Ahh, the good old Atari 2600.  You know, no matter how classic it is and how many hours you may have dumped into it back in the day, I’d imagine that most people these days probably wouldn’t think that there’s much of a reason to spend hours and hours on one of these games in this day and age.

And readers, that’s where I’d like to introduce you to Yars’ Revenge.It doesn’t matter what year it is because this game is still great some thirty-odd years later.  I can still pour hours into it.  I don’t know what, exactly, it is about it that makes it so addictive.  I think because it packs a surprising amount of depth for an Atari 2600 game.  You have to shoot the guy at the opposite end of the screen but you also have to break down his shield and avoid his missiles, while using the colorful ribbon across the screen as a tactical advantage.  Like many old games, the point is just to get your score as high as it can go– and boy, I have definitely spent hours trying to do just that.

If you don’t have a 2600 or don’t feel like digging it out, don’t fret: you can play the game online.  Granted, playing it with the keyboard doesn’t compare to playing it with a real joystick, so get yourself an Atari Flashback because it’s worth it for this game alone, but with the one of the top keyboards for pc, this can be very possible.

Enjoy!