Outlaw

The Good
The games offers the possibility to move the gunslinger and to aim in three different directions before you shoot, which gives a little more challenge against another player. In some of the games, the moving objects between both cowboys offer some protection and provides some tactical advantages, particularly in the "Getaway" games, where you can move your gunslinger immediately after shooting. I particularly liked the game combining the "Getaway" and the "Blowaway", where you get to shoot a wall down before you get to hit the other player. It gets even better if the wall is moving. It allows a lot more action and turns the game into a hide & seek (& shoot) madness.

The Bad
The cartridge presents 16 different shooting games, 12 of which for two players. Unfortunately, the games for a single player don't offer much. You get to shoot a moving target with a cactus or a stagecoach blocking you way. The target steadily goes up and down. Even if you choose the game where the stagecoach is moving, the steadiness of the object makes shooting a little repetitive and you may get bored quite fast. The sound effects consist mainly of footsteps and gun-shooting. As far as I'm concerned, it's effective, but no real effort has been made.

The Bottom Line
Just like in Combat, another early Atari game, you will have much more fun if you play with a partner. The game may appear excessively simple, but you should keep in mind that the game was published in 1977 and was offering features never seen before.