High Score Club Week 30: Crackpots

[Ze_ro]

Important note: This weeks competition is over. If you still wish to discuss this game, then feel free to do so, but no further scores will be accepted. Thanks to everyone for all their contributions! Please join in on the latest High Score Club competition!

 

We're infested! A bug barrage is swarming out of the sewer, chomping away at every building in town. Entire neighborhoods are now crumb piles! Over in Brooklyn, you must defend your beloved building with your only weapon - potted petunias. Quick! When too many bugs crawl into the windows, they'll start eating you out of house and home, because this week's game is Crackpots!

 

Game Information
Left Difficulty	Not Applicable
Right Difficulty	Not Applicable
Game Mode	Game 1 - One Player
Chosen By	keilbaca

 

Post your scores right here in this thread, and I will add them to the list. Remember to play the game with the recommended game mode and difficulty settings as shown above so that your scores will be consistent with everyone elses. The deadline for posting scores will be approximately Sunday, November 7th at midnight (CST). In case you haven't already done so, please read the High Score Club rules. There is other useful information contained in that previous link, including a list of previous High Score Club games!

 

Unfortunately, AtariAge does not host ROM files for Activision games, so you'll have to either play on an actual Atari, or find the ROM on your own. However, at the AtariAge Profile Page for this game, you can also find such things as a typed copy of the manual, reviews, screenshots, and other information.

 

If you are not a member of the High Score Club, but would like to be, then all you have to do is post a reply saying so, and I'll add you to the list!

 

Next week's game will be chosen by Trooper Please send me a Private Message letting me know which game (and difficulty settings) you've chosen as soon as possible Trooper!

 

High Scores:

• 
  [*]312,120 (keilbaca)

[+10]
[*]180,010 (sku_u) [+8]
[*]114,150 (bobafett07728) [+7]
[*]79,340 (no attack) [+6]
[*]78,890 (Fellow Atari Man) [+5]
[*]72,620 (elviticus) [+4]
[*]66,720 (gospeedde) [+3]
[*]64,400 (crsdawg) [+2]
[*]55,690 (Malc74) [+1]
[*]35,520 (Goochman)
[*]27,890 (video game addict)
[*]21,240 (mvigor)
[*]16,550 (khryssun)
[*]11,750 (Blackjack)
[*]6380 (Dan Iacovelli)

• :
  (Default Settings)
  
  • 1,000,000 (Todd Rogers)
    [*]117,350 (Joe Knasin)
    [*]83,220 (Ron Corcoran)
    • 
      

Best Tips:

• 
  

Score Statistics

 

Current Standings [*]the 5th ghost [193] [*]Jeffy Arensmeyer [167] [*]keilbaca [135] [*]sku_u [121] [*]Ze_ro [99] [*]jedijeff [80] [*]Malc74 [71] [*]Fellow Atari Man [52] [*]Stingray [48] [*]Chris++ [44] [*]bobafett07728 [44] [*]Keir [43] [*]Saldo [39] [*]tin [35] [*]Shannon [32] [*]Goochman [25] [*]khryssun [25] [*]KaeruYojimbo [24] [*]bjk7382 [24] [*]stayrunner [24] [*]Robert M [23] [*]cuteycat2 [23] [*]NintendoDieScreaming [23] [*]taxman [23] [*]gospeedde [22] [*]no attack [21] [*]crsdawg [20] [*]Numan [19] [*]elviticus [18] [*]kemsted [18] [*]homerwannabee [17] [*]The 8th Passenger [17] [*]Tsukasa [15] [*]Kurushimi [15] [*]HermChase [13] [*]NovaXpress [12] [*]LarcenTyler [12] [*]Christophero Sly [12] [*]Thomas Jentzsch [9] [*]dykesr [7] [*]mikeftrevino [7] [*]NE146 [7] [*]EricDeLee [6] [*]Paul Slocum [6] [*]mvigor [6] [*]StanJr [5] [*]video game addict [5] [*]DeV0 [4] [*]therealred5 [4] [*]Blackjack [4] [*]BlackAtarian [3] [*]maibock [2] [*]Nateo [2] [*]Sora [2] [*]FireTiger [2] [*]chrisbid [1] [*]Gamemaster_ca_2003 [1] [*]Scooterb23 [1] [*]vb_master [1] [*]InanimateCarbonRod [0] [*]Kepone [0] [*]shining slade [0] [*]Saikyo [0] [*]Dan Iacovelli [0] [*]moycon [0] [*]gamerz [0] [*]LU8 [0] [*]fsuinnc [0] [*]iguana [0] [*]Luigi301 [0] [*]davepesc [0] [*]Albert [0] [*]pmpddytim [0] [*]karnov [0] [*]pitfallaimee [0] [*]Happy_Dude [0] [*]Kialan [0] [*]xmetalhedx [0] [*]Gateway [0] [*]Adrian M [0] [*]intvgene [0] [*]ScottHuggins [0] [*]jeepnut24 [0] [*]figgler [0] [*]sabeen557 [0] [*]Old_Atarian [0] [*]hobbles [0] [*]liquid_sky [0] [*]RadioFSoftware [0] [*]Spirantho [0] [*]johnnywc [0] [*]AcidTone [0] [*]chadtower [0] [*]PaulEMoz [0] [*]BigFairy321 [0] [*]atari_wizard [0] [*]Xot [0] [*]lost child [0] [*]Bunsen [0] [*]Big Player [0]

Standings are current as of the beginning of this week, and do NOT include points from this week's game. If you think there has been a mistake in any of the scoring, please contact me.

 

Member List

Trooper, Nateo, homerwannabee, lost child, Happy_Dude, video game addict, Spirantho, bobafett07728, mikeftrevino, Paul Slocum, fsuinnc, Gamemaster_ca_2003, Robert M, DeV0, Gateway, Mendon, Fretwobbler, PaulEMoz, killersquirel, shining slade, chadtower, gospeedde, stayrunner, Big Player, Swingtown, Chris++, hotpants, hobbles, taxman, Ze_ro, maibock, moycon, somePUNK, Saldo, Stingray, Kepone, xmetalhedx, chrisbid, Kialan, Jeffy Arensmeyer, Keir, ToddRogers, Numan, iguana, LU8, jeepnut24, Albert, Tsukasa, Adrian M, dykesr, EricDeLee, Thomas Jentzsch, The 8th Passenger, the 5th ghost, Bunsen, atari_wizard, jedijeff, davepesc, maximebeauvais, buzzguy, bjk7382, khryssun, HermChase, wiz21mx, karnov, Goochman, NE146, keilbaca, vb_master, Sora, Malc74, sabeen557, 128bytes, Fellow Atari Man, liquid_sky, InanimateCarbonRod, Krazy_kamino, pmpddytim, cuteycat2, kemsted, Xot, Scooterb23, elviticus, Dan Iacovelli, LarcenTyler, RadioFSoftware, sku_u, no attack, Kurushimi, Blackjack, fedechab, gamerz, mvigor

 

Scoring Points in Crackpots - Unknown, let us know if you can do it!

 

Hints and Tips

As always, you really should read the manual. What's that? You don't have the manual? Well, then you can always check out this scanned copy of the manual hosted right here at AtariAge. What's that? You're too lazy to click that link? Well, here's the hints that Dan Kitchen himself provides in the manual: Play the sidewalk - that is, try to hit the bugs while they're crawling along the sidewalk or when they're just coming out of the sewer. The closer they get to the windows, the less time you'll have to react. [*]When you're up in the higher levels, the bugs will crawl too fast for you to get them all. You're better off playing, say, three selected windows in the middle. It's OK if a few crawlers get in on the extreme right or left. You only have to get seven out of twelve bugs to go to the next level. [*]Notice that the red bugs end up 2 windows away from where they began their diagonal climb. And, while the building is still pretty high, the green bugs will end up at the window over the spot they started from below. Keep this in mind and you'll soon be dropping the right pot at the right time. [*]Then, if you still can't stamp out bugs, you can always buy the original, inner-city bug killer - a pair of shoes with pointed toes. Know what I mean? Drop me a line if you do. God bless!   Good luck everyone!   --Zero (the manual)

Tips: - Especially in the Red stages, hit the spiders about halfway up, and you'll see the next one below cross in the path, and get hit. Try for those multiple hits. - Be sure to have a good joystick and to properly place the guy (girl?) above the pot, or else it won't drop. - When you kill a spider, report immediately back to the middle, you can always chase them down to the ends, but if you hurry back before the next spider gets released, you can hit the next one, say, at the exact opposite end of the window. (keilbaca)

There are a few patterns that work decently for various colors. Black: Start the stage with a Pot 3, 2 combination (i.e. launch pot 3 first, followed by pot 2). On the faster stages, hovering back and forth between pots 3 and 4, launching as fast as you can, will usually yield a lot of hits. Blue: The first blue spider always comes up pot 2, at least while I've played. A quick 2, 3 combo usually knocks out the first two. The same 3,4 flurry from Black works well here two. Red: This is the toughest stage to start a pattern. Starting with pot 3 usually yield a hit. Flurrying between 3 and 4 rapidly can work well. The faster the red spiders get, the harder it is to keep up with random blasts. I hate the red spiders. Green: A quick 3,2 combo to start usually knocks out the first two. The same 3,4 flurry can be useful, although as with the red, once they get really get fast, all bets are off. I know these patterns are a bit silly and I don't have the highest score, but it might be useful to those struggling to get beyond 40K. Using these technique, I usually don't get knocked down a level until around the red spiders near 60K. Then I get destroyed... (no attack)

It's best to concentrate on the middle three windows (for the most part) when things are going fast. However, if you find yourself at the far right side of the screen, as soon as you can figure out which window a bug is suddenly going to go for, release that pot and scamper back over towards the left side of the screen as fast as possible to get a jump start on when and where the next bug is going to appear. (Fellow Atari Man)

[keilbaca]

Tips:

 

- Especially in the Red stages, hit the spiders about halfway up, and you'll see the next one below cross in the path, and get hit. Try for those multiple hits.

 

- Be sure to have a good joystick and to properly place the guy (girl?) above the pot, or else it won't drop.

 

- When you kill a spider, report immediately back to the middle, you can always chase them down to the ends, but if you hurry back before the next spider gets released, you can hit the next one, say, at the exact opposite end of the window.

 

That's about it, the manual took the other tip of mine (you don't have to get all of them, just enough to survive, and to stay in the middle)

 

And my opening score: 91470

[Goochman]

35520

[keilbaca]

Bah, why do i have to go to work... i had to end this game early because of it... oh well.

 

155490

[Dan Iacovelli]

Ihad to do a search for the rom but Ifound it.

any who: here's my first score not too good though.

3350

[Malc74]

Had time for two games - best score was 40820.

[bobafett07728]

This game is one of my favorites!!! I can't wait to get home and get a few games in!!

[gospeedde]

I was going to post my score, but it is so paltry compated to these that I will wait and see if I can do better later. I used to really like this game.

[Blackjack]

This games tough! 11750

[bobafett07728]

110,000

 

A nice round number. (I'll never be able to do that again!) I've always liked this game as it is virtually a reverse Kaboom!, and Kaboom! is one of my all-time fav's. I often wondered how this game would work with paddles. . . hmmm. . .

 

THOSE DAMN RED BUGS KILL ME!!!!!!!! AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!

[gospeedde]

I finally got a passable score - 38410.

 

Tip: drop a pot on the opening as soon as it starts, you will always kill at least one that way

[elviticus]

Here's one thing I like about the HSC - I never had/played this game growing up, and when I got it for my collection a year or so ago, it didn't do much for me, so I played a couple times and stowed it. Anyway, after playing a couple games to try and get a score to submit, I found out it's actually a pretty cool game! It's funny how with most 2600 games, the real fun kicks in when you try to figure out how to rack up a just few more points before you finally bite it!

 

31,750

[Fellow Atari Man]

I never could get much higher than the club score (75,000)...think I can break 80,000, maybe not even that much. Oh well. Damn bugs!

[keilbaca]

sorry bobafett07728, you got too close for comfort for me

 

194070

[elviticus]

Played some more today - 46,250.

[khryssun]

16,550

[mvigor]

I guess I'll chime in with my 21,240. I seriously doubt I'll be doing any better on this game. The changing-direction-bugs get me every time.

[Dan Iacovelli]

Ihad to do a search for the rom but Ifound it.

any who: here's my first score not too good though.

3350

here's my second try at the game:

5630

a bit better,but not by much

[bobafett07728]

sorry bobafett07728, you got too close for comfort for me    

 

194070

 

Wow! Great Score! I get to around the 100K range, and then its a matter of staying alive. I can't seem to eclipse the 110K score I posted earlier. I'll be virtually flawless until the century mark, and then. . . DISASTER!!!

 

Gotta Keep Practicing!!!!!

[mvigor]

Is there a thread that gets updated once in a while listing the 30 games that have been done in the HSC? If I eventually get to choose the game of the week I don't want to pick one that has already been covered.

[Dan Iacovelli]

click on the link for the rules for the HSC at the start of this topic.

[crsdawg]

it's been awhile since i posted a score, thought i'd join the fun again.

 

here's the best i've done:

 

64,400

 

[no attack]

55,560

[the 5th ghost]

Here's one thing I like about the HSC - I never had/played this game growing up, and when I got it for my collection a year or so ago, it didn't do much for me, so I played a couple times and stowed it.    Anyway, after playing a couple games to try and get a score to submit, I found out it's actually a pretty cool game!   It's funny how with most 2600 games, the real fun kicks in when you try to figure out how to rack up a just few more points before  you finally bite it!    

 

31,750

 

I completely agree,

 

I recently wrote a paper about this subject. The games that I grew up with (late 70s through mid 80s,) had the basic concept of challenging the player to acheive their highest score. The fun was in finding out how to do better and doing it. Gaining a personal best score was the reward.

 

This HSC is perfect for getting back in touch with this concept. Whether it be gaining the highest score or fastest time, forgotten games are regaining the appreciation they deserve.

 

Time to go squash bugs for points!

[keilbaca]

Here's one thing I like about the HSC - I never had/played this game growing up, and when I got it for my collection a year or so ago, it didn't do much for me, so I played a couple times and stowed it.    Anyway, after playing a couple games to try and get a score to submit, I found out it's actually a pretty cool game!   It's funny how with most 2600 games, the real fun kicks in when you try to figure out how to rack up a just few more points before  you finally bite it!    

 

31,750

 

I completely agree,

 

I recently wrote a paper about this subject. The games that I grew up with (late 70s through mid 80s,) had the basic concept of challenging the player to acheive their highest score. The fun was in finding out how to do better and doing it. Gaining a personal best score was the reward.

 

This HSC is perfect for getting back in touch with this concept. Whether it be gaining the highest score or fastest time, forgotten games are regaining the appreciation they deserve.

 

Time to go squash bugs for points!

 

Exactly, and to be quite honest, I play the Atari more than any other system, by a long shot. I played the PS2 and XBOX for a while, but I always turn back to the Atari, mainly for this reason. I have a day off tomorrow, so I should be able to have a lot more time to play this.