Gildahl19 Jul 2022
I can't review this title without pointing out how overwhelmingly superior the AtariSoft version of Centipede for the Colecovision was. There was often a feeling that video game companies would always do the best job on games for their native platforms, but AtariSoft was an exception, releasing games on other platforms that could come close to bringing shame to those on its native platform. Galaxian was another title that was just amazing on the CV compared with its Atari 8-bit counterpart. And its version of Defender brough smooth scrolling to the Colecovision, a console that was known for no hardware scrolling. Anyway, with comparisons aside, this version of Centipede is pretty good nonetheless, and plays pretty authentically; but the graphics always seemed too boxy and the non-fluid motion of the centipede always bugged me (pun intended). Since the centipede's segments move an entire segment width at once, it can seem like each segment is just a big pixel, especially when dropping straight down. Otherwise sound is pretty good and gameplay fun. It's just not the definitive version for its day. That would go to AtariSoft's CV version.
Auntie Pastie9 Apr 2011
Atari seem to have released two distinct versions of Centipede for the 400/800/XL/XE computers.
In addition to the original 1982 release, there's also a noticably different- and somewhat more polished- version that appears to be an XL/XE transfer of the version written for the 5200 console.
The "5200" version appears on at least one late-80s Atari compilation (and possibly elsewhere?)
AtariKSI31 Aug 2010
It's not that bad. I have played both Atari 5200 and Atari 800 versions and I prefer the Atari 800 version. The graphics are much cleaner looking and obviously the digital joystick makes things a lot more accurate to move things around. Trackball makes you doubt if you are all the way at the bottom or not given the rolling nature of the ball.
rexreed20 Oct 2009
Ugh. I don't understand why this version is so lousy, especially after playing the 5200 port. The centipede moves very choppy and when you die there isn't even an explosion! Just a little static. FAIL.
