I've set myself a goal of sorts...Some people in the retro gaming community speak of the much vaunted desire for a complete Nintendo Entertainment System collection, or perhaps they seek to gather up as much as they can of the Nintendo 64 library. But for myself? Well, I've set myself the esoteric goal of assembling a complete Atari 7800 PAL release collection.
"Wait, what?"
Indeed.
I have no particular nostalgia for the Atari 7800 (a facet of my collecting that I may go into in a future post), but I do have a love for 8-bit systems, whether they are consoles or computers matters not. My first console was the Nintendo Entertainment System which I first played around the age of 3 years old. This is quite uncommon being from Ireland as the NES never really gained a meaningful foothold in Europe, versus its more salubriously strong regional rivals, but I still foster a love for all 8-bit systems. There's something delightfully primal about their manner of engagement - limited in terms of RAM and ROM size, the colours available and the sound capabilities - and they often provide an immediacy of play and fun that isn't perhaps quite as evident or becoming with the modern generation of gaming.
"Why are you saying all of this?"
I am certainly digressing so I'll cut straight to the point. I was slowly introduced to the Atari 7800 and the rest of Atari's lineage as a result of collecting other computers and consoles. I never had any real meaningful experiences with the company besides playing on a friend's Atari ST when I was 9 years old. I collected a multitude of systems and savoured their offerings, enjoying both games and consoles I had previously owned or played and those I had not. I was offered the opportunity to purchase an Atari 7800 complete-in-box with a number of boxed games from a fellow collector, so I naturally accepted. My appetite for the plucky platform became voracious as I immediately fell in love with its somewhat diametrically opposing options when compared with other more established stalwart platforms of the 1980s. I began to buy up more boxed 7800 games and was on course to complete my small established goal of a complete PAL release set until the 'rarities' kicked in. Everything has now crawled to a slow pace as I try to purchase the final 10 or so games for my collection. And yesterday's arrival was another 'rare' game to chalk off my list of difficult to find Atari 7800 games.
 |
| The H.E.S. ltd release of Double Dragon - sexy clamshells... |
 |
| The NES port of Double Dragon (c/o wikipedia.com) |
As for the game... Double Dragon was an arcade game originally released in 1987 by Technos Japan and, due to its runaway success, was ported to every conceivable computer and console under the sun at the time. The NES version - released in 1988 - is one which I have prior and principal experience with. I lived for this game in my youth and I continue to enjoy it to this day, although the lack of a two player option makes for a solitary experience that really makes the game more like 'Single Dragon'. Nevertheless, it's a slick and playable game which runs exceedingly well on the NES.
The Atari 7800 version of Double Dragon was released a full year after the NES port in 1989 and arguably flopped out on to a system that was on life support. Quickly put together by Activision, this arcade conversion is surprisingly detailed for a console that was designed to play nothing more than simple single-screen arcade style games such as Joust and Centipede. The graphical detail is surprisingly good and holds up well against its main console contemporaries such as the NES and Sega Master System - I mean, it's not quite as good looking as those systems but it does look discernibly akin to Double Dragon given the difficulty in the 7800's pixel size. The music is somewhat limited and definitely grating to the ears based on initial impressions, thanks in part to the developers who opted not to use the additional POKEY sound chip in the cartridges which would have provided more channels and enhanced sound; nevertheless, the main songs that do permeate the game are impressive given the limitations of the TIA chip. Yes, they actually used the same limited sound chip as the Atari 2600...
"That's all very well, but what about the gameplay?"
 |
| The Atari 7800 port of Double Dragon (c/o armchairarcade.com) |
Well, to put it bluntly: this game is rock hard! Enemies have a tendency to swarm you from the outset of level one, and always appear to be one step ahead of you when guessing your next move. I genuinely have struggled to proceed through level one and I haven't come close to completing the first stage. I mean, I can only make it on the second area of the first level before being beaten to a pulp by the computer controlled enemies! It is ruthless! It is brutal! It is fucking great fun!
Ok, maybe I have become susceptible to a form of 8-bit related Stockholm syndrome but this game - for all of its flaws and steep difficulty curves - is essential. It may be difficult, but the technical marvel that this game presents on the limited hardware makes you want to proceed. I'm not saying this is a great game that should be played or purchased immediately... it certainly isn't! But it makes me want to push on through the game to see what else it offers in terms of its graphical presentation and enemies later on.
Do I think this will be a mainstay in my regular rotation of need-to-play 7800 games? No.
Do I think this is a good game? No.
Do I prefer the NES version? Yes.
Can you play 2-player on the NES version? No.
Can you play 2-player on the Atari 7800 version? Yes. Check and mate.
