 Some people think that they can't imagine life without Nintendo or Sega. Well, I can't imagine life without Atari. Well, it's said that Atari and its 2600 console created the console scene virtually single-handed. For me personally, it's the mother of all consoles. And almost 50 years later, you can still buy it in the shop. And first-generation video games have never looked so good. I digress. But in all seriousness, if you've ever yearned to learn about the history of video games, the Atari 2600 console might just be the best place to start. Alrighty, on with the show. These are the 10 best Atari 2600 games that have stood the test of time. You're a starship kept in an asteroid field. They'll show no pity. The greatest ones stop us from the skies they drop. Three out of this world games from Atari. The number one video computer system with more games than any other. Everyone's gone to Atari. Number ten, the Empire Strikes Back. And it's more tactical than one might think. I loved it so much, I've still got the cartridge. And the good points of this game, outweigh the bad. It's also massive fun to play, and it's especially nice to play it. If you've had a hard day at work, you're back from the office, you kicked your shoes off, and you just want to shoot some bad guys. The controls are tight, the walkers just keep coming. And I think even today, it's worthy of the old Star Wars name. And it's still a sight to behold, when you bring one of the walkers down. Still an entertaining blast. Number nine, Pitfall. I know everybody will shout, go left, go left, it's easier. But remember, it's no fun if it's too easy. Saying that, I still can't remember if this game's got an ending or not. Did anybody out there ever complete it? I also imagine that for some, this was probably their first ever game. And I also imagine back then, it felt like probably the best game ever. Or the opposite end of the spectrum. I admit it doesn't look great, but it doesn't look terrible either. And it still plays really well, even today. I gave this one to my eight and six year old to play. They really liked it, they had fun, it made them laugh. And when they gave up, I continued. Number eight, Battlezone. Very impressive. Without question, a technical marvel on the 2600. So lots of love towards it, and it's a good challenge. And when you consider the limitations of the Atari 2600, it's an excellent reproduction of the arcade original. Essentially what you've got here is a 3D search and destroy, which is exactly what I was looking for. Minus the volcano. I actually prefer this of the arcade original. It's a fun game that shouldn't be missed by anybody new to the 2600. Number seven, Millipede. Yes, I know Centipede is brilliant. But Millipede is more of everything. There's more finesse. You can tell that the programmer has taken more care. It's just an absolute fantastic arcade conversion to the Atari 2600. And whilst the graphics haven't survived the test, the gameplay has. It's a game that you can just easily pick up and play. It's so simple, but it's really addictive. And later on, it will take skill. By all means, check out Centipede as well. That's fantastic. You can't go wrong with either game you choose. Number six, Phoenix. Now, some people will prefer Demon Attack. It's very similar, probably a little bit better. But in my humble opinion, this is the original and the best. Like I say, it's a timeless classic and it plays an absolute blinder. But if you're new to the Atari 2600, make sure you get Demon Attack as well. And then you make the decision. Me personally, I'll always choose playability over everything else. And here's the bombshell. I prefer this over Space Invaders, but not in the arcade. Welcome to the future. The year is 2600. Number five, Enduro. For me, still a thrill and an entertaining drive. It's one I like to play, given any excuse. Yes, it's an endurance race, and that means it's a heck of a challenge. You have to use your imagination a little bit, especially at night and during the fog sections. But the first time I ever experienced those conditions, it's blown away. Get over the graphics if you can, and you've got one heck of a challenge here. But better still, even today, it's bags of fun. What's that you say? The sprites look like spiders? To me, they look like F1 cars. And that's a Ferrari I'm driving. Ah, number four, Berserk. My goodness me, one of the best, if not the best, Atari 2600 games of all time. But these things are all highly subjective. For me, it just nails the arcade's controls and gameplay. And in the end, the only thing that lets you down is your own lack of skill. Like Robotron in the arcade, once you get in the zone, once you hit that sweet spot, there's no stopping you. It's a shame there's no speech, but that doesn't stop me believing it's one of the greatest arcade conversions of all time. And if you get the chance, check out the Atari 5200 version as well. That includes the speech. Number three, Missile Command. For me, one of the best games ever made in the arcade. Saying that, this is an absolute fantastic arcade conversion. It doesn't need superlative graphics, or sprites to write home about, or 4096 colours. It just needed to play like the arcade original. And boy did they achieve. When faced with a man-mountain of technical restrictions, step forward programmer Rob Fuller. Missile Command is golden age video game stuff. It's so good that it appears in the book 1001 video games, you must play before you die. Heroic number two. The graphics in this game, back in the day, would be the equivalent of some of the best graphics on PS5 today. It's a breathtaking underground panorama. People today might look at it and argue that it looks awful, sounds terrible, but they can't deny it plays absolutely beautifully. They've released this on the Colecovision, the Commodore 64, the ZX Spectrum, you name it, but this is the home of Hero, and the definitive version. If anybody suggests otherwise, they're jealous. Ah, River Raid number one. It would have been rude not to. Carol Shaw showed everyone how to get the best out of the Atari VCS later, 2600. And in doing so, she not only created a fine example, but in my personal humble opinion, the best Atari game money could buy and published by the excellent Activision, they deserve it. There's so many great games that haven't been included. Frogger, Solaris, Miss Pac-Man, Keystone Capers, SeaQuest, Defender 2, Adventure, Yars Revenge, Pitfall 2, and Pac-Man Jr. to name a few. Until next time, stay humble, but more importantly, stay Atari.