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The 9 Upcoming
Atari Age Releases
Ranked From Least Anticipated to Most
You want an excuse to go to the Portland Retro Gaming Expo in October? Here you go, Junebug: Atari Age is releasing 16-20 brand new games at the con, with at least NINE exclusives for the Prosystem. I've been a huge fan of the Prosystem since 1986, and there has never been a 7800 homebrew cart dump like this. Hell, it was probably 2006 before the 7800 had nine homebrew cart releases, PERIOD. Considering there have been at least 7 carts released already in 2022, this will be the biggest year for the Prosystem Homebrew scene to date and its not even close. All of these beautiful thingys look like winners, so let's break them down.
#9) 2048 (Muddyfunster)
It is pretty well known that the 7800 is historically a little light on puzzle game love. So, here slides Muddyfunster's 2048 to help flesh out the genre. 2048 is a simple to play, sliding math game. Huh? Well... you have to see it to get it. It plays well, is colorful, and can be fun... but the biggest sin of 2048 is that its centered around math. Eww. That sheeee is evil.
#8) Galaxian Arcade (PacManPlus)
Bob Decrescenzo (PacMan Plus) is the 7800 homebrew king of maze games and bringing obscure arcade SHUMPs to the Prosystem. Galaxian however, is not obscure. It is, in fact, the big brother of the world's most famous SHUMP, Galaga. Galaga has a lot going for it, and can consume people's time even to this day. Galaxian is it's predecessor and is still a fine game, although it is a bit rudimentary in comparison. Bob's version is sure to be an excellent port with tons of bells and whistles, but given the fact that the 2600 Galaxian is a pretty good game and for some reason, people still enjoy the 7800 version of Galaga, this title might slip down most people's anticipation charts (like mine).
#7) Attack of the PETSCII Robots
(Chunkypixel)
This unique title has been ported all over, from home computers to the Sega Genesis and beyond. And now its coming to the 7800. Of all the games on the list, this one is the most interesting and mysterious, but frankly this 7800 version is looking a tad underwhelming to me at the moment. For one, this version appears to be in black and white. Also, from the video I've seen, the frame rate looks a bit jerky. But there is a lot going on. A LOT. "Attack..." is a top down adventure computer game that looks extremely ambitious for a 7800 title. A second controller can be implemented to expand controls (ala Atari 2600's Raiders of the Lost Ark style), but this sounds confusing and tedious to my old, dumb ass. I dunno, this could be the sleeper hit of the batch, but right now I'm worried about it.
#6) UniWarS (PacMan Plus)
UniWars has been completed for awhile, and the main ship even won the controversial Space Ship Fashion Show honors that I held on the site last year (for the best looking protagonist ship in the 7800 library). That pimp ride is the Lincoln Town-car of Space Ships! The game is a rather odd SHUMP arcade port from the early early 80s that grows on you over time. One screen even has aliens behind your ship poking you with sticks. Very weird. Mileage will vary per user, but this is another underdog game being ported to the 7800 by Bob for us to examine and enjoy.
#5) Keystone Koppers (Muddyfunster)
THIS game has been getting a lot of buzz on the 7800 forums of late, and its because it takes one of the most popular Activision 2600 games (Keystone Kapers) and remixes the formula for the ultimate 8 bit Cops and Robbers experience. Muddyfunster told me in an interview that he took bits and pieces that he liked from all versions of this game and combined them here in one easy to swallow 7800 pill. Its a unique game for sure, but at it's core, it is a simple game of tag. Simple, and fun.
#4) Slide Boy in Maze Land
(VHZC Games)
There may be no one in the community cooking up more consistent, quality, all original content than Vlad Zuniga right now. This all new IP is an action puzzler, where you have to slide "Slide Boy" through various rooms, avoiding obstacles all the while. Its sort of like a 2D Super Monkey Ball or Marble Madness. Still don't get it? How about those old wooden marble maze games, where you turn the knobs to make the ball roll around and avoid holes? Does that help? I hope it does. But now that I think about it, its not really like that at all. Dammit. Anyways, "Slide Boy" is not easy, but the game is infectious and a blast to play. Trust me, you'll dig it.
#3) Pac-Man Collection
40th Anniversary Edition
(PacMan Plus)
The number one selling homebrew on the Atari Age site FOR ANY SYSTEM was the original Pac Man Collection for the 7800. It is a nearly perfect game. Bob was a terrific programmer then, but now he is even more of a master. This version, with improved sound, is not a Ms. Pac Man hack at all. This is all original programming, baby. Bob is a Pac Man expert, and the Monsters behave arcade perfect in this collection. This game features almost everything you want as a maze game fan, and is customizable to boot. It features Ms. Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man Plus, Ms. Pac-Attack, Ms. Pac Random Mazes, Pac-Man, New Puck-X, Hangly Man, Ultra Pac-Man, Pac Random Maze, Popeye Pac-Man, Largest Pac-Man, Pac-Man Plus, New Puck-X Plus, Hangly Man Plus, Ultra Pac-Man Plus, Pac-Man Plus Random Mazes, starting levels and custom speeds... See? Its all you really need. This thing is a beast and is in the running for best 7800 game of all time.
#2) Popeye (darryl1970)
Popeye was tailor made for the 7800, but alas... it never existed. Until now. First time programmer darryl1970 has crushed this version and wowed us all with his first homebrew. The music is exceptional (thanks Bobby Clark), and so is the arcade quality gameplay and graphics. There's home version options to boot, as well. Popeye is a terrific platformer, and it feels right at home on the 7800. Another amazing arcade port for the Prosystem.
#1) EXO (Muddyfunster)
I hate when I read articles or reviews about a homebrew game where some schmuck writes: "If only the 7800 had games like this when it was released, who could say how the system would have fared against the NES blah blah blah". The 7800 would have been smoked, no matter if it had Street Fighter 2 five years before it hit arcades, dork. Atari had terrible management then, so nothing could have saved it. HOWEVER.... HOWEVER! EXO would have been an interesting release in 1986. The Atari 7800 needed original IPs, especially butch IPs, and this one would have countered Metroid nicely. But, EXO is not really a Metroidvania, but it feels like it. It is not a shooter, but it looks like it. So, what is it, then? Its kind of like a space ship version of Adventure, with a touch of Gravitar, boss battles, multiple worlds, tons of extras, amazing music and cinematics thrown in. It is friggin bad to the bone. And challenging! Rescue your friends, clear levels, defeat evil and find hidden artifacts. EXO looks like a promising contender for best title on the system. I can't wait for you to play it!
So............. who can swing by my place and pick me up?
Portland or bust!
 
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