Ms. Pac-Man (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: GCC
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1983

Ms. Pac-Man is a maze game that was originally released in the Arcade in 1982 as the sequel to Pac-Man (1980, Arcade).

+ Eight difficulty settings are available to cater to your skill level and the cute cut-scenes provide an adorable back story.

+ While the original game only had one maze, this sequel has four well-designed layouts to keep you invested longer term.

+ Ghosts have unique behaviours and speeds, and their A.I. is incredible as you can actively watch them trying to flank you.

+ Bonus fruits return, but this time with the treacherous twist of bouncing around the playfield to raise the suspense.

+ Extra tunnels have been introduced to the mazes, which is a brilliant idea that gives you multiple ways to escape foes.

- 5200 analog stick has issues when trying to navigate more complex mazes, as it doesn't always register perfectly.

- Difficulty increases too quickly and novice players might get deflated when the speed surges after a couple of mazes.

Pac-Man (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Atari, Inc.
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1983

Pac-Man is a maze game that was first released in the Arcade in 1980.

+ Gigantic leap in quality from the Atari 2600 port (1982) and closely mimics the Arcade in gameplay, graphics and sound.

+ Allows you to choose your difficulty from eight different levels, and the cut-scenes convey an abundance of personality.

+ Different coloured ghosts have unique behaviours, which is great for learning patterns and outsmarting them.

+ Tunnels are an inspired feature for a quick escape and the limited energy pills turn the tide for a riveting ghost chase.

+ Collectable fruit adds an enticing risk-reward element, as the huge point bonuses mean venturing into perilous territory.

- Even the lowest difficulty is blazingly fast with aggressive enemies that will result in sudden game overs for novices.

- Despite the maze being intricately designed it's the only one available, leaving you wishing for a bit more variety.

Joust (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: GCC
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1983

Joust is an action game that was first released in the Arcade in 1982.

+ Action is fast and fluid with an impressive physics engine, and despite some minor sprite flicker there's no slowdown.

+ Includes various wave types to keep things interesting, and having to collect eggs before they re-hatch is devious.

+ Likewise, the need to quickly eliminate buzzards to avoid deadly Pterodactyls entering creates tension-filled gameplay.

+ Shrewdly, you can override the respawn animation after a death to get back into the action at the most opportune time.

+ There's several difficulty options to cater to your skill level, and the two-player mode is a fun mix of co-op and battle.

- 5200 controller results in some unfortunate deaths, as its lack of self-centring can see you drifting in one direction.

- Allows you to hold down the fire button to avoid continuous tapping, but your bird rises so slowly that it's pointless.

RealSports Baseball (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Atari, Inc.
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1983

RealSports Baseball is a sports game that was also released on the Atari 2600 (1982) and Atari 7800 (1988).

+ Decent pitch selection / path modifiers, and having a no wind-up variation is neat for keeping hitters off-balance.

+ Analog stick makes a huge difference when batting and gives you total control over swing speed and launch angle.

+ Charming voice clips, you can choose 3, 6, or 9 innings, and there's advance base running moves such as squeeze plays.

+ Fun multiplayer mode and the difficulty handicap is a fantastic way to balance skill levels between novice / expert gamers.

- Having to activate teammates after a play and manually throw the ball back to the pitcher is slow and cumbersome.

- Fielding ground balls is janky, as they often seem to travel straight through a player for a cheap base hit.

- Takes too long for fielders to throw the ball and it's infuriating when you can't turn an otherwise easy double-play.

Pole Position (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: GCC
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1983

Pole Position is a racing game that was first released in the Arcade in 1982.

+ Practice mode is a welcome feature that provides an opportunity to learn the ropes without other vehicles in the way.

+ Has three race tracks to test your driving and there's an option to switch from four to eight laps for a real challenge.

+ Racing has a good sense of speed and the excellent draw distance allows you to plan manoeuvres well in advance.

+ Analog stick offers ultra precision and squeezing between two competitors is fun thanks to the solid collision detection.

+ Secondary scoring feature means you always have an incentive to play again, even if you don't manage to complete a race.

- Reaching the finish line requires absolute perfection and casual players might be turned off by the lack of margin for error.

- Race tracks are samey and this port is missing a few presentational touches from the Arcade (e.g. billboard advertisements).

Robotron: 2084 (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Atari, Inc.
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1983

Robotron: 2084 is a wave shooter that was first released in the Arcade in 1982.

+ Throws an enormous amount of sprites and animations around the playfield, and there's never any flicker or slowdown.

+ Having only a second or two to survey the most urgent threat(s) prior to the wave commencing is endlessly gripping.

+ Deciding whether to rescue humans or deal with the onslaught of robots is a great hook that adds risk-reward.

+ Better transition screens / SFX than the Atari 7800 port (1986), and using two controllers to fire and strafe works brilliantly.

- Doesn't play nearly as well with just a single controller, as you can't be as nimble when evading / shooting enemies.

- Challenge is brutal compared to the Atari 7800 version and less skilled gamers won't last long even on Level 0.

- Animation is often quite choppy, which isn't ideal in a fast-twitch game where every micro-movement is crucial.

Dig Dug (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: GCC
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1983

Dig Dug is an action game that was initially released in the Arcade in 1982.

+ Provides a two-player turn-based option (as well as a stage select), and there's a perfect difficulty curve to ease you in.

+ Offers a wide variety of level arrangements to keep things interesting and the collectable vegetables add risk-reward.

+ Quickly diagnosing layouts and planning a method of attack during the pre-stage jingle is both entertaining and stressful.

+ Craftily, you earn more points by defeating foes lower down the screen, and luring them into falling rocks is fiendishly fun.

+ Though you'll often get sandwiched between enemies, it's neat alternating hits to keep them at bay until they explode.

- There's an unfortunate amount of sprite flicker in higher stages, which can cause confusion when two enemies overlap.

- Controls aren't tight enough and many times you'll lose a life due to overshooting your intended target by a small amount.

Ballblazer (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Lucasfilm Games
Publisher: Atari Corp.
Released: 1986

Ballblazer is a sports game that was also ported to the Atari 7800 in 1988.

+ Action is impressively fast-paced with no slowdown despite the split-screen, and the graphics fit the futuristic vibe.

+ Brilliant scoring system to keep the competition tense, ranging from 1-3 points depending on your distance from the goal.

+ Has some clever ways to outwit your foe, such as swerving the ball and using the boundary to your advantage.

+ Two-player mode is the highlight and shooting the winning goal when the posts are at their narrowest is euphoric. 

+ Bass-heavy intro music rocks, and there's some innovative audio cues to signal when you can blast an opponent.

- Camera alternates between two angles and it can be very disorientating when it suddenly moves to a side-view.

- While there's nine CPU skill levels, it's a shame a Tournament mode wasn't implemented to prolong play sessions.

Berzerk (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: GCC
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1983

Berzerk is an action game that was first released in the Arcade in 1980.

+ Each attempt plays entirely different from the last thanks to procedurally generated maps and shifting enemy locations.

+ Gameplay pushes you to think and act quickly, and Evil Otto's impending presence is genuinely unnerving.

+ Knowing when to bail and exit to avoid Otto, or risk eliminating all robots for bonus points is a gripping premise.

+ Gives you tons of freedom in how you approach each screen, as well as how you progress through the elaborate maze.

+ Voice clips are fantastic with many memorable lines that enhance the game's personality and likeability.

- Your Humanoid's movements are slow and clunky, which makes it hard to avoid enemy fire in higher skill levels.

- Takes a while to adjust to shots coming from the right of your sprite (rather than dead centre) when firing upwards.

Choplifter (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: GCC
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1984

Choplifter is a scrolling shooter that was originally released on the Apple II in 1982.

+ Gameplay is immersive, in large part due to its hook of testing your ability to return all 64 hostages to base.

+ Has some cute graphical flourishes, such as the flag blowing in the wind and the hostages that wave after being freed.

- Challenging gameplay has a cheapness to it, as it's difficult to anticipate incoming jets that quickly down your vehicle.

- Hit detection is insanely janky (especially when shooting downwards) and there's some heavy slowdown at times.

- Enemy tanks look less than menacing due to their minuscule size, which also makes them tough to actually hit.

- Animation and scrolling is jerky, which has the knock-on effect of negating pinpoint precision in your movements.

- No two-player mode, and the preset skill level might deter some gamers as there's no difficulty options.

Mountain King (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: K-Byte
Publisher: CBS Electronics
Released: 1983

Mountain King is a platformer that was originally released on Atari 8-bit computers in 1983.

+ Brilliant concept that mixes Arcade style action with treasure hunting by requiring you to use the flashlight.

+ Amazing use of audio and it's clever how the tune gets quieter / louder depending on your proximity to the Flame Spirit.

+ Grabbing the Golden Crown and sprinting back to the top is exhilarating and the timer increases urgency.

- Clumsy controls absolutely ruin the game and the imprecise jumping mechanics are a constant source of frustration.

- Collision detection isn't so hot and you'll frequently find yourself falling from ladders and off the side of platforms.

- Not as pick-up-and-play as other titles of the period, and gamers will need to read the manual before attempting a run.

- SFX are super annoying after a few run-throughs, as they feature random popping sounds for no discernible reason.

Mario Bros. (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Atari, Inc.
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1983

Mario Bros. is an action-platformer that was first released in the Arcade in 1983.

+ Quickly forming a plan to defeat foes and avoid fireballs in rather cramped environments is part of the games' charm.

+ Varying enemy types have lots of personality and the animation of the turtle kicking its shell back onto itself is hilarious!

+ POW block evens the playing field in precarious situations, and the collectable coins add a neat risk-reward element.

- Mario's movements are egregiously slippery and trying to make split-second turns is nigh-on impossible.

- Each stage features an identical layout, and the Challenge stage's coins are always located in the same places.

- Hazardous fireballs are overly aggressive in early stages and the hit detection when bopping a platform is suspect.

- Graphics have a washed-out look, while the animation is choppy and the SFX play some ear-piercing notes.

Qix (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: GCC
Publisher: Atari, Inc.
Released: 1982

Qix is an action game that was first released in the Arcade in 1981.

+ Gameplay is addictive and despite the simple premise the fast-paced action always forces you to think two steps ahead. 

+ Considerable amount of techniques you can employ to fill the screen, so you always have new strategies to try out.

+ Sparx are brilliantly devious, as they stop you from moving safely by chasing your lines around the playfield.

+ Genius points system, as while you can move fast to claim territory, navigating slowly racks up an even bigger score.

+ Expertly dividing two Qix is thrilling and the game rewards you for consecutive splits by increasing the score multiplier.

+ Unlike the NES version (1991), this port has multiple difficulty options to cater to your particular skill level.

- Action can become quite repetitive and there's no gameplay variations to increase its long-term appeal.

Missile Command (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Atari
Publisher: Atari
Released: 1982

Missile Command is a shoot-em-up that was originally released in the Arcade in 1980.

+ Trak-Ball brings the Arcade game home in spectacular fashion, as it affords pinpoint accuracy over movement and shots.

+ Tasks you with strategic and resourceful play, as you only have a limited amount of shots to protect your bases.

+ Necessity to shoot in front of an enemy missile to create an explosion radius forces strategic planning ahead of your target.

+ Includes many ways to rack up bonus points, and it helps that multipliers are displayed prior to each wave.

+ Impending doom of missiles encroaching is anxiety-inducing, and the closing 'The End' screen is dramatically poignant.

+ Practice mode is a great addition, as it switches things up by only including homing missiles with deft manoeuvrability.

- Doesn't include any difficulty settings, and there's only one silo instead of the three featured in the Arcade original.

Centipede (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Atari
Publisher: Atari
Released: 1983

Centipede is an action game that first saw release in the Arcade in 1981.

+ Plays brilliantly with the Trak-Ball controller and it responds with swift precision to your every movement.

+ Fun multitasking element, as the mushrooms make it seem like you're fighting against the environment, as well as foes.

+ Giant spider makes the bottom of the screen feel claustrophobic, and the scorpions at the top add a risk-reward element.

+ Awesome SFX mimic the Arcade original well, and the game keeps your high score visible while the console is switched on.

+ Allows for two-player competitive gameplay and the bragging rights associated with gaining the best point total.

+ While you can shoot individual sparks, a rapid fire option is available to make longer play sessions more comfortable.

- Difficulty ramps up rather quickly (even when selecting the Easy mode), which might deter some casual players.

Super Breakout (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Atari
Publisher: Atari
Released: 1982

Super Breakout is a block busting game that was originally released in the Arcades in 1978.

It requires either the analog joystick or the Trak-Ball controller, and the objective is to continually bounce a ball off your paddle to smash walls. Points are awarded based on the brick colour you hit, with the most valuable being towards the very top. You only have five balls per game and if one lands below your paddle a ball will be deducted. The joystick works well to mimic the precision movement of the Atari 2600 paddles allowing you to delicately move across the playfield or dash at lightning speed. There is some jitter though which isn't helpful when the ball is careening back at full speed. The Trak-Ball provides a good alternative (with zero jitter), but it's tough to stop on a dime due to having to take your hand off for a split-second (resulting in very slight travel). There's only four variations compared to the 2600's twelve, the first of which is Breakout where you face regenerating 14x8 walls; it's a simple, yet fun concept that advances the Pong (1972, Arcades) formula to create more intense gameplay. In Progressive, the walls constantly move downwards in 14x4 staggered patterns; it's the standout variation as the gaps in the walls give you ample chances to lodge the ball so it repeatedly bounces off bricks for huge points. Double includes two balls in play at the same time, along with an extra stacked paddle; the fast speed that each ball travels makes it unwieldy to keep both in play and you'll likely lose one of them very quickly. Cavity sees two balls trapped inside two sets of walls; it suffers from the same problems as Double and instead of being an interesting hook the trapped balls are a hindrance.

There's nothing particularly 'super' about Super Breakout, and while it is a fun game in small doses, the lack of variations when compared to its Atari 2600 counterpart makes for a less appealing package. On top of this, the controller options (while admittedly decent) aren't quite as refined as the paddles for high score attempts.

Random trivia: Super Breakout was the pack-in title for the Atari 5200 console.

Kaboom! (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Activision
Publisher: Activision
Released: 1983

Kaboom! is an action game that was originally released on the Atari 2600 in 1981.

You control three water buckets and your job is to catch the bombs thrown by the Mad Bomber at the top of the screen. This takes place across short waves of increasing speed, and once you've lost all three buckets it's game over; however, a new bucket is given for every 1,000 points. The standard 5200 controller does an above-average job of affording you precision in your movements, and its analog nature works much better than a digital joystick for meticulously controlling the speed of your water buckets (e.g. rather than only having one speed). That said, when compared to the paddle controller used in the Atari 2600 original, the 5200 controller definitely comes up short due to its over-sensitivity on the horizontal axis, leading to many annoying bomb explosions. The gameplay quickly peaks in difficulty, but when you do get on a roll it's thrilling and hypnotic, and never has a videogame created a perfect combination of zen-like gameplay and complete, unabashed carnage. I also like that the game relies on you pressing the fire button before each wave, as it gives you a chance to calm your nerves before the next hectic onslaught! This port features some interesting additions, such as a pleasant jingle that plays whenever you catch a bomb, and a two player option where one person controls the Mad Bomber; the latter is a great idea for creating your own wave patterns. What's disappointing though is how little attention Activision paid to the graphics; sure, there's now a skyline background, but in reality, the game looks almost identical to the Atari 2600 original from two years prior.

Kaboom! is a brilliant title that's held back from true greatness by its somewhat imprecise inputs on the 5200. However, if you're willing to look past the controller issues there's still a fantastically addictive game here, and the inclusion of a two player competitive mode makes this worth the price of admission alone.

Random trivia: An updated version of Kaboom! was planned for release on the Super Nintendo in 1993/1994, but was ultimately cancelled.

Kangaroo (Atari 5200 review)

Developer: Atari
Publisher: Atari
Released: 1983

Kangaroo is a multi-screen platformer that was originally released in the Arcades in 1982.

You play as Mother Kangaroo and the objective is to rescue your baby from the top of all four screens. To do this, you climb ladders, jump over logs, punch monkeys and avoid falling apples. Fruit is scattered that will net you bonus points but a bell can be hit three times in each screen to release more fruit and increase your score further. This is one of the game's best features as there's multiple ways to play depending on how skilled you are; newcomers can simply head for the top to rescue the baby but veterans can take their time by maxing out the bell. The latter is dangerous as it requires backtracking through treacherous areas; the rewards are high though and I like how each loop adds further fruit into the mix to enhance the risk-reward element. Unlike the Atari 2600 port (1983), there's zero lag when attempting to jump and the usually flaky 5200 controller performs decently throughout. There's nothing special about the level design but all four screens from the Arcade original are present; I particularly enjoyed Screen 3 which cleverly gives you multiple ways to succeed depending on whether you want to knock down a row of stacked monkeys, or climb a series of platforms to reach baby kangaroo. The upbeat jingles (despite sounding distorted) perfectly compliment the gameplay arch, and the short tune that plays when climbing a ladder is a fantastic idea that allows you to precisely time when you can move horizontally at the peak of your ascent. The graphics are also a massive step up from the Atari 2600 version with more detailed sprites and graphical flourishes around each level.

Kangaroo is a faithful port of the Arcade title that looks and plays great, and has far superior controls when compared to its counterpart on the 2600. The level design might not be the most inspired aspect of its overall presentation, but it does have some unique ideas that will keep high score chasers interested in repeated attempts.

Random trivia: The game was also ported to Atari 8-bit computers in 1983.