Tempest (Arcade): Tempest is another game in this collection that could be considered timeless. One of the originators of the tube shooter genre; Tempest has you shooting at abstract enemies coming down a tube. Interestingly, at the end of each level you also have to fly through the completed tunnel to the next stage, and avoid any spikes left behind by enemies. Tempest’s incredible vector graphics and original gameplay make it a joy to play again and again. It is a timeless game that ranks among Atari’s best, and is a vital part of this collection.
Tempest 2000 (Jaguar): Tempest 2000 is an incredible game. Not only is it hands down the best Jaguar game I have ever played, but it also manages to improve on the original Tempest. This probably has a lot to do with its creator Jeff Minter and his company Llamasoft which worked on the game.
While I do miss the vector glow, the new colorful presentation goes a long way in making up for the lack of vector style graphics. Tempest 2000 draws from the original game, while also adding improvements to the graphics and stages, new power-ups, and techno music. Tempest 2000 is a masterpiece that is as good if not better than the original. This whole collection is worth owning for this game alone, due to the cartridge’s rarity.
Touch Me (LED handheld): Touch Me has me torn. On the one hand it is an important part of Atari’s history and the history of portable consoles. On the other hand, though, it is basically just a port of the “Simon Says,” toy (a game where you repeat colour coded patterns), and could easily be seen as a waste of a game slot. While I understand why this game was included, I would have preferred it if the space used for this game was instead taken by another important and more enjoyable game such as Motor Psycho (7800), Space Invaders (2600), Pole Position (2600 or 7800), Battle Zone (Arcade), Empire Strikes Back (2600) or Klaxx (Arcade).
Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy (Jaguar): Like many Jaguar Games this one isn’t very good, and tries to rip off a Nintendo hit. McFur attempts to steal its theme and character designs from Star Fox; if only it had tried harder to also copy Star Foxes fun gameplay. Trever McFur is a slog. It’s a generic and below average shmup that is for some reason missing music all together (so much for 64 bits). Maybe at one time its use of pre-rendered graphics was impressive, but playing it now the game just ends up looking like a strange mess that fails to impress on any level. While not one of the worst Jaguar games it is still far from impressive and another game from the Jaguar that is worth skipping.
Turbo-Sub (Lynx): Turbo-Sub is a surprisingly great game for the Lynx. It’s a simple but effective game that has you flying through the air blasting enemies and dodging fireballs. After this part of the game you then dive down into the water to slalom through rocks, fight enemies and collect crystals for upgrades before going through a cosmic portal. While relatively repetitive and pixelated the fast paced and exciting gameplay more than makes up for its shortcomings. This game is the best Lynx game in the collection, and while not perfect is still a lot of fun to play.
VCTR-SCTR (New): Despite its strange name VCTR-SCTR is a great compilation. A tribute to vector graphics VCTR-SCTR combines sequences from Asteroids, Lunar Lander, Battle zone, and Tempest into one fast paced game. It also looks incredible, with a beautiful homage to the glowing vector graphics of the 80’s. While I enjoy some parts of the game more than others as a whole it holds up great. It also does an incredible job of modernizing these games while remaining true to their source material. I personally feel that this is the best of the new games offered in this collection, and well worth playing.
Warlords (arcade, 2600): Warlords was the next step in Pong’s evolution. In it you play against three other players each trying to protect their castle walls using a paddle. Your objective is to bounce a ball away from your castle and break through your opponent’s castle wall until they are knocked out of the game. Fun and fast paced Warlords is a good game even when playing alone, but really shines when you are playing with other people. The 2600 port, while not as polished, offers a plethora of modes, but either version is a lot of fun to play with a friend.
Yars’ Revenge (2600): Yars’ Revenge is the sort of game that you would show off to someone who is unfamiliar with the VCS. Clearly designed by and for the 2600, Yars’ Revenge reworks Star Castle into a totally new and original game. Your goal in this game is to use your insect-like ship to blast through an enemy’s barrier while avoiding being hit by that ship’s homing missile and Buzzsaw-like attacks. To protect yourself you can fly into the psychedelic shield in the center of the field, but this shield also doesn’t allow you to attack while within it. This game is brilliantly designed to take advantage of the 2600’s hardware, and as a result is one of the best games for the console. Despite the 2600’s enormous library this game might just be one of my personal favourites for the console.
Yoomp! (800): Yoomp! is an interesting game to end this collection on. Created in 2007 for the Atari 800 this game has you bouncing through levels to a jaunty tune. It has a feel kind of similar to the old computer games like Skyroads, which also has you traversing through colourful levels. In Yoomp! you bounce through a tube trying to avoid pits and empty spaces. While I wish Yoomp! had additional music and more complex level design, it is still enjoyable, unique, and a good addition to this compilation.
Secret House of Anime 