Page 30 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #6

Article originally appeared in Video
and Computer Gaming Illustrated,
January, 1984 issue.

By Leonard Herman

There are a wealth of games available that
let your fingers do the walking . . . And
let your brain do most of the work!
T and Othello. Checkers, which is available from
here are a wealth of games available that let
your fingers do the walking...and your brain
both Atari & Activision for the 2600, and Othello
do most of the work!
are easy to learn but very difficult to master,
The centuries old notion of man v. machine has are both excellent strategy games. Both games
come to frivolous fruition with the introduction of and both games are suitable for two player
videogames. Alas, the human being seems to be the competition. Both games can also be played
loser in this interesting battle. against the computer, but the strategy that you
In the majority of videogames in which you play customarily utilize in solo games may not work.
against the computer, the computer is ultimately and Why? Because when you play against the com-
inevitably the victor. The thrill of victory is earned puter, you can't trick it into anything. Since the
only when you beat a previous high score; you are computer monitors every single move, you
only winning over another human opponent, or your- can't plan on 'sneaking' up on your opponent
self. In the long run, the omnipotent computer is and making a surprise attack. A human oppo-
always the winner. nent may not look many moves ahead (unless
Fortunately for owners of the Atari 2600 who (s)he is an expert player) and you can therefore
want to win against their opponents but not surren- Checkers from Activision complete a surprise attack. For this reason,
der to the machine, there are games that allow you Video Chess cannot be included in a list of
to play strategically rather than accepting challenges strategic games as this is a one-player only
that the computer serves up. These strategic games merely different forms of target games. Only M- game.
allow you and your opponents to plan your moves; Network's Armor Ambush, a two-player tank game, But there are games available for the 2600
the player with the more shrewd strategy will ulti- allows for strategic play. with non-war themes that still make excellent
In this game, you and your opponent each have
mately be the winner. The game doesn't end when use of strategic situations. In Surround, one of
both players have lost their final turn, with the high two tanks to choose from; these can be alternated the oldest games available for the system, you
score determining the winner. The game ends be- throughout the game. You lose a tank when it has and your opponent each control a constantly
cause one competitor is out. been shot three times by the enemy. You can plan moving on-screen cursor. As the cursor is
One should not equate strategy games with ad- your strategy right from the beginning. If you think it moved, it leaves a solid line in its wake which
venture games. Adventure games are those games will be to your advantage to have your opponent go neither player can run into without losing a turn.
in which a single player sets out on a quest in order after your vulnerable tank while you go after his or her The object is to contain your constantly moving
to find something. Strategy is not involved; most of operating one, definitely follow this plan. You can also opponent, to force him/her to crash into one of
the time you are wandering through different take into account the terrain as you plan your line of the walls. You score a point whenever you stop
screens in search of certain objects. No, to play a attack. Your tank will drive fast on roads, slower on your opponent; the first player to score ten
game strategically, you must have some kind of plan grass, and slowest through water. You can plan to go points is the winner. You must plan the moves
when you begin. Because 'strategy' is often associ- after your opponent by coercing his/her tank towards you are about to take, and you must do so
ated with the military, it can be assumed that there the water as you travel on the roads. Because the quickly. Remember, you want to close your
are two sides pitted against each other, and that’s game consists of several playfields, no two games will enemy in without getting closed in yourself.
why some sort of strategic plan is needed. Thus, an ever be the same. The winner of this match will defi- Flag Capture is a video version of the old
adventure game that is played by one person cannot nitely be the player with the more sound strategy. board game classic, Stratego. In the board
be considered a strategic game. You may play it The description of Armor Ambush will lead 2600 game (which is also available in an electronic
strategically but it will be a one-sided affair since you owners to think of Combat, the antiquated war game edition), you must set up a plan to find the flag
that accompanies all 2600 consoles. Like Armor Am-
aren't playing against anyone. Certainly the com- through trial and error while avoiding bombs. In
puter isn't playing strategically since it is always fol- bush, Combat includes "Tank,” another military tank a way it resembles chess in that each piece
lowing its programming. game in which two players pit themselves against has its own function and some pieces outrank
each other with tanks. However, this cannot be con-
Although 'strategy' is a military word, of the others. The unique facet of Stratego is that
twenty or so military games that are available for the sidered a strategic game since the players cannot each player only knows what his/her pieces
2600, only one could really be considered strategic. map out their battle plan. "Tank" is merely a game in are. Although you can see what each of your
The majority of games, such as Atari's Battlezone, which you must shoot your opponent more times than pieces are worth, you can only see the back of
he shoots you within a specified period of time. Real
Air-Sea Battle, and Submarine Commander, are your opponent's pieces and therefore can't see
war, as you probably know, is not fought within a time what their value is. The object of the game is to
limit. In "Tank" you know when the game will end and strategically set up your opponent's setup and
nothing you do can change that.
Leonard Herman is the author of the books War has been a way of life since before historical capture his or her flag before (s)he can get to
ABC to the VCS (a Directory of Software to record; throughout the ages war has inspired board yours.
the Atari 2600 and Phoenix: The Fall and Rise games that have since found their way into the video- Flag Capture, in which you must also cap-
ture a flag, is Stratego minimo. Confrontations
of Videogames game circuit. Among the oldest strategic games that between players are eliminated in this stripped-
began as board games are Video Chess, Checkers, down version: each player controls only one
Classic Gamer Magazine Spring 2001 30