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Released in the fall of 1982, the Atari 5200 SuperSystem was intended to replace the aging 2600 console and to compete with the Intellivision, a system that had more power than the 2600. Unfortunately for Atari, the heavily promoted ColecoVision beat the 5200 to the market by several months, stealing much of the SuperSystem’s thunder. Both systems, the 5200 and the ColecoVision, wowed gamers with colorful graphics and rich sound effects, and joystick jockeys everywhere debated the merits of their beloved next-generation game system(s). One advantage the Atari 5200 had over many other systems was that just about all the games could be paused. Most early and many later ColecoVision titles lacked this feature.

The Atari 5200 is comparable (at least internally) to an Atari 800 computer, but, of course, it lacks the keyboard and accompanying computer applications. Although a fine system, the 5200 has fragile controllers that work poorly with a number of the games in its library. Unlike the ColecoVision joystick, which offers eight-position control, and the Intellivision disc, which boasts 16 directions of movement, the 5200 joystick is a free floating analog controller, giving players full range of motion in guiding objects around the screen. This works fine for such games as Centipede and Gremlins , but is a liability when it comes to such titles as Pac-Man and Q*bert , which demand quick, precise movements. Fortunately, a trio of more conventional (though harder to find) third-party controllers are available: the Wico Command Control Joystick (by Wico), the Competition Pro Joystick (by Coin Controls), and the Fire Command Joystick (by GIM Electronics).

The Atari 5200 was at its best when adapting popular arcade games. Joust , Defender , Dig Dug , Ms. Pac-Man , Pengo , Qix , and other titles lost relatively little in translation, flooring Atari 2600 owners who were accustomed to simplistic sound effects and blocky, sometimes laughable visuals. Like the 2600 and the ColecoVision, the 5200 boasts a trackball controller. However, the 5200 trackball is more versatile, offering pure compatibility with such traditional joystick (or steering wheel) games as Space Invaders and Pole Position . And, as with the ColecoVision, it has an adaptor peripheral that allows gamers to play Atari 2600 titles on their next-gen system. Ultimately, the Atari 5200 couldn’t survive the Great Video Game Crash, and Atari stopped production of the unit in 1984.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision. Sports/Track & Field, 1–4 players (alternating, 2-player simultaneous). 1983.

The Atari 5200 version of Decathlon looks like the Atari 800 computer game, but the 5200’s non-centering controllers work against the fast, rhythmic joystick toggling required to play the game well. In addition, unlike the ColecoVision game, this version lacks a pause feature. However, it does include a four-player mode (something missing from the ColecoVision game) and, of course, all 10 events: 100-Meter Dash, Long Jump, Shot Put, High Jump, 400-Meter Race, 110-Meter Hurdles, Discus Throw, Pole Vault, Javelin Throw, and 1500-Meter Race. Unlike the 2600 game, the 5200 version offers two-player simultaneous action with two onscreen contestants.

Atari 5200 system with Wico Command Control joystick, Wico Command control keypad, and two standard Atari controllers. The standard Atari 5200 joysticks were problematic at best, meaning savvy owners of the system invested in a third-party controller, such as a Wico.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Fixed Screen Shooter, 1 player. 1983.

First released as computer game in 1982, Astro Chase for the Atari 5200 has gorgeous graphics. As the game begins, an astronaut walks out to a landing pad, gets beamed aboard a flying saucer, and rockets out into space. This sequence is nicely animated, but when the action actually kicks into gear, it’s apparent that the game looks much better than it plays. Gamers pilot the saucer around the screen, firing lasers at mines and spaceships while trying to avoid bouncing off enemies and celestial bodies. Astro Chase is loaded with features, including shield depots, force fields, colorful night skies (with planets, asteroids, and stars), energy generators, and more. Unfortunately, the eight-way firing controls are imprecise, and bouncing off the planets and stars gets frustrating, especially in later levels.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Lucasfilm. Sports/Futuristic, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1985.

Ballblazer is essentially soccer of the future, with two hovercrafts (called Rotofoils) trying to get a ball through moving goals positioned at opposite ends of the field. The aiming controls are spot-on, and longer shots are worth more points, giving the game a good dose of strategy. The split-screen perspective and futuristic sports theme (enhanced by modernistic music and sound effects) were clearly ahead of their time.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Action Graphics. Slide-and-Shoot, 1–4 players (alternating). 1983.

In Beamrider , players guide a light ship along the bottom of the screen, firing a lariat at red zig bombs, white saucers, yellow chirpers, and other aliens. The playfield is a pseudo–3D grid of beams that the aliens ride, hence the title. Originally produced for the Intellivision, the game also made it to the Atari 2600 and ColecoVision. Unfortunately, due to the 5200’s wonky analog controllers, this version is by far the worst of the bunch, as it’s hard to get the light ship to move smoothly and consistently from beam to beam. A third-party joystick is recommended.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Maze Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

A fantastic port of Stern’s 1980 arcade game, Berzerk for the Atari 5200 even includes the patented voice effects (unlike its Atari 2600 counterpart). Players guide a humanoid through maze after maze after maze, avoiding and shooting robots along the way. Staying in a maze for too long will prompt Evil Otto to bounce onto the screen and toward the humanoid. Frenzy , the sequel to Berzerk , was released for the ColecoVision (sans voice effects), but not the 5200. Conversely, Berzerk never made it to the ColecoVision. Berzerk was purportedly named after SF author Fred Saberhagen’s Berserker Stories novel series.

PUBLISHER: CBS Games. DEVELOPER: Solitare Group. Maze/Slide-and-Shoot, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Bally Midway’s 1982 arcade version of Blueprint has better controls and slightly more detailed graphics than this port, but those who enjoy the original will like the 5200 game as well. Unfortunately, that’s probably not a whole lot of people. The unconventional maze action has players going from house to house, searching for parts of a weapon that shoots basketballs. Once the weapon has been constructed, players maneuver it along the bottom of the screen while trying to shoot Ollie Ogre, who has kidnapped Daisy Damsel. Unfortunately, this potentially entertaining portion of the game is overly brief as a single hit will do the trick. Worse, an annoyance named Fuzzy Wuzzy sometimes refuses to move out of the way, resulting in a frustrating and at times unfair challenge. The Atari 2600 version of Blueprint is faster, but has much simpler graphics.

PUBLISHER: First Star Software/Atari2600.com. DEVELOPER: First Star Software/Mean Hamster Software. Maze, 1 player. 2006.

Originally a 1984 computer game, Boulder Dash for the Atari 5200 takes place underground, where an adventurer named Rockford must dig tunnels and collect jewels as quickly as possible. When enough jewels have been gathered, an exit tunnel will appear, allowing Rockford to proceed to the next cave. The game is similar to Dig Dug and Mr. Do! , but is a bit more complex. Players must contend with magic walls, exploding fireflies, expanding amoebas, and more. The boulder in the title refers to the large rocks that players can drop on the various walls and creatures, causing a variety of things to happen, including the transformation of butterflies into diamonds.

PUBLISHER: First Star Software/Atari2600.com. DEVELOPER: First Star Software/Mean Hamster Software. Maze, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 2005.

This sequel to Boulder Dash features the same type of tunnel-digging, rock-dropping, jewel-gathering action, but includes a number of new features, including a two-player alternating mode, growing walls, slime, and more. There are 16 all new caves to explore, four playable intermissions, and five levels of difficulty.

PUBLISHER: Big Five Software. DEVELOPER:Big Five Software. Climbing, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1985.

The sequel to the awesome Miner 2049er , Bounty Bob Strikes Back is even better than its progenitor. Once again players guide a miner up and down ladders and elevators and across platforms. Walking across a platform fills it in with color, and all the platforms must be completed in order to continue to the next level. Bob must negotiate and/or use slides, a gravity lift, hydraulic lifts, a cannon, transporters, suction tubes, a utility hoist, and more. He can also grab treats, which make him invulnerable to (and able to destroy) mutant organisms. The game has 25 levels (as opposed to 10 in Miner ), with each level forcing players to quickly determine the most prudent pathways to take. Bounty Bob oozes with depth, diversity, and formidable challenges.

PUBLISHER: First Star Software/Atari 2600.com. DEVELOPER: First Star Software/

Mean Hamster Software. Non-Scrolling Platform, 1–4 players (alternating). 2004.

Released in limited quantities at the 2004 Classic Gaming Expo in San Jose California, Bristles has players climbing ladders and riding elevators in eight different buildings, painting each room as quickly as possible, using visible paint or clear varnish (depending on the level). Players must also paint in the dark, and there are a variety of obstacles and characters to avoid, including elevator shafts, steam pipes (which can be jumped over), flying buckets, Brenda the Brat (who puts her handprints on freshly painted walls), and Bucket Chucker (who follows the player relentlessly). The game’s memorable musical score contains selections from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite . Bristles , which was first released for computers in the early 1980s, is a deep, involving game that should please fans of such titles as Lode Runner and Miner 2049er .

PUBLISHER: Sega. DEVELOPER: Sega. First-Person Shooter, 1 player. 1983.

When compared to its ColecoVision counterpart, Buck Rogers: Planet of Zoom for the Atari 5200 is a more faithful port of Sega’s 1982 arcade game of the same name. Especially noticeable are the electrified poles that players must slalom through, which are missing entirely from the Coleco game. The graphics in the 5200 version lack some of the sizzle of the arcade game, and getting destroyed by enemies attacking from behind can get frustrating (collision detection is often spotty). However, this is a fairly enjoyable space battle that devotees of the original will appreciate. Fans of Star Wars: The Arcade Game will like it as well.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Non-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1982.

Based on Atari’s beloved 1980 arcade game, Centipede for the Atari 5200 finds players in an enchanted forest of mushrooms, maneuvering a magic wand around the bottom 1⁄5 of the screen, shooting sparks at spiders (which move really fast), fleas (which drop straight down the screen), scorpions (which poison mushrooms), and, of course, segmented centipedes. The titular creatures creep and crawl down the ever-changing maze of mushrooms, and players much shoot every centipede segment before moving on to the next level. The differences between the 5200 version of the game and the original are negligible (the spider is monochromatic in the home game, for example), and the 5200 trackball controller works like a charm in emulating the full arcade experience.

Atari 5200 Trak-Ball controller with two Trak-Ball compatible games: Centipede and Missile Command . The 5200 Trak-Ball was also compatible with a number of traditional joystick games, including Space Invaders .

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 player. 1984.

One of the last official releases for the Atari 5200, Choplifter! is a faithful port of the original Apple II computer game (1982), but it should have been substantially upgraded for the more powerful system. The graphics need more color and detail, the sound effects are sparse, and the animation gets choppy when numerous enemies clutter the screen. Luckily, the game retains its flair for action and strategy. Players pilot a helicopter around the screen, rescuing American hostages while shooting and/or avoiding tanks, fighter planes, smart bombs, and other enemies.

PUBLISHER: Sega. DEVELOPER: Sega. Climbing, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Congo Bongo for the Atari 5200 is a reprehensible port of Sega’s 1983 arcade game, containing just two of the original game’s four levels of play. In comparison, the ColecoVison rendition and even the 2600 game have three screens. Also, character movement is awkward, collision detection is off, and the brown and yellow color scheme is just plain ugly. The isometric perspective (as seen in the original arcade game) is hard to duplicate on home systems, but the ColecoVision version does it much better than the 5200 game.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Tank Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1982.

One of relatively few Atari 5200 exclusives, Countermeasure is a scrolling, overhead-view tank shooter in which players drive through fields, towns, and the woods, firing a long-range turret gun at silos, tanks, jeeps, and other enemies and obstacles. To clear a level, all the silos must be destroyed within a given timeframe. Interestingly, if the timer is running low, players can enter a War Room and punch in a code (comprised of the letters L, E, and O). Players lucky enough to enter the correct code will have successfully disarmed enemy missiles and will live to fight another round. Separate controls for aiming and driving work in the game’s favor, but the action is slow and dull (more weapons would have helped), the graphics are blocky, and the difficulty level is too high (hence the code feature). Tank shooter fans should stick with Combat for the Atari 2600.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1982.

One of the top-grossing video games of all time, the arcade version of Defender (1980, Williams) has players piloting a ship back and forth through space, shooting at six different types of aliens and alien ships: landers, swarmers, baiters, mutants, pods, and bombers. The primary objective is to protect humanoids dotting the mountain range below. If a lander does capture an innocent, players should shoot the captor before the humanoid is taken to the top of the screen and transformed into a highly dangerous mutant. Diverse enemies, intense shooting action, relatively complex controls, and electrifying sounds made the game a favorite among arcade joystick jockeys. Fortunately for 5200 owners, Atari did a fantastic job of bringing the action home. The sound effects are virtually identical to the coin-op classic, enemies fill the screen with little to no flicker (despite graphics that have a lower frame rate), and the system’s controls (including the trackball) work extremely well in commanding the ship. The 5200 version of Defender is vastly superior to its Atari 2600 counterpart.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Maze, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Dig Dug for the 5200 has the expected minor graphical shortcomings, such as mono-colored characters and a simplified title screen, but it is nevertheless a very nice port of Atari’s 1982 arcade classic. The dirt texturing is fairly well emulated, and the maze-digging, rock-dropping, monster-pumping action is fully intact. The main character is a bit slow, but the game is a nice upgrade over the 2600 rendition, especially in terms of graphics. One feature the 5200 game offers that the other versions lack is the option to select from 11 rounds of play.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision. Vertical Scrolling Shooter, 1 player. 1983.

Unlike most space shooters, which pit players against wave after wave of small ships, The Dreadnaught Factor is a battle against one mammoth “dreadnaught.” Dotting the giant ship in question are strategic targets, such as engines, command centers, scanning towers, and exhaust ports. Hitting an engine, for example, slows down the behemoth space cruiser (which must be destroyed before it reaches a space station). A good analogy to describe the game would be the Millenium Falcon going solo against a Star Destroyer. The Dreadnaught Factor is a fun and rewarding game, but it does get tiring on the hands since automatic firing is not an option. Interestingly, the Intellivision rendition of The Dread-naught Factor is a side-scroller, but the 5200 game scrolls vertically.

PUBLISHER: First Star Software/Atari2600.com. DEVELOPER: First Star Software/Mean Hamster Software. Action Puzzle, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 2005.

In Flip and Flop , players hop Flip the Kangaroo around a series of stair-stepped and checker board-like tiles in order to turn each tile on. At times, the screen will flip upside down, and this is where players must swing Mitch the Monkey from tile to tile on the underside of the playfield. Obstacles to avoid include a zookeeper, flying nets, and sticky squares. Flip and Flop was first released in 1983 as a computer game, but didn’t make it to the Atari 5200 until 2005 (in limited quantities). Q*bert fans should enjoy it.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Action, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

The Atari 5200’s non-centering analog controllers once again get in the way of what could’ve been a great game. While hopping the titular frog across the traffic-filled highway and over the alligator-ridden river, players must hold a side-button while pushing the joystick in the desired directions. This prevents many unwanted jumps, but it’s an awkward concession to the controller’s limitations. Also, the catchy folk tunes ported over from Sega’s 1981 coin-op classic don’t play during the actual game. For a better home version of Frogger , players should try the Coleco-Vision rendition or The Official Frogger for the Atari 2600.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Action, 1 player. 1984.

The console sequel to Frogger , Frogger II: Threeedeep! expands the concept to three separate screens: Underwater Frogger, Surface Frogger, and Airborne Frogger. Players hop the title character into floating log berths, away from alligators and barracudas, on top of logs, lily pads, and hippos (the latter of which can shake the frog off), and much more. Though not as finely polished (or as fun) as Frogger , the sequel is certainly more varied. The 5200 version of Frogger II: Threeedeep! plays a bit more smoothly than its Coleco-Vision counterpart.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Slide-and-Shoot, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1982.

A fast and frenetic version of the 1979 Bally Midway coin-op classic (which introduced the concept of descending invaders that actually break away from the pack), Galaxian for the Atari 5200 lacks the finesse and strategic aiming required of the arcade original. The game looks, plays, and sounds more like an unauthorized knockoff than an official port, and, thanks to the 5200’s non-centering joysticks, the ship frequently moves of its own accord. For a better time, players should try the ColecoVision version of Galaxian or Galactic Invasion for the Astrocade.

PUBLISHER: CBS Electronics. DEVELOPER: Roklan. Non-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Like the ColecoVision adaptation of the game, Gorf for the Atari 5200 is missing the voice effects and the Galaxians level of Midway’s 1981 coin-op classic. However, the Coleco version is more detailed graphically and has superior controls. In the 5200 game, the player’s ship darts back and forth across the screen much too quickly, making this yet another title that is hurt by the system’s analog joysticks. Gameplay in both versions entails flying a ship around the bottom 1/4 of the screen, firing upward at clusters of Space Invaders -like aliens, spiraling robots, laser-shooting ships, and a flagship boss.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Action, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1986.

Based on Joe Dante’s 1984 film, Gremlins is more faithful to the movie than its Atari 2600 namesake, which was a simple slide-andshoot (and catch) contest. Here players run Billy around the screen, picking up Mogwai and taking them to a pen in the corner of the playfield. If a Mogwai touches food or water, it will become a Gremlin, and if a Gremlin gets wet, it will split into two Gremlins. Luckily, Billy is equipped with a Gremlin-killing sword. Walls, a popcorn popper, TV sets (which Gremlins gather around), furniture, a refrigerator, and other objects add graphic (as well as strategic) appeal to an already great looking, nicely animated game. Fast, fun, and frantic, Gremlins is an essential part of the Atari 5200 library. It was supposed to be released in 1984, but didn’t appear in stores until 1986, making it a tough game to find.

Eight Atari 5200 game cartridges: Joust , Star Raiders , Jungle Hunt , Frogger II: Threeedeep! , Pengo , Pole Position , Kangaroo , and Dig Dug . The 5200, which was intended to take the place of the 2600 and compete with the ColecoVision, excelled at arcade and arcade-like games.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Non-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1984.

Often referred to as a cross between Galaga and Tempest , the coin-op classic Gyruss (Konami, 1983) has players piloting a ship in a circular orbit around the outer edge of the playfield, firing inward at various formations of enemies. Players warp from planet to planet in Earth’s solar system, and each time a planet is reached, it’s time for a chance stage (similar to the challenge stage in Galaga ) where players are free to destroy as many enemies as possible without fear of reprisal. Power-ups can be picked up for dual fire, but the game’s most memorable aspect is its marvelous rendition of “Tocatta in Fugue in D Minor.” Bach’s masterpiece is recreated virtually note-for-note in the Atari 5200 version of Gyruss , and the system’s analog joysticks are a help rather than a hindrance in guiding the ship as it operates smoothly and responds to commands quickly. The graphics are a little blocky, but this is a small complaint about an otherwise stellar port.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: The Soft-works. Action/Adventure, 1 player. 1984.

H.E.R.O. stands for Helicopter Emergency Rescue Operation, but the protagonist in the game actually flies around using a prop-pack, since a helicopter wouldn’t fit through the various mine shafts that must be explored. The adventure hero is also equipped with dynamite and a microlaser beam for killing creatures and blasting through walls. He should be careful, however, not to shoot out the lights. His objective is to rescue all the miners before time expires, but lava, spiders, bats, narrow passages, and other obstacles make this difficult. What makes the game even harder is the frustrating 5200 joystick controllers, which don’t exactly lend themselves well to the type of precise, incremental movements needed to succeed. H.E.R.O. for the 5200 looks better than its 2600 counterpart, but certainly doesn’t play as well.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1984.

This game loosely adapts scenes from four James Bond films: Diamonds are Forever , The Spy Who Loved Me , Moonraker , and For Your Eyes Only . Players drive a Bondian multipurpose vehicle that can fire angled shots and drop flare bombs while traveling on land, underwater, and through the air. Enemies, including helicopters, frogmen, boats, and mini-subs, must be shot, jumped over, or ducked under, and there are certain targets to hit, including diamonds that light up the night. Gameplay is reminiscent of Moon Patrol , but nowhere near as polished or as much fun.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Non-Scrolling Platform, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1983.

As with most Atari 5200 arcade ports, Joust is an excellent (if somewhat watered down) reproduction of its coin-op counterpart (which Williams released in 1982). The ostriches are less colorful and don’t stand as tall, the Troll of the Lava Pits is missing a finger, and the “vroom vroom” sound effects of the original game have been replaced by generic Atari audio. The jousting, wing-flapping action, however, remains largely intact, and the game looks and plays about as well as can be expected. The two-player mode is especially enjoyable. One setback is the control system. Continually pushing a side button on the 5200 joystick just to keep afloat can get a little hand-cramping.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Action/ Adventure, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Jungle Hunt for the Atari 5200 is a nicely programmed port of Taito’s 1982 coin-op classic. Players take on the role of a jungle explorer as he runs, jumps (over boulders), swings (on ropes), and swims (in crocodile-infested waters) his way through four distinct levels of outdoor adventure. Just like in the original version, the timing of jumps is crucial, and it’s difficult to stab the crocodiles (simple avoidance hurts the player’s score, but is a healthier alternative). This home version of Jungle Hunt uses more conventional color schemes (the crocodiles are green instead of pink and yellow), and the sea bottoms, though exquisitely detailed, are missing the parallax scrolling effect. The background music during actual gameplay is missing, and the last level (in which players jump over a pair of natives to rescue a damsel in distress) is made frustratingly difficult by the 5200’s loose controllers. Overall, however, the game is a rousing (not to mention challenging) console success.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision. Action, 1 or 2 players (alternating, simultaneous). 1983.

The lack of rotary paddles keeps the Atari 5200 version of Kaboom! from being as good as the original 2600 game. Compensating (at least partly) for this shortcoming is a special Pitch and Catch mode, in which one player moves the buckets of water back and forth while the other controls the Mad Bomber. Buildings in the background give the 5200 version a little (very little, actually) visual punch, and players are treated to a note of the “Toreador Song” each time they catch a bomb.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: General Computer Corp. Climbing, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

The trees aren’t as lush and the strawberries don’t look as tasty, but Kangaroo for the Atari 5200 is a fine port of Sun Electronics’ 1982 arcade game. Players guide Mama Kangaroo as she tries to rescue her baby Joey from a bunch of monkeys. There are ladders to climb, trees limbs to hop on, apples to dodge, monkeys to punch, and, if the kangaroo stays in a level too long, a large boxing ape to fend off. The controls work extremely well (surprise, surprise), and all four screens from the original arcade game are included. This is a nice step up from the simplified 2600 version of Kangaroo , which is missing a number of elements, including the entire third level.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1984.

Keystone Kapers for the Atari 5200 has somewhat better graphics than the original 2600 version of the game, but the action is essentially the same. Or it would be if it weren’t for the 5200’s free-floating joysticks, which make climbing the escalators unnecessarily difficult. Once again, Officer Keystone Kelly is in pursuit of Harry Hooligan, who has ransacked Southwick’s Emporium (a three-story department store) and left suitcases and gold bags strewn about. There are runaway shopping carts, bouncing balls, toy airplanes, and other obstacles to duck under or jump over, and Kelly must nab Harry before time expires.

PUBLISHER: CBS Electronics/K-Byte. DEVELOPER: Kay Enterprises. Maze Shooter. 1 player. 1983.

K-Razy Shoot-Out is similar to Berzerk . Players walk through numerous maze rooms, shooting robots while trying not to run into robots or maze walls. Bonus points are earned for completing sectors quickly, but a life is lost if the timer runs out. Leaving a room early (before all the robots are destroyed) sends players back two sectors. This competently programmed, but highly derivative game is trackball compatible.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Non-Scrolling Platform, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1983.

When compared to the original Nintendo arcade game (1983), Mario Bros. for the Atari 5200 doesn’t quite look right (the color scheme is off, the turtles aren’t very cute) and is missing a few relatively small elements. There’s no indication of what phase (level) players are on, the challenge stages are missing the “Test Your Skill!!” introduction, and certain sound effects are absent, such as the splash noise when creatures hit the water. However, the game is still super enjoyable, especially in two-player mode. Mario and his brother Luigi must rid their house of shell-creepers, sidesteppers, and fighterflies by running up under them, jumping to knock them over, and then kicking them while they’re down (into the water below). Fireballs should be avoided while coins should be collected. Slipice creatures, which can freeze floors into slippery ice, appear in later levels. Players can cooperate or, better yet, try to bump each other into the enemy creatures.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision. Slide-and-Shoot, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

MegaMania is one of the few Atari 5200 games produced by Activision that is a distinct improvement over its 2600 counterpart. The cookies, tires, hamburgers, diamond rings, bowties, and other items players shoot are instantly recognizable, and the system’s non-centering joysticks don’t adversely affect gameplay. Fans of Space Invaders will enjoy this game tremendously.

PUBLISHER: Electra Concepts. DEVELOPER: Electra Concepts. Non-Scrolling Shooter, or 2 players (alternating). 1984.

Since the arcade smash Asteroids was left out of the Atari 5200 library, fans of the game might want to pick up this blatant copycat. Meteorites has players piloting a ship in all directions around the screen, firing away at space rocks that break up into smaller pieces when shot. So close is this game to Asteroids that it even includes UFO enemies and hyperspace. Meteorites is unoriginal, but at least it plays pretty well.

Miner 2049er for the Atari 5200, complete with manual, box, and cartridge. One of the best multi-platform games of the golden age, Miner 2049er was also available for home computers, the Atari 2600, and the ColecoVision.

PUBLISHER: Big Five Software. DEVELOPER: Big Five Software. Climbing, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

This awesome game really shines on the Atari 5200. Players control famous mounty Bounty Bob, who must search Nuclear Ned’s abandoned mines for the evil fur trapper Yukon Yohan. Gameplay involves guiding Bob over all the floors (platforms) in each mine, filling them in with color. Once all the floors have been walked over, it’s on to the next level. The levels, which require precise jumping and strategic maneuvering to complete, are nicely varied, containing everything from moving platforms to slides to radioactive waste to lethal mutants. Bob can even shoot himself out of a cannon. Unlike the ColecoVision game, Miner 2049er for the 5200 has animation at the beginning in which Bob walks around displaying the game’s title and credits. However, the ColecoVision game has 11 levels of play, compared to 10 for the 5200 and computer versions.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Non-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1982.

An incomplete port of Atari’s 1980 coinop classic, Missile Command for the Atari 5200 has only one missile base instead of three (just like in the 2600 version). In addition, the graphics are surprisingly blocky. Even with these two shortcomings, the game manages to entertain, especially when played using the system’s arcade-like trackball controller. Interestingly, the Cold War era storyline from the arcade game, which has players protecting six missile bases from Soviet nukes, has been changed to a bogus science fictional yarn (just like in the 2600 version).

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Climbing, 1 player. 1984.

Most video game sequels are simply variations on a theme, but Mr. Do!’s Castle (a port of Universal’s 1983 arcade game) for the Atari 5200 is radically different from the maze game Mr. Do! Players guide the titular clown up and down ladders and across floors of a seven-story castle, using a hammer to knock floor blocks on top of unicorns. Most of the floor blocks have pictures of cherries on them (a nod to Mr. Do! ), but three contain keys. Knocking out all three key blocks and then running up to the top of the castle turns the unicorns into letters that can be hit with the hammer. The letters spell out EXTRA, which is another nod to Mr. Do! This great game is very similar to its ColecoVision counterpart, but there is one notable difference. In the ColecoVision port, the red unicorns will turn green if hit with the hammer too many times (the green unicorns will turn blue if hit with the hammer just once).

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Utopia Software. Action/Adventure, 1 player. 1984.

Montezuma’s Revenge puts players in the role of an Indiana Jones-like character named Panama Joe. The adventurer’s job is to explore an Aztec ruler’s ancient tomb and find the treasure hidden therein. Snakes, laser gates, spiders, fiery pits, bouncing skulls, and other obstacles impede Joe’s progress, and there are ladders to climb, poles to slide down, and conveyor belts to ride. Joe can run, jump, and duck to dodge the enemies, and he can find such helpful tools as swords, keys, and torches. This version of Montezuma’s Revenge looks a little better than the ColecoVision game, but it doesn’t control as well. In fact, it handles very poorly.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Based on the 1982 Irem arcade game, Moon Patrol for the Atari 5200 has players piloting a patrol car along the surface of the moon, firing laser missiles at UFOs flying overhead and at rocks and tanks that appear along the pathway. The car is equipped with anti-gravity for jumping over holes and rocks. The game looks and plays a whole lot like the original (the scrolling backgrounds and futuristic cities are especially cool), but the patrol car looks inexplicably strange (kind of like a mechanical aardvark). Also, the blocky UFOs lack the classic sci-fi look of their coinop counterparts. Small issues aside, this is an excellent port that poses a formidable challenge as a variety of strategic factors come into play, including car speed and the precise timing of jumps.

PUBLISHER: CBS Electronics. DEVELOPER: Kay Enterprises. Action/Adventure, 1 player. 1983.

In Mountain King , players must search a temple for diamonds, a key, and a crown. Then, the crown must be delivered up a mountainside, which consists of textured platforms connected by ladders. A flashlight is helpful in finding treasure, but a giant spider and some bats make the explorer’s journey a challenge. Unfortunately, the action is hampered by the 5200’s non-centering joysticks. This version of Mountain King looks better than its 2600 counterpart (which is comprised mostly of lines and oddly shaped blocks), but the 2600 game has superior controls.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: General Computer Corp. Maze, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Midway’s Ms. Pac-Man (1981) is one of the greatest arcade games of all time. The Atari 5200 version of the beloved classic is a lot of fun to play, it sounds fantastic, and it even includes the animated intermissions. It does have a few niggling flaws that purists will pick up on, such as the title character pausing for a split second each time she eats a dot, making for a somewhat slower game than the original. Also, the First Lady of Gaming’s mouth doesn’t look quite right, and the mazes are square instead of rectangular. Surprisingly, though, the controls work pretty well, which is not always a given with the 5200’s non-centering joysticks.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Maze, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1982.

While Ms. Pac-Man is one of the greatest arcade games of all time, Pac-Man (1980, Midway) is one of the most famous. The 5200 rendition of the coin-op classic is a remarkable upgrade from the laughably inaccurate Atari 2600 version, which had pale graphics and horrible flickering. Pac-Man , which replaced Super Breakout as the pack-in cartridge with the 5200 system, is colorful, musical, and even includes the animated intermissions. The game is actually faster than its arcade counterpart, and nitpickers will notice that the ghosts’ eyeballs are strangely missing. Also, the graphics are a little blocky, and the playfield is horizontal instead of vertical. Even so, the dot-munching, ghost-chasing fun of the original is largely intact. Just don’t think that the arcade patterns popularized by such books as Mastering Pac-Man will work in the 5200 version.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Maze, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

This awesome port of Sega’s imminently enjoyable 1982 arcade game is one of the best reasons to own an Atari 5200. Players guide a cute, plucky penguin around a screen filled with ice cubes and Sno-Bees, kicking the frozen blocks into the pesky pests to remove them from the playfield. Flashing cubes contain Sno-Bee eggs, but Pengo should crush the blocks before the eggs hatch. As with many of the best games of the classic era, Pengo takes a simple concept and loads it with strategies. The title character can kill numerous enemies in one fell swoop for extra points, line up three diamond blocks to clear the entire screen, and kick walls that the Sno-Bees are close to, freezing the little guys in the process. A constantly changing playfield adds to the fun, making the game seem different every time it is played.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Beck-Tech. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1983.

Other than slight graphical upgrades to the trees and bushes, Pitfall! for the Atari 5200 looks virtually identical to its 2600 counterpart. In theory, the games should play about the same, but the 5200 version is hampered by the system’s non-centering joysticks, which make certain jumps needlessly difficult. Even the simple act of letting go of vines is not always easy to pull off.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision. Side-Scrolling Platform, 1 player. 1984.

Pitfall II: Lost Caverns for the 5200 has only slightly more graphical detail than the original Atari 2600 version, but it does include an entirely new cavern for gamers to explore. This cavern, which is not present in the ColecoVision game, offers harder jumps, a crazy flying bat, and other fresh challenges. Best of all, Pitfall II for the 5200 doesn’t suffer the same control issues that plagued the system’s frustrating rendition of Pitfall!

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: General Computer Corp. Formula-1/Indy Racing, 1 player.

The 5200 version of Pole Position comes up short of the Atari-published, Namcodeveloped arcade game (1982) in a number of ways. The sensation of speed isn’t as great, the colors and explosions aren’t as rich, the billboards are blank, and the “Prepare to Qualify” voice effects are missing. Also, the motor sounds grate on the nerves. Despite these weaknesses, the game remains a success as maneuvering around the sharp turns and past the various cars retains much of its fun and challenge. The 5200 doesn’t have a steering wheel, but the game is trackball compatible for smoother control.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Climbing, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

This adaptation of Nintendo’s Popeye (1982, arcade) features most of the elements of the original, including all three levels of play. With the goal of rescuing Olive Oyl, the titular sailor man runs across platforms, climbs stairs and ladders, and avoids Brutus, while gathering up floating hearts, musical notes, and letters that spell out HELP. Popeye can punch the bottles and vultures that come his way, but must gobble up a can of spinach before hitting Brutus. When compared to the ColecoVision game, this version has trickier controls and a square-shaped, less detailed Brutus. However, Popeye himself looks better than his ghostly ColecoVision counterpart. Overall, both games look pretty good, but the 5200 version has richer colors. Interestingly, Swee’Pea’s platform goes up and down in the ColecoVison rendition (and in the arcade original), but not in the 5200 game. Both home versions lack intermissions.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Non-Scrolling Platform, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Q*bert for the Atari 5200 does a better job than the ColecoVision game in recreating the pseudo-3D look of Gottlieb’s 1982 arcade classic as the “cubes” in the ColecoVision version are actually rectangular. However, the 5200’s non-centering joysticks make hopping the title character around the screen an exercise in imprecision. In addition to pushing on the joystick, players must hold down the fire button to execute jumps. This helps prevent unwanted hops, but the game is still very tricky to control. Also, the 5200 game is missing the little animations before each round in which Q*bert shows players what to do. Interestingly, while the ColecoVision game lacks two enemies (Wrong Way and Sam) from the coin-op classic, the 5200 rendition is short just one character (Slick).

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Maze, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1982.

Released by Taito to the arcades in 1981, the original Qix is a simple-to-play, yet toughto-master game in which players draw lines to fill in space. Filling in a certain percentage of the screen clears the level, but “Qix” and “Sparx” make things difficult. If an enemy touches a line that is being drawn, the player loses a life. If the line marker stops for too long during the drawing process, a potentially deadly fuse will appear. Qix has simplistic graphics and myriad strategies (filling in a large percentage of the playfield grants higher scores, as does drawing lines slowly) that reward repeated play, making a nice recipe for an arcade-to-home conversion. The Atari 5200 port looks and plays a lot like the coin-op classic (the system’s non-centering joysticks are only a minor setback), but the sound effects can get annoying.

PUBLISHER: Sunrise Software. DEVELOPER: VSS, Inc. Action/Adventure, 1 player. 1983.

A visual upgrade over the Atari 2600 version of the game, Quest for Quintana Roo for the 5200 has players guiding Yucatan Sam through the many chambers of a Mayan god’s mystical temple, searching for treasure. Sam can pick up a variety of items through his quest, including a gun (for shooting spiders, snakes, and mummies), magic healing herbs, acid flasks, a Geiger counter (which is missing from the 2600 version), and a chisel. The objective is to locate five color-coded map rocks, deliver them to the map vault room, and place them in the correct slots. Random puzzle solutions and a password feature for saving progress help make this pithy adventure a quest to remember. When compared to its ColecoVision counterpart, the 5200 game has noticeably poorer controls, thanks to the system’s non-centering joysticks. Also, unlike the ColecoVision game, this version lets players shoot the snakes and other enemies ad nauseam for unlimited points, making the quest for a high score essentially pointless (so to speak).

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Sports/Baseball, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1983.

Rivaling Pete Rose Baseball as the best baseball game ever made for any Atari system, RealSports Baseball for the 5200 is loaded with features. There are hit-and-run plays, manual or computer-assisted throws, nine different types of pitches, interchangeable skill levels, and much more. The “real” of the title is an apt description, given the game’s penchant for following the rules of America’s pastime. Steals, errors, tag ups, speech synthesized strikes, balls, outs, and other staples of the sport are included. With a flip of the joystick, players can even control the velocity of pitches and bat swings. The game looks great as well. The players have uniforms, the scoreboard is surprisingly informative, and the stadium is very nicely detailed. This is a significant upgrade over the flawed Atari 2600 version of the game.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Sports/Football, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1983.

This game of six-man football lacks a number of aspects of the real thing, including fumbles, hail maries, penalties, and two-minute warnings. However, it does have some nice features, such as blocked kicks, audibles, interceptions, and a variety of plays to run (as emphasized by the pair of playbooks that are included in the packaging). The aforementioned shortcomings and attributes take a back seat in importance to the game’s one major flaw: the players are too darned slow (a problem shared by Super Action Football for the ColecoVision).

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Sports/Soccer, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1983.

RealSports Soccer has nice animation and a number of realistic features (including corner kicks, throw-ins, and goal kicks), but the ball goes out of bounds more often than it should, the computer controls the goalies (meaning the game lacks something so simple that it can be found in foosball), and the control scheme can be a pain to operate. Using the keypad to switch control to the desired player frequently requires cycling through several other players on the team. Unlike real soccer, the action is five-on-five. More authentic is the fact that scoring goals is tough, thanks in part to quick, alert goalies.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Sports/ Tennis, 1–4 players (simultaneous). 1983.

The Atari 5200 version of RealSports Tennis isn’t much of an upgrade graphically from its already nice looking 2600 counterpart. Also, the single-button hitting action found in the 2600 game is much more intuitive and easy to use than the 5200 keypad system, which awkwardly allows players to aim their shots. Interestingly, it’s impossible to hit the ball out of bounds. Though it’s not mentioned in the instruction manual, RealSports Tennis includes an unusual option for a 5200 title: a four-player simultaneous mode, which is accessed by pressing zero and then four on the controller keypad. Doubles, anyone?

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Lucasfilm. First-Person Shooter, 1 player. 1985.

Lucasfilm really pulled out all the stops on this game, creating an ahead-of-its-time space adventure in which players pilot a Valkyrie Sky Fighter over a distant planet, shooting “Jaggi” aliens and flying saucers, destroying anti-aircraft guns, and landing from time to time to pick up stranded fellow pilots. Some of the “pilots” in question are actually disguised aliens, making for some fairly good drama. One of the coolest moments of the game is when a pilot knocks on the ship’s hatch to be let in. What made Rescue on Fractalus unusual for its day, other than its first-person perspective, flight sim features, and mission-based objectives, was its “fractal” graphics, which, in real time, created randomly generated visuals (in this case a craggy, mountainous planet).

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision. Vertical Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Like the ColecoVision version of the game, River Raid for the 5200 ups the ante on Carol Shaw’s original Atari 2600 design by adding a number of targets and features, including balloons, precision-guided missiles (for aiming missiles after they have been fired), numbered level progression, winding river banks, tanks that travel across the bridges, and tanks and helicopters that actually fire at the player’s jet. Both have improved graphical detail over the 2600 game, but both also have minor control issues. 5200 owners have to deal with the system’s non-centering joysticks while the ColecoVision rendition suffers a slight delay when players speed up the plane. Interestingly, the ColecoVision game uses brighter colors and has wider passageways than the 5200 version.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Non-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Packaged with a special dual controller holder, Robotron: 2084 for the Atari 5200 is a very nicely realized port of Williams’ 1982 coin-op classic. The left joystick moves the man around the screen while the right joystick aims the anti-robot laser in all directions, making for a smooth, arcade-like experience (the original game used two joysticks as well). The colors aren’t quite as vibrant, and the thumping, pumping sound effects are a little scratchy, but the game looks and sounds about as accurate as should be expected. Better yet, the robot-shooting, human-rescuing, runfor-your-life action remains fully intact. Robotron (the shortened, more commonly used name for the game) maniacs will notice that this home version is quite a bit easier than its quarter-munching counterpart.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Non-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Based on Taito’s 1981 arcade game, Space Dungeon for the Atari 5200 is a truly awesome shooter that is filled to the brim with tense excitement. Using two joysticks (via a dual controller holder), players undertake an archaeological expedition that consists of guiding a laser cannon through a series of 99 rooms, collecting treasure while shooting thieves, executioners, guards, enforcers, and other enemies. Players can move and shoot in eight directions (the left joystick controls the ship while the right joystick aims the laser cannon), and the action is fast, furious, and fun. A map at the top of the screen helps players keep track of their location. The graphics aren’t quite as crisp or as smooth as in the arcade game, but Space Dungeon is nevertheless an essential part of the 5200 library. Fans of such games as Berzerk , Robotron , and Venture will love it.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Slide-and-Shoot, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1982.

By the time Space Invaders hit the Atari 5200, the original Bally Midway coin-op classic from 1978 had been played to death by most avid gamers. Perhaps with this in mind, Atari went a different direction with the port by speeding it up, adding variations (such as slow and fast enemy bombs), allowing trackball control (a very cool feature), and making the enemies more colorful and more animated (they even change form). The result is a challenging, highly entertaining, quickly paced game that relies more on twitchy reflexes than precise aiming skills. Purists may scoff at the modifications, and they may also object to the missing bunker and the fact that there are fewer invaders per wave (48 instead of 55). These types of players should simply view the game as a generic shooter and have a blast.

Atari 5200 Controller Holder with two Controller Holder compatible games: Robotron: 2084 and Space Dungeon . The Controller Holder allowed for dual-joystick action to better emulate the arcade experience.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision. Flight Simulator, 1 player. 1983.

Viewed from a first-person perspective, Space Shuttle: A Journey into Space puts players in the cockpit of the Discovery. The mission is to launch the ship from Cape Canaveral, assume a stable orbit around Earth, rendezvous with and repair a satellite, reenter the atmosphere, get ready for final approach, and then land back on Earth. The less fuel players use, the better their score. The 2600 version of Space Shuttle was innovative in its use of the various switches on the console, but the 5200 keypad controls make the game a little more user friendly (which is a good thing, considering how complicated it is).

Six boxed Atari-brand Atari 5200 games: Pac-Man, RealSports Football, Moon Patrol, Space Invaders, Mario Bros. , and Qix . With the exception of Qix , each of these games was also available for the Atari 2600, but the 5200 versions had better graphics and sounds.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. First-Person Shooter, 1 player. 1982.

A cult favorite of many diehard Atari 5200 owners, Star Raiders is a space shooter viewed from a first-person perspective. Players pilot a ship that is equipped with shields, warp drive, galactic charts, a targeting computer, forward and aft photon torpedoes, 10 different speeds, short and long range scans, and more. The objective is to defend star bases (which are equipped with drones that service the player’s ship) while destroying enemy fighters. Star Raiders for the 5200 looks and plays very similar to its 2600 counterpart.

PUBLISHER: Sega. DEVELOPER: Sega. Space Combat Simulator, 1 player. 1983.

Based on the 1982 Sega arcade game, Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator puts players at the helm of the Starship Enterprise . The screen is divided into three sections: main scanner, status reading (displaying number of photon torpedoes, etc.), and first-person perspective. Players make like Captain Kirk while battling Klingons, navigating asteroid fields, dodging meteors, docking at space stations, and ultimately doing battle with the mine-laying Nomad . Naturally, this port lacks the vector graphics of the arcade game, but the audio/visuals are solid, and the game is fairly entertaining, despite some dodgy control issues.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Non-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi–Death Star Battle for the Atari 5200 is, disappointingly enough, almost identical to its 2600 counterpart. Players pilot the Millennium Falcon as it battles Imperial TIE Fighters, slips through the Imperial Death Star’s defensive shields and roving death ray, and fires at the Death Star itself. After destroying the Death Star, the Falcon must dodge the resultant space debris.

This version of the game does include a graphically enhanced warp scene and a two-player mode, but these are relatively unimportant features. Death Star Battle is a decent, though limited game that only hardcore Star Wars fans should clamor for.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. First-Person Shooter, 1 player. 1984.

Based on Atari’s 1983 arcade game (which was simply called Star Wars ), Star Wars: The Arcade Game for the 5200 looks quite a bit like the original, despite the use of raster graphics in place of vector. The game is hampered somewhat by tricky controls and questionable (i.e. sometimes seemingly nonexistent) collision detection, but fans of the coin-op classic (and of Star Wars in general) will at least want to give it a try. Gameplay involves battling waves of TIE Fighters while avoiding fireballs, maneuvering through a maze of laser towers that can be shot for extra points, flying through a trench on the Death Star, and shooting a photon torpedo into the mammoth space station’s main reactor port (just like Luke Skywalker!). The Coleco-Vision version has bigger, more colorful explosions, but both games are solid arcade conversions.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: Atari. Ball-and-Paddle, 1–4 players (alternating). 1982.

The original pack-in game with the Atari 5200 SuperSystem, Super Breakout looks and plays a lot like its Atari 2600 counterpart, but for two differences: the blocks in this version disintegrate when hit (as opposed to simply disappearing), and the 2600 game benefits from the use of that system’s precision-oriented rotary controllers. The 5200 analog joysticks do work pretty well, however, since they control the speed (as well as the direction) of the paddles. Super Breakout , which has players sliding a paddle back and forth at the bottom of the screen, rebounding a ball off walls of bricks, is based on Atari’s 1978 arcade game. Four modes of play are available: Normal, Double, Cavity, and Progressive.

PUBLISHER: Parker Brothers. DEVELOPER: Parker Brothers. Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

Based on Konami’s tough-as-nails arcade game from 1981, Super Cobra for the Atari 5200 is even more difficult, but not in a good way. Maneuvering the helicopter through the narrow passageways requires precision control, and the 5200’s non-centering joysticks simply aren’t up to the task, making for a frustrating experience. Players can fire missiles and drop bombs by holding down a single button, but this doesn’t help matters, it only makes the game that much more different from the arcade original (the enemies and obstacles don’t exactly mimic their coin-op counterparts). On a more positive note, the 5200 version does have better graphical detail than its ColecoVision cousin.

PUBLISHER: Atari. DEVELOPER: General Computer Corp. Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1983.

This home version of Centuri’s 1981 arcade game looks and sounds about right, but falls apart in terms of sheer game-play. Once again, blame rests with the 5200’s analog joysticks, which in Vanguard seem loose and slow in responding. Also, the 5200 version of the game uses the joystick for aiming shots instead of the more serviceable four-button firing controls found in the arcade game. This particular shortcoming is hard to fathom considering the fact that a 5200 joystick, regardless of its flaws, does have four side-buttons that would have been perfectly capable of shooting the lasers in four directions. One plus the 5200 version of Vanguard does enjoy is the option of single shots or rapid firing.

PUBLISHER: CBS Electronics. DEVELOPER: Roklan. Maze Shooter, 1 or 2 players (simultaneous). 1983.

Based on the 1981 Bally Midway arcade game, Wizard of Wor for the Atari 5200 looks disappointingly a lot like its Atari 2600 counterpart, sans flickering. The enemies, which are blocky and lacking in detail, look especially lame. Also, the voice effects and pregame animations are missing, the action has been slowed down, and the one-player game lacks a key enemy: the other “Worrior.” Luckily, the mode pitting player against player (or gamers can try to cooperate) remains intact. And, despite this version’s shortcomings, it is still a blast to play, thanks to solid, highly competitive shooting action. The objective is to guide a Worrior around a maze, firing away at Burwors, Garwors, Thorwors, Worluks, and even the Wizard of Wor himself. A radar at the bottom of the screen helps players keep track of invisible monsters. Certain later levels remove the maze walls, adding to the game’s already substantial challenges.

Five boxed third-party Atari 5200 games: Q*bert , Super Cobra , Gyruss , Keystone Kapers , and Zone Ranger . The 5200 enjoyed de-cent support from some of the larger third-party companies, but didn’t come close to the 2600 in terms of sheer volume.

PUBLISHER: Sega. DEVELOPER: Sega. Side-Scrolling Shooter, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1984.

More obscure and harder to find than the popular ColecoVision version of the game, Zaxxon for the Atari 5200 is nevertheless a capable, smoothly scrolling port of Sega/Gremlin’s 1982 coin-op classic. Hardcore fans of the arcade game will notice some missing elements, such as missiles that fire from certain ground-based enemies, sounds from the force fields, and an imposing Zaxxon robot. Sure the mechanized boss in question is included, but he’s a pale imitation of his former self. The controls work pretty well, but jamming on the side buttons can get tiring. Automatic fire should have been included as an option. The graphics are somewhat pixilated, but Asteroid City (the futuristic land players fly over) is nicely detailed, and the isometric perspective is fairly effective, though judging altitude can be tough at times.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Action Graphics. Maze/Action Puzzle, 1 or 2 players (alternating). 1984.

Zenji , which means Zen master, has players rolling a face around a maze, avoiding flames and sparks while rotating tracks and other pathway components. The objective is to connect every section of the maze. Touching numbered squares and finishing mazes quickly gives players higher scores. Eastern-style music accompanies the strategic, quirkily enjoyable gameplay.

PUBLISHER: Activision. DEVELOPER: Activision. Overhead View Free-Roaming Shooter, 1 player. 1984.

Zone Ranger is a good looking game that borrows from a number of better known shooters, including Defender , Asteroids , Sinistar , and Time Pilot . Players fly a ship around a scrolling playfield, shooting killer rocks, boomerangs, and satellites, with the ultimate goal of reaching the next level by destroying 16 satellites in a given time limit. Players can enter an inner sanctum maze to gather up satellites, but doing so is terribly dull. Also, the game is fairly frustrating, thanks to the lack of a display showing how many more satellites there are to destroy at any given time and the fact that satellites will sometimes keep firing after they have been shot. And, for some reason, when players warp to level seven (the only level that can be warped to), their score always hits 7,500, no matter how many points they had upon entering the warp. Zone Ranger is intense and riveting at times, but ultimately more frustrating than fun.