Atari 2600 homebrew

Last updated
Duck Attack! (2010) DuckAttack-Tank-room-1.png
Duck Attack! (2010)

The first hobbyist-developed game for the Atari 2600 video game console was written in 1995, and more than 100 have been released since then. The majority of games are unlicensed clones of games for other platforms, and there are some also original games and ROM hacks. With only 128 bytes of RAM, no frame buffer, and the code and visuals closely intertwined, the 2600 is a difficult machine to program. [1] and many games were written for the technical challenge. Emulators, programming tools, and documentation are available. [1]

Contents

Games that have received attention outside the hobbyist community include Halo 2600 , [2] [3] Duck Attack! , [4] and A-VCS-tec Challenge by Simon Quernhorst (2006), an unofficial port of the 1981 Atari 8-bit family game Aztec Challenge . [5] Others have been included in commercial products. [6]

History

Thomas Jentzsch's 2600 version of Jeremy Smith's BBC Micro game Thrust (2000) Thrust InGame.png
Thomas Jentzsch's 2600 version of Jeremy Smith's BBC Micro game Thrust (2000)

Atari, Inc. launched the Atari Video Computer System, or Atari VCS for short, in 1977. [7] The system was renamed Atari 2600 in 1982. Hundreds of games from Atari and third-party publishers have been released for the console, [8] with some selling millions of copies, such as Missile Command and Pitfall! . [9] The 2600 continued to be manufactured throughout the 1980s, long past its peak years, until Atari Corporation dropped support in January 1992. [10]

The next year, Harry Dodgson released the first hobbyist-produced cartridge: 7800/2600 Monitor Cartridge. [11] It is a development tool that, after attempting to get Atari interested Dodgson decided to manufacture on his own. [11] He purchased a batch of Atari 7800 Hat Trick games at Big Lots for a dollar or less each and cannibalized the parts. He advertised the cartridge on Usenet and in a catalog for game seller Video 61, ultimately selling around 25 copies. [11]

In 1995 — three years after Atari's withdrawal of the 2600 from the marketplace — enthusiast Ed Federmeyer released SoundX, [12] a cartridge to experiment with the sound capabilities of the system. [13] Federmeyer used the term homebrew to describe hobbyist-driven development, inspired by the California Homebrew Computer Club of the 1970s. [14] After designing the cartridge for his own use, Federmeyer advertised it on Usenet, [15] followed by an unlicensed version of Tetris . [13] Since then, over 100 games have been released, [16] many published by AtariAge. [17]

Games

Medieval Mayhem is a version of the 1980 arcade game Warlords. Medieval Mayhem (NTSC).png
Medieval Mayhem is a version of the 1980 arcade game Warlords .

Most hobbyist-developed Atari 2600 games were created for the technical challenge, not as exercises in game design, and are unlicensed clones of arcade and computer games that were popular during the 1980s. Lady Bug , released by John W. Champeau in 2006, is an implementation of the 1981 Universal arcade game. [18] Juno First, released by Chris Walton in 2009, borrows the name and design of the 1983 Konami arcade game; [19] and Thrust, released by Thomas Jentzsch in 2000, is a clone of the BBC Micro game of the same name. [20] Other programmers have implemented Sea Wolf (as Seawolf), Tetris (as Edtris 2600), and Caverns of Mars (as Conquest of Mars). The 2600 version of Star Castle was undertaken because it had previously been said that "a decent version couldn’t be done." [21]

Several releases have expanded upon earlier games. Warring Worms , by Billy Eno (2002), takes the core design of Surround and adds new gameplay modes, such as the ability to fire shots at the opponent. [22] Medieval Mayhem (2006) by, Darrell Spice Jr., is a version of the 1980 arcade game Warlords which includes elements omitted from Atari's official port. [23]

There are also some original designs. In SCSIcide, released by Joe Grand in 2001, [24] the player acts as a hard drive read head picking up color-coded data bits as they fly past. [25] Oystron , released by Piero Cavina in 1997, is an action game in which "space oysters" are opened and pearls collected to earn ammunition.[ citation needed ]Duck Attack! allows the player to battle giant, fire-breathing ducks in a quest to save the world from a mad scientist. [26]

In 2005, SCSIcide, Oystron, Warring Worms, Skeleton+, and Marble Craze were listed as the "Best 2600 Homebrew Games" in the book Gaming Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools by Simon Carless. [25]

A demake is a port from a system generations past the 2600. [27] Halo 2600 is a 4 KB game inspired by the Halo series of games. [28] It was written by former Microsoft vice-president Ed Fries, who was involved in Microsoft's acquisition of Halo creator Bungie. [29] Other 2600 demakes include the Portal -inspired Super 3D Portals 6 and a demo based on the Mega Man franchise. [30] Princess Rescue is an unofficial 2600 port of Super Mario Bros. , while Zippy the Porcupine is a game inspired by the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

ROM hacking modifies existing game programs. This typically includes alternate graphics and colors, but may involve gameplay modifications and the ability to use a different controller than the one for which the game was originally designed. [31] One hack target is the 2600 version of Pac-Man , in which the graphic elements are reworked to more closely resemble the arcade version. [32]

Commercial releases

Video Euchre by Erik Eid is included in the 2003 Activision Anthology. Euchreshot1.png
Video Euchre by Erik Eid is included in the 2003 Activision Anthology .
Stay Frosty by Darrell Spice Jr. Stay Frosty (SpiceWare) 1.png
Stay Frosty by Darrell Spice Jr.

In 2003, Activision selected several homebrew 2600 games for inclusion in the Game Boy Advance version of its Activision Anthology : Climber 5 by Dennis Debro (2004), Okie Dokie by Bob Colbert (1996), Skeleton+ by Eric Ball (2003), Space Treat Deluxe by Fabrizio Zavagli (2003), Vault Assault by Brian Prescott (2001), Video Euchre by Erik Eid (2002), and Oystron. [33]

In May 2018 it was announced that the Retron 77, a clone of the Atari 2600 console, would include four homebrew pack in-games: Astronomer, [34] Baby, [35] Muncher 77, [36] and Nexion 3D. [37]

Development

The Atari 2600 is generally considered to be a very demanding programming environment, with a mere 128 bytes of RAM and no video frame buffer at all. The programmer must prepare each line of video output as it is being sent to the television. The only sprite capabilities are one-dimensional 1-bit and 8-bit patterns; creating a two-dimensional object requires changing the pattern between each line of video. [1] Games are often developed using Atari 2600 emulators such as Stella and Z26. [24]

Unlike later consoles, the 2600 will run any properly configured cartridge without checking for a digital signature or performing any other type of authentication. [38] It was this aspect of the system that enabled third-party companies such as Activision and Imagic to develop Atari 2600 games without Atari's consent in the 1980s. [1] This led Atari to incorporate authentication features in its later console, the Atari 7800, to prevent other companies from creating and selling their own 7800 games without Atari's permission. [38]

With third-party hardware such as the Cuttle Cart and Harmony Cartridge, developers could load in-progress games onto a physical Atari console to test. [39] [40] The Cuttle Cart, developed by Chad Schell in the early 2000s, [41] was designed to be compatible with the Starpath Supercharger, and allows ROM images to be loaded via an 1/8" minijack audio interface such as a cassette tape or CD player. [42]

Batari Basic

As the 2600 uses the 6507, a variant of the MOS Technology 6502 processor, most games are written in 6502 assembly language. In 2007, developer Fred X. Quimby released the Batari Basic compiler allowing developers to write games in BASIC, a high-level programming language. [1] Game designer and Georgia Institute of Technology associate professor Ian Bogost has used Batari Basic in his classes to teach students video game concepts and history. [1] An integrated development environment for Microsoft Windows, Visual Batari Basic, is also available. [43] [44]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari 2600</span> Home video game console

The Atari 2600 is a home video game console developed and produced by Atari, Inc. Released in September 1977, it popularized microprocessor-based hardware and games stored on swappable ROM cartridges, a format first used with the Fairchild Channel F in 1976. Branded as the Atari Video Computer System from its release until November 1982, the VCS was bundled with two joystick controllers, a conjoined pair of paddle controllers, and a game cartridge—initially Combat and later Pac-Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari 7800</span> Home video game console

The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a home video game console officially released by Atari Corporation in 1986 as the successor to both the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. It can run almost all Atari 2600 cartridges, making it one of the first consoles with backward compatibility. It shipped with a different model of joystick from the 2600-standard CX40 and Pole Position II as the pack-in game. Most of the announced titles at launch were ports of 1981–1983 arcade video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starpath Supercharger</span> Video game expansion peripheral cartridge

The Starpath Supercharger is an expansion peripheral cartridge created by Starpath, for playing cassette-based proprietary games on the Atari 2600 video game console.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Video game remake</span> Closely adapted game

A video game remake is a video game closely adapted from an earlier title, usually for the purpose of modernizing a game with updated graphics for newer hardware and gameplay for contemporary audiences. Typically, a remake of such game software shares essentially the same title, fundamental gameplay concepts, and core story elements of the original game, although some aspects of the original game may have been changed for the remake.

<i>Combat</i> (video game) 1977 video game

Combat is a 1977 video game by Atari, Inc. for the Atari Video Computer System. In the game, two players controlling either a tank, a biplane, or a jet fire missiles at each other for two minutes and sixteen seconds. Points are scored by hitting the opponent, and the player with the most points when the time runs out wins. Variations on the gameplay introduce elements such as invisible vehicles, missiles that ricochet off of walls, and different playing fields.

Homebrew, when applied to video games, refers to software produced by hobbyists for proprietary video game consoles which are not intended to be user-programmable. The official documentation is often only available to licensed developers, and these systems may use storage formats that make distribution difficult, such as ROM cartridges or encrypted CD-ROMs. Many consoles have hardware restrictions to prevent unauthorized development.

A dedicated console is a video game console that is limited to one or more built-in video game or games, and is not equipped for additional games that are distributed via ROM cartridges, discs, downloads or other digital media. Dedicated consoles were very popular in the first generation of video game consoles until they were gradually replaced by second-generation video game consoles that use ROM cartridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari Flashback series</span> Line of dedicated video game consoles

The Atari Flashback series are a line of dedicated video game consoles designed, produced, published and marketed by AtGames under license from Atari SA. The Flashback consoles are "plug-and-play" versions of the Atari 2600 console. They contain built-in games rather than using the ROM cartridges utilized by the 2600. Most of the games are classics that were previously released for the 2600, although some Flashback consoles include previously unreleased prototype games as well.

<i>Pepsi Invaders</i> 1983 video game

Pepsi Invaders is a non-commercially released 1983 fixed shooter video game developed by Atari, Inc. for the Atari 2600. It was commissioned by The Coca-Cola Company to be handed out to salespeople at their 1983 sales convention. A reskin of the system's version of Space Invaders, the player shoots down a flying formation of letters spelling "PEPSI", Coca-Cola's long-time rival. Only 125 copies were distributed.

<i>Activision Anthology</i> 2002 video game

Activision Anthology is a compilation of most of the Atari 2600 games by Activision for various game systems. It also includes games that were originally released by Absolute Entertainment and Imagic, as well as various homebrew games. The Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X versions are titled Activision Anthology: Remix Edition, and include the most games. The PlayStation Portable version is titled Activision Hits Remixed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari 2600 hardware</span> Hardware of the Atari 2600 video game console

The Atari 2600 hardware was based on the MOS Technology 6507 chip, offering a maximum resolution of 160 x 192 pixels (NTSC), 128 colors, 128 bytes of RAM with 4 KB on cartridges. The design experienced many makeovers and revisions during its 14-year production history, from the original "heavy sixer" to the Atari 2600 Jr. at the end. The system also has many controllers and third-party peripherals.

AtariAge is a website focusing on classic Atari video games. The site features gaming news, historical archives, discussion forums, and an online store. It was founded in 1998.

<i>Halo 2600</i> 2010 action-adventure game

Halo 2600 is a 2010 action-adventure game developed by Ed Fries and published by AtariAge for the Atari 2600, a video game console released in 1977 that ended production in 1992. Inspired by the Halo video game series, the game sees players control Master Chief and fight through 64 screens with varied enemies. Completing the game once unlocks a tougher "Legendary" mode.

<i>Oystron</i> 1997 video game

Oystron is an action game developed for the Atari 2600 by Piero Cavina and released in 1997. It is one of the earliest hobbyist-written games for the console. The game, Cavina's first, was initially made available as a freeware 4 KB binary file designed for use on the Starpath Supercharger and with Atari 2600 emulators. It was later released in cartridge form by XYPE, a group of Atari 2600 homebrew developers.

Warring Worms is an Atari 2600 video game based on the 1976 arcade game Blockade. Warring Worms was written by Billy Eno and published in 2002 under the Baroque Gaming label. It was Eno's first released 2600 game.

<i>Street Racer</i> (1977 video game) 1977 video game

Street Racer is a racing video game developed for the Atari Video Computer System, later known as the Atari 2600. It was programmed by Larry Kaplan and released by Atari, Inc. in September 1977 as one of the nine Atari VCS launch titles. The game was also published by Sears for their Tele-Games product line as Speedway II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M Network</span> Video game division of Mattel

M Network was a video game division of Mattel that, in the 1980s, produced games in cartridge format for the Atari 2600 video game system.

RetroN is a series of video game consoles created and developed by Hyperkin which allows users to play video games from consoles such as the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super NES. Since the release of the RetroN 5, they have been connected via HDMI. The latest in the series, RetroN Sq, was released in 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bogost & Montfort 2009.
  2. ↑ Melanson, Donald (August 3, 2010). "Former Microsoft VP brings Halo to the Atari 2600". Engadget . Archived from the original on 4 August 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  3. ↑ Beschizza, Rob (August 3, 2010). "Former Microsoft VP brings Halo to the Atari 2600". Boing Boing . Archived from the original on 6 August 2010. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  4. ↑ Duck Attack! references:
  5. ↑ Doctorow, Cory (July 10, 2006). "New Atari 2600 game cartridge released". Boing Boing . Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  6. ↑ Carless 2005, p. 22.
  7. ↑ "Atari VCS (Atari 2600)". A Brief History of Game Console Warfare. Business Week. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  8. ↑ Yarusso, Albert. "Atari 2600 Companies". AtariAge . Archived from the original on 29 August 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  9. ↑ Buchanan, Levi (August 26, 2008). "Top 10 Best-Selling Atari 2600 Games". IGN . Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  10. ↑ Gray, Frank (July 25, 2010). "Ducks roam new game for old Atari". The Journal Gazette . Archived from the original on 30 August 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  11. 1 2 3 Herman, Leonard. "New Blood for Orphaned Systems". GameSpot . CBS Interactive. p. 2. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  12. ↑ Yarusso, Albert. "Rarity Key Explained". AtariAge. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  13. 1 2 Herman 1997, p. 251.
  14. ↑ Herman, Leonard. "New Blood for Orphaned Systems". GameSpot . CBS Interactive. p. 1. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  15. ↑ Herman, Leonard. "New Blood for Orphaned Systems". GameSpot . CBS Interactive. p. 3. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  16. ↑ Yarusso, Albert. "Atari 2600 Rarity Guide". AtariAge. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  17. ↑ Caylor, Bob (August 18, 2010). "Atari revival". The News-Sentinel . Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  18. ↑ Yarusso, Albert. "Lady Bug". AtariAge . Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  19. ↑ Walton, Chris (May 6, 2008). "Juno First - Final Version (Atari 2600)". AtariAge. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  20. ↑ Yarusso, Albert. "Thrust+ DC Edition". AtariAge . Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  21. ↑ "Star Castle 2600, the Story". Star Castle 2600.
  22. ↑ Yarusso, Albert. "Warring Worms". AtariAge . Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  23. ↑ Yarusso, Albert. "Medieval Mayhem". AtariAge . Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  24. 1 2 Wen, Howard (May 20, 2004). "Inside the Homebrew Atari 2600 Scene". Archived from the original on 4 November 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2010.
  25. 1 2 Carless 2005, p. 21.
  26. ↑ McGinnis, Jeff (August 4, 2010). "Tech-savvy fans programming, developing on classic console". Toledo Free Press . Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved August 4, 2010.
  27. ↑ Snow, Jean (September 12, 2008). "Portal, Retrofitted for Atari 2600". Wired . Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  28. ↑ Bogost, Ian (August 1, 2010). "Halo 2600: Ed Fries demakes Halo for Atari". Archived from the original on 4 August 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  29. ↑ Bishop, Todd (January 14, 2004). "The game is over for Xbox's Ed Fries". Seattle Post-Intelligencer . Retrieved September 2, 2010.
  30. ↑ Winterhalter, Ryan (April 29, 2011). "31 Homebrew Games Worth Playing". 1UP.com . Retrieved May 10, 2011.
  31. ↑ Yarusso, Albert. "Atari 2600 Hacks". AtariAge. Archived from the original on 29 August 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  32. ↑ Yarusso, Albert. "Atari 2600 Hacks: Pac-Man". AtariAge. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
  33. ↑ Kohler 2005, p. 378.
  34. ↑ "Astronomer 2600 Official website" . Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  35. ↑ "Baby 2600 Official website" . Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  36. ↑ "Muncher store website" . Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  37. ↑ "Nexion 3D on AtariAge". 28 October 2016. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  38. 1 2 "The Atari 7800 ProSystem". AtariMuseum.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
  39. ↑ George, Gregory D. (April 12, 2005). "Cuttle Cart 2". The Atari Times. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  40. ↑ Borys, Michael (November 18, 2015). "The Harmony Cartridge". Boing Boing . Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  41. ↑ Grand, Joe. Game Console Hacking: Having Fun While Voiding Your Warranty. pg. 393. ISBN   978-1-931836-31-9.
  42. ↑ Carless, Simon. Gaming Hacks. pg. 16. ISBN   978-0-596-00714-0.
  43. ↑ Wierer, Jeff (April 5, 2008). "Visual bB 1.0 - a new IDE for batari Basic". Archived from the original on 18 August 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  44. ↑ "Visual batari Basic Guide". Archived from the original on 27 July 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.