Classic Game Room - SOLARIS review for Atari 2600

[@bennyvega100]

Probably the best 2600 game ever.

[@adrikgrimm]

Agreed. This and maybe Pitfall.

[@xxxBURSTANGELxxx]

@@adrikgrimm Pitfall 2,bro! ^^

[@djcymatic]

First VCS game I seriously got addicted to lol

[@berzerk2600]

Best of the games released in it's lifespan. Some really impressive new homebrews out there now.

[@louistournas120]

Very true. I think this was the last game that I bought, with my father of course. I don't remember the year but maybe it was 86, 87, 88?

[@kamthenerd3696]

Fun Fact: Solaris was originally going to be called The Last Starfighter to tie in with the movie, but the idea was trashed.

[@elhistoriero1227]

Now it is tied with the movie Solaris.

[@louistournas120]

@@elhistoriero1227 They should name a real star "Atari Solaris".

[@karaokehammick5215]

I tried it on the Atari 50 compilation and was pleasantly surprised. It is a whole lot of fun and I can't believe I never heard of it.

[@electricadventures]

It shows how far the capabilities of the Atari 2600 could be pushed. Amazing for a machine that was pretty much designed to play some fancier pong games. Credit goes to the designers adding both scan line interrupts (for palette changes per line), and expandability through the cartridge port i.e. later games contain memory RAM memory.

[@numanuma20]

electricadventures amen!

[@the9thinning1]

Best Atari 2600 graphics I've ever seen!

[@joestewart6027]

Definitely one of the best games on 2600. Too bad they didn’t make a version for 7800 with really good graphics

[@razeezar]

This was my favourite game on the Atari when I was a kid, even though I had no idea what to do as I didn't have the booklet, and I never got very far. A few years later my favourite space adventure game was Starflight 2 (PC), though I only got to play it rarely at a relative's house since I didn't have a PC at home until the late 90's.

[@billybobjoe198]

I read that comment before I viewed the video and it didn't even come close to preparing me for the visual masterpiece that this game is. It looks better than many NES titles.

[@colstephens76]

Not only the best game for Atari 2600, one of the best of all time! The guys on the planet are colonists. You are rescuing them, not running them over!

[@MrTheERRR]

It is very extremely fantastic how intricate the level design looks but being less than 16-Bit graphics it's deceptive the sense of speed when your spacecraft is zooming

[@TheOneTrueFingal]

Great game. I especially dig how the ship goes into hyperspace! Totally tubular!

[@jehad78]

Truly amazing ! I had an atari 2600 back in 1986 and never even saw this game !

[@pinebarrenpatriot8289]

So glad I'm Generation X. I loved growing up in the 80's with the Atari, NES, and Sega Genesis (1989) all making games. This looks like a solid 8-bit game. The Atari 2600 was an amazing machine.

[@MephistoOrb]

this is my favourite show on KZbin!!

[@ikeaaron]

This was my very first favorite game. This and the original Mario Bros. for the VCS/2600. The man-hours I spent playing those can't even be quantified! Thanks for the nostalgia trip!

[@HaganeSteel]

I love the creativity you put into your reviews.

[@davidbrobinson1995]

i loved growing up in the 90

[@ZetZatar]

That's some pretty advanced stuff going on for a 2600 game! Looks more like a 5200 or 7800 game.

[@zudemaster]

Quest For Solaris, sounds like it could have been a never completed Rush album!

[@gaboz]

It look impressive for that time. Some great ideas went into making that game

[@jariten17]

1986 I was in Kindergarten and had never played video games other than at Peter Piper Pizza and Putt-Putt (and those machines were too damned tall...I had to stand on a chair). Little did I know that Christmas would bring me a little grey box that would change everything.

[@cerberus144]

1986, I was...three years old. It was a good time, Potty Training was in full force.

[@SirCaco]

Damn, Mark. You really went overboard with the nostalgia this time o_ o

[@southgonholditdown]

Solaris is an awesome book, must read for any sci-fi fan,

[@FocusSight]

Sonic 2006 reference on a 2600 game before Sonic 06' was Made? - Priceless

[@Synthwave1980]

Omg you rock. I kept trying to think of the spaceship shooter that was my favorite game for Atari that I used to play on our 7800. This is totally it. Thank you Mark. I can go on living my life again. I used to play the sh#@ out of this game. Keep up the CGR Awesomeness

[@muen4634]

love the laserdisc reference

[@jamesrbrindle]

Love the review style Mark, wish we were back in 1986! Awesome game too.

[@Kingslayer76]

He does sometimes, but you can watch anyone review modern games. I like watching all the old game reviews because it makes me all nostalgic. I think i can say that for most of mark's audience. We love our old games. They don't make em' like they used to.

[@SylveonTrapito]

I didn' know the old 2600 could make that. Amazing graphics and detailed backgrounds. I never had this one :(

[@TheMrNMrsParish]

One of the very last 2600 games I owned right before I spotted a Sega Master System at a department store. An old favorite!!!

[@MrROTD]

compare early atari games to this one and you can see they squeezed a lot out of the system graphically.

[@atomcraft]

Thanks Mark. I had completely forgotten that I owned this when I was a kid. I never found Solaris.

[@meoweo]

that's best looking 2600 game ive ever seen

[@sonicmario64]

I remember playing this game when I was in first grade! It was totally awesome, and it still does to this day! :D

[@JohnSTF72]

It's like Star Raiders,only it looks (and probably plays) way better. The 2600 never ceases to amaze me with its hidden gems.

[@VulpisFoxfire]

Zylons...was this game part of the Atari Force storyline?

[@richardhutnik]

Solaris is hot... and Midnight Magic's Mean... The Fun is Back!

[@teknifix]

This is one of my favourites as well. I wish I had a 2600 again.

[@Thomaticus]

Love this game.....I still have it!

[@HappyWulf]

I had this game. It was one of my favorites.

[@Alianger]

It kinda reminds me of the Star Fox 2 beta for SNES, pretty cool game.

[@HauntedCJ]

At last!! This game blew me away back in the day!!

[@TRKizm]

You was still watching Beta in 1986? - the Fisher vhs was released a year earlier.

[@StevenVillman]

Yes... Betmax was *_already_* on its way out by 1986, and it completely died off 2 years later on in time!

[@Steelebourne]

I can't wait to buy the new Star Wars movie's soundtrack on 8-track!! I just LOVE how much better they sound than those boring "cassettes"...those tiny things will only be out for a few months, I just know it!!

[@RogueBoyScout]

LOL :P

[@SteveBrandon]

Was the random shout-out to "Hogan's" in reference to THE HOGAN FAMILY? That show was still called VALERIE in 1986 as Valerie Harper didn't leave and have her character killed off until the third season.

[@jasonian2339]

I just started playing Solaris, and I didn’t know you were supposed to put aliens in that box so I would just blow it up. I guess I should’ve read the manual

[@dante224real1]

i cant wait till the new zz top 8-track comes out! its gonna be so rad! and by the way dont rag on nintendo man! that nintendo system has color output and a cool rob brand robot! its gonna have tons of cool games that work with it coming out in a few years! i even hear nintendo is gonna get together with that new walkman company called "sony" and they are gonna rule the whole games market! i have a subscription to sears monthly so i'm in the know about all new games coming out.

[@louistournas120]

I think they made 3 games for the Robby the robot. I've never seen them being sold back then. In fact, I don't ever remember seeing the light gun games being sold back then.

[@bencheshire]

I wish I could get a NES but my dad just got me an Amiga, but I still keep my dads 2600 woody on my desk next to it, and this game looks great, even though im only three and probably wouldnt appreciate it.

[@Neonpremesis2]

Surprised he didn't comment on the graphics. They look damn impressive for a 2600 title.

[@StevenVillman]

*_I KNOW..._* right...?! I thought that this video game was for the *_Atari_*_ _*_*7800*_* because of the impressive, NES-level of graphics when I watched a half hour gameplay KZbin video of this video game on a different KZbin Channel just before this one - *_*LOL!!!!!*_* XD :O :D

[@OldNick999-real1]

I used to have this one. It was great!

[@mechanoid2k]

believe it or not the one for the snes was to hook it up to satellaview which was an online service for snes (believe it or not). the service was only availible in japan as far as i know

[@cMehu]

Mark you always make these reviews interesting and entertaining! You have your own great style, please don't change or change the world!! :)

[@ObiTrev]

I have researched the EXT Port extensively, but I wanted to hear one of his fun speculative rants on the subject. "Have you read the newest Nintendo Power!? I just found out there making an add on for the NES! It's gonna' be able to play VHS tapes and have Cable Box Tuner capabilities", or something similarly retro-active.

[@MajorStupido]

Where did he get a HD Camera in 1986?

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

I hear they're starting a new broadcast network to challenge "The Big Three" next year! :-)

[@Bloodthr0e]

This is pretty amazing for the 2600.

[@richardf2208]

Many people have perceived Solaris to be the sequel to Star Raiders. And I always treated Solaris as the sequel to Star Raiders!!. The cover art was the same but reversed. The enemy spaceships were similar if not the same. Star Raiders enemies were called the krylons and Solaris were the Zylons. It even says the Zylons are back In the storyline!!. I always imagined the Krylons morphed into the Zylons as more aggressive, Stronger, bad ass aliens that were hell bent on galaxy take over after they got their ass kicked in Star Raiders!! The storyline is similar on both games as the krylons in Star Raiders were attacking planets As did the Zylons were attacked planets in Solaris. Your ship is called a Starfighter just like in Solaris so yeah I personally believe Solaris is the sequel!!

[@fiercebanana]

It didn't get a betamax release, but it got a laserdisc release!

[@cheerioabomination]

Well I've watched my 15 CGR videos for the day. I guess I have to go to work now.

[@riseandfall420]

haha the last starfighter. i remember that movie.

[@systematicdecline24]

MARK something went horribly wrong this video uploaded in 2012 :O

[@WowplayerMe]

Hahaha, Looking forward to the review of Star Trek II on Laserdisc!

[@fargeeks]

Wow best graphics I ever seen on the atari 2800 or 2600

[@simonriddick]

Ah the memories :) Looking back at it the game looks super primitive now.

[@syncmaster732nplus]

If you play the solaris (the original Atari 2600) then you get a plane shadowing affect witch is actually cool in my opinion

[@marinhoeh3406]

Nice planet of the apes reference!

[@williamshores4882]

I just bought this and another controller. I didn’t know the controls occasionally flipped so I thought my controller was broken.

[@MatthJenks]

I believe you were actually meeting friends at the arcade to play Gauntlet!

[@me000]

When I watch this video am I traveling to 1986 or is mark traveling to 2014?

[@richardf2208]

One of my all time favorite Video Games!! Played this for hours on end! Excellent gameplay and graphics. It actually felt like I was the commander of a spaceship!! SOLARIS definitely needs a remake for modern game systems!! Microsoft.. Sony.. are you listening?? Lol😊

[@beneath_the_woods]

Looks pretty impressive considering it's on the 2600.

[@punja73]

i was in year 7 back in 86 was a good year lol

[@izvitz]

Wow, Mark hasn't aged a bit since then...

[@HelpmelamEnglish]

Don't forget when it's the 00's it won't be the 80's or 90's. Logic ftw!

[@HelpmelamEnglish]

Aah now i see, you maybe right, we'll have to wait and find out lol.

[@ObiTrev]

Now if only he could review the mysterious EXT ports on the bottom of the NES and SNES!

[@nick6var]

It was created by the creator of the original Star Raiders, and was almost a tie-in for The Last Starfighter.

[@unboxingsonyonly]

its 1986 and im from the futer, i have a playstation 3 it came out in 2006

[@punja73]

my favourite atari 2600 game!

[@Steelback70]

So when KZbin demanded I sign in to be able to see this review, I thought it was because there was objectionable content in it. What's so objectionable about the '80s?

[@duke1647]

Yeah, I find it obscure that the 80s would be objectional

[@punja73]

lol i remember the controls would always flip for me cos id often be too late to save one of the fed planets, i managed to make it to Solaris in the end though

[@m34nb34n]

I have this !333 i got a copy with the original box and it even shrink wrapped

[@tenacious645]

Wow this game had some pretty good graphics for the time

[@WyreWizard]

LOL, 1986. Man, I was 15 years old and a sophomore in HS. I remember back then video games were on a slow decline because of the mistake Atari made flooding the market with crap games. I was thankful though, Nintendo resurrected the market with their NES. I got one and never looked back. Of course, I also won $5,000 from a contest. I used the money to buy a lot of stock in a little company called AOL.

[@Alex_Miller1980]

I just watched SPACEBALLS on beta, drink a can of TAB and damn 80´s rules !!!

[@RottenRroses]

I am not convinced Mark really recorded this in 1986.

[@joestradamus75]

Don't you need to use the key pad? I noticed you didn't mention this in your review. come to think of it, maybe I'm thinking of some other game.

[@TheDanishNinja]

Now you have to make a star trek 2 on laserdisc, review!

[@matthewlane518]

It looks so much like moonsweeper, but yes more advanced

[@CornishCreamtea07]

Yes but you have to hammer the cartridge in or it won't work

[@shindra86]

This looks good

[@Trusteft]

Is this the most complex Atari 2600 game?

[@Lemon77UG]

@hellonpluto: shoot lasers?

[@LaVeyCharkusVeros]

Everybody, thank Bane! :D

[@sonatonemaster]

Is this based on the book Solaris by Stanislaw Lem.

[@springfever2002]

Keep up the good work Mark! Public Access TV is Awesome :D Hope you tryout this new service called HBO, It's a black box that gives you the latest movies.

[@mr.pavone9719]

This game took both Star Raiders and Starmaster, mixed them together and kicked them up a couple notches..

[@moondancekid1]

Solaris is the coolest game EVER

[@cerberus144]

We've entered a dark place now. XD