Classic Video Gamers: August 2012

7 classic video games for the Odyssey 2

Pick Axe Pete

This was one of the most popular video games for the Odyssey 2 home systems. It was a climbing game sort of, in which you controlled the Pete on the screen who had to collect keys while avoiding boulders and other objects tumbling in his direction before going through doors and on to the next level. This was my personal favorite of all the Odyssey 2 games from Magnavox.

Killer Bees!

This was one of the more unique games not only for the Odyssey 2, but for all the home gaming consoles during the early 1980s. You play a swarm of bees attacking robots while avoiding other bees.

Q*bert

This arcade classic was still fun to play at home on the Odyssey 2, though I have to admit the graphics could have been better. Still, the Odyssey 2 had a lot going for it, but often the graphics paled in comparison to other home gaming consoles.

Turtles

One of the few arcade games to make it to a home version for the Odyssey 2 gaming console. The graphics were pretty good, the sound decent and the gameplay just like the arcade version of Turtles. For the early 1980s, this was an alright game.

Popeye

Based upon the popular arcade game, which was based upon the popular cartoon, Popeye brought arcade-style fun to the Odyssey 2, though admittedly it didn't have the same quality of graphics. Still, Popeye was a lot of fun to play on the Odyssey 2, also known as the Philips Videopac in Europe.

Atlantis

This game from Imagic was popular on the Atari 2600 and other gaming consoles and computers in the early 1980s, so it's only proper the Odyssey 2 had a version, especially since there never was a lot of third-party software for this gaming console. Atlantis here is great fun, and has great gameplay and colors.

UFO

Much like the arcade game Asteroids, you pilot a ship through space while avoiding the enemy. However, that's where the similarities end. UFO is an awesome game in its own right, and is worth playing for all its differences from asteroids. Oh yeah, and just for the fun of it!

Video game links

10 Awesome Arcade Games from the 1980s

10 Forgotten Arcade Games I Still Love

Classic Video Gamers, a blog for old school gamers

5 classic Atari 5200 games

Realsports Baseball

In my opinion, this is still one of the best baseball video games of all time. The graphics were sharp, the sound excellent, and you could control pretty much everything on the screen. There were even line scores!

Zaxxon

Though many gaming fans were not impressed by the version of Zaxxon for the Atari 2600, this version for the Atari 5200 set many things right, mainly moving back to the isometric, sort-of-3D viewpoint.

Space Invaders

Space Invaders might have been old hat in 1982 when the Atari 5200 came along, but this gaming console still managed to bring some new, entertaining qualities to this classic arcade game.

Gremlins

With the huge success of the Gremlins movie in 1984, it was no surprise Atari produced video games based upon the movie, the best of which (in my opinion) was this game for the Atari 5200 which came out in 1986. Lost of frantic action here with solid graphics and great gameplay.

Defender

This version of the classic Defender video game is darn close to the original arcade version by Williams Electronics from 1980. The graphics are fantastic and the sounds are awesome. The gameplay is somewhat chaotic, but that's just how the arcade Defender was, with lots going on on the screen at any time.