ROB DICATERINO'S TOP TEN ATARI CONSOLE AND COMPUTER GAMES Paunch64@aol.com 10. Vanguard (2600/Atari) This game was the precursor to Gradius, Life Force, and R-Type. Not only did it have horizontal and vertical scrolling levels, but also your ship could fire in any direction. The limited-invincibility power-ups were cool, too. And, unlike many Atari 2600 games, this one actually had a final boss! And the closer you got to the final boss's head before shooting it, the more points you received! Top this off with a wide variety of enemies and branching paths in some levels. 9. The Challenge Of Nexar (2600/Spectravision) I assume not many people know this game. My uncle gave it to me and once I understood what to do, I was addicted. I remember playing this game for 8 hours at a time! The first-person, scrolling graphics were really well done for its time. And as the title states, this game was challenging! 8. Pac-Man (2600/Atari) I know this was considered by some to be a pathetic, horrible port of the arcade. Even at five years old, I knew this was "different" from its arcade counterpart. But it was fun and I played it all the time, constantly trying to break my own high score. I considered myself a real pro once I graduated from the "children's" mode. 7. Kaboom! (2600/Activision) This game was insane! Trying to catch bombs in buckets of water sounds easy, but after a few levels it becomes nearly impossible! Seeing the mad bomber smile when a bomb hit the ground and exploded was a nice touch. And like many other 2600 games, this game wouldn't have been possible without the 2600's analog "paddles." 6. Demon Attack (2600/Imagic) Sort of like Space Invaders, but a whole lot better. The aliens were really cool looking and when you shot them, they divided into "baby" aliens! The music was also reminiscent of Space Invaders, a constant pulse that brought anxiety to even the most casual player. Simple, but highly effective. 5. Warlords (7800/Atari) One of the best four-player simultaneous games ever created. Many hours were spent playing this one! 4. Klax (Lynx/Atari) A puzzle game better than Tetris? Yes! The scrolling graphics, rock music, and crystal clear digitized voices and sound effects combine with some of the most challenging and addicting gameplay ever to create an experience that will have your palms sweating in no time! Each level has a different objective, which greatly enhances the replay value and holds the player's interest longer than most puzzle games. 3. Megamania (2600/Activision) Another improved "cousin" of Space Invaders with wacky "enemies" and addicting gameplay. 2. Breakout (2600/Atari) At first this may seem like just another Pong clone, but after playing Breakout one realizes it's so much more. Another addicting Atari classic. 1. Circus Atari (2600/Atari) Another fun, addicting single and multiplayer 2600 game. Getting that last balloon was almost impossible sometimes! And getting two players to control the see-saw with each other is a riot! Honorable mentions 1. Haunted House (2600/Atari) The precursor to Resident Evil and Silent Hill. This game would scare the daylights out of me! Even the cover artwork was creepy! When your candle would blow out and a bat or a spider would come into the room...oh man! Even the music that played while going up and down the stairs gave me the chills!