Page 23 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #1

COMBAT your bankshots? GORF
Atari/Atari VCS (2600) There are a few bugs in this CBS/Atari VCS (2600)
Released as “Tank Plus” for Sears game (which enhance game play) Released: 1982
Model Number: CX2601 such as being able to ‘warp’ your- Reviewed by Kyle Snyder
Released: 1977 self to the other side of the battle-
Programmer(s): Larry Kaplan, Joe field. You can accomplish this with Overall Rating: B
DeCuir, and Larry Wagner a little practice by placing your tank
Reviewed by: D.B Caulfield in a corner of the maze, turning Some of the most successful
your joystick and moving forward at arcade games from the first wave
Overall Rating: A- of video gaming were of the "slide
and shoot" variety. The idea was
For most of us, Combat to move a laser bunker from left to
was our introduction to the right on the bottom of the screen
Atari VCS. After what while firing upwards at targets. The
seemed like an eternity of most famous of course, is Space
having your dad set up the Invaders, which later begat games
system to the back of the like Galaxian, Galaga, Astro
TV set, we inserted the Fighter, and even Carnival. Some
cartridge, flipped the power companies realized that the genre
switch and were treated to was getting rather overpopulated,
the image of two tanks on so they released games with differ-
either side of the screen ent and distinct qualities. One of
poised for battle. After the the best of the group is Bally/
reset button was pressed, Combat Midway's arcade hit Gorf. This
you and your challenger charged at masterpiece features five different
each other with bullets flying. From the same time. You’ll find this screens, four-way directional move-
this point forward we knew we maneuver comes in handy for sur- ment, and striking speech capabili-
were hooked. prise attacks. ties (for the era).
Combat is still an outstanding Combat was originally planned When CBS games licensed Gorf
two-player game. What it lacks in to be built into the VCS. If
graphics is more than made up for you look inside the origi-
in game play. There are many tank nal six-switch model you
and fighter plane game variations will see a spot on the
to keep even the most jaded clas- motherboard to hold the
sic gamer happy. There are tank Combat ROM chip. For
battles on empty battlefields and reasons unknown this
mazed battlefields, invisible tanks, idea was abandoned and
and tanks with bouncing bullets the cartridge came in-
(knowing geometry seems to pay cluded with the system.
off in this one). The fighter plane We don’t recommend you
variations include standard bi-plane install the Combat ROM
dogfighting, jetfighters and the yourself as we’ve heard
grossly unfair three small planes this can fry your unit.
vs. the one large plane (which A sequel, “Combat
seems totally incapable of mount- II”, was planned but never Gorf
ing any significant attack against released.
the three smaller ones).
Although these are all strictly Update! An incomplete Combat II for the Atari 2600, certain liberties
two player games, who doesn’t re- prototype was discovered by The had to be taken with the game play
member wanting to play so badly Atari Gaming Headquarters. in order for it to fit into a 4K car-
that you would go at it alone any- Screenshots are available at their tridge. For instance, obviously the
way and experience considerable website: www.atarihq.co voice had to be scrapped but we
glee in destroying the unmanned accepted that. What is odd how-
aircraft and tanks? Besides, when ever, is that CBS reduced the
else were you going to practice
player's spaceship to a simple left-
Classic Gamer Magazine Fall 1999 23