The Video Game Critic's
Atari 5200 Reviews M-R

I've played many versions of this game, but this Atari 5200 edition is particularly good. A platform game that requires both skill and strategy, Mario Bros. places Mario and his cousin Luigi on a screen with platforms arranged much like those in Joust. Turtles, crabs, and bugs slowly emerge from the pipes on the top level, making their way to the bottom before cycling back to the top. By "bumping" the platforms beneath these creeps, you can flip them over, and then kick them off the screen for points. There's ample technique involved, and timing is key. Each wave offers a unique challenge, as you methodically attempt to clear the screen in the most efficient manner. Mario looks odd in this game - his head looks too small - but in general the graphics are crisp and arcade-like. But what truly impressed me about this game are the little details. If a turtle lies on his back for too long, he'll crawl out of his shell and flip it over himself! The crabs look totally pissed off, and when they grab you with their pinchers, the crunching sound effect even sounds painful! The game's two-player simultaneous mode should be the highlight, but I found it somewhat frustrating because the other guy is always trying to screw you over. As a game, Mario Bros. may not be as fun as Centipede, Joust, or Defender, but it's still an well-executed, quality arcade title. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

Unlike most old shooters that feature aliens in space, Megamania takes aim at food items and household appliances. It was a novel idea, and Megamania was quite a hit in its day. The main problem with the Atari 2600 version was that you couldn't always tell what you were shooting at, but that's not a problem here. These sharp graphics clearly depict everything from hamburgers, to moonpies, to ladybugs, to steaming irons. Trying to advance to the next level to see what wacky targets lie ahead is all part of the fun. You can select between guided or straight shots. I like how you can hold down the fire button for continuous shooting, saving wear and tear on your thumb. Megamania is one of the few Activision titles that's better on the 5200 than it is on the 2600. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

This sloppy conversion of the arcade hit comes as a shock, considering how good its predecessor (Centipede) was on the same system. This edition of Millipede is actually a port of the Atari computer version (which is reviewed in my Atari XEGS section). On the bright side, it does incorporate all the elements of the arcade game, including descending mushrooms, exploding DDT bombs, beetles that cross the bottom of the screen, swarm stages, and multiple spiders. Your cannon moves smoothly around the lower area, and controls well with either the track-ball or normal controller. Although most of the insects glide smoothly across the screen, the millipede and spiders move in a noticeably choppy manner. Considering they're the two main elements of the game, that's a problem! They're also too easy to kill, thanks to some extremely generous collision detection. As a result, I feel like I can play this game indefinitely! Even with three spiders bouncing around the bottom of the screen, I find myself racking up free lives on top of free lives (every 10K points, unlike the arcade game which is every 15K). The "swarm" stages, which let you rack up crazy points, are also much longer and easier than they should be. By the time it's over, it's almost a relief. The arcade game offered the option to start at advanced stage (spotting you up to 40K in points), but this version lets you continue at much higher scores. If your game ends at 135K, you can begin you next game with 130K, and that's just bogus. This game has inherent entertainment value just because it's Millipede, but it should have been a heck of a lot better. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

Here's a platform game that borrows heavily from both Donkey Kong and Pac-Man to create a very entertaining hybrid. The main character is Bounty Bob -- perhaps the first gay video game character (just look at him for Pete's sake!) As Bob walks across the various platforms, they turn a solid color under his feet. To clear a stage, he must walk over every inch of the platforms while avoiding bad guys -- which resemble non-descript blobs. Tools act as power pills, allowing Bob to eliminate enemies for points. It sounds pretty generic, but each of the ten screens is innovative, presenting an entirely new challenge. My favorite contains slides and plays like Chutes and Ladders. The simple, colorful graphics are very clean and attractive, and the control isn't bad either. Miner 2049er is an addictive platform game that has withstood the test of time very well. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

Missile Command is noteworthy because it's a game that's played completely from a defensive point of view. The object is to intercept incoming missiles and protect six cities at the bottom of the screen. I remember Missile Command from my old bowling alley, where an employee who worked there was an absolute whiz at it. He would attract a crowd as he detonated walls of explosions to neutralize the waves of incoming ballistic missiles. This Atari 5200 version looks surprisingly blocky in comparison, and it's disappointing to see only one missile base compared to three in the arcade version. The game throws too many elusive satellites at you, which artificially increases the difficulty, changing the overall feel of the game. At least the sound effects are faithful to the arcade, and the trackball control is extremely responsive. It may not be arcade perfect, but Missile Command is still a good time. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

This space shooter makes a fairly smooth transition to the 5200. Your moon rover is a bit blocky, but the scrolling background looks impressive -- particularly the futuristic city. Moon Patrol is a challenge because you have to concentrate on the road in front of you while shooting UFOs above. On the 5200 controller the jump and shoot buttons are right next to each other, which I found to be awkward (and sometimes confusing). The gameplay itself is virtually identical to the arcade game. There are two skill levels and a continue option. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

Little. Yellow. Different. Better. Not only is this a better port of the arcade game than the Atari 5200 Pac-Man, but the changing mazes and bouncing fruit make it a better game overall. It may run a bit slower than Pac-Man, but the graphics, maze designs, and heart-warming intermissions are identical to the arcade. The ghosts now have white eyes and the fruits are easy to distinguish. Unlike the speedy 5200 Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man plays at about the same speed at its arcade counterpart. You get five lives to start with, but this is offset by smarter ghosts that change directions unexpectedly. With solid control and a variety of skill levels, Ms. Pac-Man is practically flawless. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

Pac-Man not only passes the test of time, it actually improves with age! I swear I have more fun playing this now than I did twenty years ago. Boy, I can't wait for another 20 years to pass - then it will really be awesome! Seriously though, this cartridge must have been a slice of heaven back in 1982. The maze, sound effects and gameplay are nearly identical to the original arcade game - down to the intermissions! The gameplay is FAST, noticeably faster than the arcade, which makes it more fun and challenging in my opinion. Blinky is particularly aggressive. The wobbly 5200 controllers might cause you to miss a few turns at first, but they actually work well once you get a feel for them. The only fault with the graphics is the single-colored ghosts which look like they belong in the 2600 version. With eight difficulty levels, Pac-Man is always a good time. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

It always surprises me just how little effort Activision put into the Atari 5200 versions of their games. For the most part, they are nearly identical to their Atari 2600 counterparts. In the case of Pitfall, only the trees and bushes in the background are enhanced - and only slightly at that! All other objects including Pitfall Harry, the scorpions, and the crocodiles look exactly the same as those in the 2600 version! And if you thought this would be as fun to play as the Atari 2600 version, think again! The control absolutely sucks, thanks to the lousy non-centering joystick. You can imagine how frustrating it is to jump across the crocodile heads. Then there's the problem with letting go the vines. That's right, you'll actually need to wrestle with the joystick just to release yourself. Control problems really hamper this game, so stick with the Atari 2600 version. NOTE: This cartridge will not run on the two-port Atari 5200 models. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

There aren't many adventure games for the Atari 5200, but this sprawling jungle romp is pretty much all you need! Pitfall 2 looks and sounds nearly identical to the 2600 version, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. You'll explore deep underground caverns, swim in rivers, and encounter all sorts of exotic creatures including monkeys, birds, and electric eels. From what I understand, there's an enormous hidden area that's exclusive to this 5200 version. Unlike the first Pitfall game for the 5200, there are no control problems to contend with. Pitfall 2 is fascinating and fun, but I must admit a "duck" button would have been a really good idea. The game employs checkpoints, and was one of the first to do so. Pitfall 2 is one Activision classic that truly shines on the 5200. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

This ancient racer really shows its age, but it still has charm. The dual buttons on each side of the 5200 controller are put to good use, as you're skillfully required to alternate between braking and accelerating to squeeze between other cars, especially on turns. The control is terrific, but the graphics are less than exciting. The illusion of speed is only fair, and the cars are very blocky. What's up with the blank signs on the side of the road? You get four tracks to choose from, although they all play pretty much the same. In order to qualify for each race, you need to complete a one-lap trial run. This lap is what determines your "pole position". The manual suggests using the track-ball controller, so I gave it a try. Steering isn't too bad, but switching gears using the keypad is awkward. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

In this cartoon-inspired platform game, you play Popeye, trying to catch Olive Oyl's "hearts" while avoiding the evil Bluto. Bluto is pretty relentless, however, once per screen Popeye can grab a can of spinach and turn the tables on that big bully. Popeye is available on several consoles, but this is probably the best version I've seen. The characters are multicolored, well animated, and easy to identify (unlike the Colecovision version). All three screens are included, and each has its own musical theme. Even the control is solid. My only complaint that the collision detection seems a little fishy at times. Otherwise, this is the next best thing to having the arcade game in your home. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

The early 80's was an innovative time for arcade games, every month or so the arcades would be taken by storm by an inventive, new game. Q*bert was one such game, with a distinct look and personality of its own. Controlling an odd (but likeable) round character with a long nose, your goal was to traverse a pyramid -- transforming the color of its blocks while avoiding snakes and other creatures. One novel feature was how Q*bert would "curse" when he lost of life, thanks to some funny gibberish sound effects. This 5200 game is one of the best-looking versions of Q*bert I've seen. The screen looks almost arcade-perfect, and there seem to be a lot more baddies than usual bouncing around the pyramid. But, leave it to the Atari 5200 controller to throw a monkey wrench into the fun! Because its non-centering joystick could be troublesome in a game like this, you have to move the joystick AND push a button (in concert) to jump! That means you'll be holding down the fire button for most of the game -- which is not comfortable. Even with this fail-safe mechanism I still found myself heading in the wrong direction, especially when trying to escape from Coily the snake. Still, I think Parker Bros did the best they could with this. There are three skills levels. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

Despite some low-resolution graphics and so-so sound effects, this is still the best home version of Qix I've ever played. I've always liked this game because there's nothing else like it. You move a small diamond around the parimeter of a large square while a dangerous "helix" prowls the center of the screen. Using your fast or slow "draw" buttons, you can move off the perimeter and start boxing out your own territory, with 75% (or more) of the screen being your goal. If the helix touches you while you're in the process of drawing, you're a goner. Although the slow draw option is more risky, it rewards you with twice as many points. There are an endless number of strategies you can employ, allowing the player to show some creativity. In addition to your main enemy, lethal "sparx" patrol the perimeter, forcing you into harms way. This game is tough, and the better you get, the more risks you tend to take. Qix must be played to be appreciated, and this 5200 version is highly recommended. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite classic baseball game. It may not have all the features of Intellivision's World Championship baseball, but it beats that game hands-down with superior graphics, awesome control, and impressive voice synthesis. Realsports Baseball gives you uniformed players, a sharp-looking diamond, and a stadium complete with a homerun fence -- and a crowd. There's even a scoreboard that displays the complete line score. The pitching controls are outstanding! You can choose between nine pitches, and even control the ball in flight. Thanks to the helpful shadow, each pitch is visually distinctive. The batting controls are also innovative, taking full advantage of the unique Atari 5200 joystick design. You swing by sliding the joystick left to right, and can even control the height of your cut. Fielding takes a while to get used to, but the computer is surprisingly adept at choosing the appropriate fielder. The whole baseball experience is captured in this game, complete with tagging up, hit and runs, squeeze plays, no wind-up pitches, base stealing, and throwing errors! Thanks to some nifty voice synthesis, an umpire calls strikes, balls, and outs. The menu screen allows you to fully configure the number of players, difficulty, and number of innings. No game is perfect, and waiting for the teams to leave the field between innings gets old after a while. But when it comes to classic baseball, Atari 5200 Realsports is second to none! © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

Considering how great Realsports Baseball is, this is a major disappointment. The graphics aren't bad. The side-scrolling field has hash marks, line numbers, and a nice scoreboard across the top. The six players on each team are single-colored but nicely animated. Entering plays with the keypad is somewhat confusing, and there are no deep pass routes. Your quarterback can run the ball or throw to one of two receivers. Once the ball is in the air, you can guide your receiver to it, but the players tend to bunch up, making it hard to locate the intended receiver. The main flaw with this game is that the players are so [expletive] SLOW! I suppose that makes it easier to time passes or run through holes, but once a receiver breaks away from the pack, he'll be running for a LONG TIME! Sometimes you feel like you're playing on a 1000-yard field! You can take MINUTES off the clock during a long run. Realsports Football does have a few noteworthy features. You can call an audible at the line of scrimmage -- which is pretty neat. You can also kick field goals, punt, and it's actually possible to block kicks. Still, its overall sluggishness forces this game to take a backseat to the primitive but far more exciting Atari 2600 version. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

The Realsports games on the 5200 tend to be uneven in quality, but this one is simply awful! The only thing saving Realsports Soccer from an F is the good-looking field and the fact that each team has five nicely animated players. The gameplay itself is terrible, with control being the main culprit. The top four buttons of the controller are reserved for kicking, so switching between men requires the keypad, which was a really bad idea. Complicating matters, instead of switching to the player closest to the ball, you have to cycle through the whole team! For the love of God man!! Controlling each player is also problematic, since they never want to move out of their assigned zone. Like most "old school" sports games, you can run off one side of the screen and onto the other, but you have no control of the goalie, and the ball is constantly going out of bounds. The non-stop "galloping" sound effects would be more appropriate for a horse racing game. You can set the clock for any length, but I'd recommend the mercifully short five minute option. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Atari must have been pretty intent on making use of their controller's keypads. They completely ruined Realsports Tennis by forcing you to press numeric keys to aim your shots! Having to use the joystick, keypad, and fire buttons at the same time is ridiculously awkward. There's a clue in the manual which suggests Atari may have realized this was a bad idea. On page five, there are suggestions like "place the controller in your lap" and "if you have large hands, try to maneuver the joystick with your thumb". If you have to include suggestions like this in the manual, something is very wrong. As far as aiming your shots, since you can't hit the ball out of bounds, why would you ever want to aim anywhere but down the sidelines? These graphics aren't really much better that the Atari 2600 Realsports Tennis game, with a blocky court and no background. Realsports Tennis is a complete letdown! © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

Ah yes - I remember how cutting edge this game was in 1984, when it came out. Rescue on Fractalus generates a mountainous, craggy planet surface on-the-fly using "fractals", which are special geometric algorithms that were supposed to revolutionize video games (never happened). Fractalus was the first game that let you fly over a mountainous planet surface, moving through valleys and over mountain peaks. The illusion isn't as convincing by today's standards (there's plenty of pop-up), but it doesn't look too bad. This immersive, first-person game begins at your mother ship. You fly through a long tunnel before entering space and proceeding towards the planet Fractalus. The graphics depict your descent onto the planet's surface, and they look impressive, especially considering the now dated technology. Your control panel displays 19 different instruments, but you'll only need a few. The excellent control scheme makes heavy use of the keypad. Your mission is to rescue a number of pilots and shoot enemies. When you locate a pilot, you land your ship near him and open your airlock to let him in. Hearing the pilot knock on the door and step into the airlock is indicative of the game's outstanding sound effects. Fractalus plays like a simulation, but there's plenty of action too. Once you get a feel for the controls, Rescue on Fractalus becomes an engrossing adventure. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

River Raid was one of the finest games for the Atari 2600, and this version is quite similar. It's a fast-action canyon shooter where you destroy enemy planes, ships, and helicopters while maintaining your fuel supply. The objects look exactly like those in the Atari 2600 version, but this game has rough, craggy cliffs on each side and a few extra landmarks. A nice surprise is the addition of enemies including colorful balloons and tanks that shoot at you from the riverbanks. Although the tanks aren't normally within your range, you can sometimes catch them crossing a bridge you're about to destroy. It's a wonderful feeling to destroy both a tank AND a bridge at the same time. The control isn't as precise as the 2600, but this game is still a winner. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

One of my favorite arcade games of all time, I was curious to see how Robotron would play on the 5200. Thanks to the handy joystick coupler (which holds two joysticks together), playing this version is a real pleasure. Initially I was concerned that the graphics were a little choppy, but after playing a few rounds, I felt like I was back in the arcades of 1983! Robotron provides simple, yet relentless shooting action. While your primary goal is to wipe out all the robots on each screen, don't forget that saving humans is how you earn the big points. I actually scored far better in this version than I ever did at the arcade. The Atari 5200 joysticks seem well-suited for this kind of action. Robotron is like Berzerk on steroids. If you can find the joystick coupler, this game is a blast. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.