10 Unique, Affordable Games for the Atari 7800

Interested in collecting for the Atari 7800 ProSystem? If so, the 7800 offers many affordable, excellent arcade ports such as Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, and Joust.

But beyond superb arcade titles, what else does the 7800 offer that won't drain your paycheck?

Here are 10 unique, affordable 7800 games, chosen for gameplay, price, and relative exclusivity. I say "relative exclusivity" (an oxymoron, sure) because many 7800 titles were ported from computer games of the time, making the titles far less common on actual video game consoles.

1. Pole Position II

Yup, Pole Position II kicks off this lineup.

Here's why. As the pack-in game for the 7800, Pole Position II is the cheapest cart you'll find. Plus, Pole Position II is available on very few formats, making a 7800 copy an obvious choice. Play it alongside the original Pole Position and pick your favorite!

Pros & Cons: Pole Position II features multiple races with varied backgrounds. However, this game does little to showcase the potential of the 7800.

Price: $4.90 loose; $17.80 CIB

Why get it?

Cheap, historical, and unique in that it's largely unavailable on other consoles.

Should I get it?

Yes.

2. Food Fight

Food Fight was only ported to the 7800 and the Atari XE, making it near-exclusive.

Food Fight is awesome arcade fun with an original theme: you've got to eat the ice cream before it melts, and many mini-chefs want to stop you. Good thing you can throw food, but watch out, because the chefs do, too.

Pros & Cons: Food Fight is charming, such as the animation of the boy eating the ice cream cone, or the "instant replay" where you watch your previous play set to a jaunty tune. A variety of food and escalating challenges guarantee continual fun. No cons, really.

Price: $8.46 loose; $22.49 CIB

Why get it?

Food Fight is near-exclusive, fairly cheap, features a unique theme, and is always fun.

Should I get it?

Yes.

3. Desert Falcon

Desert Falcon is an isometric shooter with an Egyptian theme and a wonky power-up system.

The graphics look great and feel distinctly "7800," and each level progresses with more challenges. There's even a Sphinx boss and a bonus stage. And the 7800 version shows the game as it's intended, unlike the questionable 2600 port.

Pros & Cons: Desert Falcon looks good, contains unique ideas, and has replay value. Be warned, the isometric perspective requires practice to master the controls. To earn power-ups, you need to collect hieroglyphics on the ground, which slows the game. However, it's fun to combine different symbols to see what you get, and some of the power-ups are quite useful.

Price: $18.49 loose; $30.29 CIB.

Why get it?

Desert Falcon is near-exclusive with an original theme, and feels overall like a very 7800 kind of game.

Should I get it?

Yes.

4. Jinks

What the heck is Jinks? And, if you know what it is, why the hell would I recommend it?

Imagine Breakout combined with pinball combined with a side-scrolling platformer. Even if the idea is better than the result, it's undeniable that Jinks is among the most unique games on the 7800. There's nothing else quite like it.

Pros & Cons: Jinks offers quality graphics, some cool music, and a fun idea. The title screen even features a scratchy voice sample! Unfortunately, that's about all Jinks has to offer. Though your paddle can rotate and freely roam the screen, it does little to offer the control over the ball that is so badly needed. The "interlude" allows the player to choose a level among four, but only if you can manage to bounce the ball over the level number you actually want.

Price: $9.20 loose; $11.40 CIB.

Why get it?

Jinks is a cheaper game and a novel addition to any collection. It's a game that, perhaps, every 7800 owner should experience once. And, perhaps, only once.

Should I get it?

Maybe.

5. Crossbow

Alright, Crossbow looks like an adventure game! Except it's your friends who are on the adventure, while you protect them with your crossbow, of course. Your crossbow being an Atari XG-1 light gun, preferably, though if the gun is beyond your budget, you can play with a crosshairs reticle, just like the 2600 version.

Expect to shield your weak, defenseless friends from a gauntlet of bats and ants and icicles and pretty much damn near anything as they trek through many dangerous landscapes, including what looks like a quaint small town.

Pros & Cons: Crossbow isn't the best light gun game for 7800, but it's the best you're going to get for a low price, and it's far better than the other affordable gun games. The variety of paths and screens keep me playing, and the concept and gameplay feel fairly original. The game's characters are blocky and faceless, however, making it look like a slightly upgraded 2600 version, and the sounds are, if possible, somehow even worse than the 2600 version. Predictably, playing with the crosshairs is not as fun as the light gun.

Price: $14.92 loose; $24.74 CIB.

Why get it?

Crossbow's theme, style, and gameplay are unique enough, and the game is mostly unavailable elsewhere.

Should I get it?

Maybe.

6. Robotron 2084

Like many titles on this list, Robotron 2084 was ported to many computers, but if you want to play it on a console, the 7800 version is your best bet.

Also, Robotron 2084 is freaking awesome.

Pros & Cons: This intense multi-directional shooter provides perhaps the fastest, twitchiest gameplay on the 7800. Expect dozens of sprites on the screen with no flicker or slowdown. Take that, NES! Robotron 2084 is a solid arcade port that feels right at home on the 7800. The difficulty may ramp too quickly for casual gamers, but otherwise, no cons here.

Price: $13.50 loose; $24.99 CIB.

Why get it?

Fast, fun, original arcade port found primarily only on computers.

Should I get it?

Yes.

7. Tower Toppler

Don't let that cute frog-pig thing convince you this is some easygoing platformer. Tower Toppler is often unforgiving and sometimes maddening, but ultimately rewarding.

Tower Toppler's graphics are so detailed and finely rendered, it looks next-gen compared to games like Crossbow. Your frog-pig-thing walks and turns with smooth animation, and the 3D effect is convincing as you scroll around the tower. There's even a bonus underwater shooting stage with some good scrolling.

Pros & Cons: Tower Toppler looks fantastic. You can select any stage with the difficulty switches. This game is so difficult, however, prepare to die again and again. The jump mechanic is convoluted, adding frustration to jumps that require absolute precision. But it's quite rewarding to hop straight to the top, once you learn the route, like mastering a stage in Mega Man. The bonus submarine stage is a worry-free break between the ominous towers. Tower Toppler is worth it, if you're up for the challenge.

Price: $14.99 loose; $21.98 CIB.

Why get it?

Tower Toppler is an attractive platformer, which is plenty unique on the 7800.

Should I get it?

Maybe.

8. Xevious

Shmups wouldn't be shmups without Xevious. This early shoot-em-up proved to be a big influence with its bosses, vertical scrolling, and ability to bomb enemies on the ground.

Pros & Cons: Xevious looks and plays fairly well, and this version came out a year before the NES port. But some players may find this retro shooter too slow, or conversely, too challenging.

Price: $4.99 loose; $14.99 CIB.

Why get it?

Xevious is the most affordable shmup for the 7800, is often as cheap as Pole Position II, and is a piece of shooter history.

Should I get it?

Yes.

9. Choplifter!

Blow up tanks, save hostages, and fly all over the place in Choplifter. This is primarily an action game with decent graphics and some scrolling.

Pros & Cons:

Choplifter looks pretty good, overall, and is a fast, fun game, overall. However, angling your 'copter to shoot tanks can prove frustrating, though you can always hover and shoot straight down. I got blasted by jets before I even knew they were there. Be warned: when combined with some 7800 units, some Choplifter carts produce a glitch that compresses the graphics into a game closer resembling a 2600 title.

Price: $11.86 loose; $17.50 CIB.

Why get it?

Choplifter is cheap and fun, and while it was released on many formats, the 7800 is among the most accessible.

Should I get it?

Maybe.

10. Ballblazer

Although Ballblazer is the most expensive game on this list, this innovative title is affordable and well worth the investment. 3D graphics support a kind of soccer-Pong hybrid that's a blast with two players. The 3D effect is stunning on the 7800, the music is among the best on the console, and the gameplay is just plain fun.

Pros & Cons: Looks awesome, sounds awesome, plays awesome. But Ballblazer will cost you a bit more. And solo gameplay isn't nearly as fun as against a friend.

Price: $34.55 loose; $47.80 CIB.

Why get it?

Ballblazer's 3D effect is unlike anything on the 7800, and best of all, it's fun. This should have somehow been the pack-in game.

Should I get it?

Yes.

And now, a few unique, affordable games to avoid.

You may think some games on the above list should be avoided (Jinks, for instance), but I included those games for reasons stated.

Now, here are more unique, affordable games that I did not include because, in my opinion, these titles have little or nothing to offer. Play at your own risk.

Unique, affordable games to avoid:

1. Fight Night. This side-view take on Punch-Out, complete with a cast of cartoon characters, is spoiled by screwball controls, choppy animation, and overpowered rivals.

2. Karateka. Ported from the popular computer game, Karateka looks good, but only a true master will achieve victory over the absurd controls and moves.

3. Barnyard Blaster. Many colorful screens mean nothing when there's a total lack of conflict. Whether blasting cans, bunnies, or that toothless farmer, this light gun game is repetitive and dull, unless you really care about points and shot accuracy.

4. Crack'ed. This is one of those "aim the crosshairs" games that really should have been a light gun game. Hell, if it were part of Barnyard Blaster, I might even be recommending it. Crack'ed is playable, but frustrating. Stick with Crossbow.

5. Tomcat F-14 Fighter Simulator. There are other flight sim games on 7800, such as Ace of Aces, but I chose Tomcat F-14 because that's the one I own. These flight sim games are all the same to me: confusing, unrewarding, and terribly aged. If you like retro flight sims, then go for it, but otherwise, avoid.

What's your favorite cheap, unique 7800 game? Do you agree or disagree with these lists?

Happy playing!