The Video Game Critic's
Atari XEGS Reviews C-E

If you're a classic gamer that revels in cutthroat multiplayer action, this is the game you've been waiting for all your life (whether you knew it or not). Castle Crisis takes the time-honored gameplay of Warlords and ratchets up the graphics, speed, and overall excitement level. Gamers around the globe owe a debt of gratitude to Bryan Edewaard for programming this gem - from scratch no less! Castle Crisis looks just like the Warlords arcade game, with a walled castle in each corner and a single shield defending it. A dragon kicks off each contest by flying to the center of the screen and unleashing the first fireball. In addition to deflecting it, you can also catch a fireball with your shield and throw it in a new direction. I love how holding a fireball gradually burns away your own wall, discouraging players from holding it for too long. As each match progresses, additional fireballs are added to the mix, and by the time only two castles remain, the action is crazy. The graphics are colorful, well defined, and show no hint of slowdown. But the best part of all is the fact that Castle Crisis uses paddle controllers. Have you even tried to play Warlords with a control pad or joystick? It doesn't work very well. For games like this, nothing but a good paddle will do. Castle Crisis supports one to four players, and you can also select the number of rounds. If there's a flaw with this game, it may be the funky rules that apply to CPU-controlled players in the two and three-player modes. In the two-player mode, when the CPU wins a round, the whole game ends. In the three-player mode, CPU wins simply don't count. I would have preferred the CPU players to be treated like normal players. Of course, these issues don't apply to the enjoyable one-player mode or the outstanding four-player mode. Castle Crisis is a must-have title. If you don't have an Atari XEGS or Atari 8-bit computer, get one. If you do, pick up a copy of Castle Crisis at www.atariage.com. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

Most video game players are familiar with Wolfenstein 3D - the precursor to Doom. But how many can say they've played the original Wolfenstein? This 8-bit computer classic is admittedly weak in the graphics department, but excels in terms of pure gameplay. You assume the role of an Allied soldier trying to infiltrate a Nazi fortress. At first glance, the game looks terribly sloppy. The rooms are simple mazes, and the soldiers are poorly rendered in only 4 colors. Some of them actually look like clowns! The animation is choppy and when you run into a wall, it appears as if you're getting electrocuted. But the gameplay is no joke. You can stick up guards a take their belongings. You can search chests for ammunition and supplies, and you'll often stumble upon German food and drink. Just don't drink the alcohol because it will screw up your aim. One thing I hate is how it takes real time to open a chest, although shooting the lock expedites the process. In addition to bullets, you can also find grenades and bulletproof vests. And once you find a Nazi uniform, the dynamics of the game change completely, as you can now walk around freely. Castle Wolfenstein requires a great deal of stealth and technique. German soldiers "shout" when they see something suspicious. Despite the 1983 technology, the game makes an admirable attempt at voice synthesis. The control scheme uses both a joystick and keyboard, which is awkward to say the least. You're better off with a second player manning the keyboard. Despite its primitive nature, Wolfenstein's attention to detail is commendable. For example, if you steal a guard's bullets, he can chase you - but can't shoot. And I appreciate how when you kill guards, they remain dead even when you re-enter the same room. But what really impressed me was the ability to save my place. Even using the 20-year-old 5 ¼ inch floppy, my game saved without a hitch. Castle Wolfenstein is a landmark video game, and if you can stomach the minimal graphics and awkward control, you're in for a good time. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

This early Atari game is an oddity in that it only appeared for the Atari 8-bit computers. I'm not crazy about Caverns of Mars. The large objects and tight control gave me some false hope initially, but the repetitive gameplay soon got on my nerves. You control a large blue ship in this multi-stage, vertically scrolling shooter. You shoot double-shots, and can hold down the button for continuous fire. Some stages resemble a vertical Scramble, where you blast fuel and rockets as you navigate caverns. The real challenges here are the disappearing "laser gates", which are frustratingly hard to avoid. Other stages are wide open, and you have to blast or dodge ships and rockets approaching from the bottom of the screen. This particular stage goes on for far too long, and I couldn't wait for it to end. Eventually you reach a large orange ball which is apparently supposed to be some sort of bomb that you detonate. Then you have to navigate caverns to escape as a timer ticks away. It all sounds a lot more exciting than it really is. The blocky graphics, like the static mess that appears when your ship explodes, aren't very inspired, and the sound effects are practically non-existent. With four difficulty settings, there's plenty of challenge, but it's just not much fun. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

Usually the 8-bit versions of Atari's games are fairly comparable to their arcade counterparts, but this one really falls short. Perhaps because it was programmed earlier than other versions, it really doesn't compare to the Atari 5200 or Colecovision editions. The graphics are plain, with solid-colored mushrooms. The centipede moves in a somewhat choppy manner, and the sad-looking spider isn't nearly as aggressive as he should be. In general, the game seems too slow and easy. I was able to rack up scores that far exceeded anything I could do in the arcade (over 37K!). Using the Atari 2600 track ball makes the game feel more arcade-like, but it's also more work on your arm. There's only one skill level. Despite the problems, this is still Centipede, one of the best video games of all time. But there are better, more challenging versions out there. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

A gamer's dream in 1983, Conan delivers multi-screen platform adventure with beautiful, high-resolution graphics. It's still strangely compelling today, thanks mainly to its well-designed screens. Although rendered in a mere four colors, the visuals look more aesthetically pleasing than many modern games. It's the attention to detail that makes all the difference - the developers obviously put a lot of TLC into each screen. The castle interiors feature flickering candles, each tree is meticulously detailed down to individual leaves. Even the cave screens contain all sorts of subtle nooks and crannies. Although adversaries like bats, scorpions, and dragons tend to be small, they are nicely animated and easy to discern. In addition to its terrific graphics, Conan features an absolutely killer soundtrack. The upbeat, harmonized tunes are catchy as hell, and I never got tired of hearing them. The main character is chunky but agile, able to perform jump-flips and fling swords at enemies. The control lags slightly and collision detection could be tighter, but overall the game plays very well. The screens are progressively more difficult and most require some degree of strategy. Conan does possess one major flaw however, and that would be the heinous slowdown that occurs in later screens (notable screen five). When too many objects are moving at once, the action becomes painfully slow, and even old school junkies will find it hard to tolerate. Other than that, Conan is a good-looking and thoroughly engaging adventure. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

When Atari was assembling a library of carts for its new XE game system, it decided to recycle this old Broderbund pinball relic. But although Midnight Magic may have turned some heads in 1982 with its high-resolution graphics, it was hardly anything to get excited about in 1987. The table is rendered in green and pink - a hideous combination. Most of your targets are the "drop target" or "rollover" variety, in the form of tiny dashes and squares. To be frank, there's not much to see or do. The table never changes, and apparently your only goal is to run up your bonus multiplier. There are four flippers, two on the top and two on the bottom, triggered by moving the joystick left or right. You can move all of them at once by pressing up, but too much of this could cause a tilt to occur. The physics isn't so hot. The ball seems to "stick" to the sides instead of caroming around, and the game has little sense of momentum or flow. Midnight Magic is a dull affair that really pales in comparison to so many other great Atari 8-bit titles out there. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

In most space games of the early 80s, the playing field was a single screen in size, so when the side-scrolling Defender appeared in the arcades, it was completely original. And the number of buttons on the arcade cabinet was daunting. There was a lever to move up and down and buttons for thrust, reverse, shoot, hyperspace, and smart bomb. The home versions use a normal joystick, which simplifies the control scheme quite a bit. This Atari 8-bit version is excellent, maintaining the same graphics, cool explosions, and frantic pace of the original game. It's great to trigger a smart bomb with a screen full of aliens, and watch everything be obliterated. There is some slow-down when the screen gets too busy, but nothing major. Although this version of Defender looks identical to the 5200 one, here you have the advantage of using a normal joystick and keyboard. The spacebar sets off a smart bomb, and any other key initiates hyperspace. I'd have to say that this is the best home version of Defender I've played. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

As the VGC, one of the most common questions I'm asked is, "What's the best home version of Donkey Kong?" The answer is not so obvious considering decent versions have appeared on a number of classic systems. For my money though, this Atari 8-bit version takes the cake. Its sharp graphics, smooth animation, and arcade-perfect audio make the game an absolute joy to play. Even the intro sequence is included with Kong jumping on the girders. But the number one reason for its superiority is the fact that it contains all four of the screens. Yes, you heard me right. All the other home versions only have three, omitting the stage with pies on moving conveyer belts. Granted, it's not the best stage in the world, but if you're a fan of the game, it's a real treat. Oh, and did I mention this game is hard as a bastard? But it's not due to "usual suspects" of poor control, bad collision detection, or cheap hits. No, the difficulty level is just plain tough, but it's that relentless challenge that made the arcade game so great to begin with. In other versions you're practically invincible while holding the hammer, but that's definitely not the case here. If you have the option, I'd advise you to pick up this fantastic translation of Donkey Kong. Cheap and readily available, it's the definitive home version. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

It will always exist in the shadow of its infamous Atari 2600 cousin, but this overlooked Atari computer edition of E.T. is far more playable. If you're the type of guy who can appreciate vintage 8-bit graphics (in all their blocky goodness), you'll find Phone Home very appealing. Playing the role of a pixelated Elliott, you roam freely around a scrolling suburban neighborhood with houses and cars that look great despite their low resolution and limited color palette. On the fringes of the neighborhood you'll find swamps with storm drains and forests comprised of scenic evergreen trees. The object of the game is to collect a series of phone parts, and as you wander around audio clues indicate if you're "warm". You can only return one piece at a time to your house, and that's tricky because the area is crawling with scientists and agents that scurry around like bugs. You can run by holding in the fire button, but that causes you to drop your piece, so forget that. Instead you'll want to take a stealth approach, waiting for agents to clear out before making your move. They'll be some close calls, but that's what makes the game exciting. Even so, gathering pieces gets monotonous after a while, particularly in advanced levels where you have to collect ten of the freakin' things. Once gathered up, you're treated to a close-up of E.T. who actually speaks to you. Granted, his voice sounds more like a chain-smoking demon speaking to you on a really bad cell phone from underwater. You'll complete the game if you can guide E.T. to his ship in the woods. I always thought E.T. was slow, but he scurries around like a little brown monkey in this game. At the landing pad you're treated to a nifty landing sequence before your final score is revealed. E.T. Phone Home is only moderately fun, but as a fan of classic gaming, I found this to be absolutely fascinating. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.