The Atari 7800 never had a chance. Stacked against the dominant NES and a stubborn Master System, Atari's competitor was doomed to fail. The console was created in 1983 for full release the following year, but the faltering videogame market forced Atari to full it back. The ascension of the NES proved that consoles were still quite viable (if marketed correctly with good games), so Atari dusted off its shelved system. By the time it was released in 1986, the 7800 was saddled with tech a few years behind the curve. The comparisons between the 7800's launch library -- which was also completed in 1984 -- and the games burning up the NES and SMS were dismal. The system suffered little third-party support. It was eventually binned in 1991.
It can be argued, though, that the 7800 never exactly got a fair shake. Atari actually listened to all complaints about the 5200 and address many with the 7800, such as the return to digital joysticks and near-complete 2600 compatibility. And the machine actually turned a profit since it was cheap to manufacture and sales were decent, thanks to consumers readily identifying the brand. And while the overall 7800 catalog does not even belong in the stadium as the NES, there are still several charmers in there that were fun in 1986 and are still enjoyable today.
If you love to collect failed systems, the Atari 7800 belongs in your library. And here are the top 10 Atari 7800 games you should pick up. Lucky for you, most are cheap. Most.
| 10) Crossbow | |
| Light gun games almost always deserve the benefit of the doubt -- there is just a visceral enjoyment about pointing the gun at the screen and picking off a target. Now, the actual game itself can work overtime to undermine this sentiment. And many do. Crossbow for the 7800 is a port of a popular light gun game from the arcades that certainly suffers on the visual front, but the core is definitely intact. Blasting through a series of medieval scenes with the 7800's accurate light gun is a lot of fun. | |
| 9) Xevious | |
| Many home versions of Xevious failed due to wretched graphics, but the 7800 edition is one of the better out there. It is a very accurate representation of Namco's arcade hit. Sure, it doesn't visually mirror the still-cool arcade game, but it gets so much else right, such as the great audio and the slower setting that lets you get in some good practice. The cropped screen also helps out with the arcade emulation experience. A cheap, fun pick-up. | |
| 8) Commando | |
| What matter in 7800 port of Capcom's arcade blaster is not the graphics (which are sub-standard), but the excellent pacing. This is a gut-punch shooter that keeps you jamming on the fire button while fighting back against wave after wave of enemy soldiers. It's a great arcade port that, if joined by others, could have helped the 7800 carve out a biggest niche in the 8-bit generation. | |
| 7) Asteroids | |
| Asteroids was an Atari console staple and the 7800 edition is the best of the bunch. The two-player co-op mode is by far the best reason to pick up this edition, although the competitive mode is quite fun too. This version doesn't try to ape the vector graphics of the arcade game, but instead offers its own take with colorful space rocks and UFOs. Asteroids is a standard by any measurement and this is a good version to pocket. | |
| 6) Winter Games | |
| While the Atari 7800 edition of Winter Games is not as solid as the Commodore 64 version, this Epyx port is still highly enjoyable. Across the four events, you engage is timing exercises such as the biathlon (cross-country skiing and shooting), where you monitor your heart rate to maintain a steady pace. Skating and ski jump are also good events. If you have no access to the C64 version, the 7800 Winter Games is a good substitute. | |
| 5) Alien Brigade | |
| While Crossbow is certainly a fun light gun game, Alien Brigade trumps it with better graphics, good animation, and more weapons. You must shoot through alien after alien while protecting civilians, and as you push deeper into the game, this gets to be pretty tricky. As mentioned, the 7800 light gun is very accurate, so that certainly helps. Alien Brigade is kinda rare, though, so expect to pay a little extra to secure it for your library. | |
| 4) Ikari Warriors | |
| If you compare Ikari on the 7800 to the NES, there is no contest. The NES version trumps it on production values. But they are the same game, meaning the 7800 edition still plays well. This is another fast-paced shooter from the eighties arcade scene that holds up well 20 years later. | |
| 3) Midnight Mutants | |
| How can you not love a game that feature Grandpa from "The Munsters?" This Halloween-themed original action-adventure game for the 7800 hands over and axe, knife, and cross for doing battle with scores of monsters and several big bosses. The world is big enough that Atari included a map, so there is some real longevity here as well as just solid exploration gameplay. Did we mention it has Grandpa Munster? | |
| 2) Ninja Golf | |
| Alright, so Ninja Golf is a better conversation piece than a game. But how can you deny the concept? Or that box art? | |
| 1) Food Fight | |
| Food Fight is a criminally overlooked arcade gem. You are Charley Chuck, an ice cream aficionado that just wants to enjoy his scoop. However, between you and the sweet treat are several chefs. You must rush to piles of food and throw it at the chefs while dodging their incoming pies. The game is incredibly fast, as you stand at a food pile and just fling it like a MLB pitcher. When you reach your cone, Chuck's mouth swallows his cone whole in a particularly freakish moment. The visuals aren't as good as the 1983 arcade original, which is disappointing, but this is one of the few places you can find this forgotten wonder now. It should be your top grab when assembling a 7800 library. | |
