• Tag Archives Activision

  • 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.





    📂This entry was posted in Atari 7800 Retro Games 📎and tagged

  • Die Hard (Commodore 64)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Die Hard, based on the Bruce Willis movie of the same name, was developed by Activision and released for the Commodore 64 in 1990. While a pretty mediocre game overall, by movie license standards it was spectacular but that isn’t saying much. This late in the life of the Commodore 64 they were going for a budget approach. For instance, except for the title music, there was no soundtrack.

    Die Hard is a fairly standard side-scroller. You must collect various items needed to win the game while fighting your way through endless hordes of terrorists. You might as well stand and fight because they are just going to chase you until you do. Game play is ok if nothing special and the graphics are pretty bland. Sound effects are acceptable but repetetive and then there is the aforementioned lack of music.

    1990 was the last year Activision released games for the Commodore 64 but there were ten more in addition to Die Hard. Versions of Die Hard were also released for DOS, the NES and TurboGrafx-16 (though oddly only in Japan). None were outstanding games but what do you expect from a movie license? Despite at least 3 out of 4 of these being developed by Activision, they are all different games. The NES version is played from a top down perspective while the DOS version has a first person point of view. If you want to play this particular variation, a real Commodore 64 or an emulated version of one is the only way to do it.

    Screen shots above are from the Commodore 64 version of the game.





    📂This entry was posted in Commodore 64 Computer Arcana Retro Games 📎and tagged

  • Private Eye (Atari 2600)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Private Eye (Atari 2600)

    http://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/169969373374/private-eye-atari-2600

    Private Eye, released in 1983, is one of the more obscure Activision releases for the Atari 2600. You play the role of private investigator Pierre Touche whose primary goal is to capture the criminal mastermind, Henri Le Fiend. There are several crimes that have been committed by this Henri Le Fiend and you must find clues and ultimately the property stolen in the crimes in order to arrest Henri Le Fiend.

    Each crime is a separate mission that plays as a game variation. In each case, you start with 1000 merit points and can lose them when you run into an obstacle or are attacked by a criminal or gain them when you locate an item or capture a criminal. Each mission has a time limit and running into a criminal will cause you to lose any clue or item you have found and then you have to find it again.

    So how does the gameplay actually work? You drive your specially modified Model A around looking for criminals while avoiding obstacles and attacks. When you find a criminal, you can jump up to grab him. He may be hiding a clue or an item. After retrieving the item you have to take it back where it belongs (e.g. a store or the bank).

    Reviews are mixed on this one but it is a unique game worth at least trying. If you are looking for an alternive way to play it vs. a real cart on an Atari 2600, it was also available on Activision Anthology. Activision Anthology was released for a number of systems between 2002 and 2012 including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, and PlayStation Portable.





    📂This entry was posted in Atari 2600 Retro Games 📎and tagged