Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1988
Ballblazer is a sports game that was also released on the Atari 5200 in 1986.
+ Action is impressively fast-paced with no slowdown despite the split-screen, and the graphics fit the futuristic vibe.+ Brilliant scoring system to keep the competition tense, ranging from 1-3 points depending on your distance from the goal.
+ Has some clever ways to outwit your foe, such as swerving the ball and using the boundary to your advantage.
+ Two-player mode is the highlight and shooting the winning goal when the posts are at their narrowest is euphoric.
+ POKEY chip sings with its bass-heavy tones and there's neat audio cues to signal when you can blast an opponent.
- Looks and plays almost exactly like the Atari 5200 version and it's fair to question this port's lack of enhancements.
- Camera alternates between two angles and it can be very disorientating when it suddenly moves to a side-view.
