Atari 7800

Xevious

Overall, this is a good, faithful version of the arcade classic, with all of the appeal and challenge Xevious fans fondly remember. It's also proof that, had the Atari 7800 only been given some decent software support during those few critical years, it would have easily been a match for both the Nintendo and Sega systems.

There are a few subtle differences between this and the arcade game. The graphics aren't very sharp and the colors look washed out. Are those tanks really supposed to be in the water? Your bomb target is a bit too close to your ship, making it harder to horn in on bosses. White explosions tend to obfuscate incoming missiles, so you'll need keep an eye out. This version is a bit on the slow side, so you'll want to crank the difficulty up to "expert" if you want the same degree of challenge. The game's audio emulates the distinct arcade sound effects to near perfection. There are better versions of Xevious out there, but if you can find a good joystick, it's still a wild ride.