Note: This is an old post that I’m finally (2024/12/12) getting back onto this blog. I used AI to generate the cover photo for this blog and, tbh, it’s just like a real Atari cartridge. The image is a shit ton cooler than the content I made back in 2014 (and released in January of 2018). Either way, enjoy the game!
The Atari 2600 was released back in September of 1977, 40 years and a few months ago. I wrote a rather simple driving game for the Atari back in September of 2014, and finally I’m getting around to putting it online.
Don’t expect a whole lot, I’m not a graphic designer, or a game dev. I’m also younger than the system I built for. I built it for fun as a learning lesson, as the 2600 is notoriously hard to program for (racing the beam, etc).
Well, if I’m going to make something to “race the beam”, what better than a racing game. Be prepared, GTA5 lovers, these graphics are “SIK” and “4K” if 4K means 4Kolors:
You’re the car on the right (solid black), the opponents are your drunk neighbors (the car on the left). They’ll drive on the wrong side, the middle, anywhere! Your job is to avoid a collision by using a joystick to move left and right. You can accelerate by going up, or crash into the wall to slow down.
The archive you downloaded (top and bottom of post for the link) includes some game art (the top and front labels, if you are going to flash this to a cartridge), as well as a nice, full-color manual! The picture is one I took ca. 2003 at the NHRA drag races at Route 66.
The game is playable, it’s enjoyable, if you go fast enough, it’s hard. It may even run on an old school 2600, though I recommend a nice RetroPi or, for even more immediate results, Stella.
Please leave feedback in the comments! I always enjoy it! (Good or absolutely terrible!)
New for the end of 2024: I’m releasing the original source on GitHub. Mind you, it may seem cool I used assembly — but I didn’t. I used VisualBB, which made it a ton easier. Check that out too!
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