Could this be done?

[gameenjoyer]

Okay, I was just thinking. Could a Super Mario Bros. clone be made for the Atari 2600? Obviously, with only one button, you couldn't have a Fire Mario equivalent (unless you used up on the joystick to do that), but otherwise you could use the button for jumping and a quick two-presses in a direction of the joystick to initiate running. Could it be done, or could the hardware not handle it?

[SeaGtGruff]

Okay, I was just thinking. Could a Super Mario Bros. clone be made for the Atari 2600? Obviously, with only one button, you couldn't have a Fire Mario equivalent (unless you used up on the joystick to do that), but otherwise you could use the button for jumping and a quick two-presses in a direction of the joystick to initiate running. Could it be done, or could the hardware not handle it?

I think this was discussed a year or two ago in another thread. You probably couldn't make a decent clone of Super Mario Bros. per se, due to the limitations of the hardware (although with flickering and a good multi-sprite kernel, you might be able to create a less-graphically-appealing port, except for the legality issues with Nintendo). On the other hand, you can probably create a great game that's similar in gameplay to Super Mario Bros., if you keep the hardware limitations in mind and design the game around them (e.g., as far as the number of different enemies moving independently on each scan line, the number of colors on each scan line for the playfield, the graphics resolution of the playfield, etc.).

 

Michael

[djmips]

I concur, you could make a game in the spirit of the Mario games but could not clone the original.

 

A few homebrew games are supporting two buttons for commonly available joysticks like the SEGA Genesis/Megadrive pad.

[Omegamatrix]

You guys are behind the times. It's already been done. One of the greatest hacks ever.

 

 

[bomberpunk]

speaking of brothers, i'd rather see snow brothers on the 2600.

[+Random Terrain]

You guys are behind the times. It's already been done. One of the greatest hacks ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVANvEwj1Is

 

[Shawn]

You guys are behind the times. It's already been done. One of the greatest hacks ever.

 

 

 

 

fuckin' right dude! Thanks for the nod!!

[gameenjoyer]

I'm confused. Has Super Mario Bros. actually been remade for the Atari 2600, or is it just a video that's wishful thinking? If it's the former, how would I go about getting my hands on a copy?

[SeaGtGruff]

I'm confused. Has Super Mario Bros. actually been remade for the Atari 2600, or is it just a video that's wishful thinking? If it's the former, how would I go about getting my hands on a copy?

I believe it's a hack of another game (I forget which one-- Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle?). It isn't a clone or a port.

 

Michael

[Gateway]

Yeah, Shawn made a clever hack out of Smurf: Gargamel. That youtube video is hilariuos! I would not say it is impossible to recreate that on a real 2600 as some of the homebrewers here have created some impressive proofs-of-concept, but I'd say reproducing that video on the real thing is still a long ways away from reality.

[Shawn]

I'm confused. Has Super Mario Bros. actually been remade for the Atari 2600, or is it just a video that's wishful thinking? If it's the former, how would I go about getting my hands on a copy?

 

 

It was a hack but it's the closest thing to SMB released to date as far as I know. And no you can't get a copy it was a limited release a couple years ago.

[+grafixbmp]

Okay, I was just thinking. Could a Super Mario Bros. clone be made for the Atari 2600? Obviously, with only one button, you couldn't have a Fire Mario equivalent (unless you used up on the joystick to do that), but otherwise you could use the button for jumping and a quick two-presses in a direction of the joystick to initiate running. Could it be done, or could the hardware not handle it?

I think this was discussed a year or two ago in another thread. You probably couldn't make a decent clone of Super Mario Bros. per se, due to the limitations of the hardware (although with flickering and a good multi-sprite kernel, you might be able to create a less-graphically-appealing port, except for the legality issues with Nintendo). On the other hand, you can probably create a great game that's similar in gameplay to Super Mario Bros., if you keep the hardware limitations in mind and design the game around them (e.g., as far as the number of different enemies moving independently on each scan line, the number of colors on each scan line for the playfield, the graphics resolution of the playfield, etc.).

 

Michael

OK. I was working on the designing of a clone of R-Type but recently, I decided to try a what if mock up of Super Mrio Bros. for the 2600. The one thing that the atari seems to be have lots of problems with is side scrolling. I always do my best when mocking up an image to stay true to the hardware limitations when it comes to the on screen graphics sans the flickering. so here is my dream of a Super Mario Bros. for Atari 2600.

 

BTW, if anyone could figure out how to pull off something rather close to this be my guest. I would like to see some mastery of sidescrolling for the Atari.

On a side note, the ?blocks are sprites overlayed onto the background and would scroll by 4 color clocks so they would be in tune with the background. Most base objects have zones like block layer 1 and block layer 2. a dual cloud layer and a ground layer. The pipe layer changes considerably being this is where most on screen action takes place and mario's sprite never crosses over int the right half of the screen. multiple gombas are easily done with a duplication of a sprite. and the flagpole is done with a sinle missle sprite. Depending of the new screen that flollows from the right will alter the background color zones so that they conform to the proper color and if need be, a sprite itself could be used in special occasions for a pipe and just be stretched to appear as part of the background. Hope this helps everyone understand how this could possibly work. Oh and the HUD would more than likely have to flicker in order to get all of it up there. I also chose to have a 5 digit score instead of a 6 digit one.

 

Please, someone try and master Atari 2600 sidescrolling. Do any game you want but Atari needs platformers desparetly.

 

As far as ram goes, there is one thing I did alot when working with the virtual command set used for DVD players. I designed a fully workable (on paper) full workd RPG with only 16 2 byte addresses of memeory. I just split it up depending on what I needed. Granted, this takes clock cycles to do. The only thing being done between both the block rows is sprites and they are hardly there anyway. plenty of extra room for something. For example, the world and level can be done with only 5 bits.

Edited March 15, 2007 by grafixbmp

[vdub_bobby]

OK. I was working on the designing of a clone of R-Type but recently, I decided to try a what if mock up of Super Mrio Bros. for the 2600. The one thing that the atari seems to be have lots of problems with is side scrolling. I always do my best when mocking up an image to stay true to the hardware limitations when it comes to the on screen graphics sans the flickering. so here is my dream of a Super Mario Bros. for Atari 2600.

 

BTW, if anyone could figure out how to pull off something rather close to this be my guest. I would like to see some mastery of sidescrolling for the Atari.

On a side note, the ?blocks are sprites overlayed onto the background and would scroll by 4 color clocks so they would be in tune with the background. Most base objects have zones like block layer 1 and block layer 2. a dual cloud layer and a ground layer. The pipe layer changes considerably being this is where most on screen action takes place and mario's sprite never crosses over int the right half of the screen. multiple gombas are easily done with a duplication of a sprite. and the flagpole is done with a sinle missle sprite. Depending of the new screen that flollows from the right will alter the background color zones so that they conform to the proper color and if need be, a sprite itself could be used in special occasions for a pipe and just be stretched to appear as part of the background. Hope this helps everyone understand how this could possibly work. Oh and the HUD would more than likely have to flicker in order to get all of it up there. I also chose to have a 5 digit score instead of a 6 digit one.

Your mockup is pretty good Looks pretty much technically possible, though practically maybe not feasible, at least without extra RAM. One idea is for the clouds either to not scroll or to slowly scroll (parallax-like) using a duplicated, symmetrical playfield, like the mountains in Moon Patrol.

Please, someone try and master Atari 2600 sidescrolling. Do any game you want but Atari needs platformers desparetly.

No offense, but the one thing the 2600 doesn't need is platformers; the 2600 has platformers coming out of every pore: H.E.R.O., Pitfall!, Pitfall II, Keystone Kapers, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Montezuma's Revenge, Adventures of TRON, Jungle Hunt, Dragonfire, Smurfs: RIGC, Mountain King, Miner 2049er, Popeye, Fast Eddie, Xenophobe, Burgertime, etc. etc. Not to mention the homebrews: Fall Down, Reindeer Rescue, Man Goes Down, Climber 5, Hunchy II, etc.

 

Now, true, most of those aren't horizontally scrolling - though a few are: Mountain King, Jungle Hunt, Reindeer Rescue are a couple - so there is room for another horizontally scrolling platformer. That's why I wrote Reindeer Rescue, after all.

Edited March 15, 2007 by vdub_bobby

[djmips]

No offense, but the one thing the 2600 doesn't need is platformers; the 2600 has platformers coming out of every pore: H.E.R.O., Pitfall!, Pitfall II, Keystone Kapers, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Montezuma's Revenge, Adventures of TRON, Jungle Hunt, Dragonfire, Smurfs: RIGC, Mountain King, Miner 2049er, Popeye, Fast Eddie, Xenophobe, Burgertime, etc. etc. Not to mention the homebrews: Fall Down, Reindeer Rescue, Man Goes Down, Climber 5, Hunchy II, etc.

 

No offense, but a lot of those 'platformers' don't quite cut the mustard. I think what he meant was the 2600 needs is good platformers. I agree. But then it's my favourite type of game.

[vdub_bobby]

No offense, but the one thing the 2600 doesn't need is platformers; the 2600 has platformers coming out of every pore: H.E.R.O., Pitfall!, Pitfall II, Keystone Kapers, Donkey Kong, Mario Bros., Montezuma's Revenge, Adventures of TRON, Jungle Hunt, Dragonfire, Smurfs: RIGC, Mountain King, Miner 2049er, Popeye, Fast Eddie, Xenophobe, Burgertime, etc. etc. Not to mention the homebrews: Fall Down, Reindeer Rescue, Man Goes Down, Climber 5, Hunchy II, etc.

 

No offense, but a lot of those 'platformers' don't quite cut the mustard. I think what he meant was the 2600 needs is good platformers. I agree. But then it's my favourite type of game.

I dunno, man.

Some of those are stinkers, but H.E.R.O., Pitfall!, Pitfall II, Keystone Kapers, Montezuma's Revenge, Fall Down, and Hunchy II, at least, are all very very good.

[djmips]

I dunno, man.

Some of those are stinkers, but H.E.R.O., Pitfall!, Pitfall II, Keystone Kapers, Montezuma's Revenge, Fall Down, and Hunchy II, at least, are all very very good.

 

Yes, you are correct, some of them are very very good (I am especially fond of Hunchy II). It would be great to see a platformer with a ton of levels.

[+grafixbmp]

I would like to learn more about this super mario: rescue in bowsers castle. can't seem to google that one. does anyone have more than just a picture of the cart?

[vdub_bobby]

I would like to learn more about this super mario: rescue in bowsers castle. can't seem to google that one. does anyone have more than just a picture of the cart?

It was a hack of Smurfs: RIGC, so look in the hacks forum.

 

...

 

Ok, I looked myself: http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=80471

[Breakpack]

Could Snakka be done on a 2600?I'd love to see that game!!

[decypher]

I'm confused. Has Super Mario Bros. actually been remade for the Atari 2600, or is it just a video that's wishful thinking? If it's the former, how would I go about getting my hands on a copy?

 

 

It was a hack but it's the closest thing to SMB released to date as far as I know. And no you can't get a copy it was a limited release a couple years ago.

 

I have my copy. So near and dear to my heart. Your the man shawn......