(Insert stupid Blog name here) - Homebreviews - part 4

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The last ones! (At least until I pick up some more games from the AA store.)

 

Thrust+ 5/5

Thrust+ is one of the best games ever programmed for the 2600. It's a little more expensive than other homebrews, but it's worth every penny. The graphics are incredible, and the gameplay is absolutely flawless. Thrust+ is certainly a challenging game, but not unfairly so. The gravity and momentum that affects your ship feels just right, and even as the heavy Klystron pods you have to rescue cause you to careen into a canyon wall, you'll still marvel at the physics of the game. The sense of accomplishment you get when you master a new level is exhilarating. Emulators just don't do Thrust+ justice - this is a game that has to be played on real hardware to get the full impact of it. The fact that it comes in a box is the icing on the cake. It's been 20 years since I got to experience the anticipation that comes with opening up a brand new, boxed 2600 game, and this one didn't disappoint.

 

 

Okay, so this next one isn't a homebrew game...

 

Pick 'n Pile 4/5

I wasn't sure what to expect with Pick 'n Pile when I first played it on an emulator, since it didn't seem to make much sense at first glance. But after reading the instructions I had a better idea of what was going on, and it's turned out to be a very fun and original puzzle game. (The trick I missed was using the Select switch to drop in extra pieces needed to complete the levels.) The game requires strategy to make the most out of each level, but you're always up against the clock, so you can't take too long to plan out your next moves. The graphics are very good, and there's a lot going on onscreen with only minor flicker. A couple of tips: swap out the bottom piece in a column last, and you can build up a larger column for bigger points; use the square pieces to box-in the sides of columns that are otherwise unstable. The fact that Pick 'n Pile comes with the original box, PAL cartridge and instructions is a nice bonus. An interesting and unique game for the 2600 that's well worth having.

 

 

Finally, I actually purchased this at the same time as Star Fire, but I couldn't find anything nice to say about it. I decided to give it some time to grow on me. It never did...

 

Marble Craze 3/5

Well, I may be the lone dissenting voice about Marble Craze. It's a cool idea for a game, but it gets frustrating and tedious after a few levels. Having to figure out how to hang onto two paddles at once is a chore, and some of the maze passageways are so unforgiving that the gameplay loses it's novelty in a hurry. I usually find myself stuck somewhere in a maze, repeatedly running out of time (or falling off the edge) until the game finally comes to an end. The sound and graphics are indeed excellent, but unless you're into taping paddles to a shoebox whenever you want to play a game, the eye-candy and ear-candy may not be worth it. Support for the 2600's Trak-Ball controller would have been a much-welcomed option, and could have helped make this game far more playable. As it is, the difficulty of it far outweighs the enjoyment.

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?a...&showentry=1380