Dungeon - Atari 2600

Note: If you have an emulator such as the Hyperkin Retron77, this game may not work with it. It did not work with my Retron77, even after adjusting the settings in the console menu. I did, however, get it to work very well on my Atari 7800 that I bought later on after getting Dungeon.

Perhaps there are two versions of it. The version I got did not come with a poster in the cartridge box, but the manual and box are still very cool.

Review: I bought and played Dungeon II before I got Dungeon I. Dungeon II is a very good game that does work on my Retron77 very well and I enjoy it a lot. So, I thought I'd get the first one.

In an interesting reversal of how sequels usually are, Dungeon I turned out to be larger and more complex in some ways than Dungeon II but not in others. Dungeon I has a larger maze with more levels and has more animations to your hero and the enemies. There is also a neat little tune that plays at the beginning of the game.

Dungeon I only has you playing a knight whereas you can play as a knight, wizard or faerie each with different strengths and weaknesses. This is not a knock on Dungeon I as it is still a very fun game. In fact, your knight is in some ways a 'renaissance man' in that he can cast different spells and heal himself to some degree, so he's kind of a paladin as opposed to the Warrior in Dungeon II who can't do magic.

I love that this game is turn-based! Most Atari games are fast paced and require quick reflexes. These Dungeon games are not, so you can take your time deciding what you want to do. The game will wait. It also allows you to access your hero's inventory of items and spells without getting attacked. The inventory opens when you press the joystick to the right instead of pressing the action buttons. Once in the inventory, you can move the joystick left or right to cycle through your inventory and press the action buttons to select an item. When you are done, select 'exit' to go back to being able to attack.

The combat works quite well and gives you a feeling that the game is rolling dice to see if you or the enemies succeed on their attacks. Sometimes you or they hit, sometimes miss. When the attack hits, it does different amounts of damage depending on the attack used or the enemy who is attacking. Also within the limits of each weapon or monster, the game 'rolls' for damage and each attack may do a different amount of damage within a certain range.

You can also level up periodically which makes your attacks more powerful and adds spells to your inventory. A very complex game for the hardware it runs on.

Both games are highly recommended.

I got my 2600 from Atari just before Thanksgiving. I have bought a lot of used games in anticipation of receiving it and have been enjoying them. Dungeon was the first "New" cartridge I have opened since probably 1989 when Big Lots had a clearance.

When I opened it and saw the shiny new label and the shiny manual, it was something special. You can mark this game as one that works on the 2600 . I have been playing it few hours already and have been enjoying it. Good Job Folks! Be sure to read the manual if can't kill the green slime. it helps LOL

This is some honest, top tier retro style gaming. Thank you to AtariAge for getting this game to me so quickly! Dungeon is the classic story of the kidnapped Princess needing rescue from the dark and dangerous dungeon! This game is surprisingly full featured, being a turn based RPG/Dungeon Crawler, with a wide variety of enemies and loot to make your adventure through the depths interesting as well as rewarding.

I highly recommend this interesting title to any retro gaming fan. 10/10 one of the coolest and impressive titles I've played in awhile.

David Weavil's 2009 rpg Dungeon is a really fun game and may be the closest thing to a rogue-like that we've seen so far on the 2600. While the screen and sound effects are a bit sparse, it features large, colorful sprites, random encounters with various monsters and a a play system that uses HP and SP for your knight to find and rescue the princess that is in the 12 underground levels of the dungeon beneath the castle. The randomness of the encounters and objects found in the levels make the game really challenging. I've only beaten it once, about a year ago. Finally, the packaging and especially the artwork done by Dave Dries are absolutely outstanding and I recommend getting a boxed copy.

Dungeon ia an excellent RPG dungeon crawler for the Atari VCS/2600. I just got my copy today, and have only played it a bit, but can already say it's quite impressive. The graphics, sound, and gameplay are all top notch!!

Love it! I had so much fun plugging this in and exploring these dungeon levels for the first time. I recaptured my 10-year-old self when this magic plastic square cartridge was shoved in my VCS slot and the power was turned on. The story is perfect for an 80's RPG and the graphics are exactly what we'd want. They are perfect, even great, for the time, but it keeps enough from us so our own imagination fills in the blanks. THAT is why we love the 2600. The controls are well thought out and very intuitive. Super impressed. Full thoughts here: https://youtu.be/6VCCZ_WoePM

Fantastic game. The graphics are top notch. Finally, a great dungeon crawler for the Atari 2600. Love the game mechanicscasting spells, fighting or maybe try to run?lots of fun. Hope to see more dungeon crawlers like it. Dungeon II anyone?

This is a great little game. I've beaten it and have waited a year or two to beat it again so I don't remember all the secrets, haha.

I enjoyed mapping the levels in this game. They're not so large it becomes tedious. It's actually quite enjoyable. Finding the few secrets was also rewarding. It's a very good looking game.

I just wish the author had turned this into a trilogy or something. I want more of this game. I want a sequel. A threequel. Same engine, same everything, new dungeons, new monsters, new secrets. This was a really fun game for me.

Bought this awhile back, but have just now started playing it- really impressed!!!! Best use of "Batari Basic" I have seen so far. I love this kind of simple RPG game, and it is done very well on the 2600, which isn't known for this type of game!! Very impressive, and I'll hold my breath for Dungeon 2!

Dungeon fills a very real need the Atari 2600 has for more adventure/RPG style games. The limited nature of the console means that most games fall into a simple arcade style category and that's a shame because Dungeon proves the 2600 is more than capable of delivering an engrossing and in-depth experience.

If you enjoy exploration of any sort or have ever longed for the days when part of playing a console RPG was referencing maps and charts this is the game for you. Even if you don't opt for the full-color 2-sided poster, you'll find the included manual also features the excellent artwork and a smaller version of the map to help get you started.

This is one of the few 2600 titles that has captured my interest and led to multi-hour playthroughs. It is engrossing, enjoyable, and highly recommended!