Atari 2600 Games Review Lot #2

Game: Combat
Console: Atari 2600
Developer: Atari
Release Date: 1978

A two player extravaganza of fighting, Combat features both tank and air based combat modes, with 27 different combinations of gameplay modes. Featuring different types of projectile and gameplay fields, there's added replayability and although some combinations are better than others, Tank, Tank-Pong and Invisible Tank-Pong and its variations have some of the most appeal. The air battles are fairly fun also, but they don't share the same type of mechanic as the land based modes.

Graphically, the game is kept extremely simple, as is expected from the Atari 2600, but it has enough detail for players to see what they're doing in game. The best feature of the tank based games is the ability to control your shot, once it has left your tank. Using this adds a whole new dimension to the battle, and once the novelty has worn off, there's also a mode where the shot bounces, as if in Pong. Overall this has a lot of 2 player fun, appeal and replayability.

Rating: 58/100
Grade: D

Game: Outlaw
Console: Atari 2600
Developer: Atari
Release Date: 1978

Outlaw is almost like a Cowboy version of Combat, just with one player capabilities also. The problem here, however is that the gameplay just isn't as fun. With 2 cowboys on screen, the players can shoot straight, and diagonally up or down. There's a cactus in the centre of the screen which impedes the bullet's path into the opponent, so shots must be skillfully aimed. When one player is in a good position to shoot the other, the other player is in exactly the same position, so double hits occur often.

One player mode is a little less enjoyable than two player mode. The aim is to hit a moving target in each of the stages, ten times before 99 seconds are through. If you fail to do so, the game ends and if you sucessfully hit the targets, the game ends. Such unrewarding gameplay isn't a great feature, even on Atari 2600. The whole reason Combat makes for so much of a better game than this is the competitive nature of its two player mode which is well balanced, with good mechanics. Overall, Outlaw just doesn't have these.

Rating: 7/100
Grade: F

Game: Superman
Console: Atari 2600
Developer: Atari
Release Date: 1978

In what is an incredibly short game even by Atari standards, Superman manages to deliver a small dose of action and storyline. How to beat the game is described explicitly within the manual, and it doesn't take a whole lot of intelligence to work it out, even without the manual. You witness a bridge collapsing and suddenly it's your mission to save the world from Lex Luthor's gang.

You fly around levels which are seemingly random mazes of backgrounds. Superman is able to preview which screen is coming next on any side by pressing the button and the direction of the next screen, but even so its confusing. The player must collect all of Lex Luthor's gang and then Lex himself and throw them in jail before fixing the bridge.

As Superman, you lose your power of flight upon touching kryptonite, and must touch Lois Lane to recover your powers. There's no lives however, so you're free to take as long as you wish to do so, and can get hit as many times as you wish. Overall it's playable but a short and rather boring adventure, which I'd reccommend playing maybe once in your life.

Rating: 25/100
Grade:  F