Atari Gravitar walkthrough + tips (videos)

Kombalar · April 14, 2012

Hi there. I created a "walkthrough" video of the incredible, largely forgotten masterpiece, Atari Gravitar (1982). I'm a HUGE fan of Tempest, Asteroids and Star Wars but Gravitar is definitely my all-time favorite arcade game and it has kept its appeal through the decades. I still haven't quite completed it but I'm working on it.

I hope these video(s) give you some good playing tips. It's a video capture of one full game played. I used AAE Vector emulator which is the best substitute for the real thing. I thought it could interest at least some people in the Atari forums.

Enjoy!

PART I:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT9u9p96v2Q

PART II:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VskSF3Er7i8

PART III:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pRpG9uNODQ

PART IV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIpJc0_DK3s

DaveD · April 14, 2012

You play aggressively and confidently. Whenever I play I tend to be overly cautious and not very confident. I don't get very far either. What sort of controls are you using? Joystick? Keyboard? Arcade controls? I find the traditional button layout a little confusing. I also notice you seem to be activating a shield each time you hit the tractor beam. Do you have both controls mapped to the same button? Is that part of your strategy?

Kombalar · April 14, 2012

hi Dave,

there's only one way to play this game. The original 5-button Asteroids-type controlling system

On keyboard I use:

Z-rotate left

X-rotate right

SPACEBAR-Shields/tractor

SLASH (the button next to right shift)-thrust

RIGHT SHIFT-fire

It places your fingers exactly like on the real thing.

Tractor beam activates automatically when you're near the planet surface. That's used to get the fuel.

It takes a while to get used to this system, but it's absolutely perfect. People who are familiar with Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe and Space Duel know what I mean.

Check out this site for more:

http://www.cooganphoto.com/gravitar/

Edited April 14, 2012 by Kombalar

Cynicaster · April 18, 2012

Never played Gravitar until I completed my MAME cabinet about a year ago. It's kind of a "surgical" game, so I can see how it didn't have the mass appeal of Pac-Man and Galaga, but definitely very cool.

As for controls, I usually try to map them as close as possible to original hardware. I have a 2-player control panel with 6 buttons each. In the diagram below, the +'s are the joysticks and the circles are the buttons. The bold ones are the ones I use for the Asteroids style layout, with left/right rotate on the left side, and the others on the right. Not perfect, but I think it makes the games so much more fun.

OOO OOO

+ OOO + OOO

EDIT: the buttons in the diagram are not lining up properly, but I think you get the idea.

Edited April 18, 2012 by Cynicaster

Kombalar · April 21, 2012

Gravitar is definitely a demanding game. I can see why it wasn't a big success in the arcades... it requires a lot of practice... and back then a lot of coins. But the reputation of being "an extremely difficult game" is greatly exaggerated. When you master the 5-button controls it's not that difficult... it's a tactical game... you can play it relaxed... but the attacks have to be planned and precise.

I absolutely love it... and when the controls are mastered it offers great enjoyment. I guess people who can play Asteroids/Space Duel can learn it very easily.