Hat Trick (Atari 7800 review)

Developer: Ibid, Inc.
Publisher: Atari Corporation
Released: 1987

Hat Trick is a sports game that's exclusive to the Atari 7800.

+ Has multiplayer / CPU difficulty options and the scoreboard displays the number of saves, as well as goals.

+ Rather than having to switch players, you intuitively control the goalie at the same time, allowing for quick reactions.

- Considering the lack of in-game sprites, the action is absurdly choppy with a frame-rate in the single digits.

- Collision detection and puck physics are suspect, and Overtime is too short with only 20 seconds of available time.

- Needed a difficulty middle ground, as the CPU goalie is either braindead in Novice mode, or a stonewall in Expert.

- Includes a neat looking Zamboni show, but it's pointless when you consider the fact that there's only one period!

- No options to select period length, only single matches are available and the game's longevity is questionable.