M*A*S*H Grade: C

Publisher: 20th Century Fox (1983)

Reviewed: 1999/7/17 Based on a TV show



Oddly enough, this game has practically nothing to do with the 1970's TV series it's based on. In M*A*S*H, one or two players pilot a helicopter and attempt to rescue as many soldiers as possible without being destroyed by enemy fire. Scattered trees serve as obstacles, and touching one will cause you to lose control momentarily. To its credit, M*A*S*H also features a cool bonus stage that lets you perform surgery on a patient. The object here is to remove as many pieces of shrapnel as you can in a limited time, and it plays a lot like the old board game Operation. Although its label is marked "one-player", this is clearly designed as a two-player game. © Copyright 1999 The Video Game Critic.

Oddly enough, this game has practicallyto do with the 1970's TV series it's based on. In M*A*S*H, one or two players pilot a helicopter and attempt to rescue as many soldiers as possible without being destroyed by enemy fire. Scattered trees serve as obstacles, and touching one will cause you to lose control momentarily. To its credit, M*A*S*H also features a cool bonus stage that lets you perform surgery on a patient. The object here is to remove as many pieces of shrapnel as you can in a limited time, and it plays a lot like the old board game Operation. Although its label is marked "one-player", this is clearly designed as a two-player game. © Copyright 1999 The Video Game Critic.



Recommended variation: 5

Our high score: 819

1 or 2 players

M.A.D. Grade: C+

Publisher: US Games (1982)

Reviewed: 2001/12/5



M.A.D. (Missile Attack and Defense) looks a lot like Missile Command, as you control a cannon situated between six cities at the bottom of the screen. Actually, the cities look more like random pixels. In any event, the object is to shoot down approaching kamikaze aircraft using a turret that can be positioned at seven degrees of precision. M.A.D. isn't very exciting to play alone, and as a result my initial review was rather harsh. But after a perceptive reader pointed out the two-player mode, I gave it a shot with my friend Scott, and we actually had a pretty good time with it. One player guides the enemy aircraft while the other shoots them down, and players take turns trying to destroy each other's cities. It's actually possible for the loser to get a higher score, which doesn't seem right. Anyway, it's the two-player mode that elevates this game above the mediocre mark. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

M.A.D. (Missile Attack and Defense) looks a lot like Missile Command, as you control a cannon situated between six cities at the bottom of the screen. Actually, the cities look more like random pixels. In any event, the object is to shoot down approaching kamikaze aircraft using a turret that can be positioned at seven degrees of precision. M.A.D. isn't very exciting to play alone, and as a result my initial review was rather harsh. But after a perceptive reader pointed out the two-player mode, I gave it a shot with my friend Scott, and we actually had a pretty good time with it. One player guides the enemy aircraft while the other shoots them down, and players take turns trying to destroy each other's cities. It's actually possible for the loser to get a higher score, which doesn't seem right. Anyway, it's the two-player mode that elevates this game above the mediocre mark. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.



Our high score: 6200

1 or 2 players

Malagai Grade: D+

Publisher: Answer Software (1983)

Reviewed: 2009/12/12 Rare and Expensive



This oddball title tries to take the Pac-Man formula in a new direction, but fails to strike gold. I should point out that Malagai is not to be confused with Malachai - that evil kid from the Children of the Corn film (hey, it's an honest mistake). This game lets you guide a dude in a jet pack through a maze with three lurking "Malagai" aliens of slightly differing body shapes. With their single eyes and tentacles, they resemble pixelated versions of those green aliens on the Simpsons. It's hard to believe this game came out long before the Simpsons were even invented! The top of the screen shows the order in which you need to "catch" the aliens. After touching the correct one, you race to the "airlock" at the top of the screen before a timer runs out. The game cycles through three different mazes. Malagai's graphics are clean but blocky, and its sound effects are mainly limited to random beeps. Three skill levels are available, but the advanced ones require you to memorize which aliens you catch, which negates much of the fun. Who wants to think when they play Atari? Malagai is a playable, but its mediocre graphics and derivative gameplay expose it as another unremarkable third-party title on a system already loaded with them. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.

This oddball title tries to take the Pac-Man formula in a new direction, but fails to strike gold. I should point out that Malagai isto be confused with- that evil kid from the Children of the Corn film (hey, it's an honest mistake). This game lets you guide a dude in a jet pack through a maze with three lurking "Malagai" aliens of slightly differing body shapes. With their single eyes and tentacles, they resemble pixelated versions of those green aliens on the Simpsons. It's hard to believe this game came out long before the Simpsons were evenThe top of the screen shows the order in which you need to "catch" the aliens. After touching the correct one, you race to the "airlock" at the top of the screen before a timer runs out. The game cycles through three different mazes. Malagai's graphics are clean but blocky, and its sound effects are mainly limited to random beeps. Three skill levels are available, but the advanced ones require you to memorize which aliens you catch, which negates much of the fun. Who wants towhen they playMalagai is a playable, but its mediocre graphics and derivative gameplay expose it as another unremarkable third-party title on a system already loaded with them. © Copyright 2009 The Video Game Critic.



Recommended variation: 1B

Our high score: 4,700

1 or 2 players

Mangia Grade: D+

Publisher: Spectravision (1983)

Reviewed: 2002/6/17 Rare and Expensive



This ultra-rare game is the most bizarre thing I've ever seen on an Atari 2600. The word "mangia" (pronounced mon' ja) is an Italian word meaning "to eat". Before learning this tidbit of information, I had been pronouncing it "man-gia" (what a dumb ass I was). This unusual game is set in a kitchen, where a mother is serving pasta to her kid. The characters are huge and detailed, but somewhat creepy-looking. Each time the mom returns to the table, she heaps more food on the kid's plate. Playing the role of the kid, your job is to dispose of the food any way you can! Sure, you can eat it, but if you eat too much your stomach will expand and eventually explode. That's right - the game actually depicts the poor kid's stomach bursting into a pixilated mess! Can you believe it? I'm telling you, Mortal Kombat has nothing on Mangia! Anyhow, to prevent this gruesome tragedy, you periodically toss some of the food to the cat in the window or the dog under the table. The problem is, these pets only appear intermittently, and you can only toss the food when mom's back is turned. If caught, she'll bring THREE helpings of food at a time, and too much food will break the table legs, costing you a life. Does this game sound like a twisted nightmare or what? The movie Seven comes to mind. The controls utilize the joystick only (no fire button), and Street Fighter-like joystick "sweeps" are used to sling food. Sound effects include an irritating ring that blares whenever the cat appears. A nice Italian song is played between levels, but you'll soon get sick of it. Mangia's novelty value held my attention a while, but once you get the hang of it, it gets really long and repetitive. Still, I'll give the game credit for being original (and somewhat disturbing). © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

This ultra-rare game is the most bizarre thing I've ever seen on an Atari 2600. The word "mangia" (pronounced mon' ja) is an Italian word meaning "to eat". Before learning this tidbit of information, I had been pronouncing it "man-gia" (what a dumb ass I was). This unusual game is set in a kitchen, where a mother is serving pasta to her kid. The characters are huge and detailed, but somewhat creepy-looking. Each time the mom returns to the table, she heaps more food on the kid's plate. Playing the role of the kid, your job is to dispose of the food any way you can! Sure, you can eat it, but if you eat too much your stomach will expand and eventually. That's right - the game actually depicts the poor kid's stomach bursting into a pixilated mess! Can you believe it? I'm telling you, Mortal Kombat hason Mangia! Anyhow, to prevent this gruesome tragedy, you periodically toss some of the food to the cat in the window or the dog under the table. The problem is, these pets only appear intermittently, and you can only toss the food when mom's back is turned. If caught, she'll bring THREE helpings of food at a time, and too much food will break the table legs, costing you a life. Does this game sound like a twisted nightmare or what? The movie Seven comes to mind. The controls utilize the joystick only (no fire button), and Street Fighter-like joystick "sweeps" are used to sling food. Sound effects include an irritating ring that blares whenever the cat appears. A nice Italian song is played between levels, but you'll soon get sick of it. Mangia's novelty value held my attention a while, but once you get the hang of it, it gets really long and repetitive. Still, I'll give the game credit for being original (and somewhat disturbing). © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic. [ Read More ]



Our high score: 1233

1 player

Marauder Grade: C+

Publisher: Tigervision (1982)

Reviewed: 2016/11/14



One astute reader pointed out how I was overly critical in my original review of Marauder, which I gave an F. He was 100% right. Marauder may be a in your line of sight! That's a pretty advanced feature! Too bad you can only shoot them when they're visible. Robots are aggressive but not fatal to touch and you can outrun their bullets! If you fire repeatedly, your shots cancel out just like fists! You can actually see them falling back! Occasionally you'll find a "magic armor" icon that makes you invincible for a few seconds. There's a lot of cool stuff in Marauder but some flaws as well. Upon respawning you are sometimes placed directly in front of converging robots, leading to cheap deaths. On the other hand, the game sometimes places you in the power cell room first, which makes for a really easy round. Balancing issues notwithstanding, you have to like how Marauder takes the Berzerk concept to a new level. © Copyright 2016 The Video Game Critic.

One astute reader pointed out how I was overly critical in my original review of Marauder, which I gave an F. He was 100% right. Marauder may be a Berzerk (Atari, 1982) clone but there's more than enough innovative elements to set it apart. You move a guy between contiguous mazes while blasting robots. The characters are rendered from an overhead perspective, giving them the appearance of small blobs. Your main goal is to locate the "power cell" and destroy it for big points. The screens are laid out in a new pattern each round, and I like how when you clear a room of robots it usually remains clear. Marauder boasts smooth animation and responsive controls. And get this: robots don't appear until they areThat's a pretty advanced feature! Too bad you can only shoot them when they're visible. Robots are aggressive but not fatal to touch and you cantheir bullets! If you fire repeatedly, your shots cancel out just like Gorf (CBS, 1981). When you find yourself in a crowd of robots I recommend going buck-wild with the fire button. As you plow through them it looks like you're knocking them out with yourYou can actually see them falling back! Occasionally you'll find a "magic armor" icon that makes you invincible for a few seconds. There's a lot of cool stuff in Marauder but some flaws as well. Upon respawning you are sometimes placed directly in front of converging robots, leading to cheap deaths. On the other hand, the game sometimes places you in the power cell room, which makes for a really easy round. Balancing issues notwithstanding, you have to like how Marauder takes the Berzerk concept to a new level. © Copyright 2016 The Video Game Critic. [ Read More ]



Recommended variation: 3

Our high score: 10,860

1 player

Marble Craze Grade: A-

This new 2600 title offers some refreshingly original gameplay and a unique control scheme. It's based upon the old board game where you tilt a board on two axis in order to guide a marble through a maze. Marble Craze requires you to use two paddle controllers at the same time, and that's a first as far as I know. The controls feel pretty comfortable once you get accustomed to them, and bars on the edge of the screen help keep you orientated. In each of the 18 stages, you guide a large white ball around contiguous screens, trying to reach the end of the maze before a timer runs out. The first few mazes have walls, but the more advanced, wide-open stages require a great deal of skill. Scattered "power bars" provide bonuses such as extra time or bonus points. Marble Craze delivers some fine split-screen competitive action, but what's really charming is how it pays homage to classic Atari games. Some mazes are taken from old 2600 games (the blue maze in Adventure for example), and you'll even find mazes in the shape of classic characters like Pac-Man, Space Invader, and ET. My single complaint is that it can be hard to determine which direction you need to go. But overall, Marble Craze's inspired gameplay is both fun and addicting. There's even a nice title screen. Xype continues its winning streak. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

This new 2600 title offers some refreshingly original gameplay and a unique control scheme. It's based upon the old board game where you tilt a board on two axis in order to guide a marble through a maze. Marble Craze requires you to use two paddle controllers at the same time, and that's a first as far as I know. The controls feel pretty comfortable once you get accustomed to them, and bars on the edge of the screen help keep you orientated. In each of the 18 stages, you guide a large white ball around contiguous screens, trying to reach the end of the maze before a timer runs out. The first few mazes have walls, but the more advanced, wide-open stages require a great deal of skill. Scattered "power bars" provide bonuses such as extra time or bonus points. Marble Craze delivers some fine split-screen competitive action, but what's really charming is how it pays homage to classic Atari games. Some mazes are taken from old 2600 games (the blue maze in Adventure for example), and you'll even find mazes in the shape of classic characters like Pac-Man, Space Invader, and ET. My single complaint is that it can be hard to determine which direction you need to go. But overall, Marble Craze's inspired gameplay is both fun and addicting. There's even a nice title screen. Xype continues its winning streak. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.



Recommended variation: 5

Our high score: 260

1 or 2 players

Marine Wars Grade: C+

Publisher: Konami (1983)

Reviewed: 2002/12/11



Marine Wars takes the tired formula of Atari's "Air-Sea Battle" and spices it up with all kinds of nifty features. Looking out over the sea, you'll see three rows of ships, and the ones further out look smaller, conveying a pseudo-3D look. A sophisticated control scheme allows you to line up your targets and even guide your missiles to a certain degree. An island in the distance helps you gauge your position. You can unleash three shots at a time, and the explosions are nicely rendered. Konami added a few additional features that push this game above the average mark. There are night stages where you can't see distant ships. Other stages challenge you to shoot down pairs of planes on bombing runs. Your shots sometimes even collide with incoming missiles. Marine Wars is a tough game, mainly because your ship is such a large target. But since it takes three hits to destroy your ship, you effectively have nine lives. A pleasant surprise, Marine Wars is a demanding shooter that requires more finesse than most. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.

Marine Wars takes the tired formula of Atari's "Air-Sea Battle" and spices it up with all kinds of nifty features. Looking out over the sea, you'll see three rows of ships, and the ones further out look smaller, conveying a pseudo-3D look. A sophisticated control scheme allows you to line up your targets and even guide your missiles to a certain degree. An island in the distance helps you gauge your position. You can unleash three shots at a time, and the explosions are nicely rendered. Konami added a few additional features that push this game above the average mark. There are night stages where you can't see distant ships. Other stages challenge you to shoot down pairs of planes on bombing runs. Your shots sometimes even collide with incoming missiles. Marine Wars is a tough game, mainly because your ship is such a large target. But since it takes three hits to destroy your ship, you effectively have nine lives. A pleasant surprise, Marine Wars is a demanding shooter that requires more finesse than most. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.



Our high score: 5970

1 or 2 players

Mario Bros. Grade: C+

This likeable platform game is the first to feature Mario by name, and it even co-stars his brother Luigi! Although played on a single screen, Mario Bros. still contains many of the elements that would be associated with Nintendo's Super Mario series. Turtles, crabs, and other creatures emerge from pipes on top on the screen. As they slowly make their way down, you can flip them over by bumping them from below. Once on their back, you can kick them off the screen for points. When a second player assumes the role of Luigi, it becomes a head-to-head competition for points. It's a shame you can't "bump" the other player (as you can in the arcade), because this reduces the strategy. Mario Bros. on the Atari 2600 looks about as good as Mario Bros. can look on the 2600. Our heroes are rendered in multiple colors and the creatures only flicker slightly. The number of objects on the screen at a given time does seem limited however, which reduces the challenge considerably. I also don't like the animation of turtles trying to upright themselves - what are they doing? Mario Bros. provides some amusing head-to-head action, but this scaled down version lost a bit of fun in the translation process. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

This likeable platform game is the first to feature Mario by name, and it even co-stars his brother Luigi! Although played on a single screen, Mario Bros. still contains many of the elements that would be associated with Nintendo's Super Mario series. Turtles, crabs, and other creatures emerge from pipes on top on the screen. As they slowly make their way down, you can flip them over by bumping them from below. Once on their back, you can kick them off the screen for points. When a second player assumes the role of Luigi, it becomes a head-to-head competition for points. It's a shame you can't "bump" the other player (as you can in the arcade), because this reduces the strategy. Mario Bros. on the Atari 2600 looks about as good as Mario Bros. can look on the 2600. Our heroes are rendered in multiple colors and the creatures only flicker slightly. The number of objects on the screen at a given time does seem limited however, which reduces the challenge considerably. I also don't like the animation of turtles trying to upright themselves -Mario Bros. provides some amusing head-to-head action, but this scaled down version lost a bit of fun in the translation process. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.



Recommended variation: 5

Our high score: 64100

1 or 2 players

Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man Grade: C-

He-Man was a hugely popular Saturday morning cartoon character in the early 80's. You may recall that his arch-nemesis, Skeletor, had a face that resembled a skull. The video game adaptation of the cartoon series made a splash on the Intellivision, but this 2600 version is not as good. Oddly enough, although game's graphics are generally bad, the game's intro and ending screens are fantastic. When you first turn on Masters of the Universe, you witness a blonde, bare-chested dude transform into the muscular He-Man. Whoa! The first stage places He Man is some kind of rocket ship flying across a stretch of barren land en route to Skeletor's castle. Henchman fire at you from the ground, and you can shoot down their missiles and drop bombs on these thugs. Once you arrive at the castle (which looks pathetic compared to the Intellivision version) you participate in which appears to be one of those bad Swordquest mini-games. The object is to reach Skeletor on the right side of the screen while avoiding two moving walls. Skeletor fires missiles at you, but you can block his shots with your shield by pressing the fire button. Should you reach Skeletor, the game displays a nice ending screen, featuring a full-screen He-Man triumphantly raising his sword. Wow! Then it's back to the beginning, although at least M-Network was considerate enough to change the background color for each stage. In the end, Masters of the Universe remains an interesting title despite its weak gameplay. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

He-Man was a hugely popular Saturday morning cartoon character in the early 80's. You may recall that his arch-nemesis, Skeletor, had a face that resembled a skull. The video game adaptation of the cartoon series made a splash on the Intellivision, but this 2600 version is not as good. Oddly enough, although game's graphics are generally bad, the game's intro and ending screens are fantastic. When you first turn on Masters of the Universe, you witness a blonde, bare-chested dude transform into the muscular He-Man. Whoa! The first stage places He Man is some kind of rocket ship flying across a stretch of barren land en route to Skeletor's castle. Henchman fire at you from the ground, and you can shoot down their missiles and drop bombs on these thugs. Once you arrive at the castle (which looks pathetic compared to the Intellivision version) you participate in which appears to be one of those bad Swordquest mini-games. The object is to reach Skeletor on the right side of the screen while avoiding two moving walls. Skeletor fires missiles at you, but you can block his shots with your shield by pressing the fire button. Should you reach Skeletor, the game displays a nice ending screen, featuring a full-screen He-Man triumphantly raising his sword. Wow! Then it's back to the beginning, although at least M-Network was considerate enough to change the background color for each stage. In the end, Masters of the Universe remains an interesting title despite its weak gameplay. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic. [ Read More ]



Recommended variation: A

Our high score: 7800

1 player

Math Gran Prix Grade: F

So now I'm going to ask everybody to raise your hand if you enjoy playing educational video games. Just as I suspected - not one damn person! Math Gran Prix was one of those virtue-signaling titles to help Atari justify their system as being good for kids. HA! This is not so much a race as a board game where you advance spaces by solving times-tables. For each move you can opt for a 2-space problem (Ex: 10 + 7) or a tougher 3-space move (ex: 8 x 19). Two players can compete or you can challenge the CPU. Not to brag, but I took on the CPU at the highest skill level and beat the crap out of him. CPUs really suck at math! These graphics look like ass. The cars look like martini glasses and the track is marred with all kinds of ugly graffiti. I noticed the little girl on the box looks positively overjoyed. What game is she playing? Tell me it's not this! © Copyright 2020 The Video Game Critic.

So now I'm going to ask everybody to raise your hand if you enjoy playing educational video games. Just as I suspected -Math Gran Prix was one of those virtue-signaling titles to help Atari justify their system as being good for kids.This is not so much a race as a board game where you advance spaces by solving times-tables. For each move you can opt for a 2-space problem (Ex: 10 + 7) or a tougher 3-space move (ex: 8 x 19). Two players can compete or you can challenge the CPU. Not to brag, but I took on the CPU at the highest skill level and beat the crap out of him. CPUs reallyat math! These graphics look like ass. The cars look like martini glasses and the track is marred with all kinds of ugly graffiti. I noticed the little girl on the box looks positively overjoyed. What game isplaying? Tell me it's not this! © Copyright 2020 The Video Game Critic.



1 or 2 players

Maze Grade: F

Publisher: Sears (1978)

Reviewed: 2017/3/2



See review of

See review of Slot Racers (Atari, 1978). This is the same game published by Sears under a very non-descript title. © Copyright 2017 The Video Game Critic.



2 players

Maze Craze: A Game of Cops 'n Robbers Grade: B+

Maze Craze is a technical marvel. This meager 4K cartridge not only packs a fast maze generation algorithm but also 256 (!) game variations. That's more than any other 2600 cartridge. You can toy around with Maze Craze alone but the game is ideal for quick head-to-head competition. It's not usually obvious which path is correct, so you'll just need to pick one and hope for the best. Imaginative variations really spice things up. In "robbers" you must avoid wandering colored blocks or get knocked out of the game. Wounds mode allows you to slowly recover after getting caught. The aptly-named terror mode prohibits you from exiting the maze until your opponent is knocked out! "Capture" variations turn the tables by forcing you to catch the robbers before you can exit. There's even a blockade mode that allows you to create phony dead-ends to trick your opponent. I'm not a big fan of the "invisible" variants that block out portions of the screen, but "peek" and "scout" features are available to help you find your way. Despite its overwhelming number of options, a well-designed selection screen makes it remarkably easy to find the right combination. Better yet, when the game is over you can just press the button to restart with a fresh maze. This game is so 80's, the cop and robber on the label look like Hall and Oates... if Hall had a mustache...? C'mon, work with me people! Maze Craze is classic fun that never really gets old. © Copyright 2017 The Video Game Critic.

Maze Craze is a technical marvel. This meager 4K cartridge not only packs a fast maze generation algorithm but also 256 (!) game variations. That's more than any other 2600 cartridge. You can toy around with Maze Craze alone but the game is ideal for quick head-to-head competition. It's not usually obvious which path is correct, so you'll just need to pick one and hope for the best. Imaginative variations really spice things up. In "robbers" you must avoid wandering colored blocks or get knocked out of the game. Wounds mode allows you to slowly recover after getting caught. The aptly-named terror mode prohibits you from exiting the maze"Capture" variations turn the tables by forcing you tothe robbers before you can exit. There's even a blockade mode that allows you to create phony dead-ends to trick your opponent. I'm not a big fan of the "invisible" variants that block out portions of the screen, but "peek" and "scout" features are available to help you find your way. Despite its overwhelming number of options, a well-designed selection screen makes it remarkably easy to find the right combination. Better yet, when the game is over you can just press the button to restart with a fresh maze. This game is so 80's, the cop and robber on the label look like Hall and Oates... if Hall had a mustache...?Maze Craze is classic fun that never really gets old. © Copyright 2017 The Video Game Critic. [ Read More ]



1 or 2 players

Maze Mania Grade: B+

Publisher: Sears (1978)

Reviewed: 2017/3/2

This is the same game as

This is the same game as Maze Craze: A Game of Cops 'n Robbers (Atari, 1978), only released by Sears under a different name. © Copyright 2017 The Video Game Critic.



1 or 2 players

Mean Santa Grade: C-

Mean Santa is a quirky holiday title that feels just slightly undercooked. Apparently Santa has turned sour on Christmas and is now in the business of stealing presents. Fire up the cartridge you're treated to the first four notes of "Joy to the World". My friends assured me the rest of the song would be made available in the form of a patch! Your score is the time it takes to visit 15 houses, but it's a shame there's no visible timer. On the first screen you guide Santa in his sleigh but he looks more like Snoopy. Where are his reindeer? Every few seconds a blocky house appears and it's a challenge to land on the roof without colliding with the chimney. Advanced stages add weather conditions like killer snowflakes and thunderbolts but they only stun you momentarily. A successful roof landing takes you to an indoor screen sprinkled with sharp, colorful items like candy canes, wreaths, dolls, trucks, and AT-AT walkers (yes!). Collecting stuff is pretty easy but I like how you can complete a game in just a few minutes (unlike the Odyssey 2 version). Mean Santa includes an unlockable "snow mode" but personally I feel those blizzard-like conditions should have been the default. The lack of audio in this game tends to understate the festive holiday mood. Mean Santa is a strange game but it tends to grow on you over time. © Copyright 2017 The Video Game Critic.

Mean Santa is a quirky holiday title that feels just slightly undercooked. Apparently Santa has turned sour on Christmas and is now in the business ofpresents. Fire up the cartridge you're treated to the firstof "Joy to the World". My friends assured me the rest of the song would be made available in the form of a patch! Your score is the time it takes to visit 15 houses, but it's a shame there's no visible timer. On the first screen you guide Santa in his sleigh but he looks more like. Where are his reindeer? Every few seconds a blocky house appears and it's a challenge to land on the roof without colliding with the chimney. Advanced stages add weather conditions like killer snowflakes and thunderbolts but they only stun you momentarily. A successful roof landing takes you to an indoor screen sprinkled with sharp, colorful items like candy canes, wreaths, dolls, trucks, and AT-AT walkers (). Collecting stuff is pretty easy but I like how you can complete a game in just a few minutes (unlike the Odyssey 2 version). Mean Santa includes an unlockable "snow mode" but personally I feel those blizzard-like conditions should have been the default. The lack of audio in this game tends to understate the festive holiday mood. Mean Santa is a strange game but it tends to grow on you over time. © Copyright 2017 The Video Game Critic.



Recommended variation: Med

Our high score: 3:54

1 player

Medieval Mayhem Grade: A-

Medieval Mayhem is an amazing homebrew but sometimes my enthusiasm gets the best of me. This four-player battle game looks and plays a heck of a lot like

Medieval Mayhem is an amazing homebrew but sometimes my enthusiasm gets the best of me. This four-player battle game looks and plays a heck of a lot like Warlords (Atari, 1977), and is actually superior in some ways. Mayhem certainly takes the cake in terms of graphics. Unlike the "abstract" visuals of Warlords there are craggy castle walls, cool warrior symbols, and an amazing fire-breathing dragon (!) that unleashes a fireball to kick off each round. The game is loaded with cool features, most notably multiple fireballs that are gradually introduced into the fray, ratcheting up the chaos considerably. When you throw a fireball it tends to leave at a random angle, and this prevents you from firing it with surgical precision as you could in Warlords. If you hold a fireball for too long it begins burning your own wall! At the conclusion of each round a comical little knight marches onto the screen holding the lone survivor's flag. That's a nice touch but sometimes these cute intermissions slow things down. My friends complained that the paddle direction feels like it should be reversed for certain players, and I've noticed that too. And like Warlords, this game isn't much of a one-player experience but it's wild with four players. Medieval Mayhem can't top Warlords in terms of raw gameplay, but it has a unique, engaging style all of its own. © Copyright 2019 The Video Game Critic.



1 to 4 players

Mega Force Grade: C-

Publisher: 20th Century Fox (1982)

Reviewed: 2013/8/28 Based on a film



Mega Force is a bargain bin game based on some forgettable 1982 science fiction movie starring Barry Bostwick. This frantic side-scroller has its share of issues but it's not a complete waste. The fact that you ride a motorcycle that transforms into an aircraft is at least worth a letter grade. From the look of it, Mega Force most closely resembles Chopper Command. The idea is to protect a white city on the far left side of a scrolling landscape and destroy the black city on the far right side (that's racist). Enemy aircraft tend to swarm and unleash tiny projectiles. If that's not enough, you'll have to deal with heat-seeking missiles launched from the surface below. The action gets a little crazy at times, but that's okay. The only thing that bothers me is how you can't destroy the missiles because your shots pass right through them. The colorful scenery features a barren desert with red mountains and blue skies. The exotic-looking buildings look sharp, and there are some palm trees and small ponds. Mega Force is sloppy and confusing at first, but once I figured out what the [expletive] was going on, I developed a modest appreciation for this throw-away shooter. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.

Mega Force is a bargain bin game based on some forgettable 1982 science fiction movie starring Barry Bostwick. This frantic side-scroller has its share of issues but it's not a complete waste. The fact that you ride a motorcycle that transforms into an aircraft is atworth a letter grade. From the look of it, Mega Force most closely resembles Chopper Command. The idea is to protect a white city on the far left side of a scrolling landscape and destroy the black city on the far right side (that's racist). Enemy aircraft tend to swarm and unleash tiny projectiles. If that's not enough, you'll have to deal with heat-seeking missiles launched from the surface below. The action gets a little crazy at times, but that's okay. The only thing that bothers me is how you can't destroy the missiles because your shots pass. The colorful scenery features a barren desert with red mountains and blue skies. The exotic-looking buildings look sharp, and there are some palm trees and small ponds. Mega Force is sloppy and confusing at first, but once I figured out what the [expletive] was going on, I developed a modest appreciation for this throw-away shooter. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.



Recommended variation: 2BB

Our high score: 10,781

1 or 2 players

Megamania Grade: C

Publisher: Activision (1982)

Reviewed: 2013/8/28



I am of the opinion that an effective marketing blitz was largely responsible for the success of this average vertical shooter. A stylized TV commercial for the game featured a zany rock band, colorful visual effects, loud music, and embellished clips of the actual game. Instead of shooting the obligatory space aliens (that's so 1979), you blast hamburgers, cookies, radial tires, bow ties, steam irons, and space dice?! This game is out of control! Okay, let's regain our composure for a second. The truth is that these rudimentary, solid-colored objects aren't very detailed. In fact you'd be hard-pressed to identify them without the manual. And once the waves start repeating, the novelty wears off completely. Visuals aside, Megamania is pretty tough! The objects move quickly and tend to change direction unexpectedly. Some will dart sideways, ramming you along the edge of the screen. You wouldn't last long at all if you didn't earn a free life every 10K. You can select between guided and straight missiles, but guided is the way to go, especially since it offers continuous fire. Megamania is not a bad little shooter, but it's not all it was cracked up to be. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.

I am of the opinion that an effective marketing blitz was largely responsible for the success of this average vertical shooter. A stylized TV commercial for the game featured a zany rock band, colorful visual effects, loud music, and embellished clips of the actual game. Instead of shooting the obligatory space aliens (that's1979), you blast hamburgers, cookies, radial tires, bow ties, steam irons, andThis game isOkay, let's regain our composure for a second. The truth is that these rudimentary, solid-colored objects aren't very detailed. In fact you'd be hard-pressed to identify them without the manual. And once the waves start repeating, the novelty wears off completely. Visuals aside, Megamania is pretty tough! The objects move quickly and tend to change direction unexpectedly. Some will dart sideways, ramming you along the edge of the screen. You wouldn't last long at all if you didn't earn a free life every 10K. You can select between guided and straight missiles, but guided is the way to go, especially since it offers continuous fire. Megamania is not a bad little shooter, but it's not all it was cracked up to be. © Copyright 2013 The Video Game Critic.



Recommended variation: 1B

Our high score: 76,230

1 or 2 players

Merlin's Walls Grade: D-

First the good news: Merlin's Walls has an awesome title screen! The lettering looks totally wild, and the music is hands-down the best I've ever heard on the 2600! That song rocks!! Now for the bad news - this game sucks! It's a 3D maze game spawned from the depths of hell. The initial alarms went off when I first examined the well-written instruction manual. In order to "achieve the desired 3D effect" while playing the game, you must either tilt your head or your television by 90 degrees. The manual has some imaginative and unintentionally hilarious illustrated suggestions for accomplishing this. You can turn your TV on its side, or set it on its back like a tabletop! It even suggests a sophisticated set-up involving a series of tilted mirrors. All this for one Atari 2600 game - and a bad one at that! I finally settled for the easiest option - lying on the floor on my right ear. And you know what? It works - kind of. The corridors are painfully blocky, but I was able to make out halls and doorways (with some difficulty!). Sadly, I was never able to make it all the way through a single maze - even with the first one that's mapped out in the manual! Every hallway looks the same and it's a hopelessly confusing situation. In the final analysis, Merlin's Walls is more of a conversation piece than it is a game. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

First the good news: Merlin's Walls has an awesome title screen! The lettering looks totally wild, and the music is hands-down the best I've ever heard on the 2600! That song rocks!! Now for the bad news - this game sucks! It's a 3D maze game spawned from the depths of hell. The initial alarms went off when I first examined the well-written instruction manual. In order to "achieve the desired 3D effect" while playing the game, you must either tilt your headby 90 degrees. The manual has some imaginative and unintentionally hilarious illustrated suggestions for accomplishing this. You can turn your TV on its side, or set it on its back like a tabletop! It even suggests a sophisticated set-up involving a series of tilted mirrors. All this for one Atari 2600 game - and a bad one at that! I finally settled for the easiest option - lying on the floor on my right ear. And you know what? It works - kind of. The corridors are painfully blocky, but I was able to make out halls and doorways (with some difficulty!). Sadly, I was never able to make it all the way through a single maze - even with the first one that'sin the manual! Every hallway looks the same and it's a hopelessly confusing situation. In the final analysis, Merlin's Walls is more of a conversation piece than it is a game. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.



1 player

Midnight Magic Grade: B-

Publisher: Atari (1988)

Reviewed: 2001/9/23



This is probably the best pinball game you're going to find for the 2600. Midnight Magic's table is small but colorful and finely detailed. There are bumpers, rollovers, drop targets, and two sets of flippers. Although the table looks sparse by modern pinball standards, there are enough targets to keep things interesting. It's a challenging game, especially on the "A" difficulty level. While I found Midnight Magic's gameplay to be somewhat fun and addicting, I was less impressed with the control. There's no nudge, and the flippers could be more responsive. Still, pinball fans will be satisfied with the overall quality. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

This is probably the best pinball game you're going to find for the 2600. Midnight Magic's table is small but colorful and finely detailed. There are bumpers, rollovers, drop targets, and two sets of flippers. Although the table looks sparse by modern pinball standards, there are enough targets to keep things interesting. It's a challenging game, especially on the "A" difficulty level. While I found Midnight Magic's gameplay to be somewhat fun and addicting, I was less impressed with the control. There's no nudge, and the flippers could be more responsive. Still, pinball fans will be satisfied with the overall quality. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.



Recommended variation: A

Our high score: 43970

1 or 2 players

Millipede Grade: A-

This worthy sequel to Centipede retains the same tried-and-true gameplay, but throws a lot more bugs into the mix, including periodic swarms of dragonflies. One cool new feature is the presence of DDT boxes scattered among the mushrooms. When shot, these emit poisonous clouds which engulf approaching insects. It's a brilliant concept and it really does add additional strategy. Millipede is difficult, but fun enough to keep you reaching for that reset switch. The graphics are slightly improved over Centipede, with less flicker and better-looking spiders. Unfortunately, the animation of the spiders and other creepy-crawlies is surprisingly choppy, and it adversely affects the gameplay. In a fast action game such as this, you must be able to tell what's going on at all times. Still, for frantic arcade fun, Millipede is tough to beat. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

This worthy sequel to Centipede retains the same tried-and-true gameplay, but throws amore bugs into the mix, including periodic swarms of dragonflies. One cool new feature is the presence of DDT boxes scattered among the mushrooms. When shot, these emit poisonous clouds which engulf approaching insects. It's a brilliant concept and it really does add additional strategy. Millipede is difficult, but fun enough to keep you reaching for that reset switch. The graphics are slightly improved over Centipede, with less flicker and better-looking spiders. Unfortunately, the animation of the spiders and other creepy-crawlies is surprisingly choppy, and it adversely affects the gameplay. In a fast action game such as this, you must be able to tell what's going on at all times. Still, for frantic arcade fun, Millipede is tough to beat. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.



Our high score: 99892

1 player

Miner 2049er Grade: F

Publisher: Tigervision (1982)

Reviewed: 2012/3/20 ET Award for extreme disappointment



As a Miner 2049er veteran who has played the game on a number of systems, I speak with confidence when I say that this one sucks! Miner 2049er is a Donkey Kong-inspired platformer with some pretty elaborate screens that incorporate slides, transporters, and even TNT cannons. The game opens with a rendition of the "Clementine" song that's absolutely horrific. The bright graphics are not bad, but the gameplay is shameful. Unlike every other version of this game, your miner moves at a snail's pace. That's a serious problem considering you need to walk over every square inch of platform to clear a screen. It's especially demoralizing after you've slowly worked your way to the very top of the screen, only to accidentally slide all the way back to the bottom. The animation is pathetic and the sound effects are obnoxious. It's nearly impossible to jump over the wandering aliens (or whatever the hell they are). Upon losing a life the entire screen is reset, wiping out all of your progress. This game is a disgrace. If you want to experience Miner 2049er as God intended, check out the excellent Atari 5200 or Colecovision versions. © Copyright 2012 The Video Game Critic.

As a Miner 2049er veteran who has played the game on a number of systems, I speak with confidence when I say that this oneMiner 2049er is a Donkey Kong-inspired platformer with some pretty elaborate screens that incorporate slides, transporters, and even TNT cannons. The game opens with a rendition of the "Clementine" song that's absolutely horrific. The bright graphics are not bad, but the gameplay is shameful. Unlike every other version of this game, your miner moves at a snail's pace. That's a serious problem considering you need to walk overof platform to clear a screen. It's especially demoralizing after you've slowly worked your way to the very top of the screen, only to accidentally slide all the way back to the bottom. The animation is pathetic and the sound effects are obnoxious. It's nearly impossible to jump over the wandering aliens (or whatever the hell they are). Upon losing a life the entire screen is reset, wiping out all of your progress. This game is a disgrace. If you want to experience Miner 2049er as God intended, check out the excellent Atari 5200 or Colecovision versions. © Copyright 2012 The Video Game Critic.



Our high score: 1255

1 or 2 players

Miner 2049er II Grade: F

Publisher: Tigervision (1983)

Reviewed: 2012/3/20 Rare and Expensive

