from any other system. And the system seems to be built to last as I still have my original O2 and never had a problem with it at all. The joysticks always had a very "loose" feeling to me, like they could break at any second but they never have and are just as accurate and responsive as the day I bought the system. One of the neat things (at least at the time) was the fact that you could put your name on the high score screen for many games. Used to have contests with my sons (and even the wife joined in on many occasions) and the boys always got a blast out of erasing someone elses name on a game and seeing theirs on the screen. Favorite games on the system are: Turtles (without the Voice.. annoying as hell with the Voice), Killer Bee's, Smithereens, K.C. Munchkin & Crazy Chase, Golf, Conquest of the World - Quest For the Rings - Wall Street box games, Amok, UFO, Pick Axe Pete, and Timelord. I highly recommend the 128-1 multi-cart as you can play O2 games that you might never have any other chance to try. Hopefully, some day I can find a complete Powerlords at a reasonable price so that I can figure out how the hell to play the game and maybe enjoy it. I go thru cycles where I pull out a system and will play the hell out of only that system for awhile (while ignoring other systems) and the O2 gets its fair share of play time on a regular basis. In fact, just reading these posts makes me want to go and load up a game of Turtles. Mendon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sku_u Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I'm currently paring down my collection, but the O2 is in no danger of being sold off anytime soon. I recommend getting a multicart, as most of the system's best games were never released in the US and picking up the 3 board games complete as they are unplayable without the game pieces. Me and my wife enjoy playing Quest for the Rings, Pickaxe Pete, UFO, both KC Games, Atlantis (better than the 2600 version IMO), Q*bert, Power Lords, Super Cobra, Turtles, Killer Bees, Demon Attack, Frogger, and P.T. Barnum's Acrobats. The O2 is one of those systems that is hard to take at first as the graphics and scoring system are so different from the other systems of its time, but worth while as there are many interesting games for the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Thag Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Well, thanks to everyone thus far for their input. Anyone else? There's gotta be someone who loves this system as much as me. lol That'd be me! I picked one up cheap two years ago with some games, expecting a crappy paperweight. I ended up loving many of the games (though some really sucked). Pick Axe Pete, Killer Bees, Ufo, Attack of the Timelord, Smithereens, Quest for the Rings, both KC games, are all great fun. The baseball game is impressive for the time, and much better than the 2600 version. The O2 is a very different experiece than the 2600 or INTV, and I like it a lot. I hope to score turtles and both Imagic games sometime. Very fun system, if you can ignore the graphics, and lets face it: few people play classic games for the graphics! Gameplay is where it;s at, and the O2 has that in spades. I also like the 'only one life' thing. It makes you pay attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicgamingguy Posted June 23, 2005 Author Share Posted June 23, 2005 Yeah, the play is the thing on the Odyssey 2. Fast paced, no flicker, no slowdown (well, some..but I choose to ignore that). UFO was the game that "got me" for hours at a time. I loved running around in my saucer and having to use skill to get the laser to shoot where you wanted. The UFO was kick ass. He'd come in firing multiple bolts your way, rapidly overwhelming your shields and smashing you to oblivion. My favorite tactic? Ramming the little spinning things (as long as there weren't too many around..heh) Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydian Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 We had it when I was a kid and it was a lot of fun. It's one of the keepers in my collection now. The graphics get a bad rap, but there was a method behind the madness. Play any pac type game on the 2600 and then play KC Munchkin and you'll immediately see the difference. The O2 suffered more from a lack of 3rd party support than any technical failings IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubersaurus Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I really like my O2. I pull out my collection of games for it here and there, with definite favorites being the KC games, Timelord, KTAA, Planet Lander, UFO, and Alien Invaders. I want to do a game of Quest for the Rings with some friends, but my O2 isn't anywhere that makes it feasible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercat Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 Quest for the Rings would also still be fun if you can get some friends to sit down and play the board game with you in addition to the on-screen action. 879443[/snapback] I owned QftR way back when (still have the cart probably but the pieces are long gone) and found the board-game part a real disappointment. Did anyone actually play the board-game part and enjoy it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercat Posted June 23, 2005 Share Posted June 23, 2005 I've heard several post comments about this system on this site, and most seem negative about the Odyssey 2. 879385[/snapback] The O2 is in some ways technically superior to the Atari 2600, but it never had the benefit of third-party support. From what I understand, the O2's display design is based upon the notion that the processor sets up a display during the vertical blank and then lets the display chip draw it. This is distinct from the 2600 where the CPU is responsible for generating the display "on the fly". The O2 display chip allows much more powerful graphics than anything Atari seemed to have in mind when they designed the 2600, but because the latter is designed around (in fact relies upon) on-the-fly display modifications, it can do things the O2 generally can't. I would be curious to see technical docs for the 2600 if anyone knows of any. I think the video chip was an off-the-shelf Intel part, but even in ancient data books I've never found it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottHuggins Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 (edited) I tried so hard to like the O2, but just couldn't convince myself once I got one with 24 boxed games. It's awful. Pick Axe Pete and Smithereens motivated me to play for about 15 minutes...and then put it away. I tried again (hoping my mind would be changed) about one year later. BTW- the KC series (KC Munchkin and Crazy Chase) were way way overrated. It's just plain lame. I do think it's cool that Earl (Phosphor Dot Phossils) likes it though. He really stands by this system in a huge way. I've heard several post comments about this system on this site, and most seem negative about the Odyssey 2. 879385[/snapback] The O2 is in some ways technically superior to the Atari 2600, but it never had the benefit of third-party support. From what I understand, the O2's display design is based upon the notion that the processor sets up a display during the vertical blank and then lets the display chip draw it. This is distinct from the 2600 where the CPU is responsible for generating the display "on the fly". The O2 display chip allows much more powerful graphics than anything Atari seemed to have in mind when they designed the 2600, but because the latter is designed around (in fact relies upon) on-the-fly display modifications, it can do things the O2 generally can't. I would be curious to see technical docs for the 2600 if anyone knows of any. I think the video chip was an off-the-shelf Intel part, but even in ancient data books I've never found it. 879796[/snapback] Edited June 24, 2005 by ScottHuggins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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