Tin_Lunchbox Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm aware of Night Driver, Pole Position, and Enduro. Those are the three first-person racing games for Atari 2600/Sears Video Arcade that I know of. Night Driver is a real classic, it's good but a little limited (at 2K) and not very smooth. Pole Position was okay, more advanced but it never quite "clicked" at least not for me. Now Enduro is smooth and varied and seems pretty darn good. The landscape changes colors, the horizon scrolls around quickly, and there is a night-time sequence that is a little like Night Driver. Anyone agree that Enduro is the best, or know of a first-person racer I missed? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Dart Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Of those, Night Driver, because the others are third-person. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FujiSkunk Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) There is also Fatal Run, released fairly late in the 2600 run, and one of the few official 32KB games available. It's not bad for what it is. I like Enduro, but it's pretty easy to master, at which point you just keep driving and driving. Pole Position at least has a final goal that doesn't make you feel like you have to play for ever to show any kind of improvement. Of those, Night Driver, because the others are third-person. Depends on how much of a stickler you want to be. Do you call them third-person because you see your car on the screen? If so, then Night Driver is also third-person. Edited June 1, 2012 by FujiSkunk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin_Lunchbox Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 FujiSkunk, blargh, Fatal Run in my view does not have as good graphics as Enduro, 32K or no. Rex Dart is correct really. In Night Driver you're really looking out over the hood of your car. So, still first-person. However I think the proper term for Enduro and I think Pole Position is "modified first-person." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FujiSkunk Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) FujiSkunk, blargh, Fatal Run in my view does not have as good graphics as Enduro, 32K or no. Like I said, it isn't bad. Personally I count Pole Position as my favorite 2600 racer. Rex Dart is correct really. In Night Driver you're really looking out over the hood of your car. So, still first-person. However I think the proper term for Enduro and I think Pole Position is "modified first-person." The arcade game has you looking over the hood of your car, or doesn't show a car at all, depending on which way you want to look at it. The car is a preprinted graphic on the monitor. The 2600 version, however, shows the whole car, just like Pole Position or Enduro. Then again, as abstract as the graphics are I suppose you could argue you're looking at a dashboard and hood. But I see a car body and rear tires. Decide for yourself. Edited June 1, 2012 by FujiSkunk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerSpaceFan Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Since we're discussing Night Driver and all, I know I asked before (can't find the thread now) but has anyone attempted to do a homebrew of Night Driver that is closer to the coin-op? Obviously you couldn't do the gear shifting but would the 2600 be able to at least display the white fenceposts in a smoother movement (like the original coin-op) than Rob Fullop's admirable cartridge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Helmet Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) I love Enduro, but I'd rank it behind Pole Position. Night Driver I could never play...I really suck at it. Fatal Run is kinda meh. I'm interested to see how good Turbo is. I haven't bought it yet. Waiting for the rom release to see if it's worth it or not. Edited June 1, 2012 by Lord Helmet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I like Enduro, but it's pretty easy to master, at which point you just keep driving and driving. Is it? I'm no slouch at games (play arcade Space Invaders indefinitely, score a million in Robotron, decent at arcade Defender, etc.) , but even in my twitch heyday I could never really get past 3 or 4 days or so on Enduro. And I've definitely never been able to get the 5 days required to get the patch. Granted I've not exactly tried HARD (play 1-2 games at a time at most).. and I know many have done it (and probably reached 100+ days) so it IS masterable, But I still don't really think of exactly as "easy to master". Just saying. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FujiSkunk Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) I'm no slouch at games (play arcade Space Invaders indefinitely, score a million in Robotron, decent at arcade Defender, etc.) , but even in my twitch heyday I could never really get past 3 or 4 days or so on Enduro. And I've definitely never been able to get the 5 days required to get the patch. The trick is not to get too happy with the accelerator. Even later in the game you don't have to go full pedal-to-the-metal to pass cars. Once you find the sweet spot that allows you to keep passing cars without having to rely too much on twitch, you're almost literally in cruise control. Edited June 1, 2012 by FujiSkunk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Dart Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 The arcade game has you looking over the hood of your car, or doesn't show a car at all, depending on which way you want to look at it. The car is a preprinted graphic on the monitor. The 2600 version, however, shows the whole car, just like Pole Position or Enduro. Then again, as abstract as the graphics are I suppose you could argue you're looking at a dashboard and hood. But I see a car body and rear tires. Decide for yourself. So you're saying Night Driver features a two-wheeled vehicle that looks more like a busted tractor than any known car? Pass that bong. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FujiSkunk Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 So you're saying Night Driver features a two-wheeled vehicle that looks more like a busted tractor than any known car? Pass that bong. Okay, but wipe it off first. It's the same bong used by Atari's programmers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanJr Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 We have a word for "modified first person." It's called "third person." And it is defined as viewing something from behind the subject, where as first person is defined as viewing something from the perspective of the subject. If you view the "car" in Night Driver as a partial car, then you can call it first person. If you view it as the whole car, then you have third person. Pass that bong over here... Pole Position gets my vote as best third person racing game, though. I like the finite nature of the game, and it has a few more whistles and bells than Night Driver. Enduro is good, but it gets really hard and I get tired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranthulfr Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 The 2600 version, however, shows the whole car, just like Pole Position or Enduro. Then again, as abstract as the graphics are I suppose you could argue you're looking at a dashboard and hood. But I see a car body and rear tires. Decide for yourself. Maybe that's the hood ornament! I tend to see it as the whole car though. At the time Night Driver was released, graphics were more symbolic. Detail was left to the imagination (and the box art). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GideonsDad Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 (edited) First person (and only first person?) - Night Driver is fun, fast, and great for the paddle. Third person - I do like the way Fatal Run looks but I've never been able to play it very well. I am going to have to go with Pole Position on this one. Getting and playing Pole Position for the first time is one of my fondest gaming memories. Enduro is still a great game and has really cool features. Can we discuss top-down (bird's eye view) racers now? Edited June 2, 2012 by GideonsDad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syntaxerror999 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Of those, Night Driver, because the others are third-person. Very true... I always thought that little cross thing in night driver was the car, but its actualy the cars hood ordament. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Random Terrain Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Very true... I always thought that little cross thing in night driver was the car, but its actually the cars hood ordament. What is an ordament? Is that an ordained ornament? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syntaxerror999 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Very true... I always thought that little cross thing in night driver was the car, but its actually the cars hood ordament. What is an ordament? Is that an ordained ornament? Yes, thats why its a cross... Atari couldn't make a good looking dashboard Jesus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanJr Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 t game and has really cool features. Can we discuss top-down (bird's eye view) racers now?First person (and only first person?) Only if you are ready to admit that Math Grand Prix is a legitimate contender. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynicaster Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I wonder if this is the only time people have ever argued whether something they see in a video game is supposed to be a car or a hood ornament. Abstract indeed. I always wondered WTF that thing was. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FujiSkunk Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 We have a word for "modified first person." It's called "third person." That's two words. Maybe you're hitting that bong a little too hard... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aegis Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Enduro - hands down - in fact, it's the best driving game ever released because it has unlimited acceleration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Dart Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 We have a word for "modified first person." It's called "third person." That's two words. Maybe you're hitting that bong a little too hard... PEOPLE, PLEASE... don't bogart that bong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zylon Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Since we're discussing Night Driver and all, I know I asked before (can't find the thread now) but has anyone attempted to do a homebrew of Night Driver that is closer to the coin-op? Obviously you couldn't do the gear shifting but would the 2600 be able to at least display the white fenceposts in a smoother movement (like the original coin-op) than Rob Fullop's admirable cartridge? Check out the C64 version. It's got what you're after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sqoon Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Enduro - hands down - in fact, it's the best driving game ever released because it has unlimited acceleration My name is sqoon,and I approve of this statement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 (edited) If Night Driver isn't 3rd person. what's all the black at the bottom of the screen? Is the passenger compartment made of clear plexiglass so you don't see any of the vehicle there? To me, I always viewed this game as 3rd person. It doesn't look like much like a car either way you want to view it though even if you want to write off the invisible portion of the car as being something they intended for overscan to hide. Even Night Driver arcade is 3rd person in my opinion. The view is clearly elevated significantly over the vehicle. So unless the driver is a giraffe and sitting in the backseat, I think it's 3rd person. Edited June 3, 2012 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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