Page 12 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #5

Zaxxon Congo Bongo Strawberry Shortcake
Recently at the Classic Gaming Expo 2000, a panel of former Atari programmers reminisced about their glory days at Atari in the
early eighties. During a question and answer session that followed, the inevitable question was asked. You know, the one that asks
why the old classic gamers are better than today's games. The response from Rob Fulop was that it simply wasn't true. Every genera-
tion of games produces both good and bad games but we only tend to remember the good ones. Thus, we are comparing the rela-
tively few great games that we remember to the entire output of games that are being produced today.
While this explanation seems to make sense, it is one that is not necessarily true. It probably does apply to the general public who
will most likely remember the great cars of another era, or the great TV shows from decades past. However, where collectors are
concerned, it doesn't necessarily hold water. As collectors of classic games, we can remember both the good and bad games that ex-
ist. Heck, we're still playing them!
The Atari 2600, by virtue of having the largest collection of software of all the classic systems, also has the largest number of bad
games. Manufacturers in those days found the 2600 to be a great money maker, and since licensing and manufacturing fees didn't
have to be paid to Atari, they were free to release any type of crap they wanted. However there were some games that went beyond
bad. There were some games that were so bad that we’ll always remember them. These are...

W bly duplicated on the super systems like probably inspired from Centipede, but if
henever there is a discussion
that was the case, imitation is not the
about bad 2600 games, E.T.
the 5200 and Colecovision, it was widely
believed that they couldn't be replicated
sincerest form of flattery. There is abso-
always comes up. This was a
game that had little going for it
released the 2600 versions of Zaxxon
besides its name, which Atari had in- on the 2600. So when Coleco and Sega lutely nothing redeeming about this game
(and the word ‘game’ is used very
tended to capitalize on. With only six and Congo Bongo, it was assumed that loosely), and unless you’re a sado-
weeks to develop and write the game, these companies had come through with masochist who enjoys getting frustrated,
Howard Scott Warshaw actually did an some kind of graphical breakthrough in this is one to stay away from.
admirable job of getting the gist of the film the same fashion that Activision revolu-
into the game. Unfortunately the game is tionized 2600 graphics a few years ear- Strawberry Shortcake
basically unplayable, with the onscreen lier. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. Musical Matchups
ET constantly falling into annoying holes. Coleco's Zaxxon, while playable, didn't Videogames have always been a boy-
No game symbolizes Atari's greed more even duplicate the diagonally scrolling oriented activity, but Parker Brothers
than this one; Atari actually produced graphics that made the arcade version so aimed to change that with what they
more copies of ET than there were 2600 unique and endearing. As it stands, the dubbed “The First Videogame For Little
consoles. The majority of them wound up 2600 Zaxxon is just another vertical Girls.” Unfortunately, this 'game' insults
getting buried in a New Mexico landfill. shooter. Sega tried to duplicate the 3D the intelligence of the 4 to 7 year olds that
effect on the 2600 Congo Bongo but the it is intended to entertain.
Zaxxon & Congo Bongo result is so bad that the game is com- With this being the first videogame for
Zaxxon and Congo Bongo were two pletely unplayable. little girls, it's easy to see how far girl
games that looked absolutely beautiful games have come since then. Now we
when they appeared in the arcades. Sssnake have games based on Barbie and the
These were the first games to feature Digital Press calls this Data-Age title Olsen Twins. On second thought, maybe
graphics from a 3-Dimensional point of the 'worst videogame ever created' and girl games haven’t progressed that far!
view. While these games were reasona- they may have a point. Sssnake was

E.T. Sssnake Pac-Man
Classic Gamer Magazine December 2000 12