RealSports Volleyball

Last updated
RealSports Volleyball
RealSports Volleyball Coverart.png
Box art
Developer(s) Atari, Inc.
Publisher(s) Atari, Inc. [1]
Programmer(s) Bob Polaro
Jim Huether [2]
Artist(s) Alan Murphy
Series RealSports
Platform(s) Atari 2600
Release
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
The blue player has just served the ball RealSports Voleyball Screenshot.png
The blue player has just served the ball

Realsports Volleyball is a volleyball video game written by Bob Polaro and Jim Huether for the Atari 2600 and published by Atari, Inc. in 1982. [2] Polaro also programmed the Atari 2600 port of Defender . [4]

Contents

Development

RealSports Volleyball is an enhanced version of programmer Bob Polaro's never released game Volleyball. He asked to make several improvements on it, including better animations and more colourful backgrounds. It is part of the RealSports series of games. [5]

Reception

Steve Davidson wrote in Arcade Express in 1983, "Unlike some video volleyball contests, this one really does play like the sport," and called the game "a triumph" (8/10). [6] The game won The Video Game Update magazine's 1982 Awards of Excellence in the "Best New Sports Game" category. [7]

Reviews

Legacy

The intellectual property rights for the game passed to Hasbro Interactive and were subsequently bought by Infogrames in 2001, which was subsequently renamed Atari SA. It was then re-released for the Atari Flashback 3 in 2011, which was the first console of the Flashback series made by the AtGames company. [9] As of 2021, the game has been included on all subsequent Flashback consoles, including the Flashback 4, [10] 5, [11] 6, [12] 7, [13] 8, [14] 9, [15] and X. [16]

Related Research Articles

<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">ColecoVision</span> Second-generation home video game console

ColecoVision is a second-generation home video-game console developed by Coleco and launched in North America in August 1982. It was released a year later in Europe by CBS Electronics as the CBS ColecoVision.

<i>Frogger</i> 1981 video game

Frogger is a 1981 arcade action game developed by Konami and published by Sega. In North America, it was distributed by Sega/Gremlin. The object of the game is to direct five frogs to their homes by dodging traffic on a busy road, then crossing a river by jumping on floating logs and alligators.

<i>Miner 2049er</i> 1982 video game

Miner 2049er is a platform game developed for Atari 8-bit computers by Bill Hogue and released by his company, Big Five Software, in 1982. The player controls Bounty Bob through multiple levels of a mine, with the goal of traversing all of the platforms while avoiding or defeating enemy mutants. At a time when "climbing games" such as Donkey Kong had four screens, Miner 2049er had ten.

<i>Super Pitfall</i> 1986 video game

Super Pitfall is a 1986 side-scrolling non-linear platform game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Despite the title screen stating that it was reprogrammed by Pony Inc, the development of the NES version was handled by Micronics, a Japanese developer who mostly ported arcade games to the NES.

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 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.

In the history of video games, the second-generation era refers to computer and video games, video game consoles, and handheld video game consoles available from 1976 to 1992. Notable platforms of the second generation include the Fairchild Channel F, Atari 2600, Intellivision, Odyssey 2, and ColecoVision. The generation began in November 1976 with the release of the Fairchild Channel F. This was followed by the Atari 2600 in 1977, Magnavox Odyssey² in 1978, Intellivision in 1980 and then the Emerson Arcadia 2001, ColecoVision, Atari 5200, and Vectrex, all in 1982. By the end of the era, there were over 15 different consoles. It coincided with, and was partly fuelled by, the golden age of arcade video games. This peak era of popularity and innovation for the medium resulted in many games for second generation home consoles being ports of arcade games. Space Invaders, the first "killer app" arcade game to be ported, was released in 1980 for the Atari 2600, though earlier Atari-published arcade games were ported to the 2600 previously. Coleco packaged Nintendo's Donkey Kong with the ColecoVision when it was released in August 1982.

<i>RealSports Football</i> 1982 video game

RealSports Football is a 1982 American football sports video game made by Atari, Inc. for the Atari 2600. Versions for the Atari 5200 and Atari 8-bit computers followed in 1983. It is part of the RealSports series of games.

<i>Atari Anthology</i> 2003 video game

Atari: 80 Classic Games in One!, known as Atari Anthology on consoles, is a video game collection developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Atari Interactive. The title is a compilation of 80 video games previously published by Atari, Inc. and Atari Corporation, reproducing Atari's games from its arcade and Atari 2600 game console platforms. Many games permit one to play each title at varying speeds, with time limits, or with a shifting color palette.

<i>RealSports Tennis</i> 1983 video game

RealSports Tennis is a sports video game developed and published by Atari, Inc. for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, and Atari 8-bit computers in 1983. It is part of the RealSports series of games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atari 2600 homebrew</span> Homebrew video games on Atari 2600

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. and many games were written for the technical challenge. Emulators, programming tools, and documentation are available.

<i>Atari Vault</i> 2016 video game

Atari Vault is a video game collection developed by Code Mystics and published by Atari Interactive for Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux via the Steam client. Atari Vault contains titles from Atari, Inc. and Atari Corporation published on the Atari 2600 and arcade cabinets. dating from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The games, where possible, have been updated to include modern-day features such as local and online multiplayer and online leaderboards.

<i>Home Run</i> (video game) 1978 video game

Home Run is a 1978 sports video game developed and published by Atari, Inc. for the Atari Video Computer System. It was the first baseball-themed game released for an Atari platform. The game received mostly negative critical reception due to its unrealistic portrayal of the sport. It was one of the games used by console competitor Mattel to show the quality improvement of Intellivision sports games over the Atari VCS.

<i>RealSports Baseball</i> 1982 baseball game for Atari 2600, 5200, and 7800

RealSports Baseball is a 1982 sports video game developed and published by Atari, Inc. originally for the Atari 2600. It was also launched on the Atari 5200 and 7800 machines. A version for the Atari 8-bit computers was in development, but cancelled.

<i>RealSports Soccer</i> 1983 video game

RealSports Soccer is a 1983 sports video game developed and published by Atari, Inc. for the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200, concentrating on the sport of association football.

RealSports is a series of sports video games originally developed and published Atari, Inc. The first games were released in 1982 for the Atari 2600, then the series expanded to the Atari 5200, Atari 7800, and Atari 8-bit computers. By the early 1980s, Atari's initial sports releases for the VCS—Home Run and Football—were dated in terms of visuals and gameplay, and targeted by an Intellivision ad campaign from Mattel. The RealSports series was an attempt by Atari to revitalize the sports game lineup for their consoles.

<i>Atari 50</i> 2022 video game compilation

Atari 50 is a video game compilation and interactive documentary about the history of Atari. It comprises newly shot interviews with former Atari employees, archival footage, emulated games from the company's catalog, and six new games inspired by past Atari games. It was developed by Digital Eclipse, published by Atari, and released on Atari VCS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2022, the 50th anniversary of Atari's founding. The main feature of the game is a five-part interactive timeline that lays out the history of the company and its products through video, scanned artifacts and related games.

References

  1. "RealSports Volleyball". AtariAge. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  2. 1 2 "RealSports Volleyball". Atari Mania.
  3. "Availability Update" (PDF). The Video Game Update . 1 (9). December 1983. ISSN   0890-2143 . Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  4. Backiel, Al. "DP Interviews Bob Polaro". Digital Press.
  5. Jainschigg, John (August 2018). "The History of RealSports". Retro Gamer (183). Future plc: 44–49.
  6. Davidson, Steve (July 17, 1983). "The Hotseat: Reviews of New Products". Arcade Express. 1 (25).
  7. "Availability Update" (PDF). The Video Game Update. 1 (10). January 1983. ISSN   0890-2143 . Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  8. "GAMES Magazine #44". October 1983.
  9. Purchese, Robert (September 7, 2011). "Atari Flashback 3 console: 60 games, £50 - Two pads, looks like Atari 2600". Eurogamer. Gamer Network Limited. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  10. Pescovitz, David (December 3, 2012). "Atari Flashback 4 console". Boing Boing. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  11. Atgames Atari Flashback 5 User Guide. AtGames Digital Media Inc. 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  12. Atgames Atari Flashback 6 User Guide. AtGames Digital Media Inc. 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  13. Fenech, Steven (February 15, 2017). "Play classic games like Space Invaders, Frogger and Pong on your TV with Atari Flashback 7". Tech Guide. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  14. Falcone, John (July 17, 2017). "Flashback 8 Gold is Atari fans' SNES Classic alternative". CNET. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  15. "Atari Flashback 9 User Guide". ATGames. 2019. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
  16. Adcock, Dan (2020). "Atari Flashback X Review". Pixelated Gamer. Retrieved March 2, 2021.