River Raid

Just as good as the Atari 8-bit version which share the two important factors: simplicity and fun!
I absolutely love the look of it and it plays great, definitely one of my favourites!

I like the previous review. There IS something magical about the 2600 version, but the C64 version of River Raid will not disappoint you. The Coleco version has a strange difficulty curve and the Intellivision version is full of missed shots and strange delays. I haven't played the A8/5200 version enough to comment, but I think the battle will always be between the C64 and 2600 version of the game. After spending a lot of time recently on the Commodore version, I find that the new enemies and patterns are slightly more compelling than the older 2600 game. Still, it is hard to keep away from that original.

Gameplay Video Link:
youtube.com/watch?v=j1A3yi773MI

Here we have another case, where the conversion is not as good as the original - though the C64 version is a great game, that I have recently played a lot with my Commodore 128, it's not AS GOOD as the Atari 2600 version.

They just somehow almost magically got something 'perfect' with the Atari 2600 so much, that when they 'ported' things to other platforms, something was always lost, and the gameplay became a little bit 'off'.

When I played the Atari 2600 version after growing up with the C64 version, I was amazed as to how great it is, and how the playability seemed tighter than the C64 version's. If I had to choose, I'd play the Atari 2600 version despite the nostalgy for the C64 version.

But as I said, the C64 version is still a good game, nothing really wrong with it or anything. It's great fun to play, I just made a new record (compared to my old results only, not comparing to other people) lately, and got so far that the ships and helicopters start going apeshít!

This is a great C64 classic, but if you can get hold of a real Atari 2600 and its original version of River Raid, I suggest you play that one.

Loved flying max speed and seeing how far I could get using my hand and eye coordination to dodge and fire my way past obstacles. What a blast. For me the game was something with a lot of re-playability. I remember it having different levels you could select to start out at. My friends and I used to take turns flying... When I would die I would have over the joystick... And vice-verse. This game is a must for any serious C64 game collector.

Wow I had this on the Atari 2600 and didn't know until now that there was a C64 version. It looks exactly the same as the 2600 version

Looks and sounds like a typical early C64 / Atari 2600 game... But plays like a dream! So addictive and fun - keeps you coming back for more!!
Classic!

River Raid was and still is one on my favorite C64 games! I played it for many many hours back in the late 80's. I own the cartridge today, and I hang on to it. The game sounds will never be forgotten. Try it and buy it!

I love this game. It's fun and addictive. I think its main strength is how the difficulty increases as you progress. It challenges you to improve until you can beat the game. That's the interesting part about it for me, honestly.

I've never understood why this game is so raved about. I've had it both on the 2600 and the Commie and was always bored after a couple of minutes of play. So then I say, "Well, maybe I haven't given it a fair chance" and try yet again some months down the road. And still it bores me.

Still play this game even today on the C64 and Atari 2600 emulators. Simple addictive shooting action and going up that river of no return is as enjoyable today as it was in the very early 80s.

Yep, "addictive" puts it best - River Raid may not have splendid graphics and sound f/x but there's nothing like zooming through its narrow levels, picking up gas and destroying ground and air targets, looks quite easy at first but becomes tough in later levels. Even if you haven't played it back in the day and can look past the blunt graphics, it still has a lot to offer to those in for a good shmup challenge. A major classic, no more, no less. 8/10.

Simple Atari VCS-looking GFX, but super-smooth scrolling and so addictive. I always went back for one more try just to see if I could make it past the next bridge!

River Raid is a classic and even though the 2600 version rocks, the C64 one os sweet as well. Just the little things done to the graphics are a nice touch.

This is a classic, many of nights up late on this one, so very easy early on and insane in the later levels.. So many times I was screaming for a fuel up that was just out of reach.

Whoever took the screenshots is a cheater!!! Check the last one. Anyway, this is one of the games that stood the test of time for me. I still play it.

Typical shoot'em up game, nothing special. It was fun for a whole 5 minutes then it was time for another game.

Great game on the Atari2600 System, and also great on the C64 System.

The very first game of me...

A very good game lies beneath the fairly dull surface of this one. It takes far too long for things to get interesting and there needs to be a bit more variety though.

For a shooter, there are very few things that actually shoot at you and more often than not you'll die by running into things or running out of fuel, definitely worth playing though.

Wtf, I thought at first, the bullet is even following the player x pos... But hey, it have a nice effect and in strangly manners this games is redicules fun...
It have a certain balance that many goodgfx games totally miss...
Not sure I would play it now without the lemon compo though... My goal score is 100 000

A note to ninja shoot em up masters: Don't be put off by how staggeringly easy this game is early on, by level 50 it's as challenging as they come! A great little game.

Oh my! Real classic. All my family was playing this and my father bought C64 because he want to play RR. Awesome classic!

One of my first C64 games. Had it on the Cartridge...
Still playable. Nice indeed.

This was one of the 1st commie games I got in the mid 80s along with wizard of wor. I couldn't help but think how mad this game was as I also had it on the 2600 and its just slightly better but still fun to play once in a while...

Truly one of my all time favourites!

Another classic from the Atari. The game you need when you just want to some good and plain fun. Maybe I'm getting old, but I love those simple and addictive games.

River Raid is the game which I always love to play at home. So easy for me, hitting all planes, ships, helecopters & the balloons. The tank is hard to get, but hitting the bridge when the tank is on it will be gone. How good is this game, another classic game from Activision. 10/10.

What about shooting in the middle of fuels.

How a so small game like this one could have "infinite" bridges ???
Someone have finished it ? I use wrote a list of all bridges without fuel - the real danger. I downloaded it recently and still is in my top 10

Super addictive gameplay! Not to be missed! A true classic!

Unbelievably addictive! My Dad and I had competitions to see how far we could get. Was there ever an end to this game? We got *SO* far it seemed. The difficulty was unreal at the top levels...

Always liked this game, damn addictive and playable, graphics are bad thou...

Another Activision port from the VCS and again they didn't improve the graphics (a lot)... But the kept the addictive spirit (excatly like the ports of pitfall and hero) ... A true classic ... Bad graphics and simple but addictive gameplay ... A must-try ...

This is a classic game no one should miss. The graphics and sound is rather simple but the game-play is die hard fun. Addictive !!! Superb !!! Fantastic !!!

Probably the most playable Vertical shoot'em up out there! And this is also what started V-Shoot'em ups, and the original is always the best!

Classic. Very addictive.

Ugly looking, but sooooooo addictive! I just couldn't stop playing this I remember mom and dad being very angry since I was always playing this great game. Have to get this somewhere!

Is the river REALLY endless? Sure seems like it - Dad used to get to something like bridge 350 before finally losing the last life...

This game owned me. That is all.

Hmmm was the moving bullet a bug? Or was it meant to be that way? Still a classic and an Atari best seller...

A true classic on any machine - It is just so fun to play and very challenging - I like the way the bullet when fired - moves with your ship - it adds a new element to the simple shoot em up genre - Get it now and shoot for your life