A look at Subterranea from Imagic (Atari 2600)

The 1983 space shooter Subterranea is a hidden gem from an Atari 2600 third-party publisher that arguably released several of the most memorable titles during the heyday of the classic console. Imagic of course followed closely behind Activision (the first third-party publisher) in competing against Atari's own games and is best known for classic hits like Demon Attack and Atlantis, among others. Both of these well-known space shooters have solid, addicting gameplay, and the same can be said for Subterranea. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at this lesser-known game.

Subterranea is a horizontally scrolling space shooter similar to the arcade (and Atari 2600) classic defender, where your ship (called a ranger in the instructions) has the freedom of movement to travel and fire in either direction on the screen. And holding the joystick button down produces rapid-fire. The action starts as the monstrous Hexuplex, a spider-looking creature which guards the dark tunnels below, unleashes lethal Aerobots upwards to try and collide with you. As the beastie slides back and forth, the challenge is to anticipate when it will release these tracking projectiles so you're far enough away to maneuver and destroy them before they destroy you. This can get quite tricky considering how relatively close you are to the Hexuplex, and often requires quickly zipping to the opposite side of the screen, turning and blasting away before it's too late. It's engaging gameplay right from the start.

The monstrous Hexuplex releases Aerobots which you must destroy!

After destroying all the Aerobots a sparkling crystal appears on the bottom of the screen, which when picked up increases your point score and opens a tunnel that you descend through to the underworld. You'll then face more flying attackers, some of which (in later levels) can fire at you, that must also be destroyed. These enemies appear on either side of the screen and move horizontally. Destroying all attackers in a wave without being hit earns another ship. I find the best strategy here is to get behind them as they are exiting the screen and then shoot, thereby taking away the risk of a collision or being blasted (since they only fire forward). This gets more important as the skill levels increase, because the enemies often fire immediately as they appear on the screen, leaving little time for reaction. It should also be noted that touching the sides of the tunnels decreases your score more and more the longer the contact continues, while touching a skull costs a life. Conversely, if you're good enough to clear a wave of enemies without being hit, you're awarded a bonus ranger (up to a maximum of seven). Like the opening action, these battles are engaging and require getting a feel for the best way to deal with the different foes. 

After defeating enemies in a tunnel, you'll encounter the Electro-Gates, which are narrow passageways with flash pulses you must descend through in order to advance to another tunnel. This is a matter of timing, which means waiting for each pulse to appear and disappear, then inching your ship past it to the next pulse, and so on until all are cleared. Unlike the frantic space battles, this requires precise, nuanced movements of the joystick which takes some getting used to. And it's also an exercise in tension, because touching the Electro-Gates or a flash pulse puts you back to the beginning again. And after three failed attempts you're sent- back to the previous tunnel which must be replayed with no points awarded for destroying enemies. Conversely, taking too much time to descend through the Electro-Gates costs points. I think the cool thing about this stage is how the game shifts abruptly from fast-paced battle action to concentrated, calculated maneuvers. It's a very nice touch.

Your ranger must descend through the Laser-Gates in order to advance further

Following successful completion of the bottom tunnel, you fly through a transit port and enter another big cavern where... the Hexuplex is back! And now it's unleashing faster and smarter Aerobots at you! And the whole adventure starts all over again at a higher skill level. As the instruction manual says, "try to capture another crystal!"

Subterranea box art, featuring Imagic's distinctive silver and red coloring

Subterranea is a fun space shooter from a company known for some excellent space shooters, such as the titles mentioned above. Those two games put Imagic on the map and are still among my favorite Atari 2600 titles to this day. And this game is arguably even more accomplished, given its multiple screens, varying gameplay and different types of enemies. It's also got decent graphics and sounds, with a gradually increasing difficulty that will leave retro gamers eager to play again to top that current high score. Highly recommended.

A look at Name This Game from U.S. Games (Atari 2600)

In the history of classic video game consoles and what is today called retrogaming, there are certain things that have become the stuff of lore and legends. And of course, because of the internet and modern instant communication, this lore can now be read and learned about very easily. For example, the religious-themed video game Red Sea Crossing, which was sold only via mail order in 1983, is widely regarded as one of the rarest Atari 2600 games. Another rarity from 1983 is Pepsi Invaders, a modified version of Atari 2600 Space Invaders, which the company made exclusively for Coca-Cola to give out to their salespeople at a yearly convention. And a third example, also involving extremely limited production of a game cartridge, was a contest Imagic held in 1982 where top players competed in Bermuda on a modified version of their hit game Atlantis (on specially made "Atlantis II" cartridges).

Another contest, this one planned by Atari 2600 third-party publisher U.S. Games (a subsidiary of the Quaker Oats Company, no less), would have awarded a cash prize to the person who came up with the best name for their title Name This Game and Win $10,000. However, that never happened because the company went out of business first. Compared to the previous examples, this nixed competition probably isn't as legendary in retrogaming history. But the game in question, usually titled Name This Game, is a heck of a lot of fun and what I'll be discussing here.

Print Ad - Name This Game and win $10,000!

In Name This Game you are an intrepid diver who has discovered sunken treasure in the ocean. But instead of celebrating, you find yourself having to fight off a hungry shark and a curious octopus, while at the same time making sure to keep an eye on your air supply. Fortunately, your buddy in a boat on the surface assists with that breathing challenge by dropping you a line to fill up. That is if you can catch it!

First, the graphics in Name This Game look pretty good. Your diver in green with his little spear gun, a toothy gray shark, smiling black octopus, and your buddy in the boat with his hair blowing in the wind are all well-defined. The blips and bleeps sounds are what you'd expect from an Atari 2600 title of this era, but it's the gameplay that really shines. On the average skill level, the challenge starts out manageable enough, allowing new players to ease into the action and get a feel for the game while keeping the dangers at bay. And as the manual hints, a good strategy for racking up points on the early levels is to let the shark get down the screen close to your diver before blasting him. This makes the toothy menace worth more points, as well as allowing you to start to anticipate the increase in speed as it gets nearer. 

Fighting to hold onto undersea treasure in Name This Game from U.S. Games

As the speed of the game picks up, so does the fun. It's satisfying to work at the strategy of staying under your pal's boat as much as possible (for air), while fighting off the undersea menaces. This involves picking off the shark high up on the screen, while constantly blasting back the octopus tentacles. This latter point may well be where the real challenge lies, because as the tentacles start both wiggling around and descending faster, they're harder to hit. I've found myself losing lives quite frequently when the octopus tentacles reach the bottom of the screen and everything goes black. 

A boxed version of Name This Game from U.S. Games

Name This Game is a simple title with a low learning curve which makes it fun and engaging on the first play. It's also a game that encourages players to focus on strategy (for example, the aforementioned staying under the boat) in order to increase high scores. It will prompt you to hit that reset button often and is therefore highly recommended.

The joys of physical media and classic Atari 2600 box art

Having grown up during the heyday of the Atari 2600, I remember fondly the excitement of going to the store to buy a new game cartridge. There were many specialty and department stores that sold them (including Sears, which sold the Tele-Games versions of Atari cartridges), but my favorite retailer was undoubtedly Toys 'R' Us. This toy store had a ticketing system which made the whole experience that much more exciting. The game boxes were on display on a wall, and underneath each were tickets you took to the cashier, who would then get the game from a locked glass case. And finally, you could pay for it. How thrilling that was for a kid!

Buying a new Atari 2600 cartridge was also exciting partially because of the longing to play whatever new title I had my eye on, and partially because the packaging was just so darn cool (visually appealing). Of course, this started with the colored boxes, as well as the amazing artwork which was also duplicated on the cartridge label. Yes, the artists behind this Atari artwork, and those behind some third-party artwork as well, created some truly stunning imagery. (For those interested in reading about some of these amazing graphic artists, I highly recommend Tim Lapetino's excellent coffee table book Art of Atari). And the box art is also part of what makes collecting Complete in Box (CIB) Atari 2600 games fun today as well.

And with that nostalgia fresh in mind, here are just a handful of my favorite Atari 2600 game boxes:

Dodge 'Em from Atari (1980)

In this game you control a race car in a closed maze. The objective is to drive over all the dots to score points and finish the maze, while avoiding an opposing car trying to collide with you. The splendid, highly detailed box artwork portrays a well-dressed man and woman driving in an old-fashioned car at presumably high speed, narrowly avoiding another driver with dust whipping through the air.

Dolphin from Activision (1983)

You control a dolphin pursued by a persistent and nasty squid in this side-scrolling game (see my May 2025 post). Like most early Activision titles, the box art features a variation on the company's signature Rainbow design. Here those colors are part of the dolphin and the water splashing up above the sinister squid lurking below the surface.

Enduro from Activision (1983)

In Activision's fine racing game Enduro (also released in 1983), the goal is to beat the clock to keep on driving. I like how the Rainbow colors on this box art are part of the road, and also part of the folded road going off into the distance. It's quite an impressive and interesting design.

Outlaw from Atari (1978)

Based on the arcade game of the same name, the (appropriately colored) brown box features fine Old West images that nicely portray that long-ago time in history.

Riddle of the Sphinx from Imagic (1982)

There was never any mistaking the signature silver-chrome color scheme of Imagic's box art which definitely made their releases stand out. The art for this vertically scrolling adventure game features the titular title character, pyramids and hieroglyphics, which together make for some appealing imagery.

Space Cavern from Games By Apollo (1982)

You control an intrepid explorer who has landed on a foreign planet inhabited by deadly creatures in this fun space shooter (see my May 2024 post). Simply put, I always loved the cool red beastie featured prominently in this artwork. Watch your back or you'll be zapped and turn into a glowing skeleton!

Super Breakout from Atari (1982 / 1981 Sears Tele-Games)

The box art for Atari's classic Super Breakout is both futuristic and colorful, with one astronaut looking pensively through his space helmet while another swings at colored bricks in deep space. Highly impressive.

Space Invaders from Atari (1980)

Any list of iconic Atari 2600 box art wouldn't be complete without including their "killer app" game Space Invaders. Simple and effective, this artwork perfectly depicts what would immediately come to mind if someone said, "alien invasion".

This is of course not an exhaustive list. There are many incredible box designs for many equally incredible Atari 2600 games. And of course, everyone has their favorites. Hopefully you've enjoyed perusing some of mine.

A look at Planet Patrol from Spectravision (Atari 2600)

In this post I take a look at the 1982 space shooter Planet Patrol from Spectravision (also known as Spectra Video, Inc.), another third-party developer of games for the Atari 2600 during the early 1980's. The company produced eleven Atari 2600 titles in those years, among them some rarities such as the mail-order only game Chase the Chuck Wagon. They also made games for the VIC-20 home computer and later went on to introduce their own line of computers before going defunct in 1988.

Planet Patrol is a horizonal space shooter in the vein of such titles as Defender and Chopper Command. However, unlike those games where there is more freedom of movement around the screen, here your spaceship simply flies (points) right to left, and can only move up and down. The backstory in the instruction manual is a variation on a familiar tale, with you as a pilot being called up from leave to battle enemies who have invaded a planet. In this case it is the planet SPECTRA in SECTOR "S" GALAXY. You must destroy drone missiles being fired at you, avoid indestructible heat seeking torpedoes, rescue stranded pilots, destroy enemy bases, and refuel to keep on flying. All of this takes place above the planet surface, with a skyline and shapes that vaguely resemble buildings seen in the background.

Missiles and torpedoes attack in Planet Patrol from Spectravision!

The graphics and sounds in Planet Patrol are best described as ordinary. The drone missiles (which I think of as spaceships) look okay, as do the torpedoes and enemy bases, but they certainly don't "pop" on screen like in some colorful Atari 2600 space shooters - for example the Imagic classics Demon Attack and Atlantis. And the planet surface is a dull, greenish-yellow color, although this may vary depending on the monitor, given that the instruction manual shows it as orange. Similarly, the scrolling scenic background is reminiscent of Atari 2600 games from Activision, with perhaps a little less detail. And while the blips, bleeps and explosion sounds are alright, they don't really stand out as enemies simply disappear when hit. 

The neat silver box design of Planet Patrol

But while the look and sounds of Planet Patrol are ordinary, I'm happy to say that playing it is still a lot of fun. This game is very challenging, with the difficulty level starting out manageable but accelerating at a deceptively rapid rate. In particular, the enemy drone missiles appear easy to hit, but are actually quite easy to miss, especially as the pace speeds up. And because of this, I've continually found myself beginning to lose ships after a few thousand points, due mainly to collisions from missiles I thought were destroyed (or being forced by said missiles into collisions with nearby torpedoes). 

Destroy those enemy bases in Planet Patrol from Spectravision!

Additionally, although the large enemy bases provide big enough targets, the debris fields they leave behind are not always simple to navigate. This also leads to rapid ship losses and is another reason why I've yet to reach the coveted 10,000 points needed for a bonus life. And these challenges of needing to be very accurate with firing and swift in maneuvering (while also watching the fuel level) provide good replay value. 

In summary, while Planet Patrol is just a straightforward space shooter in terms of visuals and sounds, the solid, addicting gameplay will have you hitting that reset button quite often in the quest to improve. Therefore, I'd recommend this title to fellow fans of this particular genre of old-school space games.

Atari Reminiscences Part 2

In my first For the Love of Atari blog post back in January 2024, I mainly talked about how I rediscovered Atari and retrogaming in general, after not having played those games in over a decade. Now, after having written the blog for a year and a half, I'd like to reflect on my new adventures in both playing and writing about retrogaming, as well as thoughts on how Atari has been successful in reinventing itself and reinvigorating this fun gaming subgenre.

When I began to make retrogaming a part of my life again several years ago, I started by playing a lot of Atari 5200 titles. This was because the 5200 SuperSystem was the last console I owned as a kid, and because I still had a lot of those cartridges. And my general feeling has been that the majority of 5200 games are quite good and still hold up well today, with many of them being either very accurate reproductions of classic arcade titles (such as Galaxian, Centipede, Space Dungeon) or high-quality original titles like Countermeasure. My personal favorites are Space Dungeon, which is an exclusive to the 5200 console, and the Penguin-on-ice game Pengo. The former is incredibly challenging and takes advantage of a special (and somewhat rare) controller holder which allows the 5200 controllers to be utilized in the best way possible. And Pengo, a "cutesy" arcade game I admit to not remember having played at the mall as a kid is just plain fun, with the right level of increasing difficulty. And thus far I'll pick Miner 2049er from Big Five Software as the most difficult game I've played on the console. All in all, I'm thoroughly enjoying the Atari 5200 once again as an adult.

My Atari 5200 SuperSystem with one Wico controller and Pengo cartridge

After firing up and using the 5200 for a while, I decided to purchase an original Atari 7800 console and the newer Atari 2600+. I never owned a 7800 back in the day, but now I really enjoy playing games on this system, which looks essentially like a physically smaller version of the 5200. It has the same sleek look of its bigger cousin and of course does double duty by being compatible with both Atari 7800 and 2600 games and controllers. And with the plethora of 2600 compatible controllers to choose from, this is a big plus. While on the 7800 games front, I had always wanted to play Galaga (my 'go-go" arcade game as a kid) on a console. And Atari's home version for their advanced system is faithful to the Namco classic, while at the same time having some slight differences in gameplay and feel. However, my favorite 7800 title has without a doubt been Food Fight, which is an amazingly addictive game which duplicates the arcade experience perfectly. 

Food Fight for the Atari 7800

And as for the newer Atari 2600+, which also plays most 2600 and 7800 titles, it presents a good example of the main strength in Atari's strategy with its new "+" line of products. That is, their new consoles and games are all designed to be both forward and backwards compatible, which keeps their old product lines relevant and allows retrogamers to seamlessly use whatever hardware and software they like. And this is all in line with their laser focus on nostalgia, while at the same time introducing new products. And of course, the 2600+ has a modern HDMI connection built in (as does the 7800+), a larger cartridge slot, as well as some stylistic bells and whistles like an Atari logo which lights up. I've enjoyed owning this console primarily because of its striking similarity in looks to the original Atari 2600 VCS. Playing my old cartridges on it rekindles great memories of the classic Video Computer System.

The Atari 2600+ console

And finally, I'd like to mention that over the last couple years I've enjoyed the flexibility of also being able to play most classic Atari console games using emulation. Whenever I find time for retrogaming (never as much as I'd like), I try to make a conscious effort to play both my favorite titles and ones I haven't played before. And since I do a lot of work on the computer, sometimes I'll simply plug in a joystick and do some gaming. Emulation is simply another alternative for whenever I might not have time to fire up one of my trusty consoles. And I personally think it's great that many of these games are available this way, because it undoubtedly exposes them to more people.

All in all, I've been thoroughly enjoying my retrogaming experience, in terms of playing, collecting and also writing this blog. It's a great hobby, and I'm delighted that the folks running Atari have so successfully brought the company back into the public consciousness. I'm also looking forward to what Atari has upcoming in this exciting time which represents a true retrogaming renaissance.

A look at Dolphin from Activision (Atari 2600)

Activision is a famous name in retrogaming history because the company was the first third-party publisher of games for the popular Atari 2600 console. Formed in 1979 by unhappy Atari game developers who left to compete against their former employer, they would go on to create some of the best and most memorable titles for the 2600 which were often ported to other systems as well. Some of these legendary games include Pitfall (from David Crane), Chopper Command (from Bob Whitehead), Kaboom! (from Larry Kaplan), and Keystone Kapers (from Garry Kitchen). And while I was tempted to revisit one of these classics for my first Activision post on this blog, I ultimately decided instead to take a look at one of my personal favorites from the days of the Activision rainbow box art releases.

Dolphin is an Atari 2600 title created by Matthew Hubbard for Activision and released in 1983. In the game you control the title character who is on the run from a squid. While swimming frantically left or right in an effort to avoid the nasty creature, you must also navigate the ocean currents as well as columns of seahorses blocking your path. A possible brief respite from this relentless pursuit comes in the form of a seagull which occasionally flies over the surface of the water. And that is only if your dolphin can execute a well-timed jump to touch the elusive bird in mid-flight. If so, you briefly become invincible, turn the tables on the squid, and score big points by touching it (similar to the power-up which make the pursing ghosts retreat in Pac-man). And of course, like in most games, the pace gets faster and more difficult with each new round.

A boxed version of Dolphin from Activision for the Atari 2600

Dolphin is a side-scrolling game with a colorful playfield representing the ocean, the horizon, and even clouds in the background (similar to the aforementioned side-scroller Chopper Command with an orange dessert and equally colorful horizon). The controls are very straightforward, so it's easy to get right into the game without struggling to move where you want to. However, figuring out how to stay a good distance ahead of the pursuing squid can take some time to master, as can timing that jump to connect with the elusive seagull. Both seem to be a matter of getting a "feel" for the rapid pace of the game, and a big component in all of this is sound.

Dolphin on the move!

There are sounds aplenty in this game. For instance, ocean currents are represented by arrows facing in the direction you're moving or against it, and high frequency beeps or low rumbles are the audio cues indicating you've been slowed down by or aided by those currents. Likewise, tones of different pitches sound as you approach a wall of seahorses blocking your path except for one small opening. The higher or lower pitches indicate how high or low the opening is which you must try to navigate through. And this is critical because missing the opening, even slightly, slows down your dolphin. And equally important is the "Seagull's Cry", which is a loud alarm sound indicating that important bird is approaching and it's going to be time to make a leap from the water.

Dolphin is fast-paced fun which centers around a truly unique sea creature. The designer has incorporated the sonar of dolphins into the game, which gives the gameplay a distinctive feel without the need for blasting away at enemies underwater. And the rapid chase truly is challenging, requiring not only getting to know the critical audio cues, but strategizing quickly on the fly. I find keeping the joystick pinned all the way right or left (depending on which way you're travelling) is the best way to maintain a distance from the squid. However, this keeps your dolphin moving at a fast pace near the edge of the screen, leaving less time to react to the ocean current arrows and approaching columns of seahorses. And as this is going on, you're suddenly startled by the loud alarm sound meaning it's time to quickly zip up to the surface and time a jump. All of this can be nerve racking, but great fun at the same time, which is exactly what a good video game often is.

The Activision "Friends of Dolphins" patch

Like the best of the early Activision titles, Dolphin is a high-quality game with nice graphics and sounds which is enjoyable to play because it combines just the right mix of strategy, reflexes and increasing difficulty. And I think it's also worth noting that this was another of their games where accomplished players could mail in high-score pictures and receive unique club patches (see above photo). Additionally, I also like how the instruction manual includes some fun facts about dolphins, and even encourages players to explore these amazing animals further at the local library. This game is highly recommended.

 

And check out this Dolphin TV ad on YouTube - it's sure to bring a smile to your face!

Classic Retrogaming Look Back: Star Castle - Arcade & Champ Games' Atari 2600 port

I've often reflected on how I miss the way things were "back in the day", and have even occasionally wondered if I appreciated those days enough at the time. Reminiscing about, and in some cases lamenting about, a bygone era is of course a common thing. And on one such occasion, a friend pointed out to me that it's difficult to fully appreciate something when you're living it day to day, which is very true because that thing becomes commonplace. And I think the same can now be said for the internet. Even though it is still a relatively new (consumer) technology, over the last couple decades it has become very commonplace in our society. And so, it's easy to become dulled to all the sights, sounds and information that can be gleaned from it on a daily basis, and forget how truly wonderous it is. But one thing I've come to truly appreciate about this technological marvel is the uncanny power it has had in shining a light on things from the past that may have otherwise been forgotten or faded into obscurity. 

I've written several posts about what I call The New Atari, detailing how the iconic company has slowly begun to reemerge in recent years with new ownership and new products being introduced. And in Part 2 of this series of posts I discussed how Atari recently acquired AtariAge. And the AtariAge website is a prime example of how the internet has helped keep Atari and all their classic games and systems alive in the hearts and minds of fans (particularly my fellow Gen-Xers) when they otherwise would most likely have faded away forever. And the same can be said for the experiences of Generation X in general. Through pictures, videos and discussions online, these bygone days have come into (or stayed in) clearer focus then they otherwise would be through memory alone. This is because discussing and reminiscing with others, be it in person or virtually, helps to keep memories alive.

When I was a kid during the Golden Age of Arcade Video Games, gaming was a big part of my life. And fortunately, there were some excellent arcades in my area during those years. On Saturdays, after competing in a morning bowling league, my friends and I would head to the  Latham Circle Mall which had not one, but two arcades. And this was definitely the place to be, because they had (now) classics like Space Invaders, Galaga, Defender and many others. But it was at the other game room I regularly frequented at the Colonie Center mall (still in existence today) where I discovered Star Castle.

A Star Castle arcade cabinet

Star Castle is a vector-based game with a rich history which was originally released to arcades in 1980 by Cinematronics. Using button controls, you command a ship trying to destroy an enemy cannon in the middle of space which is protected by three rotating energy rings. Your ship can rotate, thrust around, and fire missiles which destroy segments of the rings with two hits. When an entire ring is destroyed, the two inner rings expand outward and a new inner ring generates, thereby protecting the cannon again. If a gap in the ring is created, the cannon is vulnerable to your missiles with a well-placed shot. However, the cannon also becomes more dangerous by firing large projectiles through those gaps that aim to destroy your ship. Additionally, three homing mines pose a constant threat by continually pursuing you. These are released as ring segments are destroyed, and they must be avoided or shot. Points are earned for shooting ring segments and destroying the cannon with that aforementioned well-placed shot. The colorful look of the game, including the ships, mines, and most notably the multi-colored energy ring segments, was created through the use of a color overlay on the cabinet.

Star Castle from Cinematronics - arcade cabinet screen

Star Castle was always one of my favorite games because of the unique challenge it presented, whereby you had to strategically break through rotating defense barriers to destroy what was inside, while simultaneously being chased away by mines and projectiles. In one sense it is something of a stationary game because of the enemy being locked in the center of the screen, but I think this makes it all the more unique among space shooters (that usually have more moving enemies). And I believe I was also drawn to it because of the learning curve involved in mastering control of your ship as the pressure in the game mounts. Also, Star Castle has menacing, pulsing background sounds (somewhat similar in tone to Asteroids) that further help keep the tension high. And additionally, vector graphics arcade games always had a unique look which made them stand out from all the others.

I mentioned that Star Castle had a rich history, which is due mainly to the fact that iconic game designer Howard Scott Warshaw (designer of Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T.) was given the assignment of a 2600 port after he began working for Atari in 1981. For various reasons (detailed in his fantastic book Once Upon Atari), he declined and instead developed Yars' Revenge, which incorporated many of the same game elements as Star Castle and went on to become one of Atari's most famous original 2600 titles. Additionally, over the years many Star Castle ports were worked on by various Atari enthusiasts, and finally in 2014 Star Castle Arcade from Chris Walton and Thomas Jentzsch was published by AtariAge. As of 2024, the game is being published by Champ Games.

Title Screen for Star Castle Arcade from Champ Games

Star Castle Arcade is a fantastic console translation which faithfully reproduces the elements of the arcade version. The look and feel of the vector graphics are there. The ships, energy rings and mines are there, and the background music is as menacing as ever. And like in the arcade, after a few cannons are destroyed the game becomes increasingly fast-paced. This makes it vital that one learns to accurately control the ship, especially as the homing mines become more and more relentless. On this last point it should be noted that for folks used to playing in the arcade, this home version may take a bit of getting used to due to using the joystick for some functions, rather than the buttons in Cinematronics' arcade version.

Star Castle Arcade from Champ Games - screen

According to the Champ Games website the Star Castle Arcade cartridge is 28K, which makes sense considering how much detail is packed into this Atari 2600 game. And it's also worth noting that besides all the onscreen gameplay goodness, the cartridge saves high scores without the use of any external device (scores are retained after the game is turned off). Additionally, the included full color manual not only has game instructions, but also a nice introductory backstory on the Star Lords and their Star Castles, as well as a section describing in detail all the various home version iterations of the game worked on by Atari enthusiasts over the years. All in all, Champ Games has given us another winner in once again bringing the arcade experience home with lots of extras included. Highly recommended.