Otenba Becky no Daibouken

The idea of a maze game or having to deal with pursuers using indirect attacks wasn’t new at this point, obviously, but the way that Becky is intentionally dis-empowered in most cases and only given true control in the most ideal of circumstances is genuinely creative and unusual to see. The randomized levels and variable speeds of the aliens can create a lot of problems that aren’t the player’s fault, but doing your best to work with what you’ve got can be engaging in its own way. Because of the constant disadvantage that the player faces, achieving victory becomes all the sweeter and it’s easy to gain an appreciation of every aspect of the mechanics because of how much thought has to go into every action. This isn’t a game you can save state or mash through, this is a game that demands you not give up and keep tackling it head on to eventually find a way further in.

Mangia’

Mangia' is both exactly what you see at first glance and more than it first appears. This is absolutely a game about eating pasta forever in a room with an incredibly annoying beeping sound that you can't escape, but it's also a game that requires a methodical approach rarely seen in games of its time. Mangia' has a uncommon ebb and flow to it, one that requires fast action mixed in with contemplation and waiting for exactly the right moment to take action. It's a simple, charming concept that can engage you for hours with its hidden depth if you really enjoy it, which is the kind of game that really highlights the strengths of the Atari 2600.

Kagirinaki Tatakai

Thanks to ambitious features such as destructible environments, Kagirinaki Tatakai provides a level of cerebral action that's unrivaled compared to its peers at the time and it's an experience that never ceases to impress...