On Tue, 13 Jan 1998, Ruffin Bailey wrote:
> >And it's the Atari 400 version which is responsible for Elite and all of
> >those games, really.
>
> So did the 400 version come out and become successful before the 2600
> version was released? That is, is 2600 SR a port of what would be a
> future 8-bit classic? And does anyone know what the thinking was behind
> the "re-release" of the number pad with 2600 SR (ie, new design from the
> programming pads and then no furhter games, afaik/remember).
The 400/800 version was so successful that it sold the system. It was a
"killer app". I remember many people plunking down a thousand bucks or so
for an 800 system just so that they could play Star Raiders!
As Nick said, Doug Neubauer wrote the original Star Raiders. He did it as
a demonstration of the capabilities of the system (and especially the
components he designed, including the Pokey chip).
> 2600 SR was certainly creative and innovative in a way no other 2600 game
> was, if you ask me. To take difficulty switches and turn them into
> crucial inputs for gameplay was fantastic.
IMO, 2600 Star Raiders pales in comparison to the 8-bit original. I also
find it lacking when compared to Phaser Patrol and Starmaster (the first
2600 game to knock off SR, and the first game to use console switches for
in-gameplay functions).
***Mike St. Clair***mstclair@xxxxxxxxx***irc:SaintMick***
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