Atari’s Adventure Reviewed
In the days before computers permeated every inch of daily life, fantasy gaming was confined to the family room or the kitchen and was resolved with dice and pieces of paper (costumes optional? – Ed). Of course, early computers jumped on the Fantasy game bandwagon, but most of those machines were inaccessible or expensive. So it was a big deal, when at the turn of the decade, Adventure, a fantasy-themed game, showed up on store shelves. It was fantasy video gaming for the masses, and it is accessible and fun.
The game puts you in a medieval setting where you must slay dragons, navigate mazes and enter castles. When I was a kid playing this in my living room, I found it challenging and exciting. It didn’t matter how simple the graphics were or sparse the game elements. I was fully immersed.
So how does it hold up today? Surprisingly well. While the game is simple, a race with a few dangers to slay or dodge, it is the simplicity that makes it so enjoyable to play and I found myself replaying it again and again to see if I could do it faster each time.
I tried to imagine how I would change the game or improve the graphics, but I think any changes would take away from the game. The magic of Adventure is its complex simplicity. While it may not offer a deeply immersive environment, it will continue to challenge you to be fast and more alert.
Adventure is the pinnacle of early tech fantasy gaming, that is why I am giving it 5 out of 5 stars.
