Classic Game Room HD - BALLBLAZER for Atari 7800 review

[MrFunmike1987]

This would have been a good video challenge for nick arcade if it came out atthat time.

[dogbert2010]

what is the name of that title tune that is played at the beginning of each of your reviews?

[darren55555555]

fat worm blows a spanky- someone needs to review that

[jtomally9681]

... and yes, they do have a Waffle House. WAFFLE HOUSE for the win!

[amish725]

Picked this up for only one dollar today. Great game. Even better deal.

[fireheartis1]

Man for an 80's game this looks amazing. I've never seen a 3D game like this in the 80's. Pretty cool if you as me.

[zocazoey]

THIS .... is the total best musik on the atari i ever heard !

one game without the boring tia sound chip...

[Banjokazooiemaster]

The grid?

Tron?

[mpontheair2]

I'm plugging that theme into the DJ's system for my brother's wedding coming up. Unfortunately, they don't have a Waffle House where I will be going.

Only from Lucasfilm Games - the creator of Maniac Mansion.

[surfingthechaos]

Does the manual seriously make that comment about the Waffle House?

[Gibbagobba]

The plotline of this game sounds like the one from Unreal Tournament...

[TheInformalstyle]

That is identical to the Atari 800 version

[deadlygroove1]

I love the music in this game. It is so pimp.

[brianbjm1]

i just realised the other day that i own this game, amongst others.

[limidge]

@gamesDAMED I know right? At the time I had this game, all my buddies had NES systems. They would come over and just be amazed at the graphics. Of course, then i'd pop in any other game and they wouldn't be jealous anymore... but at least I had the "shock and awe" game at the time.

[limidge]

did anyone else notice it was a LUCASFILM production? That is crazy! I loved this game back then, and now I know why it was so epic.

[gamesDAMNED]

@limidge Yes, absolutely. Lucasfilm Games was a REALLY big thing back then, when they launched with Rescue on Fractalus. It helped that they had some of the best engineers and programmers around. And Ballblazer was just sensational. For whatever reason, the Atari 8-bit computers could create amazing 3D graphics. Just compare this to Ballblazer on the NES. It's not even a fair fight.

[frigginjoe]

This was my favorite 7800 game.

Owning a 7800 was so painful, and then a game like this would come along to show the games on the system didn't have to have sounds from 1970 just made it sting more because some support would've been awesome.

[bmw518rijder]

I play this on the ATARI 7800 with a SEGA  Megadrive Arcade Power Stick and it works good.

[KaitainCPS]

@Reacted1991

The Atari 7800 was one of THE most powerful 8-bit machines.

[MisterKdingo]

It makes me so mad because this is what the atari 7800 was capable of and the programers never used the 7800 to its full capability! This sounds amazing...i wish they would have made all 7800 games sound like this!!

[yayo3959]

SUBSCRIBE to my channel ( i have no videos but im in a competition with a friend of who gets more subscribes in a moth!!)

[Quartrez]

I got pwn'd in less than 30 seconds by a level-9 rival.

This game's AI is better than Super Smash Bros. Brawl's

[Zombie1Boy]

as avgn would say "this game blazes my balls"

[TBTabby]

Reminds me of Space Football for the SNES.

[8bitPikachu]

every time you masterblaze xenu kills a cylon

[SegaMasterSystem101]

It would look and sound a LOT better on the Mega CD

[Dant2142]

@SegaMasterSystem101 Good Point, it'd be an interesting homebrew project to port it.

[WebVMan]

This game looks so frustrating if I played it I'd have to throw my "BallBlazer To The Wall!!!"

[KaitainCPS]

@WebVMan

No, it was a brilliant game.

[Gabumon54321]

It looks like Football.

[PeterSLangston]

This is a great review; the reviewer totally gets it.

Bravo!

[MatticusFinch1820]

You should review that one game for SNES and Genesis called BALLZ lol.

[Bittergamer1886]

This game is so intense, it shoots great balls of fire!

[KaitainCPS]

The best track to play at the wedding would be Romeo Knight's remix of the theme (do a YouTube search for it). Bloody awesome.

[TheNatedogg56]

they should remake this for the wii

[TriplePalindromous]

I Master Blaze every day.

[madaracs]

This was one of the most entertaining reviews you've ever done. Loved it.

[marquis0r]

looks like trailblazer on c64

[TheCastellan]

Master Blazer......XD

[CCMKBProductions]

He moved or this guy moved or something.

[dougd1015]

His name is Dave, he moved a short distance to New Jersey, to be honest I just don't think he wanted to continue doing it cause they arrange to do it together somehow, as much as I love Dave; the new Game Room's are awesome.

They had a short HD series together (sort of) you should watch it.

[ClockworkHobo]

This game caused my balls to blaze

[dougd1015]

Why wasn't that on the back of the packaging?

[TheCastellan]

Could not have happened to a more deserving fellow. :)

[PoPoNellie]

That "Song of The Grid" was actually fractal based algorithmic music. A first for its time.

[PoPoNellie]

So awesome its crazy in fact!

[ZILOGz80VIDEOS]

00:36 is where is is cool

[Dontpickmelast101]

how many bits does the atari 7800 have?

[gdement]

It has 32,768 bits of RAM. The cartridges have a million bits, a few have more.

... okay I'm being a smartass.

It would be classified as an "8-bit" system.

The CPU is a 6502, which is considered an 8-bit processor. The system also has an 8-bit data bus. It's in the same class as the NES, but it didn't get anywhere near as much support.

[Dontpickmelast101]

oh now i get it

[00Rage00]

8 bit

[ZILOGz80VIDEOS]

Wait!?!? does the manual actually say:

"And yes... they have a waffle house."?

[WNivek1]

Nope. It should, though.

Also, that line about being faster than baseball? also made-up.

[ZILOGz80VIDEOS]

you know i think actavision had a patch for that

[WNivek1]

A patch for Ballblazer? Considering that Activision had no hand in the creation or publication of Ballblazer, it would greatly surprise me if they offered patches for it.

[KaitainCPS]

@WNivek1

Activision wasn't the developer (the nascent Lucasfilm games were), but it WAS the publisher.

[WNivek1]

@KaitainCPS Not on the Atari 7800 version - that was published by Atari. Activision doesn't show up at all in the manual or packaging. And this was a review of the Atari 7800 version.

[KaitainCPS]

@WNivek1

Fair enough. I was a 64 boy and I remember all of the early Lucasfilm games being released on the 64 - and pretty much every other platform I remember - by Activision. But I guess it was one of those cases where a different publisher takes over for conversions (such as with Elite/Acornsoft/Firebird). Or had Atari simply gone bust as a publisher by 1985?

[WNivek1]

@KaitainCPS I think it's a case of Atari handling their own conversions. Most games which were produced for the 7800 were published by Atari... though there were a handful of exceptions: Absolute put out 6 titles themselves, and Activision apparently released Double Dragon and Rampage.

[ZILOGz80VIDEOS]

actually wattusssssssuuuuummmbred is a genesis word

[ZILOGz80VIDEOS]

actually wattusuumbred is a genious word

[ZILOGz80VIDEOS]

i like that music

[Tryzon]

"Pretty soon it'll be you out there, chasing the Plasmorb."

Isn't Plasmorb a brilliant word?

[Tryzon]

I would entirely plug in a 7800 and play some sweet Ballblazer tunes. Give me the means, and I shall give you the results.

[AlienComppany]

Super game cantridge?

That's like twice the mega power!

[Tryzon]

Ballblazer apparantly has crazy funky sounds. Me like ^_^

[pathosis]

1:05

Haha!

Hilarious. That's a fantastic idea you got there. I'm totally going to do that at my best friends wedding after party. Dancing like the guy from Midnight Oil? Not sure about that though hehe...Maybe after a couple of drinks.

Brilliance..Pure brilliance!

[AlucardsQuest]

The interesting thing about this game is that it makes use of the 7800's sound capabilities (as did Commando) which most games did not do.

[WNivek1]

Ballblazer and Commando both actually enhanced the 7800's audio capabilities by having an extra chip, called POKEY, included in the cartridge. POKEY was the sound hardware from the Atari 8-bit computers. Ballblazer exclusively uses the POKEY, while Commando uses it for the ingame music while relying on the 7800's native hardware for the sound effects.

In games without a POKEY chip, the 7800's sole sound-source is the old Atari 2600 TIA chip. That's why most games sound much more simplistic.

[wiihome]

huh... i didn't kno that

[RyanLeandro]

do a review of duke nukem time to kill for PS1 thats AN AMAZING GAME! PLEASE.

[BlackXSouleStudios]

i love these songs:P

[opcomment]

Great review and explanation. I loved this game so much as a kid, and the soundtrack even more. Endless fun!

[daro2096]

Sorry I got to disagree. I hated Ballblazer. It is the split screen. It is confusing. What would have been better would have been if it had one view of the pitch with a view from above.

Anyway that is how I would have designed the game.

[i8246i]

Blah blah blah

no one cares, the game is awesome and you obviously have no real taste in games

[armonigann]

Haha!! He says "a view from above"..I bet he likes Bill Lambeers basketball..Haha!!

[harleykman]

A view from above? Then it wouldn't be Ballblazer. It would be the old 1982 game RealSports Soccer.

Making it 3D is what made it special.

[i8246i]

And adding that theme song made it freaking EPIC.

It makes me wish my 7800 worked.

[ccann702]

Notice how good the sound is compared to other 7800 games? This is one of the only cartridges that uses the "POKEY" audio chip inside it's cart. The 7800 used the 2600 audio chip to create sound which why most games don't sound much different if any from 2600 games. The "POKEY" chip was brilliant, if only more game developers utilized it, might have been too expensive but look how great a 7800 game can sound!

[harleykman]

Could they use any other sound chips like SID from Commodore, or Paula from the Amiga?

Or maybe the DSP chip that was used in Pitfall 2?

[morgangamer22]

cool

[MoreSystems]

This would be a nice game to port over to the Nintendo DS, thought i doubt they could obtain the rights from Atari... :|

[Jed49er]

Actually, the rights would be from the developers, who in this case would be LucasArts, and that could be possible. Maybe for nostalgic purposes they'd get Atari to publish it again....chances are though, that we won't see it on the DS.

[daro2096]

Well if they did they would have to completely redesign the game because split screen games are unpopular. Remember how you hated Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in 2 player mode(if indeed you had the game or you are old enough to remember SH2)?

[i8246i]

You obviously never played Nintendo 64.....

Or had any friends

[daro2096]

Excuse me, mate. I had/have friends back then who hated split screen games.

Sonic 2 was a split screen game for Sega Mega Drive(Genesis) and we hated it in that mode.

[i8246i]

That's not comparible to the N64 and you should know that. [Also, if you have 2 very good (or very bad) players going at the Sonic 2 vs mode, it can get pretty awesome.]

Go and play a real split screen game, co-op or competitive, drop that retarded cynical attitude of yours, and you WILL HAVE FUN.

My suggestions? Goldeneye for N64, Mario Kart for any Nintendo console...

or go find a 7800 or 5200 and PLAY THIS GAME, YOU WILL LIKE IT

[daro2096]

I had this game. I hated it, trust me.

[i8246i]

Well sorry you can't see the obvious reason for having splitscreen games.

And you still can't say you hate splitscreen games just because of not liking one damn game with a splitscreen multiplayer option.

This "argument" is going the same way as trying to tell someone that just because they didn't like Final Fantasy 7 (me, I don't know why I bothered to buy it again after selling it...the game has too many flaws that i see now to enjoy it), they can't say that all RPGs suck.

[Tryzon]

I can only assume you have yet to experience Timesplitters 2 splitscreen?

[Snotnarok]

Not over the internet? ...That sounds as horrible and confusing as wired controllers, what kind of world was this!?

JK I'm a huge old school game fan.

[Slonie]

@1:02 ...I laughed at the wedding bit. Awesome.

[Link4587452]

Ethercast Ftw!

[reezdog]

yuck the game play makes me sick...

LucasFilm game eh, Droids too, another cash grab from Mr Lucas, ugh...

[JustyHakubi]

I had this game for my C64 but I could never figure out how to play it! LOL...

[lurkerrekrul]

Get the ball and shoot it into the goal.

The ship automatically turns to face the ball and the ball automatically sticks to your ship, IF the ball is free. If the other ship has it, get on the side and press fire to try and blast it loose. When you have the ball, the ship faces the goal. The goal posts move back and forth and shrink with each goal. Farther shots are worth more. Winner is the first with ten points or the higher score when time runs out.

Use the Fx keys to set the options.

[Link4587452]

A Lucasfilm production!~

[RossPK81]

The songs a lot faster than how it is on the Atari 800XL. I like the fact that it changes every time.

[Wirld]

XD Best instruction manual ever :D

[parliboy]

Harder difficulties didn't really feature a smarter AI. Instead, at lower difficulties, the droids had lower top speeds. At level 9, it was as fast as you. Unfortunately, there was an strategy to beat the droid.

First, understand that the player in control of the sphere moved slower than his opponent. This meant that if your opponent had it, and you directly faced him, you could push him back to his own goal. Then you try to get possession and score. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[TheCaveman16]

you know, there is a playstation update of this game.

[hiPlasma]

great review man. greaaaat game :-)

[redd7188]

that theme has me breakin

[rafety85]

man I am a master blazer I would hang that certificate proudly on my wall

[synthem]

very lawnmower man. with balls. ballllllsssss.

[chad509]

this game looks like a blast!!!!!

[gdement]

Somebody made an mp3 of this song mixed with lyrics from the Beastie Boys. It came out pretty awesome.

[Xevonarin]

Stop masterblazing.

Good review

[Xanophalgue]

Man, so many memories. I was once a Master Blazer. :P

[boomstick545]

greatest....title.....EVER

[thebonefish]

battlesport for 3do draws heavily from this game.

[delfmeek]

I always loved the theme music to this game. It's really catchy.

Another great game to break out at a Party.

I would hang the certificate on my wall declaring I'm the Master Blazer. I'm nerd enough to do that.

[AcousticDave94]

hey i was wondering, what do you use to record games, me and my freind wanna do a few gta 4 videos for kicks and im not sure if i should buy a game bridge or try something else

[thewhile]

my headphones broke, can't hear it

[v2791]

omg the manual scares me man

that was the craziest story ever

[goldskarr]

say,werent there TWO guys in the classic game room?

[AcousticDave94]

dave left D: wish hed come back, just for one episode atleast

[valeforj]

agreed. Not saying it is bad now, it is still great. But Dave plays well off of mark.

[SashaNein]

'left' kind of makes it feel like the show broke apart, which isn't true. It was canceled in 2000, and some time later Dave moved several hundred miles away. I can't say much, but I think we'll see Dave in some shape or form with new content on YouTube someday.

[Rep2369]

That's the dream, at least for a fan like me who watched em back in 99-2000 :) Not that Mark isn't doing a FANTASTIC job with GRHD, but the chemistry those 2 had was really amazing!

[Link4587452]

HE's been replaced by Stella. I think they're both equally awesome.

[holymanxx]

nice

[zonemad96]

cool reveiw