Missile Command Atari Settings

This table (below) will de-code the different game modes available on Missile Command for the 2600. Thanks to AtariAge.com for the typed up manual.

The official story:

1. YOUR COMMANDING ORDERS

Aliens from the planet of Krytol have begun an attack on the planet Zardon. The Krytolians are warriors out to destroy and seize the planet of Zardon. Zardon is the last of the peaceful planets. The Zardonians are skillful and hardworking people. Their cities are built-up and rich in resources. It is truly a planet void of crime and violence.

Zardon has built a powerful defense system. Several antiballistic missile bases have been established within the cities of Zardon. The Zardonians are ready for this attack, and are prepared to fight to save their cities. 

As base commander it is your responsibility to protect and defend six cities on the planet of Zardon. The Krytolians have begun firing interplanetary ballistic missiles. They are aiming at your cities and missile bases. Your only defense is to fire back with antiballistic missiles. But watch out, the Krytolians are sly, they also have cruise missiles. 

Cruise missiles look like satellites, but they are just as deadly as the interplanetary ballistic missiles. Use your antiballistic missiles (ABMs) to stop the enemy before your happy and harmonious planet is destroyed.

Table of Game Settings:

ONE-PLAYER GAME NO.     1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

FAST TARGET CONTROL     -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  C
SLOW TARGET CONTROL     X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  H
DUMB CRUISE MISSILE     X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  I
SMART CRUISE MISSILE    -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  L
FIRST WAVE              1  1  1  1  7  7  7  7 11 11 11 11 15 15 15 15  D



TWO-PLAYER GAME NO.     1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

FAST TARGET CONTROL     -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  C
SLOW TARGET CONTROL     X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  X  -  H
DUMB CRUISE MISSILE     X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  I
SMART CRUISE MISSILE    -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  -  -  X  X  L
FIRST WAVE              1  1  1  1  7  7  7  7 11 11 11 11 15 15 15 15  D

Visit AtariAge.com for more epic Atari information.

Note: Games 17 and 34 are extremely easy settings meant for children. Source: manual.

Karnov Box Art

I got Karnov and Friday the 13th one day as a kid. It was from a cousin who didn't like either game anymore. I received both a few days after receiving Adventure Island II for Christmas. The three games were a pretty big part of my childhood, when I only owned 20 games or so. Karnov will always be remembered for its insane robotic fish people, t-rexes, and wacky settings. This is defiantly one of the defining games of the NES, and every collector/gamer needs a copy.

I gave Karnov a try tonight, while I was taking a break from WoW. I can still get to the Caterpillar woman boss on Stage 4, but I can't beat her! Never could as a kid either. This is one of those games than has haunted me since I was a kid.

Top Gun Box Scans

Weclome... to the DANGERZONE! Top Gun is another NES game that gets a really bad rap. We can probably thank AVGN for that, but I suppose the game isn't without its problems. Landing on the aircraft carrier is pretty damn tough, but so what? Ok... full disclosure, Top Gun isn't Afterburner II (which is fucking amazing), and I only saw Top Gun for the first time last night (what the hell is wrong with me?), but piloting an 8-Bit Tomcat has its perks. In this case most of those perks consist of listening to the 8-bit Top Gun anthem on the title screen.

Love the copytext on the back of the box; it perfectly captures the "in-your-fucking-face" extreme '80s action attitude.

Ultima: Exodus NES Box Scans

I love NES box art and the copy text on the back. Ideally, we'd all own complete in box sets of all the games we love, but its a damn naer impossible (and expensive dream). Especially since I bought Ultima 3 for 4 bucks from a friend who hated it. At the time I wanted to play Ultima Online, but 15 bucks a month was out of the question for my 7th grade hobo self. Nevertheless, Exodus remains one of my favorite games of all time and like a fine, cliched wine it gets better with aged cheese. Yes. That'll do pig. That'll do.

The box boasts 100 hours of gameplay. You just can't get that kind of quality shit for 4 bucks these days.





Wizards and Warriors NES Box Scans

Back in the day box art was badass. Look at that dude, he's about to seriously fuck up that goblin. Surprisingly  the copytext and story for W&W isn't total corporate vomit. More of a Lord of the Rings meets Le Morte D'Arthur while hooking up with a drunk Ghost 'n Goblins.

In a world where magic reigns supreme in almost every game or movie, it's refreshing to have Wizards and Warriors break the trend. "Yo! magic is shit dog, hack some bitches up, holla!" says the box.

The game taunts you by promising "untold riches" to the "ultimate knight warrior." Are you an ultimate enough warrior to knight the shit out of this game? Of course you aren't, you probably use savestates. Pussy.

Konami Code for TMNT 3 on NES

At the title screen, press:

LEFT, LEFT, RIGHT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN, A, B, START

Then choose your turtle, select the level you want to play on, access easy mode (for losers), edit number of lives (winners use 7), and use the sound test.

Enjoy!

Ultima II Box and World Map

I beat Ultima today after playing constantly for three days. It's an epic journey which I'm editing and getting ready to be posted soon, but in the meantime I thought I would kick off the Ultima fun with these Ultima II box scans and world map.

Attempting to get Ultima II to run on a Windows 95 machine presented it's own set of challenges--it took me over 2 hours to get the game running properly and patched correctly. In the end I was successful, and maybe I can package my files together to make it easier for others to play this classic.

The early Ultima games blend fantasy with 20th-century technology in a way that wasn't really done again until Final Fantasy 7. It's certainly unique; nothing else feels quite like Ultima.