• Tag Archives 7800

  • VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (October 1989)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    vgce_1989-10_001

    Source: VideoGames & Computer Entertainment – October 1989

    VideoGames & Computer Entertainment was my favorite video games magazine though it wasn’t quite as successful as magazines like EGM. Though I never liked them as much, VG&CE lived on after its death through descendants like Tips & Tricks. The October 1989 issue of VG&CE includes:

    Features

    • The Atari Lynx: Big Games in Small Packages – If you thought Nintendo’s Game Boy was exciting, wait until you check out this color portable.
    • Adventure Island Strategy Guide, Part II – The last half of this game is extremely frustrating, but the second part of our strategy guide will carefully lead you through it.
    • Shinobi Strategy Guide – Ninjas, swords and throwing stars abound in Sega’s martial-arts battle, but our hints will help you to survive.
    • Christmas Computer-Game Preview – Our correspondents give you the rundown of all the releases that will be out for your holiday shopping.
    • A Season Ticket With Scott Orr – If you like computer athletics, chances are you’ve played a game with Orr’s influence. VG&CE goes behind the scenes with the king of electronic sports.
    • Computer-Game Strategies – Flex your joystick muscles with our resident expert on The Honeymooners, Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom and Road Runner.

    Reviews

    • Video-Game Reviews
      • Vegas Dream
      • California Games
      • Mappy-Land
      • Video Shooter
      • Operation Wolf
      • Bashi Bazook
      • Three Stooges
    • Computer-Game Reviews
      • Slipheed
      • Omnicron Conspiracy
      • Star Saga One: Beyond the Boundary
      • War in Middle Earth
      • Time Bandit
      • Reel Fish’n
      • Life or Death

    Departments

    • Editor’s Letter
    • Reader Mail
    • News Bits
    • Easter Egg Hunt
    • Inside Gaming
    • Game Doctor
    • Advertiser Index

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  • Double Dragon (Atari 7800)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    atarian_issue3_36

    Source: Atarian – Issue Number 3 – September/October 1989

    The hardware of the Atari 7800 was not inferior to the NES (in some ways it was better), but Atari’s decision to first delay its release and then to concentrate on yet another iteration of its various arcade classics instead of emphasizing new games doomed it. Double Dragon is one of a relative few new style games that appeared on the system and it was done by Activision.



    Atari 7800
    Double Dragon is also interesting because it appeared on both the NES and Atari 7800 (as well as the Sega Master System and various home computers). In comparing the two, there is not really a clear winner. The graphics on the NES version are, on average, somewhat better. However, the Atari 7800 version is a more faithful port of the arcade original and it allows two-player cooperative play unlike the NES version. While not the best Atari 7800 game, it does enough to prove that the 7800 was capable. There were a few games that demonstrate Atari 7800s technical capabilities better but only a few. Those that developed Atari 7800 games, particularly Atari themselves, often did so as cheaply as possible, making decisions that hurt game quality like limiting cartridge memory.



    Atari 7800
    Oddly, Activision also decided to release an Atari 2600 version of the game. This was in 1989. Though to be fair, the Atari 2600, in one form or another was sold until 1992. In addition, the Atari 7800 was backwards compatible. The Atari 2600 version of Double Dragon is surprisingly good given the limitations of that system and is interesting from a historical perspective but it can’t compare to the other versions of the game.



    Atari 2600
    If you’ve played Double Dragon on the NES or even SMS, it is still worthwhile to give the 7800 version a try. It is the most faithful to the arcade original and gives you two player cooperative play. Overall, the NES version is probably the better game but it isn’t as clear-cut as some may think. While a few Atari 7800 games have been re-released by way of the various Flashback consoles, Double Dragon is not one of them. To play this version (or the Atari 2600 version) you will have to track down an original or resort to emulation.

    The ad above is from the September/October 1989 issue of Atarian.





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  • Donkey Kong (Atari 7800)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Donkey Kong (Atari 7800, 1988)

    http://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/165123946819/mastersofthe80s-donkey-kong-atari-7800-1988

    Donkey Kong, released in 1981, was Nintendo’s first big arcade success. Over the years it has been converted to a massive number of game systems and computers. The Atari 7800 version was released in 1988, seven years after its arcade release and a couple of years after the NES was released which had Donkey Kong as one of the launch titles.

    The Atari 7800 version of Donkey Kong isn’t bad. However, the NES version has slightly better graphics and greatly superior sound. Most games for the Atari 7800 made use of the same sound chip that the Atari 2600 used which was pretty limited. While not a bad game, the fact that it wasn’t quite as good as the NES version released years earlier did not help the Atari 7800. The Atari 7800 was a capable enough system but Atari had a bad habit of cutting corners by severely limiting first party game development time and cartridge memory in order to cut costs and it shows in this game. It’s just ok but it could have been much better.

    There are a million ways you can play Donkey Kong but if you want to try out the Atari 7800 version then you will have to obtain an original system and cartridge or resort to emulation. However, even though it is a decent conversion, it is hard to recommend this version when there are better conversions and arcade perfect translations out there.

    Screen shots above are from the Atari 7800 version.





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