Battle of the Ports - Zaxxon (ザクソン) Show
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 พ.ย. 2024
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When you wanted innovative arcade gaming in the 80's and 90's you looked towards Sega. In this video we take a look at a true Sega classic from 1982.
Time Code
00:19 - Arcade
01:58 - Atari 5200
02:51 - Atari 2600
03:50 - Intelevision
04:45 - ColecoVision
05:53 - Amiga
06:51 - MS Dos
08:02 - Apple][
09:06 - Sega SG1000
10:33 - Sega Master System
11:56 - Dragon 32
12:47 - MSX
13:46 - ZX Spectrum
14:32 - Commodore 64
15:22 - Atari 8Bit Home Computers
16:10 - All versions side by side
Enjoy!
![30 ชั่วโมงคนเดียว บนรถไฟชั้น 3 โซเวียต [Around The World Ep. 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MlE9boAVqDA/mqdefault.jpg)
for those of us growing up in the 80's, the Colecovision version was amazing, especially when you consider that most kids had Atari at home.
I never knew about the SMS port and it actually looks decent.
Does anyone know if this game ever made it to a Sega Ages disc?
It's cool how the Atari 5200/8-bit version was done by Ron J. Fortier. As you may know, he also created Bruce Lee.
Great! I thought the Coleco Vision was jaw-dropping for the time. Of course the arcade version had that fighter plane control stick, but man, the Coleco version was luxury gaming then. Zaxxon was a classic, wondering if you ever tried Future Spy by Sega as well?
The Colecovision was indeed a lovely console to own back in the day. It was far more advanced than the 2600.
Ive not played Future Spy but now that you've mentioned it I'll check it out.
I remember using my birthday money to buy the Colecovision version of this. It was absolutely amazing to play. Unfortunately I clocked it on the first day that I got it but I still enjoyed playing it often. I would try to destroy every single enemy on the screen (which is impossible) but it certainly was a great challenge.
Nice video comparison. I had the this for my Atari 800XL. I was still a bit jealous of the C64 having graphics much closer to the arcade with better ground texturing and overall degree of isometric layout. Of course I am impressed by the Atari 5200 version. Amazing system plagued with a breakable analog-only controller. The 5200 system even had Lucasfilm games in cart form.
The C64 version is really nice. I was very surprised when first playing it. Same can be said about the 5200 version too. I wasn't expecting it to be as smooth as it was.
Growing up with a Commodore 64 that had a monochrome monitor, this brings back nostalgic memories and yet also looks completely alien. After years of experiencing it a certain way, Zaxxon just doesn't feel right if it's not brown. (The colors on some of the other versions are so garish, monochrome would've been a visual mercy.)
A few notes to add.
The Amiga version is not an official port. It was a freeware game, and on its readme file it clearly says it was based on the C64 version.
The MSX actually got TWO official ports of Zaxxon, the one you showed was produced by Sega itself.. I don't remember who made the other one, but it was a direct port of the Colecovision version (Something very common on MSX too). The title screen was different, but it was the same game.
The Sega version was a lot more common and it's the one most easily found on the web, but I had both versions back at the day, and it was actually kinda confusing, people were calling the Coleco port "Zaxxon" and the Sega one "Zaxxon 2".
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My dad told me when he and his friends first saw the 2600 version everyone was gobsmacked by it, because it was 3D and no one ever thought it was possible to do something 3D on a videogame (I was too young to remember). And I remember later when we had both MSX versions, he still preferred the 2600 version, because he liked the "3D effect" more.
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And to be quite fair with the MSX, it didn't get even THAT many SG1000 ports, I actually wish it had *more* :) . Sega actually also did the opposite... while all their MSX games are actually direct SG1000 ports, they also licensed a few games from MSX from other companies and ported them to SG1000 identically (Exerion and Hyper Sports are 2 I remember now)
Great info. Yeah, after making the video I found out that Amiga port was not official. Oh well.
I didn't know ow there were two versions for the MSX though. Now I'll have to find the other version.
And along with Super Zaxxon, the C64 version of that one looks even more impressive!
Another great video!
Just a side note: on machines that have the TMS9918A family of VDPs, the VRAM access speed is dictated by the VDP. This means that this speed is exactly the same on the TI-99/A, ColecoVision, SG-1000 and MSX1. The differences in quality you see are just result of the programmer's competence.
Given they produce less frames per second, PAL machines have slightly more free VRAM bandwidth than NTSC machines. But this advantage was rarely used, to keep the compatibility between the two systems.
As simple as it is, I like the music on the Sega SG1000 port. It has a nice beat to it.
It is pretty nice. For a 1983 game it's really nice.
That reminds me. I've always wondered why people hate the Atari 2600 version, especially since it's more playable than the 5200 version.
I've found over the course of making these shows that the 5200 versions often play far worse than the 2600.
This was one of those games that escaped me, I remember adverts on television, I knew it was out there, but due to being released so early in the 80s I never saw the arcade cabinet and never came across the game out in the wild later in the decade.
The level of detail is astonishing for 1982, it really reminds you that Sega were technically on the cutting edge in the 80s.
They sure were. Sega had so many great ideas back then.
Before their dashing hedgehog and punching monkey boy, Zaxxon is perhaps the oldest Sega game most casual people can think of.
I played the MS-DOS version on a Tandy PC, and was tickled a little by its laser sounds.
The SG-1000 and MSX versions seem fascinating, but Zaxxon 3D is also quite interesting. Zaxxon 3D uses Yamaha YM2413 for FM sound. Nintendo counterattacked Sega by letting Konami release Falsion for the Famicom Disc System also with 3D stereoscopic mode and the extra FDS sound channel.
I played the Atari 2600 version of Zaxxon & i was quite good at it. I later played the emulated version on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the PS3.
I wish the Master System version was a normal port of the game. I also wish the SG1000 version has smoother scrolling. It would be nice to have an arcade perfect port.
Oh how I loved this game. I was thrilled when I found the DOS version on a floppy with a bunch of random games on it, bitd.
Nice. The Dos port is pretty well done. Levels are a little short mind you.
wow, I can't believe Colecovision and C=64 had the best versions.Commodore also had a pretty sweet Super Zaxxon too.
I'll be covering super Zaxxon sometime in the future.
A lot of innovations for SEGA back in '82. Too bad i would not be born for another 8 years :(
So i missed the golden age for arcade gaming. That's why i love this channel and your perspective on Battle of the Ports!!
Thanks again, see you next time
Thanks, Chrstiaan M. I was luck enough to have been around during that time but still never actually got to see a real Zaxxon machine.
Come to Montréal in the summer, they have one in the arcade section of the Just For Laugh festival. ;)
WOW,this was my ALL TIME FAVORITE GAME EVER.I want this game to play on my computer,and I can’t find it anywhere.I want the original arcade game,and it’s no where.Even a really popular game store near me doesn’t have it,and he’s got everything.I can go on and on with so many great memories I had playing this game with friends.Drinking pitchers of beer,and spending a fortune.Thanks for bringing back Great memories for me🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
No problem. Zaxxon is sure one of the all time classics.
I played the unofficial version of CPC when I was a child, Zaxx. I died constantly in the first level because I didn´t underestand the concept of "altitude" XD. SEGA innovations of the 80´s...
I could see myself doing something very similar :)
3 years late to the party on this one. I had this on a Tandy TRS-80. Yes, on cassette.
Better late than never :)
Another winner. Although i love the C64 version, I have to say the Atari 2600 programmers showed real guts. A very playable interpretation on such limited hardware. Incidentally when you look at the games side by side the coleco version's speed is most closely matched to that of the arcade.
Indeed. The 2600 version was a very brave attempt that paid off well.
Also agree on the Colecovision port. It runs fairly well.
I played the hell out of the 2600 version as a kid - but I didn't know about the arcade (I have never seen it in the wild here in Brazil), so I wonder how I got to understand how the game worked...
Dedication to something you enjoy :)
I remember the day when I asked my parents for Zaxxon intellivision and I was happy because I thought it was identical to the arcade version ... :-D
Hehe, those where the days. I was kind of similar with space Harrier on the Master System.
I find it strange the master system version is more like the 2600 version. I would understand if this style was for the sg-1000, but no, it’s the other way around.
Maybe because the Master System version is in 3D, they had to cut back on complexity? I'm just guessing at that. Both Outrun 3D and Space Harrier 3D are less impressive than their normal versions on the same console. They run at half the frame rate since each frame needs to be duplicated for the 3D effect.
Back in special education classes, I only played the MS-DOS version. But not sure before or after Sonic 1 was released.
Innovative, Sega's classics were indeed.
Oh wow, I never thought I'd figure out what this game was called! This game was wayyyyy before my time, but an older relative of mine who's really into retro stuff had one of its ports (the apple ii port, I think.) I saw it once as a kid and I thought it was super cool, but could never actually figure out what game it was. I guess that's case closed for this mystery of my life!
And now you know👍
One of my favorite games... in my birthday!
I played a lot the Tandy Color Computer version. There are two versions for the system, and both were developed by the same person (Steve Björk).
Good stuff and Happy Birthday. I couldn't get the Tandy (CoCo) version to run but I believe it's very similar to the Dragon 32 version. Is this right?
I also had the CoCo version as a kid. The colours were very different from the Dragon32 version but it was otherwise similar, and I think might have been based on much of the same code. There are some videos of it on TH-cam but most of the ones I've seen have their colours reversed. One of the CoCo's most commonly-used video modes used a quirk of the NTSC video standard to generate colour out of what was, technically, a black-and-white signal, but one of the downsides was that programmers couldn't be certain what colours would display when you started the game up and you often had to reset the system several times until the correct palette appeared. The CoCo version of Zaxxon should have a blue ground and orange ship, not the other way around.
One thing to note is that the CoCo used an analog joystick rather than the 8-way digital one used by most systems at the time. If the Dragon version was similar and you were trying to play with a digital D-pad then that might have been the reason for your control issues.
Yes, it is quite similar. However since the Tandy Color Computer is NTSC, that version used artifact colors to generate 4 colors (red, blue, black, white). It is a lot better to look at than the Dragon port.
To my memory the Dragon and Coco versions were identical which makes sense as the hardware was almost identical. One look at that pmode 3 screen gives me eye strain even after more than 30 years. lol
Good info. The Tandy CoCo and Dragon 32 are quite similar in specs so I wouldn't be surprised if both versions shared code for Zaxxon.
The Amiga version actually looks and sounds like a direct port of the C64 version. :D I spoke too soon. You said the same thing. :)
I forget Zaxxon is from Sega. Why Sega don't do a conversion to the MD? I think a good port will be or maybe a port of Super Zaxxon.
Maybe they felt it was too old?
They seemed to wanted to avoid rereleasing games they already ported to their older consoles (some games that would have been perfect on MD didn't get released there because they had already gotten a release on SMS). Kind of sucks, a lot of arcade ports could have used the improvement.
Also probably the same reason why the original Zaxxon isn't on SMS (but only the 3D remake), the SG-1000 already got it.
Zaxxon is an unlockable game in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the PS3 & PSP.
About Amiga version, I think the context is missing. This is an unofficial version, and not really an Amiga version in its own way. What you call "Microsoft Paint" graphics 😂 (I love it) are indeed directly ripped from C64 version as a tribute. This one has been created by one of those guys who wants so hard Amiga to be the direct descendant of C64. But this is obviously not the case at all since the Amiga, as everyone knows, was born from an external project only marketed by Commodore. But that's it, lot of C64 compares Amiga with the computer of their loving childhood, searching to create a link that doesn't exist at all. Zaxxon on Amiga is the result of this improbable feeling, making a guy create a C64 conversion more than a real Amiga version. A little bit pervert if you ask me😀
Well, forget this public domain version. In fact, Zaxxon never made its way to Amiga.
But on Amstrad CPC, Zaxx from Chip released in 1986 is a really more interesting unofficial version, even if the maps are clearly not the same.
Bet the Sam Coupé could do beta than the zx spectrum!
Well done ! ....nice to see all these ports in a row ! Which was the best one ? Colecovision in my little red book.
Especially for the stoned sound effects.....
The beginning of Steve Miller's Fly Like an Eagle always reminds me of this game.
the 5200 was nice smooth playing port the best IMHO out the home consoles of that era, between the 2600, intellivision and the Colecovision, Colecovision matches up well with graphics but it didnt' scroll as smooth as the 5200
you forgot the coleco adam "super game pack" version, which was of course similar to the regular colecovision version, but had additional levels, music, and other stuff. definitely a step up from the regular colecovision version for sure.
Sorry man, I wasn't aware of that port. The Tandy CoCo version is also missing.
Zaxxon was also ported to the TRS-80, TRS-80 CoCo, and Coleco Adam Computer. It was also apparently ported to the C64 twice. On cartridge published by Sega, and on Diskette w/more content. th-cam.com/video/LKalWCWjyRM/w-d-xo.html
you should do a "remastered" BOTP for this one day
One day I may do.
Great video and some funny commentary, but did you leave out the 32X version?
Ah, the 32X game actually has nothing to do with this game. Well apart from the name.
Retro Core yeah, if I remember correctly it looked more like a desaturated viewpoint. Never played it. Is it any good?
Ah-Ha!!!
What can I say Mark. Zaxxon is just...just...AWESOME!
My favorite version is the Colecovision since its a family favorite growing up, but I also like the Sega Master System since I use to like that version playing it over with my friends at the time.
Well done as always Mark. Thank you as always.
Anthony...
I thought you'd like this one :) I was pretty impressed by the 2600 version to be honest.
I played the Arcade original back in the early 80s. Probably why games were ported between the MSX1, SG-1000/SC-3000, and the ColecoVision is that they shared many similarities. In fact I think they all shared the same processor as the Spectrum, which explains all of the lazy Spectrum to MSX ports in Europe. I own Zaxxon for the 2600 and Master System. I just ordered it for the SG-1000. No box or manual because all of the boxed copies on eBay look ratty.
It's a shame that in the West most cardboard boxed games look janky. That would really annoy me if it was the only option I had.
Great comparison.
Thanks that was cool, you missed one - the TRS-80
Yep, the Tandy CoCo. I couldn't find a working version. It's very similar to the Dragon 32 version besides the colours.
@@RetroCore .
They have an entire software archive online with that game included hell I'd be happy to email the EXE file for you myself if you want.
I like how the Amiga version has "FU" written over the oil terminals.
Probably what the developer was thinking at the time :p
@@RetroCore xD
I played the cabinet version on my country (Argentina) and the C64, which I consider is a very good and playable version. Great game, great video, as always
You've played the original Arcade? Lucky you! Did it have the special 3D screen?
Retro Core no, but I clearly remember the beautiful artwork
Nice. Well, at least you got to play some form of the original.
How was the 3D screen effect that you mentioned? never heard of that
I don't know as I've never seen it in real life but apparently it used axonometric projection which you can read about here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axonometric_projection obviously there were the standard screen versions too but if you really wanted to play Zaxxon the was it was intended then you needed to play it on the dedicated cabinet. Kind of how you only get the full experience playing games such as Space Harrier, Thunder Blade, Galaxy force 2, Power drift and so on when using the deluxe hydronic cabinets.
One port not here, and understandably-so due to how hard the system is to emulate, was the Coleco ADAM. It starts off like the ColecoVision port, but after the first encounter it starts getting newer levels and a new mobile battle fortress boss that you have to destroy the cannons of to defeat. I know someone on this site has gameplay footage of it (as he does for the ADAM ports of DK, DK Jr, and a few other games with enhanced versions over the original Coleco). Also, I guess there was trouble getting the MockingBoard emulation to work for the Apple port?
[Edit] Ah yes, the Dragon32/64 port. I have the official tape for that to my Tandy CoCo1. Read something about the colors being the way they are for you guys.. different address space for the video or something? Either way, definitely one of the few official ports Tandy got of arcade games (like the BBC Micro/Acorn Electron for you guys, the Tandy over here got a lot of unofficial clones and few official ports) that was good.
Sorry, I did indeed have some issues getting Mockingbird to run. I wanted to really experience the extra audio too.
I wonder why the Adam is so hard to emulate?
Mainly because the only emulator made was ADAMem, which was only for MS-DOS. I think MAME/MESS emulates it a little better now, though that's a pain in the arse to set up. Newest emulator to pop up seems to be one called "CoolCV" which has a thread on AtariAge.
I'll take a look at CoolCV. Can't say I heard of that one before.
Actually, I'm correcting myself: there was another version on the C64 only released on cartridge by Sega. I'll have to load it up in VICE again, but if you thought the Synapse Software port in the UK was good, the Sega port (I do wonder if it was ported by developer DataSoft) looks even closer to the arcade. Just a shame it's so damned expensive on eBay. I feel all the C64 games on cart are starting to get to that point now..
Well, never been a fan of zaxxon, because it's kind of hard to tell what's the precise position of the ship around other objects. My favorite is the arcade version that has aged pretty good, also I like very much the original sound effects, very early 80s awesomeness!
I've never had too much trouble myself but I can see how the view point can be trouble.
Missing z80 (tk80/82c/83) version
He never misses anything. He got it.
My favourite version is actually the Atari 2600 version since I'm not a fan of the isometric view, I prefer the 3rd person perspective as it makes it easier to judge my accuracy when shooting things down.
There was a port for the TRS Color computer 2 on cassette. It was pretty good for the old Trash 80.
Oh, I didn't know about that. Thanks for the info.
I believe the Dragon conversion is in fact unofficially converted from the Tandy CoCo one, there are quite a few of those conversions around, e.g. Pooyan is another one. Trash 80 is usually referering to the "normal" TRS-80 series that was powered by Z80 CPUs. There was a port of Zaxxon for these as well.
Thanks for this video! :D , on of my favorite early clasics! :)
Happy you enjoyed the show, Salva Perugorria Lorente.
ColecoVision and C64 versions seem to be the best.
ho ho ho i never hear this game before, hmmm btw when you say about arcade version why you say cannot you cannot feel the real arcade cabinet version do that mean this game have unique controller like dance dance revolution arcade version ?!
The Arcade version used a special screen to give a real 3D image. So far it's impossible to recreate this effect via emulation.
Retro Core so its kind like 3ds screen or not ?
It's an old style 3D display.
Retro Core i see its probably not advance as 3ds screen but its still good back in the day, hmm i wonder maybe just maybe are zaxxon screen have same principle as virtual boy like use red led with flat oscillating mirror and repeat flashing led to eye to make 3d effect !? hmm i think i should study some old 3d effect before playing with VR headset
You can read about the screen technology used in Zaxxon here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axonometric_projection
Hi! In the movie Friday the 13th part 4, a boy is playing this game. Zaxxon is running on a Tandy TRS-80. Have you already watched this film?
Can't say I have. I've only seen the first 2.
@@RetroCore Since you are a Zaxxon fan, you might find this interesting. A character even mentions the the game's name in a sentence.
Lol, I played the Apple ][ version on a monochrome monitor as a kid.
I could only see some green objects on a green background, never made it very far..
Hmm I wonder if another version for the c64 exist because I remember it looking different and having a monster 'not robot' boss
Did some research I owned super zaxxon, that is an awesome c64 title
Yep, there was. Turns out Sega made their own port on Cartridge which resembled the arcades graphics more. Wish I had know that when putting this video together.
Retro Core well I found out it was called super zaxxon so not really a direct port but an awesome game. Apperently it was an arcade title also I gotta try that out in mame
Beleive it or not there are also two versions of Super Zaxxon for the C64. It's very confusing to say the least.
Retro Core interesting... You know I don't remember ever seeing game cartridges for c64 as a kid. Which is odd considering I'm reading that carts where more popular in the USA. Hmm now I wonder which states most carts were sold... Cause I know for sure I never saw them in baltimore Maryland
Was this the game that appeared on I want to say it was friday the 13th. I remember one of the scenes where they played a game very much like this.
I'd love to say yes but it's been many years since I saw Friday 13th.
I think the first time I played Zaxxon might have been the board game version.
Now that's one version I've never played.
@@RetroCore It wasn't horrible, had lots of neat plasic pieces, but it wasn't great, either.
Just TOP!!! 😀👍
i suck on isometric games... like zaxxon or marble madness or knight lore ...
rolleyes
I hear you. They can be tricky to get to grips with.
Retro Core I will always as a kid fail to enter between walls ... specially between floor n electrified fences
The battle of ports is an interesting show. I can't wait for Donkey Kong and Pac-Man.
Thanks. Some day I will cover both of those games :)
I'd like to see Dragon's Lair and Tetris. Those episodes are going to be looong.
Tetris is on the to do list and so is Dragon's Lair however there are some versions of Dragon's Lair I still need to find such as the DVD player version.
The Amiga version looks more like some Amiga homebrew cobbled together by a single person, was that game at retail at the time?
It turns out it was an unofficial port of the C64 game. I didn't know this at the time of making the video.
Retro Core Ah I see, that probably explains why it looks almost the same
Amiga is superior graphically to most ports in this video
I played the cab!
You are one lucky man! I've never had the chance to ay the real thing.
Retro Core Bowling alleys often had this.
I think I got to play it only once or twice in the arcades as a kid but I do recall spending hours drooling over the screenshots of its ports displayed on its adverts in magazines. ;)
I did get a chance to play it again on a real cabinet recently though in a festival in Montreal (mobile.twitter.com/laurentgiroud/status/755560857027813377) and damn is this game hard!
Good stuff. It looks like that version was running on a regular CRT.
They were regular CRT's turned sideways. Most video games of this type did that.
coleco had the best arcade ports until the ps1 came out ......
In some cases. It was a pretty impressive system for the time.
I have the SG1000 the scrolling is a little annoying but the game is pretty good for the hardware.
I agree. It's kind of like an MSX in that regard.
No Atari ST version?
+Shane Dean apparently it wasn't officially released on the ST. If it was there's not much info out there about it.
Where is the COLECO Adam version ???
So much better than the console version !!!!!
Also, the AMIGA port is not official, it's Public Domain.
ugh...the high pitched noises in some of them...that was rough
Especially the Colecovision port.
Colour on c64 are usually very bad. Colecovision super game is the best version by far
And Amstrad CPC as Zaxx.
I contemplated on adding the CPC Zaxx but decided against it since its not an official release. If I knew the Amiga version wasn't official I would have missed that out too. Oh well.
You forgot PS3 version on Megadrive Collection
Please read the text at the beginning of the video when you see all the screen shots.
you forgot zaxxon's motherbase 2000 on the sega 32x
That's actually not related to Zaxxon at all. In Japan and Europe the game isn't even called Zaxxon. I think they just used the Zaxxon name in the states to sell the game.
The Version I played.
th-cam.com/video/9FIxYPXpQrU/w-d-xo.html
If the Sega SG 100 has faster Vram why is it's Zaxxon scrolling animation even more choppy?
The Color is not the only bad thing about the DOS version, the graphics are and it looks like it has awful control.
The Dragon 32 graphics are horrible definitely worse than the Amiga and DOS graphics.
The dragon 32 is an 8bit computer. It's very similar to the Tandy Coco.
The Amiga version e better than the shi… of the pc version… really ???????
How to ruin a game: Give the player a hitbox the size of Jupiter.
Mario G Hernandez *the size of the Sun.
Ahahah c64 better than arcade; you are probably from germany where c64 is better than a ps5
Nope, I'm not from Germany. I don't really care for the C64 either 😅