Missile Command

Missile Command is one of the best games available on the Atari 2600. The sound, gameplay and control are all near enough perfect for the game, while the graphics also suit the game, but are not quite as spectacular. This has to be one of the best arcade conversions on the Atari 2600, and one of the best games available on the format. The remake on the PC and PSX failed miserably, so I’m still waiting for the true sequel. If you like shoot 'em ups and don’t have this game I highly recommend picking it up.

This version of Missile Command lacks the planes and UFOs of the arcade, but it does have those elusive satellites. The sound effects are nearly arcade-perfect, including the warning alarms and random high-pitched tones that signal a free city. I love how the backgrounds change colors as the waves progress, although that "pea soup" green screen looks pretty nasty. An all-time favorite, Missile Command deserves a place in every 2600 game collection.

A cidade está sofrendo um ataque aéreo de mísseis, e você deve impedir que estes destruam a cidade. A dica deste jogo é você sempre atirar nos mísseis, posicionando seu canhão bem abaixo deles.

Overall, this is a very addictive game with reasonably good graphics and sound for the time period. However, even the games with the best graphics and sound must survive on their gameplay, particularly for an era this old. I would recommend that anybody who enjoys the older games from this era and that don’t have this game yet find it. Its addictiveness alone makes it worth it.

Without a trackball, the game does lose more than a few turrets in the translation. But, the joystick is arguably more accurate in the end. You'll never overshoot a target, but maybe that's the way it was intended too. Regardless, "Missile Command" is brilliant in just about any form. Finding another title from this era with so many different ways to play is not an easy task and makes this one a unique title amongst a crowded market.

Missile Command is noteworthy because it's a game that's played completely from a defensive point of view. The object is to intercept incoming missiles and protect six cities at the bottom of the screen. I remember Missile Command from my old bowling alley, where an employee who worked there was an absolute whiz at it. He would attract a crowd as he detonated walls of explosions to neutralize the waves of incoming ballistic missiles. This Atari 5200 version looks surprisingly blocky in comparison, and it's disappointing to see only one missile base compared to three in the arcade version. The game throws too many elusive satellites at you, which artificially increases the difficulty, changing the overall feel of the game. At least the sound effects are faithful to the arcade, and the trackball control is extremely responsive. It may not be arcade perfect, but Missile Command is still a good time.

This version is an exact copy of the Atari 5200 edition, which was not the best version they could have used for the Atari XEGS. The main flaw is the fact that you only have one missile base, compared to three in the arcade. Considering the XE includes a keyboard, this oversight is not easy to forgive. The graphics barely do the job, although the gameplay is rock solid. I think including Missile Command with the XE game system was largely a cop-out from a company running low on innovative new titles.