 How's it going Retro fans? This is Classic Replay. For many people out there, the Atari 2600 will be their first ever console. Yes, we've come a long way, but don't be quick to judge. Here we have the top 25 games for the Atari 2600. I know what you're thinking, what the f**k is this? I know Jesus Christ, what the f**k is this? The graphics are just shockingly s**t. Graphic whores, turn away now, cover up those eyes. What this game does have, however, is massive amounts of gameplay. Seriously though, if you can just look past the graphics, all things considered is a half decent game. And it's number 25 in my list. Oh Jesus, this one's going to bring back a few memories. I first played this at our next door neighbour's house, chapped there, Spencer, the same age as me. The guy was an absolute tit, but he was the proud owner of an Atari 2600, and I wasn't. I remember he'd effin' blind at his mum and dad, just kick off in the background, and I'd just carry on, head down, playing the games. I mean just look at those colours on screen, and the way it's all moving, it's fantastic. It all plays good as well. But this is another little classic, and one I'd just play for hours. It doesn't look as good as I remember, because it's been years since I've played the Atari 2600. You know, I wanted to do this video and other videos to revisit these old consoles that I played from yesteryear. It plays like a hybrid of Defender and Missile Command. Scrolling is silky smooth, buttery smooth, and despite the basic looks, it still plays a blinder. I remember thinking the graphics on this game were wonderful. I mean, what kind of drugs were they on when they made this? Gameplay? Simple. You've just got to gather specimens of different lifeforms from different planets. Out of the way, come on, I'm in charge now, bitches. Come on, into my ship. And defend the spaceship from meteor showers. Hell knows why you'd think something that advanced would have a shield. But even today, as I revisit, the graphics aren't much, but the gameplay's bags of fun. This is another one, another classic. I really like this one back in the day. I was trying to explain to my wife, because she saw me playing it, how good it is, but she wasn't buying any of it. I don't think there's many females out there that understand retro gaming, and why it pulls us back in. For me, it's about what was achieved with limited resource, and how the programmers got around those limitations. Well, they didn't really, and I guess we and they had to use a bit more of our imagination. Today, I'd prefer to play the arcade version, but back in the day, this was great. That's right, alien scum, kneel before your creator. Almost swallowed my tongue, then. I still think this one looks half decent, lovely neat little explosions, wonderful tight controls. Yeah, for me, this one still plays a blinder. All your base belong to us. Ooh, showing off now, double laser effect. I love rediscovering these games I grew up playing. This is some quality shizzle. I still like it. It doesn't have to look like the arcade version, it just has to play like it. You consider the limitations of the 2600. This is an absolute fantastic arcade version. As a kid, I was blown away by this, and for me, it actually looked like the arcade original. Yes, of course, there were better ports as time went on. And although the concept is simple, this game is still a real challenge. You've got to remember when you look at this that it's one of the first Donkey Kong home arcade conversions. And then when you consider this is running on an Atari 2600, you really have to take your hats off to them. The programmer, Gary Kitchen, talks about how difficult it was to make the platform slanted on the first level. It took him absolutely ages to perfect it, and he almost gave up. The reality is, outside the arcade, there was nothing better than this. For the time, the ultimate conversion, if you like. Once again, prepare to engage your imagination. The road is not green. Your eyes are telling you porky pies. And that's not a white blob. It's an F1 Ferrari. There's nothing particularly taxing about this game. It's just a simple pick up and play. For me, this is really exciting. You get to drive through the day, the night. It's bags more fun than driving to work every day or being stuck on the motorway. In this game, you can smash other cars out the way. Long live Enduro. The perfect excuse needed to take your Atari 2600 for a much needed spin. Now, to the untrained eye, these graphics will look absolutely, and it's putting it nicely, bare minimum. Seriously, guys, these pixelated blocks should not be underestimated. Missile command is still awesome. You're not only looking at one of the best games on the Atari 2600, but in my personal opinion, one of the best games of all time. What made this game unique at the time was the terrifying concept of this could actually one day happen. Thanks to the Atari 2600, we're more than ready. Happy days. I absolutely love and adore Miss Patman. This is quite an advanced arcade port for the Atari 2600 and really exciting. It might lack the finesse of the arcade original in the sound and graphics department, but it plays 100 percent identical. The hours will just fly by as you play this. You'll need bags of strategy to progress in this game. It's either that or you must enjoy your punishment. Pitfall 2 is an incredible game from Activision. It hasn't aged terribly well, but it's one of those once you start playing, you can't stop. Pitfall 2 has all the ingredients, all the elements needed to be considered a great Atari 2600 game. It's as good as anything you'll play on the other consoles from the time. Anybody who hasn't played this second adventure outing has seriously missed out in life, but it's not too late. Come on, play this one now. This was a massive game back in the day. If you own this, you were loved for all the wrong reasons. You can't look at this today or judge it with 20 21 vision. When this first came out, it was lots of fun. Gran Turismo and Forza fans won't be impressed, but who cares? I prefer Atari over Xbox any day of the week. As for PlayStation, let's look back in 40 years from now and see how well those games have aged. This one makes my list powered by nostalgia and hours played. Not much to look at today, but probably another one of those games where you had to be there to appreciate it for the time. Again, it's another one of those games on the Atari 2600 that looks absolutely awful. But if you squint ever so slightly or can find any other way to see past the graphics, this one will have you up all night and straight on till morning. But hey, the graphics could be worse. We could be playing E.T. Now there's a game that would bring you crashing back down to earth. The first River Raid game is fantastic, but the second one takes things even further. You now start things out on an aircraft carrier. You've got altitude to consider. You can take out enemy aircraft carriers. You get to fight over both land and sea. In this game, you can also fly over the terrain. There's just more going on, hence more of a challenge. But this came later on in the 2600s life. So probably not that many people played it over the original. That's what she said. Space Invaders on the Atari 2600 is an absolute stone cold classic. I just listened to that noise. I love the sound of Space Invaders. Like many, this is one of the first video games to get me hooked really. I remember as a kid thinking, what if those aliens are friendly and just want to land and say hello and then blasting away like hell? Fire first, ask questions later. It's just human nature. Can you believe one of the best games on the Atari 2600 was released way back in 1981? Can you also believe that the same guy that wrote this also wrote E.T.? For Christ's sake. How can you be brilliant one minute and then have a big, massive brain fart the next? There's no question. This is a real game. You're an absolute nut job. If you think this game is anything but brilliant and must play if you've never experienced this on the Atari 2600. I spent an obscene amount of time playing this one back in the day. I very much doubt it would make most people's top 25 Atari 2600 games. But I'm basing this list on the games that I've played the most not on those games that everybody suggests that you should love. I just remember being bowled over the graphics, speed and really tight controls. Still looks all right to me. So the guy that programmed this also went on to program the excellent, amazing Enduro. The programmer Larry Miller published this for Activision in 1982. It's just a crazy version of Demon Attack crossed with Space Evaders, only massively on steroids. I'm a sucker for a good shooter map, so this one makes the list as well. I found out a bit of trivia about this game. Players who scored 40,000 points or more and sent in a photo of their TV screen could get a spider fighters patch. If it's got a spitfire in it, it must be good. This game actually came bundled with a machine gun and flight yoke all kind of like bundled into one. I remember playing with it. Must have been 1980, I don't know, four or five or something like that. The effects are quite strong here. And the sound is really authentic for an Atari 2600 game. For me, it's still a lot of fun. But good luck finding the flight commander controller. I've looked, I can't find one anywhere. Definitely want to add to the collection if you've not done so already. This is a lesson in how you squeeze an arcade game into the Atari 2600. For me personally, this is one of the best arcade ports to the Atari 2600 and had to make the list. It might not look like the arcade original, but it damn near plays like it. If you've never played it, you really do owe it to yourself to have this in your collection. The soundtrack is brilliant as a sound effects. And one of the first things you'll notice is how quickly everything zips along. It's great. This is Activision's glimpse into the future, where you've got to go into the mine and save the miners with your futuristic helicopter backpack. Our protagonist is armed to the teeth of dynamite and lasers. Without question, this one makes the list. This could also be considered by many people who own the Atari 2600 as the best game ever for the system. I've played this on many systems over the years, but there's no place like home on the Atari. This is another amazing game for the 2600. And you play this one out with the paddle controller, which works perfectly with this game. When you consider something this good was programmed and released for the Atari 2600 in 1981, you've really got to take your hat off and give them kudos. What's even more special about Warlords is that you can play up to four people at a time. Before Super Monkey Ball, this was the greatest party game ever. This is way too much fun, even today, for friends and family. I've no idea what all the hate is about Zaxxon on the Atari 2600. I absolutely love it. There's nothing else like it on the 2600. I mean, come on. It's a game that shouldn't even be possible on the 2600. And for me, it feels like one of those end of life consoles where the program has pushed every bit of juice out of the hardware possible. I don't care what anybody says. This is one I'm still happy to play with today. And it most certainly makes my list. Normally at this point, I do the honorable mentions where we look at games that just missed out on the list. There's so many great games on the 2600. Galaxian is another I've not added, but it's absolutely fantastic, maybe in a top 30. But here I'm going to look at, say, 10 of my favorite indie titles. So games that have been released post commercial life for the Atari 2600. So here we go. Here's my favorite top 10. I just wanted to sneak this one in Space Rocks from 2012. It's a homebrew title, but it pushes the Atari 2600 to its limits. A bit cheeky to add this one. But it's just one of those games I've, you know, I wasn't able to stop playing. You can have vector or solid shaped graphics. There's four difficulty levels as well, including a kids mode. Everything he's just that extra step above what you've come to expect from the Atari 2600. But there's so many great homebrew titles, it really is unbelievable. What this game proves on the 2600 is that there's still life in the old dog. Obviously, this is based loosely on the Halo series, famous on Xbox. I mean, when you think that this has been crammed into 4K, it's probably one of the best Atari 2600 games ever. Whilst not the eye shag that you get on the Xbox, it just goes to show that you can take a 3D game like Doom and Halo. And you can actually translate them into a 2D game. Welcome to probably the best shooter on the Atari 2600. There's such a tremendous challenge here. I must have shooter for Shoot them Up fans. Lots of fun, fantastic graphics and the music just blew me away. The voiceovers as well and the high score table add so much to this game. So you'll need the Atari Vox. The pace is frenetic. You'll enjoy every second of playing this game. This one absolutely stunned me the first time I played it. Eat Dots, avoid the bad guys, head for cover and spell out the words special for the Altar Prize. As arcade conversions go, this is simply heaven. It's easily up there as one of the best Atari 2600 games you'll ever play. Controls are really tight, completely spot on. And for an Atari 2600 game, the graphics are absolutely brilliant. It's definitely a must own for retro gamer fans. If you are looking for a game with bags of atmosphere, this is one homebrew title you must own for the VCS. It's also a real challenge as this game is not easy. Even the first level is difficult. It looks very good. It plays well. The controls are tight and shoot them up. Fans will absolutely enjoy the challenge. This is a very cool game. You'll need to descend deep into the caverns and destroy all the alien tech before they can be used on planet Earth. There really is life on Mars. For me, Seawolf is absolutely amazing. It's a fantastic little shooter that ups the challenge the further you survive. Your mission is to take out as many enemy ships as possible without exhausting your fuel or weapons. The graphics and sound are absolutely lovely. I mean, look at the sky there. Look at that sunset. Seawolf is a real treat. And I can see myself playing this one for years to come. I've never experienced or played anything like this before. The learning curve is absolutely brilliant. Once you get the hang of picking up the pearls and learn how to properly fend off the bad guys, you'll be hooked on an Atari 2600 game like never before. Be careful of the flashing lights if you suffer from epilepsy. Despite this, the graphics are fantastic and they take full advantage of the Atari 2600 color palette. Oystron is definitely one of my favorites. If you've not worked it out by now, I absolutely 100% loved my Shooter Mups. These aren't the best graphics you'll ever see, but it's definitely a fabulous homebrew experience. And just listen to that sound and music. What a great little game. What more can I say? The game is frantic and just absolute crazy. It just adds to the firepower that the Atari 2600 is one of the greatest, not only consoles of all time, but homebrew consoles of all time. What the Atari 2600 homebrew scene has taught me is quite simply that the Atari 2600 is still very much alive and breathing today. It continues to survive through its amazing homebrew community. And Colony 7 is another excellent game to add to your already fantastic homebrew collection. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better arcade conversion of a game on the Atari 2600, not just on the VCS, but any console. This is my last pick for homebrew. Surprise, surprise. It's another Shooter Mup. This is a great game for me because it's just pick up and play. Great for the casual gamer, the people that have to go out to work and just need that quick fix to de-stress. You race against the clock and must shoot down as many enemies as possible within the time limit. Survive long enough and it's you versus a massive end of level. Giant bomber or better still, a UFO. And here we have it. Number one, not necessarily the best Atari 2600 VCS game, but my personal favorite, based on the fact that it's the one I come back to the most. Without question, from my personal opinion, these are the best graphics I've seen on the Atari 2600. It made retro gamers top 25, came in at 16. So who am I to argue? It's definitely going in my list. I hope you've enjoyed this video. If you did, please do me the honor and subscribe, like or comment and ring that bell. Until next time, bye.