Vanguard Atari 2600 Review
Note: This review was written so the site could launch with some kind of content. It is not meant to be taken seriously. This article will not reflect the style of reviews I will write in the future.
Vanguard is one of the few games on the Atari 2600 that I can still enjoy today, mostly because it presents itself as an actual adventure rather than a glorified score-based minigame like the majority of games on the console. A plot exists, different levels with a decent variety of level themes, and finally there is gameplay that separates itself from other space shooters (at the time) like the hundreds of Space Invader clones.
The plot, at least according to other versions and sources, is about a selected pilot who has to travel through multiple levels to destroy different members of the Gond race at the end of each zone. The game never states what the Gond is, or why they are evil, but it’s safe to assume the monsters and enemy ships in this game are sent by them to stop the player.
For an Atari 2600 game, this game has quite a few mechanics that the player must utilize. Each zone is separated into six levels, each one is different from the other based on the direction the player is flying, the enemies the player faces, and the boarder around the level. The player must finish the level before their fuel depletes, but the fuel can be replenished after every enemy destroyed. The player is constantly shooting forwards, but can also shoot from the sides or even from behind by simply moving in that direction. Some levels also have squares that grant the player invincibility for a short amount of time.
The gameplay does not always compliment the level design, however. Every level auto scrolls in a single direction faster than the player can move backward, so as soon as the player misses an invincibility square by a single pixel they cannot fly back to get it. This is a bigger issue for more complicated vertical levels that introduces diverging paths that end with a block moving horizontally around the players X axis. These are not impossible to avoid but are still very hard to navigate around because of the limited speed and movement the player can make.
The end of each zone is also anti-climatic. I mentioned in the plot summary that the player needs to ‘Destroy’ the Gond rather than fight them. This is because once the level featuring a Gond start, the entire level is a single second of the player’s ship destroying a pixelated face. After that, the game moves the player to the next zone. Sorry for spoiling the game.
The presentation is decent. Every level within a zone is distinct and the borders are colorful. The sound effects of shooting lasers and ships blowing up do a great job selling the space theme. There is also a short song that plays while the player is invincible, but otherwise, the game is silent.
Vanguard is a game that is undeniably a product of its time and has plenty of flaws. However, as an Atari 2600 game, it’s easier to recommend to those looking for a retro multi-directional Shmup. It might be worth owning if you already own the console, but it’s not worth buying the console just to play it.
